WHAT IS THE BLUOCRACY

The Bluocracy is a masterwork, composed by Craig Harris exploring the great democratic process that is essential to the music called “jazz” and examines how it parallels the fiber of American relationships, especially those considering gender, race, class, and politics. People are often in a bubble all alone with information that feeds their ideas, without being exposed to contradictory information. 

The Bluocracy uses the platform of art as a healing balm to foster interaction between opposing forces, addressing the notion that we can come together to disagree; and examining the blues aesthetic, which is interwoven throughout our entire existence as a society.

Seeking an inspired career, he skillfully navigated his musical journey that began when touring with the inimitable Sun Ra, onto a path affirming Craig’s place in performance with and among the ranks of creative music’s most progressive thought leaders. Nominated by NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album, Craig is co-composer of the score for the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah. Craig’s newest recording, Managing the Mask, was successfully released in 2022.

THE ENSEMBLE

The featured ensemble is Craig Harris and Harlem Nightsongs, a 9-member group of musicians. Harris assembled this ensemble to explore extended compositions for a large group while maintaining the spontaneity and flexibility of a small group. The band’s complex arrangements supply broad choices for the improvisers within the band thus conveying a small group feel with a large group sound.

Click on the photos below TO SEE the artist profiles.

TRANSART’s presentation of Craig Harris and Harlem Nightsongs (BLUOCRACY)  is supported through a Chamber Music America Presenter Consortium for Jazz grant in collaboration with Arts & Education Continuum and EastSide Arts Alliance. A component of the Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project, Presenter Consortium for Jazz is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation.