J. Kimo Williams - Red Summer 1919, Acts I & II (An Instrumental Opera) (2023) [Hi-Res]

First World War Black veterans returned home from fighting in France hoping to be recognized as equal citizens in this country. Despite their sacrifices and service, they faced continued oppression and harsh treatment under Jim Crow laws. The 1919 riots, also known as The Red Summer, marked a turning point as Black citizens supported by these returning veterans fought against their mistreatment for the first time.

In the late 1990s, I was commissioned by The National Opera Orchestra (Intersound Records) to arrange Mozart Arias for their instrumental orchestra release. It was quite the challenge in that the lyrics associated with opera are so important you sometimes overlook the essence of the music that supports the story. In 2023, I decided to bring visibility to Black WW1 Veterans and wanted to tell their story in this format.

This Jazz-Fusion project, titled 'The Red Summer 1919: An Instrumental Opera,' is my musical approach to imagining the events leading up to the riots. While recording these tracks, I relayed the essence of what each character was saying or doing. I composed the music with a scene in mind, and the instrumentalist used their imagination to create conversations through their improvisation or (in the case of Vinnie) shape the scene through rhythm.

Liner notes that include each scene narrative breakdown can be found at jkimowilliams.com

Tracklist:
1.01 - J. Kimo Williams - Act I, Scene 1: Prologue - The Chase (5:37)
1.02 - J. Kimo Williams - Act I, Scene 2: Captured (2:57)
1.03 - J. Kimo Williams - Act I, Scene 3: The Middle Passage (4:08)
1.04 - J. Kimo Williams - Act I, Scene 4: Arrival (4:27)
1.05 - J. Kimo Williams - Act I, Scene 5: This New World (8:14)
1.06 - J. Kimo Williams - Act II, Scene 1: With Malice Toward None (5:52)
1.07 - J. Kimo Williams - Act II, Scene 2: A Time For War (7:33)
1.08 - J. Kimo Williams - Act II, Scene 3: If 7 Was 4 It Would Not Matter (2:56)
1.09 - J. Kimo Williams - Epilogue (9:01)