SESSION: WELCOME TO "SOUTHLAND

SESSIONS." EVERY WEEK, WE

SHOWCASE THE VIBRANCY AND THE

RESILIENCE OF SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS MEKALA SESSION. I'M

CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE

PAN AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA, A

MULTICULTURAL, MULTIGENERATIONAL

COMMUNITY BAND BASED IN SOUTH

CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. MY FAMILY

IS IN THIS BAND. MY BEST FRIENDS

ARE IN THIS BAND. I GREW UP IN

THIS BAND, SO IT WAS AN HONOR

AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE INVITED TO

HEADLINE AT GRAND PARK'S ANNUAL

NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION

RINGING IN 2020. I WAS ABLE TO

GET A LOT OF VETERAN MEMBERS AND

A LOT OF NEW MEMBERS. FOR SOME

OF THE CATS, IT WAS THEIR FIRST

TIME PLAYING WITH THE ARK, AND

THAT WAS HORACE'S VISION WHEN HE

STARTED THE ARK IN '61. THAT'S

HORACE TAPSCOTT, FOR THOSE NOT

IN THE KNOW. HE WANTED VETS,

INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS, NOVICE

PLAYERS, MEN, WOMEN, YOUNG, OLD,

PEOPLE FROM ALL CREEDS, ALL

WALKS OF LIFE PLAYING THIS MUSIC

TOGETHER REPRESENTING THIS ONE

PEOPLE, THIS UNIFIED BAND, AND

THAT'S THE PAN AFRIKAN PEOPLES

ARKESTRA. HOPE YOU ENJOY THE

SHOW.

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR

THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY THE

CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT

OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS. ADDITIONAL

FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY THE

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE.

[PLAYING "PAPA, THE LEAN

GRIOT"]

DAAOOD: ♪ FREEDOM IN THIS SOUND

SPINNING AND TURNING

AT THE EDGE OF POSSIBILITIES

QUIVERING IN SOME NAKED

SPECK OF TIME

A STRAIGHT LINE LIQUEFIED

DRIPPING EARTH TONES

AND QUANTUM RHYTHMS

JOY SPLIT OPEN

AND POURED AGAINST THE NIGHT

ON A PIANO OPEN 24 HOURS

OR PRAYER IN A BED OF DRUMSTICKS

OR LAUGHTER PEELING AT THE ENDS

A FLOCK OF BIRDS

JAILBREAK FROM A THROAT

AND FADE INTO THE IMAGE

OF SOME CHILD

HOLDING A TOY SAXOPHONE

THIS MOMENT IS IMPROVISED

THEME OF PASSION

SILENCE BROKEN UP

INTO LITTLE PIECES

AND SPREAD LIKE SEEDS

IN THE MIDST OF TONE

HERE WHERE HISTORY

MAKES LOVE TO THE FUTURE

AND GIVE BIRTH TO NEW WORDS

IN A PLATE OF RICE AND BEANS

PEPPER DRESSED IN THE CLOTHES

OF A SONG

AND MOVE THROUGH THE AIR

LIKE A SPORE

OR IMPRINT THE MIND LIKE A KISS

OR PASS LIKE A VIRUS

WE SPEAK OF THIS DAY'S MAGIC

WE SPEAK OF SKY

WE SPEAK OF ASPHALT

AND THE SPIRIT THAT FLIES

MUSICAL LIBATIONS

POURED OVER SIREN-PIERCED EARS

ENDLESS BREATH WOVEN

THROUGH THE PATH OF TIME

THIS HIP-HOP CHILD

OF BEBOP PARENTS

SCATTING NEW SUNRISES

IN THE FACE OF TYRANNY

THIS BASS STRUNG WITH SEAWEED

THIS CONSTANT PULSATION OF GLORY

THIS TONE OF PURPLE FUNK

WE SPEAK OF JOY

AND A RAINBOW OF NOTES

THIS FAT BREEZE

BOUNCING OUT OF SPEAKERS

THESE DRUMS SOAKED WITH DEW

THESE BLUE ARTICULATIONS

CHANTS OF OLD SOULS

'FLECTIONS IN NEW LIGHT

THIS ELONGATED AFRICAN SONG

THIS NEW WORLD COMMON GROUND

WE ARE THIS DAY'S NEW LANGUAGE

THIS ORCHESTRA

OF TIN CANS AND STICKS

THE ECHOES OF MASTERS

THIS TORCH PASSED

THIS MESSAGE OF LOVE LIQUEFIED

THESE BEINGS CLUTCHING

INSTRUMENTS LIKE LOVERS

SINGING SECRETS AND WONDER

THESE HORNS SPITTING ALPHABETS

THIS BOWL OF MAJESTIC RHYTHMS

THIS AVANT-GARDE BOUQUET

WE ARE HORACE TAPSCOTT

OUR FINGERS

ARE DANCING GRASSROOTS

WE DO NOT FIT INTO FORM

WE CREATE FORM

OUR EARS ARE RADARS

CHARTING THE WHISPERING

OF OUR ANCESTORS

WE SEEK THE DIVINITY IN OUTCAST

THE RICHNESS OF REBELS

WE WERE BRAVE FOR YOU

ON THIS NIGHT OF DUEL PIANO

SONGS FOR THE UNSUNG

THIS LINEAGE FED

TO SHARKS IN THE ATLANTIC

I WILL CONJURE TIRED YOUTH

RIGHT IN A TRANCE

RIGHT HERE ON THIS STAGE

CONJURE SPIRITS

SPIRITS THAT WERE REMEMBERED

I WILL CLIMB OUTSIDE THE PIANO

SEARCHING FOR OUR HISTORY

I WILL ASSEMBLE

A CHOIR OF VOICES

TO TELL YOU WHAT THE FUTURE

SOUNDS LIKE

I WILL LOVE YOU

WITH THE WARMTH

OF AN AFRICAN BREEZE

WE ARE HORACE TAPSCOTT

I SAY, WE ARE HORACE TAPSCOTT

AND WE ARE NOT FOR SALE

AND WE ARE NOT FOR SALE

WE ARE NOT FOR SALE, Y'ALL

WE ARE NOT FOR SALE

OUTSIDE THE BOX OF FREEDOM

FREEDOM ♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

>> GO!

OH, YEAH! LET'S GO.

YEAH.

GO, MAN. GO. WHOO!

YEAH!

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH!

GO.

GO!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[PLAYING DIFFERENT PIECE]

>> YES.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[NEW SONG STARTS]

SHARADA SHASHIDHAR: ♪ OOH

AH OOH OOH OOH

AH AH AH AH

I DREAM

OF YOU ALL MY LIFE

PLEASE WILL YOU EASE MY STRIFE?

YOU ARE PARADISE

A LOVE

I HAVE NEVER KNOWN

SWEET AS A HONEYCOMB

COSMIC SEEDS ARE SOWN

MY SOUL'S

CRYING OUT TO YOU

THEY SAY OUR LOVE'S TABOO

HOW I LONG FOR YOU

THIS LOVE'S

FROM ANOTHER WORLD

HEAVEN'S VIBRATIONS SWIRL

YOU'RE MY PRECIOUS PEARL

A DESERT FLOWER

BEAUTIFUL AND RARE

YOUR SOULFUL WALK

LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WALKING

ON THE AIR

GAZE OF YOUR EYES

PURPOSEFUL AND WISE

I'M HYPNOTIZED

EACH TIME WE TOUCH

IS A SURPRISE

YOU ARE

TRULY ROYALTY

MY LIFE IS NOW COMPLETE

OH, YOUR MAJESTY

TONIGHT

WATCHING AS YOU SLEEP

DREAMING IN PERFECT PEACE

MY DESERT

FAIRY PRINCE

WOMAN: OHH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

WOMAN: ♪ ALL RIGHT

SESSION: ALL RIGHT

WOMEN: I MET A MOUNTAIN

HE WAS STILL AS PEACE

I MET A MOUNTAIN

HE WAS A FRIEND TO ME

HE WAS ALIVE

HE WAS A FRIEND TO ME

HE WAS ALIVE

HE WAS A KING OF BEATS

SPACE BASE

SHATTERING THROUGH EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

TRAVELING ON, CAN YOU SEE HIM?

I MET A MOUNTAIN

HE WAS STRONG AS WIND ♪

CONDUCTOR: WHOO!

YEAH!

WOMEN: ♪ HIS SOUND WAS MIGHTY

HIS LAUGH WAS RUMBLING

HE WAS ALIVE

HE WAS A SYMPHONY

HE WAS ALIVE

HE WAS A KING OF BEATS

CONDUCTOR: HEY! 3 AND...

WOMEN: ♪ SPACE BASE

SHATTERING THROUGH EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

COSMIC TRAVELER

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM

CAN YOU SEE HIM RISING?

TRAVEL ON

TRAVEL ON

CAN YOU SEE HIM

RISING?

TRAVEL ON

TRAVEL ON, TRAVEL ON

TRAVEL ON

CAN YOU SEE HIM

RISING?

TRAVEL ON

TRAVEL ON

CAN YOU SEE HIM

RISING?

TRAVEL ON

TRAVEL ON, TRAVEL ON

SPACE BASE

SHATTERING THROUGH EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

COSMIC TRAVELER

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

SPACE BASE

SPACE BASE

COSMIC TRAVELER

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

SPACE BASE...

GROUP 2: TRAVEL ON...

GROUP 1: SHATTERING THROUGH

EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

GROUP 2: TRAVEL ON...

GROUP 1: COSMIC PEOPLE

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

SPACE BASE...

SHATTERING THROUGH

EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

GROUP 2: TRAVEL ON...

GROUP 1: CAN YOU SEE HIM?

GROUP 2: TRAVEL ON...

GROUP 1: SPACE BASE

GROUP 1: SEE HIM RISING

GROUP 2: SHATTERING THROUGH

EVERY SYSTEM

OUTER SPACE

GROUP 1: COSMIC PEOPLE...

GROUP 2: TRAVELING ON

GROUP 1: CAN YOU SEE HIM?

SPACE BASE

SHATTERING THROUGH

EVERY SYSTEM

SPACE BASE

GROUP 2: TRAVEL ON...

GROUP 1: COSMIC PEOPLE

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

HE WAS ALIVE!

WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO WO

WO WO WO WOM ♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

SESSION: MAKE SOME NOISE FOR

JIMETTA ROSE AND THE VOICES

OF CREATION.

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

SESSION: THAT SONG WAS ENTITLED

"I MET A MOUNTAIN."

IT WAS FOR RAS G.

PEACE TO RAS G.

THANK YOU, JIMETTA. THANK YOU,

LOS ANGELES. WE GOT ONE MORE FOR

Y'ALL. THANK YOU.

MAN: THIS IS PAN AFRIKAN

PEOPLES ARKESTRA, AND WE'RE

BRINGING ON THE FABULOUS,

THE GREAT DWIGHT TRIBLE.

GONNA DO THIS FEATURED SONG

CALLED "LITTLE AFRICA."

DWIGHT TRIBLE: MERRY 2020.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

MERRY 2023.

BRING US ALL A LITTLE BIT CLOSER

TOGETHER.

MERRY 2020.

LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE

ALL ONE...

THAT WE ARE ALL ONE.

LET US ALL KNOW

THAT WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS

IN 2020,

EVERY LAST ONE OF US!

EVERY LAST ONE OF US!

WE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS

HERE IN 2020.

OH, LET THIS--LET THIS BE

THE DECADE OF PEACE.

LET THIS BE THE DECADE OF PEACE.

>> YEAH!

TRIBLE: ♪ LITTLE AFRICA

YOU WITH BLACKENED FACE

WELL, SUMMER'S JUST BEGUN

IN THE BLA-AZING SUN

[CHEERING]

LAUGHTER, SONG

AND A FUN NEW PLACE

OH, PRINCE OF AFRICA

OH, YOU WITH

DISTANT TOUCH

ALL THE JOY YOU BRING

HOW MY HEART DOES SING

THE TRUTH IS REALLY

YOU ARE KING

ON THE NATIVE STARS

YEAH, THE PYRAMIDS

HAVE TOLD

YOU AND ME GONNA

UNBOUND THE SPELL

WITHIN YOUR EYES

IT'S, OH, SO MUCH

OH, I CAN'T

I CAN'T EXPRESS

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!

[CHEERING]

OH, MY AFRICA

WON'T YOU STAY...

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STAY

WITH ME

OH

MAYBE WITH OUR LOVE

BABIES BORN TODAY

WITH YOUR SPIRIT'S LIGHT

PEACE IS ON THE WAY

[CHEERING]

AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO STAY

LITTLE A-AF--LITTLE AFRICA

YEAH!

WOMEN: LITTLE AFRICA

TRIBLE: OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

LITTLE AFRICA

YOU WITH BLACKENED FACE

SUMMER'S JUST BEGUN

IN THE BLAZING SUN

LAUGHTER, SONG

AND A FUN NEW PLACE

OH, MY AFRICA

YOU WITH DISTANT TOUCH

ALL THE JOY YOU BRING

HOW MY HEART DOES SING

THE TRUTH IS REALLY

YOU ARE KING

YEAH!

ON THE NATIVE STARS

THE PYRAMIDS

HAVE TOLD

WE'LL UNBOUND THE SPELL

WITHIN YOUR EYES

IT'S, OH, SO MUCH

I CANNOT EXPRESS!

PRINCE OF AFRICA

OH, WON'T YOU STAY...

MAYBE WITH OUR LOVE

BABIES BORN TODAY

WITH YOUR SPIRIT'S LIGHT

PEACE IS ON THE WAY

YOU WON'T HAVE TO STAY

LITTLE AFRICA

YEAH, YEAH

MY LITTLE AFRICA

NO, NO, NO

YEAH

PEACE AND LOVE

OH, PEACE

WELL, WELL, WELL, PEACE

ALL AROUND THE WORLD

YEAH, PEACE AND, YEAH, YEAH

WHOA, EEE EEE!

WHOA WHOA OOH

YEAH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

YEAH

YEAH, YEAH, YES, YEAH, YEAH!

OH, YEAH, YEAH

OOH, WHOA

YOUR LOVE

YEAH

WELL, WELL

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!

PEACE, YES!

PEACE, YES, PEACE, OH!

PEACE, YEAH, PEACE, PEACE

PEACE, PEACE, PEACE

WHOA, PEACE, PLEASE, PLEASE

PLEASE

WELL, OH

OH OH

WELL, WELL

YEAH, MY, YES, YES

SOMEBODY SAY "PEACE"

PEACE

SAY "PEACE"

PEACE

LOVE!

LOVE

LOVE, LO-OVE

SAY "LOVE"

WHOA WHOA

WELL, LOVE

WELL, LOVE

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

LOVE, PEACE

WHOA

YEAH, YEAH

YEAH, HEE HEE!

WELL, WELL, WELL

WELL

OH

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

WOMAN: OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

[TRIBLE VOCALIZING]

PEACE

PEACE, PEACE

YEAH, PEACE, PEACE

OH, PEACE

YEAH, PEACE

OOH

WELL, OH

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

OH, MY LITTLE

AFRICA

YEAH

OH, MY LITTLE AFRICA

LET OUR REJOICING

RISE

HIGH AS THE LISTENING SKIES

YEAH, YEAH

YEAH, YEAH!

WHOA OH

YEAH, YEAH

WHOA OH

OOH OOH OOH!

WELL, OVER AND OVER AND OVER

AND OVER

YEAH, YEAH!

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!

[SONG ENDS, CROWD CHEERING]

TRIBLE: PEACE AND LOVE,

EVERYBODY.

YEAH! EVERYBODY SAY "PEACE"!

CROWD: PEACE!

TRIBLE: LOVE!

CROWD: LOVE!

TRIBLE: THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS. STAY THERE.

SESSION: ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. MAKE SOME NOISE FOR

THIS BAND--PAN AFRIKAN PEOPLES

ARKESTRA. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT

IT IS, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS NOW.

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR

THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED

BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR

THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS

& CULTURE.