Oct 23, 2024 10:10 AM
In Memoriam: Claire Daly, 1958–2024
Claire Daly often signed her correspondences with “Love and Low Notes.”
The baritone saxophonist, who died Oct.…
Georgia Anne Muldrow once described understanding herself as a medic—an artist who heals.
Throughout her career, the Grammy-nominated singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist has released music that defies genre, questions constructs and uplifts communities whose voices have been suppressed. Among her innumerable collaborators have been Pharoah Sanders, Robert Glasper and Jason Moran, who commissioned “Muldrow Meets Mingus,” a 2017 evening-length concert performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Symphony Center in Chicago.
In August, Muldrow is set to issue Mama, You Can Bet! as Jyoti, the sacred name she received from Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda—and an artistic persona she reserves solely for releases on SomeOthaShip Connect, the label and production company she cofounded with fellow artist and partner Dudley Perkins. The album features only one special guest, a frequent collaborator: saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin.
From her home in Las Vegas, Muldrow discussed the perks of playing synthesizer, musical alchemy and the age-old question: What’s in a name?
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
This record marks your third release under the name Jyoti.
Jyoti records are very close to my heart. [Jyoti is] not a nickname. It’s a dear name—it’s a spiritual name. Your name is the biggest mantra that you’ll ever say in your life. I believe it’s something you grow into; it takes a lot of time to fully understand who you are. There’s lots of layers to the meaning of my name. It’s light. But it’s also celestial flame [laughs]. Furthermore, it’s the fire from Shiva’s consciousness. The older I get, the more levels of the name unlock. And it seems as if there’s more I have to understand about myself in order for those levels to unlock.
Oct 23, 2024 10:10 AM
Claire Daly often signed her correspondences with “Love and Low Notes.”
The baritone saxophonist, who died Oct.…
Sep 24, 2024 12:02 PM
Benny Golson, one of the greatest composers and saxophonists of the bebop era, passed away Saturday, Sept. 21, at his…
Nov 5, 2024 1:00 AM
Quincy Delight Jones Jr., musician, bandleader, composer and producer, died in his home in Bel Air, California, on…
Oct 2, 2024 11:35 AM
John McNeil, a trumpeter, composer and educator who built an accomplished and progressive career in jazz despite a…
Nov 19, 2024 12:57 PM
Powerhouse jazz drummer and bandleader Roy Haynes died Tuesday in Nassau County, New York. He was 99. One of the few…