Black Music Month - by Nabil Ayers
It’s time again to celebrate a month that not very many people know about. June is Black Music Month, which started in 1979 with a celebration on President Jimmy Carter’s White House lawn. President Obama changed the name to the much less catchy African American Music Appreciation Month, and this year, the month that many still call Black Music Month turns 44. Last year I had the honor of co-founder Dyana Williams hosting my Philadelphia book event. She remains heavily involved in the organization, which is now run out of Nashville’s American Museum of African American Music.
Back in 2021 I wrote a piece for Pitchfork about the history of Black Music Month and what it means now. This year, I updated my 2021 Black Music Month Spotify playlist, which includes some very well known, and some less mainstream artists who are making music that I find particularly exciting. It’s my Substack, but I will still disclose that I work with and am friends with some of these musicians.
I first learned about the legendary Brooklyn venue, The East from the 1972 Mtume Umoja Ensemble album Alkebu-Lan Land of the Blacks—Live at the East. The album harnesses more energy than any live album I’ve ever heard (it’s only available on YouTube, bootleg, LP or used original LP for $400), and it made me look further into the venue, which is now an auto shop not far from my current apartment. Between 1969 and 1974, Pharaoh Sanders, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, and yes, Roy Ayers were just some of the amazing performers who played at The East.
The East was much more than a performance venue. It was a school, a food co-op, a restaurant, and a printing house who published a bi-weekly Black nationalist newsletter. The documentary film The Sun Rises In The East has been screening at festivals for over a year, and it just became available to stream on Amazon. It’s a beautiful snapshot of one part of New York City in the ‘70s.
I’ve got just a couple more book events coming up, including this Thursday at my friend’s new coffee shop / wine bar in Queens, and next week at the excellent Minneapolis record store Electric Fetus on the book’s one year anniversary. Summer will be quiet, but things will pick up again in the fall. Event details and updates can always be found HERE.
Thu Jun 1: Queens, NY @ Honey Moon Coffee Shop / in conversation with Jenn Pelly. 7pm
Weds Jun 7: Minneapolis, MN @ Electric Fetus / in conversation with David Safar. 6pm
Mon Jun 12: Brooklyn, NY @ Roulette / Panel discussion on Media & Music Accessibility as part of Arts for Arts / Vision Festival. Panelists include Paul D. Miller / Nate Chinen / Melvin Gibbs / Naomi Extra. 2pm
Fri Aug 25: Port Townsend, WA @ Thing (music festival) / in conversation with John Roderick. time tba
My memoir My Life in the Sunshine is out now. I’d love it if you picked up a copy at your local independent bookstore. It’s also available at all the big places, and for your Kindle as well. There’s an audiobook that I spent 20 hours of my life reading (it’ll only take 7 hours to listen). You can listen to the 5-minute intro for free on Spotify.
I hope to see you somewhere soon.
Nabil Ayers / Brooklyn
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