Music

Renowned activist and poet Nikki Giovvani joins internationally acclaimed saxophonist-composer Javon Jackson and his jazz quartet for a performance of their 2022 musical collaboration, The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni. Giovanni, who curated the album’s ten tracks—including a buoyant calypso version of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” among other African American spirituals and gospel hymns—is the winner of seven NAACP Image Awards, a Grammy nominee for Best Spoken Word Album, a National Book Award finalist, and one of Oprah Winfrey’s 25 “Living Legends.” Of the songs she selected for Jackson, chair of the University of Hartford’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz Studies, she says, “They comforted people through times of slavery, and during recent years we needed them to comfort us again.” For a rendition of “Night Song,” a composition recorded by her close friend, the late Nina Simone, Giovanni joins as vocalist.

Please note: BAMcafé will open half an hour before the event. All performances will adhere to protocols developed in accordance with New York State regulations and in consultation with medical professionals for the safety of our artists, audiences, and staff. Visit BAM’s Safety Protocol page for more information.