"Music is a central cog in our socio-cultural identity from the individual to the global level. It helps us define ourselves and our humanity. It connects us with each other. I want it to keep doing that."

Wide Mouth Mason:

I Wanna Go With The Blues

Wide Mouth Mason is a soul power duo…

"Blues and especially jazz were pivotal in breaking down the color line and overcoming prejudice in this country. Rock played that role to a lesser degree, but it still was important in introducing white audiences to black musical forms."

David Dann: The King & His Blues Life

David Dann’s book “Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life in the…

"I don't know if it's a state of mind but I do think it's more than a musical genre. There is a lot of passion and truth in the blues."

Pedro Villarejo: The Art of Music

Pedro Villarejo is an artist from Spain who has illustrated comics, children's books, poetry, posters and television series among other things. His artistic training is…

"Blues is a Feeling, it’s Music that describes how you FEEL. The Black Musicians discovers how to put these feelings into song. But today the genre and art form are for everyone to express how they FEEL. Keep it real and enjoy the audience will love and respect that."

Rob Paparozzi: Harmonica Master

New Jersey-based frontman, singer, &…

"African American music, Art and literature all tell the story of black people’s journey from then being taken from Africa, enslaved though present day. Black art and literature are an integral part of telling the American story in an honest way."

Wayne Escoffery: Rising Jazz Star

Downbeat Critics Poll Winner and Grammy Award winning tenor…

"Blues music as the voice of an oppressed and exploited people. Blues developed from the urge of the slaves to express their culture, heritage and mostly their emotions. The blues developed as a response to African Americans deeply traumatizing experience of slavery and the dehumanization."

Prakash Slim: Crawling In The Blues

Nepali blues musician…

"I believe in American, European and African history of the twentieth century, it has been greatly influenced by black music and movements against racism and in favor of human rights and has gone in parallel with the growth and transformation of the blues from its origins, from cotton fields to industrialization in large cities such as Chicago, New York, LA where it evolved to reach all corners of the world by way of Rock or Rock & Roll like Chuck…

“Eleftheria” (Freedom) has always been important to me, as it has been for Greeks, and for people in general. I realized that down deep everyone wants to be free of something; that the more personal a feeling is, the more universal it is. I wanted to express in sculpture a more philosophical idea. My love of philosophy also began with Greek philosophers."

Zenos…

"Blues Music has been an affirmation of racial indignities, political differences and social-cultural disparity since its inception. It's no different today. They exist and will continue unfortunately. Gratefully the craft is so much more than showing our disparity and deviance. The Blues is a happy and loving genre and I relish in the fact that the music will really set you free … Because the Blues Is the Truth."…

“Music is and always will the universal language and if people take the time to listen and to truly hear, there will greater understand and compassion for the differences between us. Peace.”

Myles Goodwyn: A Friend Of The Blues

Singer, guitarist, writer, producer and leader of the band April Wine, Myles Goodwyn’s passion and drive shaped and…

"Music has always been a major force in tackling social, and political issues."

Brad Heller: Eclectic Rock Sentence

Whether with his backing band, The Fustics, or performing as an acoustic artist, Brad Heller has established himself as a credible force among current songwriters. Honing his craft for over a decade and a half the Wilmington, North…

"But the fact is that musicians have always been at the front of social and political issues. Because of the nature of our creativity we are sensitive to racial and social issues, and I believe it is up to us to speak out for what we believe: for me it is Equality, Respect, and Social Justice."

Jimmy Carpenter: Soul Doctor & His Sax

Jimmy…

"I miss hearing music on the radio that was performed 100% by humans.  I personally get excited by new music that makes you question if it was recorded in the 60’s or 70’s.  There is a warmth, an ease, a human approach to that sound."

Moonshine Society: Sweet Thing

Locally in Washington, DC, the band of Moonshine Society gives a big nod to Aesop’s…

"The blues is in fact a state of mind. Otherwise you just play music."

Al Cook: Nothing But The Blues Roots

Al Cook (born Alois Koch) grew up in Vienna, Austria. The visit of the Elvis movie Gold from a hot throat at the age of fifteen awoke in him the desire to make music. He started teaching himself guitar, piano and singing. After first…

"Poetry’s roots are lyrical and this continues to expand and illuminate as can be seen in the cultural preeminence of hip-hop. Music is the blood flow of our cosmic existence on terrestrial earth."

Todd Swindell: Harold Norse Blues

Todd Swindell is writer and archivist based in Sonoma County, California. As a close friend of Beat poet Harold…

"Destroy all egos and attain emptiness."

Tate Swindell: The Sūtra of The Beats

Archivist, Poet and Photographer, Tate Swindell is the founder of Unrequited Records, which specializes in poetry records released on the vinyl format. The latest release was an album of rare Gregory Corso readings from the late 1970s that included previously…

"Jazz is a black artist music. There are monumental messages in the history of the music. The artists behind these sounds stand tall over the history of the world. Jazz always has reaction and perspective on the days events. Jazz is always going to be an important part of the changing world we live in."

Martel Chapman: The Art of Jazz

Heavily…

"I think it’s an indispensable part of our lives. We couldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for all of the music that came out of the south, the music that came into this country through Louisiana to the North Coast. That’s where the blues music came in."

Delbert McClinton: Ulysses Of American Roots Music

Tall, Dark, & Handsome (2019, Thirty…

"I can say this without prejudice that Blues music is essential to ones life. Weather they like it or not, weather a person actively listens or not, in some way it will influence them or impact them. We can say Blues music is a Black music born out of White oppression. One would not exist without the other."

Tweed Feat. Gervis Myles: Love Strong…