Earlier this month, Title 42 ended, a Trump-era immigration policy that prevented immigrants from coming to the U.S. due to the COVID pandemic. Recently, thousands and thousands of immigrants have come to the U.S. border to seek entry and asylum. According to this Newsweek article, “U.S. officials processed over 10,000 migrants arriving at the border every day last week…up from about 5,000 in March, according to the BBC (https://www.newsweek.com/real-impact-immigration-us-1801618?amp=1).”
In one article I read about the recent influx of immigrants, an immigrant from Honduras revealed that brought his 1yr old along with him so that his son could live in an environment without violence. Reading this, tears came to my eyes. I would do the same thing for my own child as well. What parent wouldn’t want a better life for their own child?
I wish that we could let in everyone who wants to come to the U.S. Immigrants are some of the hardest-working people on the planet. They are good, wonderful people who deserve to have a thriving life, just like you and me and everyone deserves. I don’t know what to do about immigration and how to solve this problem. Often when I think about this topic, I feel sad, despairing, and angry. I am so sad that so many people in the U.S.seem to have an anti-immigrant stance. Then I notice I feel angry about this.
When I reflect on my anger, I know that an anti-immigrant stance is rooted in fear and ignorance. Fear that there will not be enough if we let immigrants get what they need, and ignorance about who immigrants are as people. This helps me to continue to keep my heart open to those who are anti-immigrant. Through prayer and meditation, I am trying to keep my heart open to those who are anti-immigrant. I am trying to keep my heart open so I can keep praying and meditating that things get better in regards to immigration.
Come and join me as we do a meditation designed to help us process our feelings and send good energy to immigrants. Let us listen to jazz to bolster our spirits.
Jazz Therapy Weekly Meditation: Honoring Immigrants and Hoping for Immigration Reform
In this week’s meditation, we will:
-Send positive energy to all immigrants currently detained or waiting at the U.S. Mexico border.
-Send positive energy to the U.S. Government, that we enact a better immigration policy.
-Ask the Divine to help with immigration, so that global conditions for all citizens on the planet have a safe place to live, a job, food to eat, and a change to have a good life
Jazz Therapy Playlist and Musical Commentary
This week, we are featuring the work of pianist Red Garland, and legendary trumpeter Miles Davis. Red Garland’s birthday was last week, May 13th, and I meant to do a post for it, though I didn’t get around to it. Miles Davis’s birthday anniversary is Friday, May 26th, 2023.
Emotional Dwelling (To Mirror Your Mood)
“Trouble in Mind,” Red Garland, Red in Bluesville, 1993.
This song is one of the most beautiful renditions of this tune that I have ever heard, right up there with Nina Simone’s. Garland so captures this deep feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and despair, which is how I feel about the immigration situation in the U.S. And yet, somehow when I listen to this song, and hear all the emotion of it, I feel as though my feelings are being processed, held, and yet also elevated. Here, Garland makes art with his anguish in this tune, and he simultaneously gives us some hope to keep fighting the good fight.
Emotional Dwelling (To Mirror Your Mood)
“Trouble in Mind,” Red Garland, Red in Bluesville, 1993.
This song is one of the most beautiful renditions of this tune that I have ever heard, right up there with Nina Simone’s. Garland so captures this deep feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and despair, which is how I feel about the immigration situation in the U.S. And yet, somehow when I listen to this song, and hear all the emotion of it, I feel as though my feelings are being processed, held, and yet also elevated. Here, Garland makes art with his anguish in this tune, and he simultaneously gives us some hope to keep fighting the good fight.
Emotional Elevation (To Feel Better)
“Revelation Blues,” Red Garland, Blues in the Night, 1957.
I love this piece because it shows of the virtuosity of Red Garland, and the wide range of what he can do. He is primarily known for a sound that is extremely refined, elegant, lyrical, deeply emotionally expressive in it’s loveliness. And yet, Garland was also inspired by gospel and blues in his playing, and in this swingin’ piece, we hear those influences. While this piece is a blues, there is a joy in Garland’s sound, almost an exhortation to get up and move, to let the inherent joy of life flow through everything. I love to hear this side of him as well.
Emotional Reverie (To Dream and Remember)
“Please Send Me Someone To Love,” Red Garland, Red Garland’s Piano, 1957.
Garland plays the piano here, along with bassist Paul Chambers on Bass and Art Taylor on drums. This song is so achingly beautiful, and Garland is in superb form here. When I hear this song, I feel myself go to a place of yearning, of that which is still unfulfilled, reflecting on my dreams and what may come. To be an immigrant is to come to a new place with a dream, a dream for a better life. Let the beauty of this song help you to reflect on your own dreams.
Emotional Transcendence (To Be Taken Beyond the Normal to the Divine)
“It Never Entered My Mind,” Miles Davis, Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet, 1959.
Perhaps one of my favorite songs of all-time, this song is Miles Davis at his finest. Accompanied by Red Garland on piano, Philly Joe Joe Jones on drums, Coltrane on sax, and Art Taylor on drums, this album is one of four that Miles recorded with this legendary quintet. When I hear this song, I feel like all my defenses drop, and let myself be swept away by this music. It is as if the Divine is comforting me, soothing me, letting me soak up love and dream of even more. This is jazz perfection, IMHO.
Jazz Birthdays Each week, we will highlight birthdays of jazz performers around the world. We are grateful they exist! http://jazzbirthdaycalendar.com
Jazz Birthdays Each week, we will highlight birthdays of jazz performers around the
world. We are grateful they exist! http://jazzbirthdaycalendar.com
Red Garland (May13, 1923 – April 23, 1984)
One of the finest jazz pianists of the 20thcentury, Garland’s sound was refined, elegant, warm, and lyrical. He is one of my favorites in the lexicon of jazz: his music will always take you to deep emotional experiences.
Miles Davis (May26, 1926 – September 28, 1991)
One of the greatest trumpeters ever, Miles Davis is simply in a league of his own. His intense emotional expression and the depth of soul he was able convey is remarkable and almost unparalleled. My favorite period of his work is in the late 50’s and 60’s. The Miles Davis quintet recordings are simply perfect.
Thank you for reading. Please leave us a comment and let us know how we are doing! May Jazz Therapy Soothe Your Soul.
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