“Still I Rise” is the title track and is dedicated to the great African-American poet, singer, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. This powerful poem basically describes the plight and resilience of African-Americans, from the times of slavery through emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the civil rights era, and up to today. When Angelou died in 2014, this melody popped into my head—it was as if her spirit sang this melody to me and took me to the piano to write the tune.
Structurally, the tune moves around the cycle of fourths, and rather than ending on a reprise of the opening section, I added a reharmonized bridge. That’s my shout-out to the resilience that Angelou celebrated in all her work, and modeled in her life.
Visit the album website at:
StillIRiseAlbum.com
from
Still I Rise,
track released July 10, 2020
Soloists: Derrick Gardner (trumpet), Vincent Gardner (trombone), Curtis Nowosad (drums)
Saxophones:
1st Alto-Mark Gross
2nd Alto-Greg Gatien
1st Tenor-Rob Dixon
2nd Tenor-Tristen Martinuson
Bari-Ken Gold
Trumpets:
1st- Bijon Watson
2nd-Jeff Johnson
3rd-Curtis Taylor
4th-Andrew Littleford
Trombones:
1st-Vincent Gardner
2nd-Joel Green
3rd-Anthony Bryson
4th-Bill Green
Rhythm Section:
Piano-Zen Zadravec
Bass-Luke Sellick
Drums-Curtis Nowosad
Guitar- Kasey Kurtz