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| Essence Festival Summit 2013 |
Today I was fortunate enough to perform at the Essence Festival Summit with the Kafele Bandele Quartet. The players Matt Vorzimer on drums, Brandee Younger on harp, Kafele on trumpet, myself on vocals. This was a great gig perhaps the earliest gig I've ever had. The sound of the band was dope. Rev Al Sharpton spoke, Senator John Lewis Skyped, Deputy Mayor of NOLA presented Ms. Peters, a mother who lost her son to gang violence in NOLA. Overall this was a moving event. Much like being in a "Think Tank." As a musician we are often the "invisible man" you hear us but are we really there? I don't mind utilizing this opportunity as a moment to enrich my life as an artist. To be in that room is priceless. Being able to have the opportunity to hear such monumental leaders speak about community activism and how this ties into branding and getting your voice heard, as well as making change, is a powerful message to carry in the soul of the artist. These reminders help me to focus on why I sing. My father fed the community by owning a restaurant. The artist feeds the community by painting humanity and sharing it with the world. Overall I had a beautiful afternoon and sang, though brief, with some of the most amazing musicians in a great room full of amazing thinkers. The Essence Festival 2013 will surely be an incredible experience for all those who intend to go!
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