Mitra I. Arthur | May 20, 2024
The lyrics "Music is my sanctuary, music is my life," hold special meaning at the Tiny Desk. Penned and sung by 2024 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, saxophonist Gary Bartz, the words capture the feelings of countless artists who have appeared in front of these cluttered shelves. Bartz has worked with jazz luminaries like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Max Roach, Miles Davis and Charles Mingus, to name a few. He has released more than 45 solo albums, with appearances on more than 200 additional albums. His recent collaborations with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge for their Jazz is Dead series illustrate how the 83-year-old is still as relevant as ever.

In a recent interview, Bartz declared that "Music, for me, is the only religion." He sets the stage for his worship with the bluesy "Nommo - The Majick Song," as Mumu Fresh's accompanying poetry invokes the spirit necessary for both delivering and receiving the band's message. 1973's "I've Known Rivers," inspired by Langston Hughes, furthers the ancestral connection in both text and sound. On "Reparations," poet J. Ivy provides excerpts from his 2022 track "Lay Down'' to reflect on the debt America owes descendants of enslaved people. And as Bartz delivers a benediction in the form of "The Song of Loving-Kindness," declaring it "written for everyone and everything that ever was," it feels like a blessing on the Tiny Desk.

SET LIST
"Nommo - The Majick Song (feat. Mumu Fresh)"
"I've Known Rivers"
"Reparations (feat. J. Ivy)"
"Music Is My Sanctuary"
"The Song of Loving-Kindness"

MUSICIANS
Gary Bartz: alto saxophone
Barney McAll: piano
Marc Cary: keys
James King: bass
Kassa Overall: drums
Paul Bollenback: guitars
Harmony Bartz: vocals
Mumu Fresh: vocals
J. Ivy: vocals
Om'Mas Keith: percussion

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Mitra I. Arthur
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Michael Zamora
Audio Engineer: Carleigh Strange
Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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