About this Event
W. Rayford Johnson and deVon Russell Gray will sit for an intergenerational discussion about their lives and careers as composers, musicians and leaders in the Twin Cities performing arts community.
Embracing our Roots: Rooted and Rising pairs artists and arts activist Elders with next-generation arts leaders in conversation, mining the continuum of cultural knowledge and experience that built today’s arts communities. In this program, we partner with two other Black-led organizations; In Black Ink and The Givens Collection of African American Literature.
W Rayford Johnson, a native of Alabama, served the St. Paul Public Schools as a revered music educator and conductor for more than four decades. Behind his leadership and advocacy, music in the schools became vibrant and dynamic and led numerous students to continue their music careers through performance and education, including his student bassist and producer Terry Lewis. Mr. Johnson was also a longtime member of the Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities and the National Association of Negro Musicians, the country's oldest African American cultural organization. He continues to perform through the Twin Cities in several ensembles, including the Capri Big Band, Minnesota State Band and his quartet The Tangents.
A native of historic Rondo, deVon Russell Gray is a divinely guided multi-media social justice activist and pantheistic audial alchemist whose work redefines the role of music in activism and cultural transformation. Gray harnesses the power of sound to confront urgent social issues such as policing, personal autonomy, and the systemic injustices faced by Black and Brown communities. After years of Eurocentric training and scholarship, Gray has intentionally dislocated from traditional frameworks, navigating a space centered in decoloniality and Afrofuturism. His work challenges existing paradigms, forging innovative cultural pathways that resonate deeply with contemporary social justice struggles and artistic liberation.
Event venue & nearby stays
222 21st Ave S, 222 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, United States
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