Night One – On Dissonance: An Evening of Classical, Symphonic, and Opera Works by Black Women Composers and Conductors
Image Credit: Saint Heron/LA Philharmonic
A sea of melanin flooded the venue. Night one of Eldorado highlighted the orchestral works of Julia Perry, Patrice Rushen, and Solange herself plus the vocal styling of mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams. Conducted by Jerri Lynne Johnson, the show was brief yet impactful.
Solange’s “Not Necessarily In Arms Reach” using two tubas made its U.S. debut. She noted, “It is short (3 minutes) but sweet, & I hold it near to my heart.” The program also included Rushen’s “Sinfonia,” which was the first composition she wrote for an orchestra in 1999.
Admittedly, Solange “gagged” when she first heard Julia Perry’s “Homunculus C.F.” because “the streets will try and make you think that classical minimalism was birthed by white men in 1964, [but] Julia composed this in 1960.” Perry’s “Stabat Mater” and “Short Piece For Orchestra” were also performed.
As Zoie sang, goosebumps arose. Her entrancing, powerful voice echoed throughout the room. Overall, this night was mesmerizing because it felt like you were witnessing someone score a film in real time, but also was a reminder of the magic and talent associated with Black women.
Timothy Norris/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Timothy Norris/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Timothy Norris/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Timothy Norris/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Timothy Norris/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Night Two – Contrapuntal Counterpoints: Experimentation In Funk, Soul, and Jazz
Image Credit: Saint Heron/LA Philharmonic
Despite Solange not being listed as a performer, fans whispered anxiously in the audience about her making a special appearance onstage for an evening of funk, soul, and jazz. She came out during the first night to give a courtesy acknowledgment, but otherwise, she gave the rest of the talent their moment and did the same every night.
Liv.e (pronounced Liv) was up first. Her set, which featured records like “Gardetto” and “Wild Animals,” was the embodiment of chopped and screwed neo-soul—abstract albeit familiar. She transported listeners into her world using multicolored lights, sound and her unique tone.
For the first time since 2017, J*Davey (vocalist Jack Davey a.k.a. Brianna Cartwright and producer Brook D’Leau) reunited and brought Thundercat along for the ride. We indulged in their cult classics including “This One,” “Raincheck,” and “Get Together” and peeped Solange jamming along from her seat.
Bilal, Cooper Moore, William Parker and Michael Wimberly formed a makeshift band that Solange confessed was “about to be pretty weird (in the best way) and improv at its finest.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBFdvk0vDuX
“Jazz ain’t nothing but a word. Jazz ain’t got no mama. Jazz used to have a mama […] Mama was blues, ragtime, and swing and bebop, but jazz ain’t got no mama no mo’. Jazz ain’t nothing but a h*e. A prostitute, a slave to the master… Jazz is a feeling,” said Cooper-Moore before he began scatting.
He, William Parker and Michael Wimberly led a jam session and it wasn’t long before Bilal walked out as smooth as can be. Admittedly, if you were expecting the 1st Born Second-version of the crooner, that wasn’t what you were getting. He spent his time questioning God and screaming out His name in agony.
God showed up on night three.
Farah Sosa/Courtesy of LA Phil
Farah Sosa/Courtesy of LA Philarmonic
Farah Sosa/Courtesy of LA Phil
Farah Sosa/Courtesy of LA Phil
Farah Sosa/Courtesy of LA Phil
Night Three – Glory to Glory: A Revival For Spiritual and Devotional Art
Image Credit: Saint Heron/LA Philharmonic
The third and final night of Eldorado Ballroom was a “revival for spiritual and devotional art.” Let us be the first to tell you the saints that the anointing was omnipresent.
Featuring performances by GMWA Women Of Worship Choir, organist Dominique Johnson, singer Moses Sumney, pianist Artina McCain, and choir conductor Malcom Merriweather, this was nothing but hours and hours of praise and worship.
It was evident that this night was the one she was most excited about. On Instagram, Solange wrote, “I hold this show so near and dear because it showcases the breadth and nuance of what spiritual and praise and worship music can be, and I feel so in devotion to all the many moments these works have found me in both my darkest hours and my highest moments of joy. I feel closest to myself when I feel closest to God and music is the pathway that open all the doors to the divine for meeee.”
McCain and Merriweather performed the choral and piano works of the late Mary Lou Williams. Her album, Mass Black Christ of the Andes, was created after a lengthy hiatus. Yet, per Solange, “Ms Mary said make it holy, but make it still knock, still very dissonant, still very complex, very strange, very stunning.”
Coincidentally, the entire evening can be described as such.
Johnson made history as the first Black woman to play the pipe organ at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, but no one moment from the show was taken for granted. From the moment she sat down and kicked off her shoes, she let the Spirit lead her. “As I minister, the room’s distractions dissipate, leaving me with a profound sense of intimacy and vulnerability in my relationship with God,” she noted to VIBE of where she goes mentally when performing.
Adding, “It’s akin to engaging in a heart-to-heart conversation with the Father. While playing, I often imagine laying my head on Jesus’ lap, confiding in Him about my troubles. At times, I shift into a space of worship and adoration, conveying my deepest gratitude to God.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBG9kvtuG1a
She also gave Solange her flowers for merging the secular and the sacred. “Generally, gospel and secular music occupy separate platforms, yet Solange’s strategic move to bring gospel music to a secular audience is a stroke of genius!” said Johnson.
Sumney represented for all preachers’ kids. “I grew up in church and my dad said I would sing gospel one day,” he laughed mid-performance, reflecting on his upbringing. “God had a different plan.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMyRfIpNvPs?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]
He later explained, “I never thought I’d developed what I would call ‘gospel chops’ [meaning] a certain range and modal dexterity with vocal runs.” Despite his insecurity, he credited Eldorado and Solange for opening something for him. “It was perhaps healing, even, to be so embraced by people who love gospel music. I do think of my music as spiritual, across the board.”
The standout rendition was “Doomed,” which is lyrically a conversation with God. His soul-stirring rifts and chilling runs felt divine.
When Solange first shared that the GMWA Women Of Worship would be performing the iconic hymn, “Order My Steps,” she wrote, “I don’t want nan of yall even looking my way.” In addition to it being an “obvious gospel legendaric classic” as dubbed by the Seat At The Table singer, she explained that Glenn Edward Burleigh composed it in Houston, and “had a history of incorporating classical & opera idioms with Black American blues and jazz.” She added, “This song is the embodiment of what I am trying to achieve with ‘Glory To Glory.’”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmzCyxHIYoI?feature=oembed&w=500&h=375]
This was the song that had everyone on their feet. It’s a communal anthem. Too sacred to be disturbed anything beyond praise, the glory was cemented in that moment. The GMWA Women Of Worship then led a medley of hits including “When I Get Home,” “There Is No Way,” and “Total Praise.”
Solange concluded the three-night program by thanking all of the “phenomenal artists who shared their gifts with us.” She continued, “I just feel so seen and supported.” She specifically called out Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell and all of the “innovators of gospel and spiritual music,” reiterating her belief that music is the “divine pathway to God.”
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