It's Juneteenth! which makes today perfect for sharing "The Children of Indigo / azure blue (joy)" the piece I wrote for @inflorescemusic's debut album, Floral Folklore! It's a collaboration with poet, Ben Yisrael (@askabrother) and explores Indigo and the indomitable spirit of Black folk.
From an abridged version of the liner notes:
As I researched for this piece, I became highly intrigued by the history of the Indigo plant.
The other artists on the label had chosen flowers that they felt a kinship to; they’d selected plants that tied into their heritage in some way or form. As an African-American composer, heritage is something that I’ve always struggled with - even the term “African-American” always felt odd to me as I’ve always seen myself as just American.
I learned that the origins of Indigo are as confused as my own. It’s said that the plant comes from parts of Africa or Asia, but its exact roots are unknown. As someone with little idea of their origins, I relate.
I saw more parallels: the way Black culture and Black people have been bought, sold and traded across the world is similar to the commodification of Indigo; the way Black culture has become the predominant “cool” culture across the globe - a sort of revered, elevated status, is similar to the way Indigo dye has been valued throughout history; the way that efforts to whitewash Black culture have never succeeded - it all lines up exceedingly well. Black culture, like Indigo, is not easily diluted.
Yisrael combines those ideas with a reinterpretation of a traditional folktale describing the origins of Indigo and, at my request, ends his work on a note of joy. I knew that I wanted the listener to take time to reflect on these things and the weight of them, but I also knew that I wanted, at least for myself, to explore the experience of joy. As a Black person, my joy is Black Joy, right?
Enjoy!
P.S.: The title, “azure blue (joy)” is a reference to “Azure Blue World” from the Sonic the Hedgehog series and the naming scheme and idea of including two tracks in one is a nod to Tyler, the Creator.