August 26, 2025 • 36 mins
Dominique reviews national headlines and reflects on how the arts are more necessary than ever in authoritarian times. In the second half of the hour Jazz/HipHop/R&B Trumpeter Keyon Harrold shares his music and philosophy.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, that's called the intellectual. That's from key On
Harold Harold, Grammy winning jazz trumpeter, R and B hip
hop trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, producer. And I'm going to assume
that he is on his way here, and we're gonna
(00:24):
talk because that's what we do while we find that out.
Eight hundred and nine two fifteen eighty is the number
if you want to call in, now's the perfect time
because uh yeah, well okay, thank you, Andy, thank you
for that, because we got one of those moments of moments.
And so I guess what I'll do is what I
(00:48):
always do, catch you all up and hope that this
brother is on his way because truly truly looking forward
to the conversation. And I'm on this music and music
and arts kick because it's a reminder when things are
crazy like they are right now in the world that music, poetry, art,
(01:17):
you know, visual arts, shoot a dog on fiction book,
all of that stuff is what keeps us strong and
keeps us courageous in these times. And I think that's
that's the key, because we cannot we cannot give in,
we cannot give up, we cannot be afraid. And I
(01:38):
notice it's even beyond that. It's about staying happy, right,
staying inspired, not just not scared, but on the positive side,
on the constructive, proactive side, staying staying strong, right, standing up,
(02:00):
pushing back. Whatever your lane is. As someone said, you know,
maybe you're not the guy or woman that's marching on
the front line or trolling the president. Maybe you're the
sandwich maker for the protesters. Maybe you're the flyer designer
or the phone banker. All of those are going to
be necessary and important. And so whether you're the governor
(02:26):
of Illinois pushing back and saying, you know what, don't
bring your National Guard troops here, or whether you're joining
a local organization one of the fifty two chapters of
Black Lives Matter that's all over this nation, that's what
that's what we need to do right now. And that
(02:46):
is precisely why my dad, the late and amazing and
Mary Baraka founded the Black Arts Movement, Because there's more
to art than just enjoyment and creativity. There's all art
is political, you know, and so we can use it,
(03:10):
whether it's whether it's subtle or whether it's blatant, we
can use it to inspire our activism and the inspire
our everyday lives. And that's what I'm That's what I'm
that's what I'm advocating right now. And I'll be going
to see Charlie, Uncle Charlie tomorrow along with Babyface Look,
(03:35):
New and old art, all of it. You know, the
classics and the cutting edge. So tomorrow is going to
be a day of both the classics and the cutting edge.
Although I must say I used to when I was
on the front page, I have this I had this policy.
I never wanted to tell you who was coming up
on the show because I didn't want to end up
in a situation where the person wasn't there and then
(03:58):
I had promised you something and I couldn't deliver it.
But on this show, I've not carried on that policy,
and so now I'm not sure. But we do have
another jazz artist that's meant to be coming in tomorrow,
so hopefully we will have that high dose of art.
(04:20):
The president of Howard University is stepping down, and it's
kind of weird because Howard was off to a bumpy
start this fall. I have a couple of friends whose
kids go there, and apparently there was this mix up
with their new software, and people were getting bills for
tuition they had already paid and revised amounts they owed,
and people were having meltdowns and freak out. Some kids
(04:43):
really panicked and didn't think they would be able to
go to school at all. But anyway, ben Vincent third,
that's his name. His last day is August thirty first,
and they're bringing back the old president, Wayne Ai Frederick,
the old president who prompted those protests around housing. What
(05:04):
does it mean? I do not know, but will be
tracking because I got a bunch of little niece nephew
types that are attending that that spot right now. We
have a word that a federal judge, you know, has
barred the dessants and the Trump administrations from bringing any
(05:27):
new prisoners to Alligator Alcatraz and is demanding that State
of Florida is scale down operations. That's not the real name,
that's what they call it. They call it Alligator Alcatraz.
But again, you know, it's hard to track these things
because a judge will say one thing on one day
and another thing on another day, and another one court
(05:53):
will say one thing, then another court will say another thing.
It's almost like the judges are as intimidated by this
administration as the as the regular politicians. It's like everybody scared.
(06:15):
But as of right now, there's a pause on that,
so that I would consider that good news. You know,
I've been tracking this Selina Haba person because she was
the US attorney for New Jersey who actually charged my brother,
(06:36):
the mayor of Newark, ras Baraka, and they had him jailed,
and she charged him with federal trespassing, which is really
not even a thing, and they had him in iced
attention just for one day. But still he's the mayor
of the city and he wasn't breaking any laws, and
he's clearly a US citizen. My family has been here
(07:00):
on the Black Side. My family has been here, and
we have documentation going all the way back to the plantation. Okay,
so we're definitely citizens, right, earned the hard way, right anyway.
A federal judge has found that her appointment by Trump
was unlawful and that her actions since July is the
(07:22):
top federal prosecutor in New Jersey will more than likely
be declared void. That's because the Trump administration did some
shady shenanigans to appoint her, and a judges said, nah
We're gonna see if that holds up. But you know,
I wish you Shade, Queen. I wish you Shade don't
(07:44):
be detaining black men in ice prisons, black American men,
or anybody for that matter, but particularly us. We should
be last on that list. But we know that's not
really the case. While he's stepped out of Washington, the
former best friend in chief, the Doge guy, the South
(08:07):
African billionaire who ironically was supposedly funding America first. You
remember the guy that was starting the America Party. But
that said, naw, I'm gonna focus on my companies. By
focus on his companies, he means try to break break unions.
And there's a panel of three judges in Texas, two
of them Trump people, who have ruled in his favor,
(08:30):
and that's not good news for unions across the country.
What the SpaceX mogul was trying to prove is that
the National Labor Relations Board is in itself unconstitutional because
(08:52):
their members can't be fired by the president. So basically,
some of these agencies that are meant to be protected,
like the Federal Reserve, like the NLRB, they're being targeted
by the Trump administration. And their surrogates. Here the court
agreed with Musk. It says, because they can only be
removed for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, that
(09:14):
that means the NLRB, which was specifically laid out to
be that way so it could be independent from being
swayed by any president. It goes back to nineteen thirty five.
This law called Humphrey's editor Executor versus executor, excuse me
(09:36):
versus the United States to protect people from independent agencies
by being manipulated by authoritarian chief executives like the one
we have. Now looks like they are heading towards overturning that,
(09:56):
and your boy Elon Musk is leading the way. A
lot of things going on we don't. You know. It's
not that we have to track every single one of
them or blow with a wind, but I think it's
good to know what is at stake, what we're facing,
what we're fighting, and what we are going to be defeating.
(10:21):
Eight hundred and nine two oh fifteen eighty that's the number.
If you want to tap in, I'm Dominique Diaprima for
KBLA talk fifteen eighty.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Wow, Wow, we do have a lot to talk about,
and I'm always inviting you in. Looks like, in the
middle of all this so posed law enforcement crackdown and
such coming out of Washington, that the Trump administration may
downgrade the rating of magic mushrooms, the psilocybin, the psychedelic mushrooms,
(10:58):
which are just like cannabis, have been a schedule Schedule
one drug narcotic, which is the most restrictive category of
drugs under the FEDS. They categorize them as having a
high potential for abuse. The thing is that these mushrooms
(11:19):
have now become popular for medicinal purposes and recreational purposes,
and apparently you can find them in a lot of
cannabis stores even though they're still illegal. But it looks
like the Trump administration is considering changing them to a
(11:42):
Schedule two drug. The petition is in and there's been
a long time movement to change this, but it looks
like it looks like it might happen. That would be
ironic if that was to happen under this administration, but
(12:03):
it's a possibility. You know. Strange bedfellows for sure. In
the maga world. I mean, the whole RFK scenario is
a perfect example of that because many of the things
that he spouts are things that I've heard holistic practitioners
talking about for years. Some of them might even practice
(12:25):
or agree with. But on the other hand, there's this
anti science, anti fact piece that's very troubling. So it
can become confusing. Big picture, not at all confusing. MSNBC
is changing its name, not at all creative. They're going
to be called MS now. I mean, why keep the
(12:48):
MS if you're going to change your name be you know,
they were bought by a company called Versant and so
they're no longer part of NBC News. But I think
it also has to do with trying to move away
from these so called woke labeling and away from the
(13:08):
wrath of the left. It's not going to work, but anyway,
they're changing their name. Hopefully it goes better for them
than Cracker Barrel went for the cracker Barrel piece. People.
That's uh, that's a big controversy apparently in MAGA world.
(13:33):
Unlike again Strange Bedfellows, I guess the Epstein Files is
a is a perfect example of that, where folks on
the left and folks on the right, far right and
medium to far left converge on wanting to know what's
in the Epstein files, not if Trump is in them,
(13:55):
but in what way he's in them. You got a
man right now outside the White House setting fire. Oh no,
that was last night. Okay, I thought it was right now,
it's last night. He set fire to a flag right
in front of the White House to protest an executive
order saying you're not allowed to set fire to flags.
(14:17):
He's in custody the first the Supreme Court rule that
it's protected under First Amendment speech. But apparently that that
doesn't stop the president. The Constitution has never stopped this
president from doing or undoing any particular thing at this point.
(14:42):
And so that's where we are now. Oh look who's
here trying to trying to be in the clutch when
my guest drops out, hopefully my guest is okay, I'm
hoping that nothing terrible has happened to him, because I
am truly a fan. But it happens sometimes. And we're
(15:03):
being joined by my colleague right now, swooping in with
his Superman cape on. He is the national political director
for KBLA Talk fifteen eighty and the host of a
More Perfect Union with Doctor Neek Cordelai Corte Monday through
Thursday from four pm to six pm. Chief National Affairs
(15:26):
Analyst is the actual title, but lately he's been kind
of like in the room shooting questions at the President,
and I'm so proud of how you handle yourself in
that scenario, Doctor Nee Cordelai Corte.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Good morning, dominique su prima, how are you?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Good morning, I'm blessed, how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Blessed? And highly favorite Hello.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Hello. I know that's right, being a journalist in the
room with the president, you know, in every thing that
he means to our community and not you know, our communities,
I should say, all of the intersectional places where our
feet stand. And maintaining your composure and asking questions in
(16:14):
a way that elicits a response without making him banish
you from the room is quite a skill set, and
I've seen you do it a number of times, Doctor Corte.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, we get a lot of good training as a
talk radio host. But let me just say that every
single time I pull up to the White House, every
single time I walk into the briefing room or into
the Oval office, I don't walk alone. I know that
I know that you're walking in there with me. I
know that so many of our leaders, learners, and listeners
(16:48):
are also in the room with me. And it's not
about me. It's about doing a job. It's about holding
folks accountable. It's about speaking truth to power. It's about
getting our audience the information that they deserve to know
about their government and about their leaders so that they
(17:10):
can make the best decisions for themselves, for their family.
As you often say on the air and off the air,
we keep us safe, and we keep us safe because
we are diligent about separating the fact from the fiction
and offering folks information that they can trust.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Yeah, I think that's right. And it's easy to say, well,
if I was in Trump's face, I'd cuss them out,
or I'd do this, or I'd do that, But then
of course you'd never be there again, and you wouldn't
get to keep asking the questions, and somebody with sense
has got to be in there.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I think you're absolutely right, And you know, look, you know,
I have my own personal thoughts, my own personal opinion,
but when I'm in that role as White have correspondent
for KBLA, when in that room with him, I have
a job to do. And I'm also conscious conscious that,
(18:07):
you know, folks can be awfully petty around sixteen hundred
Pennsylvania Avenue, you know, and I don't want the petty
to get in the way of information that people can
actually use.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, that's right. And I think the way that you
question him, you do your question, you do your follow
up question, You're able to get answers out of him
because it's not combative. You come at him with questions.
And I get the feeling watching you with the President
that he's so happy to have a black reporter that
(18:41):
is not yelling at him, but also not all the
way up his butt. You know, he's kind of like
just asking a question that he actually gives you responses.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Yeah, yeah, I mean so I've heard. So, I've heard.
And I also want to take the opportunity to give
a shout out to some of my colleagues that are
all holding it down in the White House Press Spree
for room, also holding this president and this administration accountable.
My friend and brother Jaren Keith Gaynor, he's the White
House correspondent for the Grio. Also Ebany mc morris, who's
(19:14):
the White House correspondent for AU are in American Urban
Radio Network. And you know, there are so many black journalists,
some of us who are not with Black outlets but
are in community with black people that are part of
the Washington Association of Black Journalists and National Association of
White Journalists are holding it down. And so whenever you
(19:37):
have a chance, you know, make sure you read their stuff,
you listen to their stuff, because they're also bringing a
black lens, an analysis that starts on the chocolate side
of town, as the doctor Cornell West would say, they
are bringing that to their work every day.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, that's a great point, especially at this time when
journalists are under attack in the United States and the
mainstream media and also abroad we see what's happening in
Gaza with the actual killing of journalists. It's an important
time to pay attention and support those who are doing
the work every day. We got news, traffick and sports
(20:16):
right here, and then we'll continue this conversation with you
and doctor Ni Cordlai Corte on KBLA Talk fifteen eighty.
Is it jazz trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, producer, not just jazz,
hip hop, R and B, gospel, all the genres and
we got him for a few minutes, but we got
(20:37):
him on Kean Harold, good morning.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Good morning, Good morning you.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
I'm good now. Good to hear your voice, good to
hear the music. Tell us what we just heard.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
You heard my song find Your Piece featuring Common and
Robert Glasper and Jeene Baylor from formerly the group John Nay,
you know, talking about waking up early and finding you
in peace and no matter what's going on in the world,
you know, being able to stay you know, focused and
humble and ready to receive all the blessings that God
(21:14):
has for us.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Period, period. Your very first gig was with Common, right.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yes, yes, as a as a as a teenager. When
I moved to New York City, I'm for Saint Louis.
You know, I thought I was going to you know,
be the you know, the next jazz you know person,
but I ended up you know, really getting getting dousted
in hip hop. So you know, that was just a plus.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
It's kind of a full circle moment having comment on
your new project after having him putting you on when
you were a little kid.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Mm hmmm, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So I mean, but you kind of are the next
jazz person or the now jazz person. People may know
you from doing the All the Sounds for the Miles
Davis movie with Don Cheetele, and you've continued to do
hip hop and whatever else you feel like, but you
you're solidly in the jazz space, right, Oh.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Absolutely, I mean, you know, in the music space. You know,
for me, it's only it's only two genres. To me.
You got good music and bad music. I'm doing good music.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I'm good.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
You know, whether that's hip hop, jazz, R and B, classical,
you know, whatever film scores, it doesn't matter to me.
I just want to be in a space where I'm
you know, playing music and raising vibrations.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah. Yeah. And you say you're from Missouri. You're from Ferguson, Missouri.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Is that I mean, do you think that has anything
to do with the fact that you're an activist and
an artist or is that just something that is from
your family? Where does that come from?
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I think it's it's encompasses all of that, I mean,
coming from Ferguson. You know, obviously, since the you know,
the untimely passing of Mike Brown, you know, we were
able to see, you know, just the political climate of
what it was like for me to grow up. You know,
I had never had to express that, but when that happened,
(23:22):
the whole world saw it, and that, you know, really
brought me to the point of where as a person,
as a as a as a musician, as a human,
as a father, as a friend, you know, I think
my job is to really speak, you know, to the
to the plight of other people who can't speak speak
(23:42):
for themselves. So I use that in my music, I
use that in my platform, you know, because I believe
there's another opportunity for people to to do better.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, which is why it's incredibly sort of incredibly ironic
that I never put two and two together that when
you know, the incident, the famous Karen incident, when we
saw your child, your son, being accused of stealing someone's phone.
What happened to someone to like you, who's an artist,
who is a you know, a multi genre person, who's
(24:15):
dealt with people of all walks of life, and who
is an activist.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed, that was such a you know,
crazy time, you know, the talent of the pandemic. When
my son was acosta in New York City at a
hotel and it was just you know, unbelievable. Even to
this day, it is still unbelievable. But you know, I'm
happy that I was able to be you know, grounded
(24:40):
and be able to be there for my son at
a time like that, knowing you know how bad it
could have been, but you know, thinking, you know the
creator that you know it didn't get as worse as
it it could have been. But you know, everything at
the moment now my son is great.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
That yeah, that's the most important piece of all of it.
I mean, the teachable moment, the way you handled it,
all that is great, but the fact that your kid
is good is the main point.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yes, indeed, yess indeed.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
So you I mean, you're you have a project that
came out last year, but it's still relatively new. I'm
looking at your website Keonhrold music dot com. You are
really living that jazz musician touring musician life. You are
just everywhere. I mean, from one minute you're in Detroit,
(25:35):
the next minute you're in the UK, just on the
road playing music all the time.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
That's indeed, and you know it's it's it's a dream
come true. You know, as a at I'm sorry at
an early age. You know, that's what I wanted to do,
and I'm really really living that right now. Have opportunity
to see the world and and create what people from
all over the world. I just came back from China,
(26:07):
you know, this weekend, I'll be in Detroit at the
Jazz Festival, and DC at the Jazz Festival, and also
at the legendary Blue Note in New York City, all
this weekend coming up. So I'm you know, it's cool.
You know, I get a chance to take my band
and and play music that that was written, you know,
(26:28):
straight from my soul, and get a chance to really,
you know, meet the people. So I'm happy about that.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That's open. On the latest release for Everland, you're actually
doing a little bit more singing. You've got some amazing
guest artists as well, but you're doing a little bit
more singing along with your your trumpet playing.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yes, indeed, you know this this album, you know, fabin
Land is a full, full circle moment with a lot
of my friends. It's kind of like a like a
family union of sorts. You know, I met you know PJ.
Morton when we were working together with Eric aba Do
and that's just been one of my biggest collaborators for years,
(27:09):
and I had the opportunity to have them on my album.
We have a song called Beautiful Day. You know incredible
artist from the UK, Laura and Vulah. We have a
song which is a title track forever Land, and I'm
singing on that more so than I ever really have.
But you know what I figured, Listen, I've heard a
lot of singers you know I can do it too.
(27:31):
Why not let's have fun with it. So it's been cool, Yeah,
you know, just growing and really you know, in my
in my walking music, just adding all of the the
challenge that I have and just putting them forward.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
That's right. Uh. That album Foreverland is out right now.
We played Beautiful Day a little earlier. It's a great,
great song. We'll continue our conversation with Keon Harold when
we come forward on KBLA Talk fifteen. It's the rain
from Mac Miller to Maxwell, jay Z, John Legend, Andre Crouch,
(28:10):
Anthony Hamilton, Beyonce. He sent if you worked with all
of those and more. We're talking with Keon Harold. What
what's that we're hearing right there?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed, that's that was my man, Mac
Miller rest is soul, incredible artist. Yeap, yep, yeah, I
had the opportunity to create that one with him a
few years ago.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I should have said big krit, I should have said
mob Deep, Gregory Porter. All of these folks gravitate to you,
you gravitate to them. I mean, it's all over the
map in terms of styles, but it's all down to
you as a producer, down to you as a trumpet player,
(28:56):
a trumpeter.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yes, indeed, you know it's I think it's voices meeting voices.
It's culture meeting culture, you know, and I appreciate again
all kind of music. So you know, it's always it's
honesty meeting honesty. So when I got a chance to meet,
you know, any of these artists from from mac Millan
(29:18):
to to Maxwell who was my brother. Shout out to Maxwell,
had the opportunity to work on his song Pretty Wings
in the Black Summer's Night record. So you know, I'm
a part of good music and I love it, and
you know, it's it's it's a blessing to me.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Yeah. And you know, and you have had great mentors
in the business, but also frequent collaborators. I you know,
I know that makes a huge difference. But I also
know from you know, being the daughter of someone who
has written about music, and it was this sort of
was a jazz critic at times, that those circles don't
(30:00):
always meet, right, even within jazz, there's sort of sex.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
That's totally true. Yeah, I mean because one of my
greatest mentors, you know, my big brother Winter marcellis. You know,
I used to spend time in New York City. We'd
be you know, doing our thing, but we'd be playing
basketball would common at the same time. So you know,
sometimes they don't meet, but sometimes we meet on the court.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Okay, I think do you think that maybe this whole
era of hip hop and being able to be so
digital with everything. I read somewhere that you always keep
your your trumpet and some digital recording equipment in your car,
that it's it's made it more possible for people to
(30:47):
transcend different genera, genres and and other boundaries.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Oh, I totally believe that. And you know, nowadays it's
just everything's so accessible, from YouTube to Spotify and Apple
Music and everything like that. There's always you know, you know,
you can switch to dill and be in whatever different
genre that that exists. But again, I don't really split
(31:17):
hairs with you know. I feel like Quincy Jones said that,
you know, the only thing that really changes a genre
is the actual beat. The chords are the same, the
notes are the same. You know, how many melodies can
you actually play? So I don't, you know, I don't
run from it at all. I just, you know, just
(31:38):
keep trying to expand on, you know, the cannon of
a musical life, from Stevie Wonder to you know, to
to Jimmy Hendricks, to Miles Davis to now you know,
the jay Z and Beyonce. It doesn't matter to me.
It's all viby.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
It's all viby. A Mollie Bell, who's a chairwoman of
our YouTube chat, says the music is soothing, so glad
he made it in make sure a key on Harold,
she said, make sure let you let him know every
piece you've played was worth the weight.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
So you're getting a lot of love there, and you
do get props from the jazz world. I heard you
at an event for a nonprofit, for an anti racist nonprofit,
and just the sounds the what my dad would call
out jazz mixed with all these other genres. It's like
(32:36):
you can make your horn talk.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Yes, indeed, you know, I embrace the avant garde too.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
And in what role do you feel like, you know,
how do you see the arts in the moment that
we're in, you know, this moment in history, this moment
and in blackness?
Speaker 3 (32:57):
I guess goodness. I mean today, you know, we look
up and we read the news, and we hear so
much at what's going on. There's so against democracy, anti democracy,
anti black I feel like music has the ability to
(33:19):
be a pillar in change and a pillar in reminding
us of humanity, you know. So I use music to
do that again, speaking for the voiceless and speaking in
a way that goes deeper than what words can say,
you know, using music to to really touch souls and
(33:39):
really you know, search people's hearts, because you know, people
can only you know, take on and and really live
what they hear. But sometimes music has the ability to
supersede that with the spirituality, with the you know, with
with the hearts calling out to hearts. I'm using music
in that way. And I think music and art, visual
(34:00):
arts and all kind of you know, the writings that
are out there. You know, we got to keep keep
pushing this human narrative, not this not this anti human,
anti block narrative.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Well, if you happen to be in Hamburg, Germany on Halloween,
you can see him at the Nika Jazz Club. If
you have NIVI and Prague, you can see him at
the Jazz Doc. If you want to see him in LA,
you're gonna have to wait till November eighteenth at the
Blue Note or the nineteenth at the Blue Note in
Los Angeles. We got sixty seconds here. Keon Harold. It's
a pleasure to talk with you. What would you like
(34:33):
to leave us with?
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Oh, I would like to say it's incredible to talk
with you. Also, you know, if you are in LA,
do come and celebrate with me November eighteenth and nineteenth
that the brand new, re open Blue Note, Los Angeles.
I'm celebrating my birthday, so come have a good time.
It's going to be good grape vibes, and you know,
(34:57):
shout out to my manager Adrian Miller, and you know
we're push him forward.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Happy birthday. What is that sad scorpio cuspy type stuff? Oh,
solid scorpio. Okay, makes sense. Well, Happy birthday, in advance
and thank you for checking in. It's nice to talk
with you.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
You as well, you as well.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Peace and love keon Harold music dot com. Peace and
love to you as well, Keon Harold music dot com.
You can get the music, you can find out about
the shows. You can find out more about what he's
up to. Tavis Smiley's up next. He's got a full
compliment of guests for you. As usual, Tavis is one
(35:41):
of the hardest working minute show business. Happy to be
part of the team here and thank you Andy for
another great day filling in for Miles Low. Like my mama,
the poet Laureate of San Francisco, Dianea Prima, used to say,
history is now. Like I always say, we are making
it together until to morrow. One love,
All right, that's called the intellectual. That's from key On
Harold Harold, Grammy winning jazz trumpeter, R and B hip
hop trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, producer. And I'm going to assume
that he is on his way here, and we're gonna
(00:24):
talk because that's what we do while we find that out.
Eight hundred and nine two fifteen eighty is the number
if you want to call in, now's the perfect time
because uh yeah, well okay, thank you, Andy, thank you
for that, because we got one of those moments of moments.
And so I guess what I'll do is what I
(00:48):
always do, catch you all up and hope that this
brother is on his way because truly truly looking forward
to the conversation. And I'm on this music and music
and arts kick because it's a reminder when things are
crazy like they are right now in the world that music, poetry, art,
(01:17):
you know, visual arts, shoot a dog on fiction book,
all of that stuff is what keeps us strong and
keeps us courageous in these times. And I think that's
that's the key, because we cannot we cannot give in,
we cannot give up, we cannot be afraid. And I
(01:38):
notice it's even beyond that. It's about staying happy, right,
staying inspired, not just not scared, but on the positive side,
on the constructive, proactive side, staying staying strong, right, standing up,
(02:00):
pushing back. Whatever your lane is. As someone said, you know,
maybe you're not the guy or woman that's marching on
the front line or trolling the president. Maybe you're the
sandwich maker for the protesters. Maybe you're the flyer designer
or the phone banker. All of those are going to
be necessary and important. And so whether you're the governor
(02:26):
of Illinois pushing back and saying, you know what, don't
bring your National Guard troops here, or whether you're joining
a local organization one of the fifty two chapters of
Black Lives Matter that's all over this nation, that's what
that's what we need to do right now. And that
(02:46):
is precisely why my dad, the late and amazing and
Mary Baraka founded the Black Arts Movement, Because there's more
to art than just enjoyment and creativity. There's all art
is political, you know, and so we can use it,
(03:10):
whether it's whether it's subtle or whether it's blatant, we
can use it to inspire our activism and the inspire
our everyday lives. And that's what I'm That's what I'm
that's what I'm advocating right now. And I'll be going
to see Charlie, Uncle Charlie tomorrow along with Babyface Look,
(03:35):
New and old art, all of it. You know, the
classics and the cutting edge. So tomorrow is going to
be a day of both the classics and the cutting edge.
Although I must say I used to when I was
on the front page, I have this I had this policy.
I never wanted to tell you who was coming up
on the show because I didn't want to end up
in a situation where the person wasn't there and then
(03:58):
I had promised you something and I couldn't deliver it.
But on this show, I've not carried on that policy,
and so now I'm not sure. But we do have
another jazz artist that's meant to be coming in tomorrow,
so hopefully we will have that high dose of art.
(04:20):
The president of Howard University is stepping down, and it's
kind of weird because Howard was off to a bumpy
start this fall. I have a couple of friends whose
kids go there, and apparently there was this mix up
with their new software, and people were getting bills for
tuition they had already paid and revised amounts they owed,
and people were having meltdowns and freak out. Some kids
(04:43):
really panicked and didn't think they would be able to
go to school at all. But anyway, ben Vincent third,
that's his name. His last day is August thirty first,
and they're bringing back the old president, Wayne Ai Frederick,
the old president who prompted those protests around housing. What
(05:04):
does it mean? I do not know, but will be
tracking because I got a bunch of little niece nephew
types that are attending that that spot right now. We
have a word that a federal judge, you know, has
barred the dessants and the Trump administrations from bringing any
(05:27):
new prisoners to Alligator Alcatraz and is demanding that State
of Florida is scale down operations. That's not the real name,
that's what they call it. They call it Alligator Alcatraz.
But again, you know, it's hard to track these things
because a judge will say one thing on one day
and another thing on another day, and another one court
(05:53):
will say one thing, then another court will say another thing.
It's almost like the judges are as intimidated by this
administration as the as the regular politicians. It's like everybody scared.
(06:15):
But as of right now, there's a pause on that,
so that I would consider that good news. You know,
I've been tracking this Selina Haba person because she was
the US attorney for New Jersey who actually charged my brother,
(06:36):
the mayor of Newark, ras Baraka, and they had him jailed,
and she charged him with federal trespassing, which is really
not even a thing, and they had him in iced
attention just for one day. But still he's the mayor
of the city and he wasn't breaking any laws, and
he's clearly a US citizen. My family has been here
(07:00):
on the Black Side. My family has been here, and
we have documentation going all the way back to the plantation. Okay,
so we're definitely citizens, right, earned the hard way, right anyway.
A federal judge has found that her appointment by Trump
was unlawful and that her actions since July is the
(07:22):
top federal prosecutor in New Jersey will more than likely
be declared void. That's because the Trump administration did some
shady shenanigans to appoint her, and a judges said, nah
We're gonna see if that holds up. But you know,
I wish you Shade, Queen. I wish you Shade don't
(07:44):
be detaining black men in ice prisons, black American men,
or anybody for that matter, but particularly us. We should
be last on that list. But we know that's not
really the case. While he's stepped out of Washington, the
former best friend in chief, the Doge guy, the South
(08:07):
African billionaire who ironically was supposedly funding America first. You
remember the guy that was starting the America Party. But
that said, naw, I'm gonna focus on my companies. By
focus on his companies, he means try to break break unions.
And there's a panel of three judges in Texas, two
of them Trump people, who have ruled in his favor,
(08:30):
and that's not good news for unions across the country.
What the SpaceX mogul was trying to prove is that
the National Labor Relations Board is in itself unconstitutional because
(08:52):
their members can't be fired by the president. So basically,
some of these agencies that are meant to be protected,
like the Federal Reserve, like the NLRB, they're being targeted
by the Trump administration. And their surrogates. Here the court
agreed with Musk. It says, because they can only be
removed for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, that
(09:14):
that means the NLRB, which was specifically laid out to
be that way so it could be independent from being
swayed by any president. It goes back to nineteen thirty five.
This law called Humphrey's editor Executor versus executor, excuse me
(09:36):
versus the United States to protect people from independent agencies
by being manipulated by authoritarian chief executives like the one
we have. Now looks like they are heading towards overturning that,
(09:56):
and your boy Elon Musk is leading the way. A
lot of things going on we don't. You know. It's
not that we have to track every single one of
them or blow with a wind, but I think it's
good to know what is at stake, what we're facing,
what we're fighting, and what we are going to be defeating.
(10:21):
Eight hundred and nine two oh fifteen eighty that's the number.
If you want to tap in, I'm Dominique Diaprima for
KBLA talk fifteen eighty.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Wow, Wow, we do have a lot to talk about,
and I'm always inviting you in. Looks like, in the
middle of all this so posed law enforcement crackdown and
such coming out of Washington, that the Trump administration may
downgrade the rating of magic mushrooms, the psilocybin, the psychedelic mushrooms,
(10:58):
which are just like cannabis, have been a schedule Schedule
one drug narcotic, which is the most restrictive category of
drugs under the FEDS. They categorize them as having a
high potential for abuse. The thing is that these mushrooms
(11:19):
have now become popular for medicinal purposes and recreational purposes,
and apparently you can find them in a lot of
cannabis stores even though they're still illegal. But it looks
like the Trump administration is considering changing them to a
(11:42):
Schedule two drug. The petition is in and there's been
a long time movement to change this, but it looks
like it looks like it might happen. That would be
ironic if that was to happen under this administration, but
(12:03):
it's a possibility. You know. Strange bedfellows for sure. In
the maga world. I mean, the whole RFK scenario is
a perfect example of that because many of the things
that he spouts are things that I've heard holistic practitioners
talking about for years. Some of them might even practice
(12:25):
or agree with. But on the other hand, there's this
anti science, anti fact piece that's very troubling. So it
can become confusing. Big picture, not at all confusing. MSNBC
is changing its name, not at all creative. They're going
to be called MS now. I mean, why keep the
(12:48):
MS if you're going to change your name be you know,
they were bought by a company called Versant and so
they're no longer part of NBC News. But I think
it also has to do with trying to move away
from these so called woke labeling and away from the
(13:08):
wrath of the left. It's not going to work, but anyway,
they're changing their name. Hopefully it goes better for them
than Cracker Barrel went for the cracker Barrel piece. People.
That's uh, that's a big controversy apparently in MAGA world.
(13:33):
Unlike again Strange Bedfellows, I guess the Epstein Files is
a is a perfect example of that, where folks on
the left and folks on the right, far right and
medium to far left converge on wanting to know what's
in the Epstein files, not if Trump is in them,
(13:55):
but in what way he's in them. You got a
man right now outside the White House setting fire. Oh no,
that was last night. Okay, I thought it was right now,
it's last night. He set fire to a flag right
in front of the White House to protest an executive
order saying you're not allowed to set fire to flags.
(14:17):
He's in custody the first the Supreme Court rule that
it's protected under First Amendment speech. But apparently that that
doesn't stop the president. The Constitution has never stopped this
president from doing or undoing any particular thing at this point.
(14:42):
And so that's where we are now. Oh look who's
here trying to trying to be in the clutch when
my guest drops out, hopefully my guest is okay, I'm
hoping that nothing terrible has happened to him, because I
am truly a fan. But it happens sometimes. And we're
(15:03):
being joined by my colleague right now, swooping in with
his Superman cape on. He is the national political director
for KBLA Talk fifteen eighty and the host of a
More Perfect Union with Doctor Neek Cordelai Corte Monday through
Thursday from four pm to six pm. Chief National Affairs
(15:26):
Analyst is the actual title, but lately he's been kind
of like in the room shooting questions at the President,
and I'm so proud of how you handle yourself in
that scenario, Doctor Nee Cordelai Corte.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Good morning, dominique su prima, how are you?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Good morning, I'm blessed, how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Blessed? And highly favorite Hello.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Hello. I know that's right, being a journalist in the
room with the president, you know, in every thing that
he means to our community and not you know, our communities,
I should say, all of the intersectional places where our
feet stand. And maintaining your composure and asking questions in
(16:14):
a way that elicits a response without making him banish
you from the room is quite a skill set, and
I've seen you do it a number of times, Doctor Corte.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, we get a lot of good training as a
talk radio host. But let me just say that every
single time I pull up to the White House, every
single time I walk into the briefing room or into
the Oval office, I don't walk alone. I know that
I know that you're walking in there with me. I
know that so many of our leaders, learners, and listeners
(16:48):
are also in the room with me. And it's not
about me. It's about doing a job. It's about holding
folks accountable. It's about speaking truth to power. It's about
getting our audience the information that they deserve to know
about their government and about their leaders so that they
(17:10):
can make the best decisions for themselves, for their family.
As you often say on the air and off the air,
we keep us safe, and we keep us safe because
we are diligent about separating the fact from the fiction
and offering folks information that they can trust.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Yeah, I think that's right. And it's easy to say, well,
if I was in Trump's face, I'd cuss them out,
or I'd do this, or I'd do that, But then
of course you'd never be there again, and you wouldn't
get to keep asking the questions, and somebody with sense
has got to be in there.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I think you're absolutely right, And you know, look, you know,
I have my own personal thoughts, my own personal opinion,
but when I'm in that role as White have correspondent
for KBLA, when in that room with him, I have
a job to do. And I'm also conscious conscious that,
(18:07):
you know, folks can be awfully petty around sixteen hundred
Pennsylvania Avenue, you know, and I don't want the petty
to get in the way of information that people can
actually use.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, that's right. And I think the way that you
question him, you do your question, you do your follow
up question, You're able to get answers out of him
because it's not combative. You come at him with questions.
And I get the feeling watching you with the President
that he's so happy to have a black reporter that
(18:41):
is not yelling at him, but also not all the
way up his butt. You know, he's kind of like
just asking a question that he actually gives you responses.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Yeah, yeah, I mean so I've heard. So, I've heard.
And I also want to take the opportunity to give
a shout out to some of my colleagues that are
all holding it down in the White House Press Spree
for room, also holding this president and this administration accountable.
My friend and brother Jaren Keith Gaynor, he's the White
House correspondent for the Grio. Also Ebany mc morris, who's
(19:14):
the White House correspondent for AU are in American Urban
Radio Network. And you know, there are so many black journalists,
some of us who are not with Black outlets but
are in community with black people that are part of
the Washington Association of Black Journalists and National Association of
White Journalists are holding it down. And so whenever you
(19:37):
have a chance, you know, make sure you read their stuff,
you listen to their stuff, because they're also bringing a
black lens, an analysis that starts on the chocolate side
of town, as the doctor Cornell West would say, they
are bringing that to their work every day.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, that's a great point, especially at this time when
journalists are under attack in the United States and the
mainstream media and also abroad we see what's happening in
Gaza with the actual killing of journalists. It's an important
time to pay attention and support those who are doing
the work every day. We got news, traffick and sports
(20:16):
right here, and then we'll continue this conversation with you
and doctor Ni Cordlai Corte on KBLA Talk fifteen eighty.
Is it jazz trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, producer, not just jazz,
hip hop, R and B, gospel, all the genres and
we got him for a few minutes, but we got
(20:37):
him on Kean Harold, good morning.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Good morning, Good morning you.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
I'm good now. Good to hear your voice, good to
hear the music. Tell us what we just heard.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
You heard my song find Your Piece featuring Common and
Robert Glasper and Jeene Baylor from formerly the group John Nay,
you know, talking about waking up early and finding you
in peace and no matter what's going on in the world,
you know, being able to stay you know, focused and
humble and ready to receive all the blessings that God
(21:14):
has for us.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Period, period. Your very first gig was with Common, right.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yes, yes, as a as a as a teenager. When
I moved to New York City, I'm for Saint Louis.
You know, I thought I was going to you know,
be the you know, the next jazz you know person,
but I ended up you know, really getting getting dousted
in hip hop. So you know, that was just a plus.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
It's kind of a full circle moment having comment on
your new project after having him putting you on when
you were a little kid.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Mm hmmm, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So I mean, but you kind of are the next
jazz person or the now jazz person. People may know
you from doing the All the Sounds for the Miles
Davis movie with Don Cheetele, and you've continued to do
hip hop and whatever else you feel like, but you
you're solidly in the jazz space, right, Oh.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Absolutely, I mean, you know, in the music space. You know,
for me, it's only it's only two genres. To me.
You got good music and bad music. I'm doing good music.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I'm good.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
You know, whether that's hip hop, jazz, R and B, classical,
you know, whatever film scores, it doesn't matter to me.
I just want to be in a space where I'm
you know, playing music and raising vibrations.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah. Yeah. And you say you're from Missouri. You're from Ferguson, Missouri.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Is that I mean, do you think that has anything
to do with the fact that you're an activist and
an artist or is that just something that is from
your family? Where does that come from?
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I think it's it's encompasses all of that, I mean,
coming from Ferguson. You know, obviously, since the you know,
the untimely passing of Mike Brown, you know, we were
able to see, you know, just the political climate of
what it was like for me to grow up. You know,
I had never had to express that, but when that happened,
(23:22):
the whole world saw it, and that, you know, really
brought me to the point of where as a person,
as a as a as a musician, as a human,
as a father, as a friend, you know, I think
my job is to really speak, you know, to the
to the plight of other people who can't speak speak
(23:42):
for themselves. So I use that in my music, I
use that in my platform, you know, because I believe
there's another opportunity for people to to do better.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, which is why it's incredibly sort of incredibly ironic
that I never put two and two together that when
you know, the incident, the famous Karen incident, when we
saw your child, your son, being accused of stealing someone's phone.
What happened to someone to like you, who's an artist,
who is a you know, a multi genre person, who's
(24:15):
dealt with people of all walks of life, and who
is an activist.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed, that was such a you know,
crazy time, you know, the talent of the pandemic. When
my son was acosta in New York City at a
hotel and it was just you know, unbelievable. Even to
this day, it is still unbelievable. But you know, I'm
happy that I was able to be you know, grounded
(24:40):
and be able to be there for my son at
a time like that, knowing you know how bad it
could have been, but you know, thinking, you know the
creator that you know it didn't get as worse as
it it could have been. But you know, everything at
the moment now my son is great.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
That yeah, that's the most important piece of all of it.
I mean, the teachable moment, the way you handled it,
all that is great, but the fact that your kid
is good is the main point.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yes, indeed, yess indeed.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
So you I mean, you're you have a project that
came out last year, but it's still relatively new. I'm
looking at your website Keonhrold music dot com. You are
really living that jazz musician touring musician life. You are
just everywhere. I mean, from one minute you're in Detroit,
(25:35):
the next minute you're in the UK, just on the
road playing music all the time.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
That's indeed, and you know it's it's it's a dream
come true. You know, as a at I'm sorry at
an early age. You know, that's what I wanted to do,
and I'm really really living that right now. Have opportunity
to see the world and and create what people from
all over the world. I just came back from China,
(26:07):
you know, this weekend, I'll be in Detroit at the
Jazz Festival, and DC at the Jazz Festival, and also
at the legendary Blue Note in New York City, all
this weekend coming up. So I'm you know, it's cool.
You know, I get a chance to take my band
and and play music that that was written, you know,
(26:28):
straight from my soul, and get a chance to really,
you know, meet the people. So I'm happy about that.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
That's open. On the latest release for Everland, you're actually
doing a little bit more singing. You've got some amazing
guest artists as well, but you're doing a little bit
more singing along with your your trumpet playing.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yes, indeed, you know this this album, you know, fabin
Land is a full, full circle moment with a lot
of my friends. It's kind of like a like a
family union of sorts. You know, I met you know PJ.
Morton when we were working together with Eric aba Do
and that's just been one of my biggest collaborators for years,
(27:09):
and I had the opportunity to have them on my album.
We have a song called Beautiful Day. You know incredible
artist from the UK, Laura and Vulah. We have a
song which is a title track forever Land, and I'm
singing on that more so than I ever really have.
But you know what I figured, Listen, I've heard a
lot of singers you know I can do it too.
(27:31):
Why not let's have fun with it. So it's been cool, Yeah,
you know, just growing and really you know, in my
in my walking music, just adding all of the the
challenge that I have and just putting them forward.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
That's right. Uh. That album Foreverland is out right now.
We played Beautiful Day a little earlier. It's a great,
great song. We'll continue our conversation with Keon Harold when
we come forward on KBLA Talk fifteen. It's the rain
from Mac Miller to Maxwell, jay Z, John Legend, Andre Crouch,
(28:10):
Anthony Hamilton, Beyonce. He sent if you worked with all
of those and more. We're talking with Keon Harold. What
what's that we're hearing right there?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed, that's that was my man, Mac
Miller rest is soul, incredible artist. Yeap, yep, yeah, I
had the opportunity to create that one with him a
few years ago.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I should have said big krit, I should have said
mob Deep, Gregory Porter. All of these folks gravitate to you,
you gravitate to them. I mean, it's all over the
map in terms of styles, but it's all down to
you as a producer, down to you as a trumpet player,
(28:56):
a trumpeter.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yes, indeed, you know it's I think it's voices meeting voices.
It's culture meeting culture, you know, and I appreciate again
all kind of music. So you know, it's always it's
honesty meeting honesty. So when I got a chance to meet,
you know, any of these artists from from mac Millan
(29:18):
to to Maxwell who was my brother. Shout out to Maxwell,
had the opportunity to work on his song Pretty Wings
in the Black Summer's Night record. So you know, I'm
a part of good music and I love it, and
you know, it's it's it's a blessing to me.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Yeah. And you know, and you have had great mentors
in the business, but also frequent collaborators. I you know,
I know that makes a huge difference. But I also
know from you know, being the daughter of someone who
has written about music, and it was this sort of
was a jazz critic at times, that those circles don't
(30:00):
always meet, right, even within jazz, there's sort of sex.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
That's totally true. Yeah, I mean because one of my
greatest mentors, you know, my big brother Winter marcellis. You know,
I used to spend time in New York City. We'd
be you know, doing our thing, but we'd be playing
basketball would common at the same time. So you know,
sometimes they don't meet, but sometimes we meet on the court.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Okay, I think do you think that maybe this whole
era of hip hop and being able to be so
digital with everything. I read somewhere that you always keep
your your trumpet and some digital recording equipment in your car,
that it's it's made it more possible for people to
(30:47):
transcend different genera, genres and and other boundaries.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Oh, I totally believe that. And you know, nowadays it's
just everything's so accessible, from YouTube to Spotify and Apple
Music and everything like that. There's always you know, you know,
you can switch to dill and be in whatever different
genre that that exists. But again, I don't really split
(31:17):
hairs with you know. I feel like Quincy Jones said that,
you know, the only thing that really changes a genre
is the actual beat. The chords are the same, the
notes are the same. You know, how many melodies can
you actually play? So I don't, you know, I don't
run from it at all. I just, you know, just
(31:38):
keep trying to expand on, you know, the cannon of
a musical life, from Stevie Wonder to you know, to
to Jimmy Hendricks, to Miles Davis to now you know,
the jay Z and Beyonce. It doesn't matter to me.
It's all viby.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
It's all viby. A Mollie Bell, who's a chairwoman of
our YouTube chat, says the music is soothing, so glad
he made it in make sure a key on Harold,
she said, make sure let you let him know every
piece you've played was worth the weight.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
So you're getting a lot of love there, and you
do get props from the jazz world. I heard you
at an event for a nonprofit, for an anti racist nonprofit,
and just the sounds the what my dad would call
out jazz mixed with all these other genres. It's like
(32:36):
you can make your horn talk.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Yes, indeed, you know, I embrace the avant garde too.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
And in what role do you feel like, you know,
how do you see the arts in the moment that
we're in, you know, this moment in history, this moment
and in blackness?
Speaker 3 (32:57):
I guess goodness. I mean today, you know, we look
up and we read the news, and we hear so
much at what's going on. There's so against democracy, anti democracy,
anti black I feel like music has the ability to
(33:19):
be a pillar in change and a pillar in reminding
us of humanity, you know. So I use music to
do that again, speaking for the voiceless and speaking in
a way that goes deeper than what words can say,
you know, using music to to really touch souls and
(33:39):
really you know, search people's hearts, because you know, people
can only you know, take on and and really live
what they hear. But sometimes music has the ability to
supersede that with the spirituality, with the you know, with
with the hearts calling out to hearts. I'm using music
in that way. And I think music and art, visual
(34:00):
arts and all kind of you know, the writings that
are out there. You know, we got to keep keep
pushing this human narrative, not this not this anti human,
anti block narrative.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Well, if you happen to be in Hamburg, Germany on Halloween,
you can see him at the Nika Jazz Club. If
you have NIVI and Prague, you can see him at
the Jazz Doc. If you want to see him in LA,
you're gonna have to wait till November eighteenth at the
Blue Note or the nineteenth at the Blue Note in
Los Angeles. We got sixty seconds here. Keon Harold. It's
a pleasure to talk with you. What would you like
(34:33):
to leave us with?
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Oh, I would like to say it's incredible to talk
with you. Also, you know, if you are in LA,
do come and celebrate with me November eighteenth and nineteenth
that the brand new, re open Blue Note, Los Angeles.
I'm celebrating my birthday, so come have a good time.
It's going to be good grape vibes, and you know,
(34:57):
shout out to my manager Adrian Miller, and you know
we're push him forward.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Happy birthday. What is that sad scorpio cuspy type stuff? Oh,
solid scorpio. Okay, makes sense. Well, Happy birthday, in advance
and thank you for checking in. It's nice to talk
with you.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
You as well, you as well.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Peace and love keon Harold music dot com. Peace and
love to you as well, Keon Harold music dot com.
You can get the music, you can find out about
the shows. You can find out more about what he's
up to. Tavis Smiley's up next. He's got a full
compliment of guests for you. As usual, Tavis is one
(35:41):
of the hardest working minute show business. Happy to be
part of the team here and thank you Andy for
another great day filling in for Miles Low. Like my mama,
the poet Laureate of San Francisco, Dianea Prima, used to say,
history is now. Like I always say, we are making
it together until to morrow. One love,
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