7.15PM:ADEN
aden is a multi-instrumental musician, singer, and composer. Hailing from Madison, WI but of no particular home; grown at the nexus of many artistic traditions, drawing from it all to create and perform music that not only resonates with individual hearts, but brings people closer together in a spirit of intimacy and empathy.
“Mixing American folk with soulful, complex jazz chords and creating layers of melody rather than definitive hooks [aden’s] sound is the perfect match to their voice – a powerful, vulnerable voice, reminiscent of Joni Mitchell at her best. It’s taking a mix of genres and pushing them to their extremes – to the outer reaches of what classical music, the choral tradition, socio-political soul and a gentle folk song can do.” — Jason Jules, author of “Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style”
8.30PM:FAY VICTOR
Fay Victor is a sound artist and bandleader that uses performance, improvisation and composition to examine representations of modern life and blackness. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Fay’s ‘everything is everything’ creative aesthetic permeates her working approach to the vocal instrument. Having released eleven critically acclaimed albums as a leader, including her latest release,“WE’VE HAD ENOUGH!” with her improvising quartet SoundNoiseFUNK (ESP-Disk) in October 2020 and having performed with luminaries such as Gary Bartz, Archie Schepp, Nicole Mitchell, Randy Weston, Roswell Rudd and Moor Mother, Victor has shown the through line of her unique vocal force and expansion. An innovative educator, Victor is on the faculty of the College of Performing Arts at the New School and ROC Nation School for Sports, Music and Entertainment at Long Island University.
11PM:CLEO REED
Born and raised in NYC and Uptown DC, Cleo is a student of black underground sound and intention. she reaches deeply into her own lineage and uses it as a reference in both music and multimedia art. She produces and designs soundscapes, compositional and popular music works, in addition to mixing, mastering, and editing her own music and visuals. Her current collaborators as a producer and sound designer include Jon Batiste, Nick Hakim, and more.
“Cleo Reed is a fearless act. Her sound is uncompromising, with devastatingly honest dreamscapes that leave her listeners as mesmerized as they are enamored.” – Galdem magazine