“I hit the streets when I was seven. It was the middle of the depression, and I learned to sing out of hard experience.”  James Baldwin, Dark Days

 

“We declare our rights on this earth to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we mean to bring into existence by any means necessary.” Malcolm X, 1964

 
Our contribution to the Festival of Voice foregrounds those peoples who have had their voices taken away, who have been colonised and vilified by those who fear a challenge to their own supremacy. It celebrates those who speak truth to power, give their voice against injustice and inspire oppressed people to fight to regain what has been taken from them. The show is for everybody and is about the lessons of the past, our hope for the future and the ability for music to celebrate, interrogate and heal.

Bristol Reggae Orchestra present a celebration in words and music of one of the greatest leaders, speakers, and revolutionaries of the 20th Century. On his centenary (and sixty years after his murder), we honour his powerful vision, his urgent call to dismantle the power held by the white man by any means necessary. We ask what his legacy could mean in our world and why his truths are, sadly, more relevant than ever in these times.

A piece for orchestra and speakers, we celebrate a man who taught us to recognise when to fight power with power. We look at Malcolm’s uncompromising beliefs, his (perhaps) surprising gentleness, and his mission to de-colonise humanity.

Most of all, we celebrate the women who formed and influenced him, who dreamed with him of a better world. We meet a man unafraid to confront himself, to learn from his experience and to grow whilst staying true to his core principles. We ask whether racist narratives still form the view of Malcolm X today. We honour a legacy that demands our attention, our action and our ongoing commitment to justice.

The orchestra plays songs by Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, alongside original compositions inspired by the themes of the show and by the man himself. After the interval, we plan to turn St George’s into a lively reggae dancehall as we celebrate the power of music both to address injustice and to inspire joy.