hello so from an early age I was always curious about my family’s ancestry the
curious about my family’s ancestry the
curious about my family’s ancestry the natural world was always created a sense
natural world was always created a sense
natural world was always created a sense of all to me the sunsets the trees
of all to me the sunsets the trees
of all to me the sunsets the trees nature in general always kind of seemed
nature in general always kind of seemed
nature in general always kind of seemed to be a very grounding piece of my soul
to be a very grounding piece of my soul
to be a very grounding piece of my soul and as I talked with my parents more I
and as I talked with my parents more I
and as I talked with my parents more I realized that we had some Native
realized that we had some Native
realized that we had some Native American ancestry and once I learned
American ancestry and once I learned
American ancestry and once I learned this it made me want to research that
this it made me want to research that
this it made me want to research that side of my heritage a little bit more so
side of my heritage a little bit more so
side of my heritage a little bit more so I’m a drummer in a composer and while I
I’m a drummer in a composer and while I
I’m a drummer in a composer and while I was a student at VCU in the Jazz Studies
was a student at VCU in the Jazz Studies
was a student at VCU in the Jazz Studies program some of my teachers encouraged
program some of my teachers encouraged
program some of my teachers encouraged me to explore this side of my ancestry
me to explore this side of my ancestry
me to explore this side of my ancestry to see how it might inform not just my
to see how it might inform not just my
to see how it might inform not just my plane but also my approach to music so
plane but also my approach to music so
plane but also my approach to music so as I started reading some books and
as I started reading some books and
as I started reading some books and listening to native american music and
listening to native american music and
listening to native american music and attending pow wows I started to see how
attending pow wows I started to see how
attending pow wows I started to see how I might be able to use this knowledge to
I might be able to use this knowledge to
I might be able to use this knowledge to inform my own plane in my own art and as
inform my own plane in my own art and as
inform my own plane in my own art and as I was reading the book bury my heart at
I was reading the book bury my heart at
I was reading the book bury my heart at wounded knee by Dee Brown I found myself
wounded knee by Dee Brown I found myself
wounded knee by Dee Brown I found myself finishing a chapter and then I would go
finishing a chapter and then I would go
finishing a chapter and then I would go and sit at the piano and just kind of
and sit at the piano and just kind of
and sit at the piano and just kind of play a little bit to make sense of what
play a little bit to make sense of what
play a little bit to make sense of what I just read and try to process it a
I just read and try to process it a
I just read and try to process it a little bit and with no real intention
little bit and with no real intention
little bit and with no real intention you know I would write down a melody
you know I would write down a melody
you know I would write down a melody that might come and just kind of let it
that might come and just kind of let it
that might come and just kind of let it be and then the next day would be the
be and then the next day would be the
be and then the next day would be the same I’d read some I’d write some I’d
same I’d read some I’d write some I’d
same I’d read some I’d write some I’d read someone to write some and what
read someone to write some and what
read someone to write some and what started to happen is that this piece of
started to happen is that this piece of
started to happen is that this piece of music started to unfold and I found
music started to unfold and I found
music started to unfold and I found myself really kind of overwhelmed by the
myself really kind of overwhelmed by the
myself really kind of overwhelmed by the material that i was reading i was
material that i was reading i was
material that i was reading i was writing painting composing improvising
writing painting composing improvising
writing painting composing improvising on the drums and talking to anybody that
on the drums and talking to anybody that
on the drums and talking to anybody that would listen to me about what it was i
would listen to me about what it was i
would listen to me about what it was i was studying and one thing I started to
was studying and one thing I started to
was studying and one thing I started to realize is that as you study history
realize is that as you study history
realize is that as you study history it’s not just a series of events and
it’s not just a series of events and
it’s not just a series of events and dates on a timeline there’s a linear
dates on a timeline there’s a linear
dates on a timeline there’s a linear quality to the history that we study so
quality to the history that we study so
quality to the history that we study so for example events such as the Sand
for example events such as the Sand
for example events such as the Sand Creek Massacre our wounded knee are the
Creek Massacre our wounded knee are the
Creek Massacre our wounded knee are the Battle Little Bighorn even though they
Battle Little Bighorn even though they
Battle Little Bighorn even though they had taken place in the 1800s we’re still
had taken place in the 1800s we’re still
had taken place in the 1800s we’re still being felt today by many people for
being felt today by many people for
being felt today by many people for example the sand creek massacre that I
example the sand creek massacre that I
example the sand creek massacre that I just
just
just mentioned just had one hundred and
mentioned just had one hundred and
mentioned just had one hundred and fiftieth anniversary on November 29th of
fiftieth anniversary on November 29th of
fiftieth anniversary on November 29th of 2014 and this event happened when around
2014 and this event happened when around
2014 and this event happened when around 700 us volunteer soldiers attacked a
700 us volunteer soldiers attacked a
700 us volunteer soldiers attacked a peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho
peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho
peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians killing and mutilating the
Indians killing and mutilating the
Indians killing and mutilating the bodies of nearly 200 villagers
bodies of nearly 200 villagers
bodies of nearly 200 villagers two-thirds of whom were women and
two-thirds of whom were women and
two-thirds of whom were women and children and I was falling along with
children and I was falling along with
children and I was falling along with the protest as this event started this
the protest as this event started this
the protest as this event started this anniversary was coming and there was a
anniversary was coming and there was a
anniversary was coming and there was a lot of anger inside of the Native
lot of anger inside of the Native
lot of anger inside of the Native community about how this was being
community about how this was being
community about how this was being depicted by the Colorado history museum
depicted by the Colorado history museum
depicted by the Colorado history museum which is where the state that this
which is where the state that this
which is where the state that this massacre had taken place and also there
massacre had taken place and also there
massacre had taken place and also there was a petition to have the town of
was a petition to have the town of
was a petition to have the town of Chivington Colorado renamed because it
Chivington Colorado renamed because it
Chivington Colorado renamed because it was named after the the colonel who led
was named after the the colonel who led
was named after the the colonel who led the massacre on these villagers and so
the massacre on these villagers and so
the massacre on these villagers and so these were and are very real events and
these were and are very real events and
these were and are very real events and parts of people’s lives that sadly not a
parts of people’s lives that sadly not a
parts of people’s lives that sadly not a lot of us are aware of so it was then
lot of us are aware of so it was then
lot of us are aware of so it was then that I started to see a purpose for this
that I started to see a purpose for this
that I started to see a purpose for this music that I was writing is to try to do
music that I was writing is to try to do
music that I was writing is to try to do my part to shine a light not just on the
my part to shine a light not just on the
my part to shine a light not just on the history but also on the reality that
history but also on the reality that
history but also on the reality that these events have had on people’s lives
these events have had on people’s lives
these events have had on people’s lives today and to try to do that with music
today and to try to do that with music
today and to try to do that with music so as I would be thinking about an event
so as I would be thinking about an event
so as I would be thinking about an event such as the Sand Creek Massacre I would
such as the Sand Creek Massacre I would
such as the Sand Creek Massacre I would sit and try to write a piece of music
sit and try to write a piece of music
sit and try to write a piece of music that could convey the image or the story
that could convey the image or the story
that could convey the image or the story inside of someone’s mind even though
inside of someone’s mind even though
inside of someone’s mind even though they might not know the actual back
they might not know the actual back
they might not know the actual back story of what happened and as I would
story of what happened and as I would
story of what happened and as I would write these pieces I wanted to call them
write these pieces I wanted to call them
write these pieces I wanted to call them by the names of the events that inspired
by the names of the events that inspired
by the names of the events that inspired them so that is my hope that a listener
them so that is my hope that a listener
them so that is my hope that a listener would hear a song and then look to see
would hear a song and then look to see
would hear a song and then look to see what it was called and take a few
what it was called and take a few
what it was called and take a few minutes to do a little bit of research
minutes to do a little bit of research
minutes to do a little bit of research on their own to find out some more
on their own to find out some more
on their own to find out some more information so for example if you look
information so for example if you look
information so for example if you look up Wounded Knee let’s say and you read a
up Wounded Knee let’s say and you read a
up Wounded Knee let’s say and you read a little bit about it you can follow a
little bit about it you can follow a
little bit about it you can follow a direct path that leads you to the
direct path that leads you to the
direct path that leads you to the current protest at the Standing Rock
current protest at the Standing Rock
current protest at the Standing Rock reservation that’s happening today in
reservation that’s happening today in
reservation that’s happening today in North Dakota ultimately there was six
North Dakota ultimately there was six
North Dakota ultimately there was six songs that ended up being part of this
songs that ended up being part of this
songs that ended up being part of this suite that became known as bury my heart
suite that became known as bury my heart
suite that became known as bury my heart they’re broken treaties Wounded Knee
they’re broken treaties Wounded Knee
they’re broken treaties Wounded Knee little crows war Big Horn sancreek and
little crows war Big Horn sancreek and
little crows war Big Horn sancreek and remembrance
remembrance
remembrance and as we were playing some of this
and as we were playing some of this
and as we were playing some of this music with my band one of the guys in
music with my band one of the guys in
music with my band one of the guys in the band suggested that I might write
the band suggested that I might write
the band suggested that I might write something that was not so dark he said
something that was not so dark he said
something that was not so dark he said the music was a little too intense and
the music was a little too intense and
the music was a little too intense and that everything is not that bad and I
that everything is not that bad and I
that everything is not that bad and I have to admit it was a little bit hard
have to admit it was a little bit hard
have to admit it was a little bit hard at first because most of the stuff i was
at first because most of the stuff i was
at first because most of the stuff i was reading didn’t make me feel very happy
reading didn’t make me feel very happy
reading didn’t make me feel very happy so but I continued to read more and i
so but I continued to read more and i
so but I continued to read more and i would go to powwows and i would hear the
would go to powwows and i would hear the
would go to powwows and i would hear the drums and I would see little kids
drums and I would see little kids
drums and I would see little kids dressed in traditional clothing and it
dressed in traditional clothing and it
dressed in traditional clothing and it made me want to write the last tune of
made me want to write the last tune of
made me want to write the last tune of the suite which is called remembrance
the suite which is called remembrance
the suite which is called remembrance and at first it might seem like a song
and at first it might seem like a song
and at first it might seem like a song that’s about remembering all the bad
that’s about remembering all the bad
that’s about remembering all the bad that happened and all the history which
that happened and all the history which
that happened and all the history which it kind of is but truthfully and more
it kind of is but truthfully and more
it kind of is but truthfully and more importantly it’s also about remembering
importantly it’s also about remembering
importantly it’s also about remembering the beauty that exists today with mid
the beauty that exists today with mid
the beauty that exists today with mid the native culture and the resurgence of
the native culture and the resurgence of
the native culture and the resurgence of tribal identity throughout the country
tribal identity throughout the country
tribal identity throughout the country and also to remember those things such
and also to remember those things such
and also to remember those things such as the Sun set the stars the trees water
as the Sun set the stars the trees water
as the Sun set the stars the trees water and everything that makes us part of
and everything that makes us part of
and everything that makes us part of this natural world so I thought that it
this natural world so I thought that it
this natural world so I thought that it would be fitting today to close this
would be fitting today to close this
would be fitting today to close this talk with a performance of that song
talk with a performance of that song
talk with a performance of that song remembrance and I’d like to invite some
remembrance and I’d like to invite some
remembrance and I’d like to invite some of my bandmates out on stage to join me
of my bandmates out on stage to join me
of my bandmates out on stage to join me to play this song Jason Scott on
to play this song Jason Scott on
to play this song Jason Scott on saxophone Tom Shay on bass and Toby
saxophone Tom Shay on bass and Toby
saxophone Tom Shay on bass and Toby Whitaker on trombone and this is
Whitaker on trombone and this is
Whitaker on trombone and this is remembrance
Oh
Oh [Music]
[Music]
[Music] Oh
”
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