Soul Force Podcast

Enjoy these enlightening interviews with a living legend of American history and architect of the nonviolent movement in America. Reverend James Lawson at age 93 sharp as a tack, breaks down his personal experience, American history and contemporary outlook on issues ranging from plantation capitalism, the persistence of poverty and the American obsession with guns. Lawson shows how love in its most courageous expression, creates necessary conflict when addressing injustice.

Part Two is a continuation of a fascinating conversation unpacking Lawson's lived history of change making with a perspective that brings us up to 10 years of Black Lives Matter. Lawson compels us to consider our history and its meaning today in continuing the struggle for fulfilling our commitment to the truth of the Declaration of Independence.

To see the videos of these Rev Lawson Soul Force interviews at Holman Church in Los Angeles, go to the Soul Force website, creative content page here: https://www.soulforceproject.com/creative-content

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So happy to release part two of this extraordinary talk by Arnold Clifford, Diné elder from Shiprock, the Four Corners region of New Mexico. A Navajo renaissance man, Arnold's knowledge spans botany, geology, myth, spirituality.  As a teacher, he is a true culture bearer of the Navajo people and carries a wealth of knowledge within the worldview of his tradition and their connection to all living things. 

In this episode Arnold unpacks the Beauty Way and the legend of the Changing Woman and so much more. Elder Arnold breaks down how the Diné/Navajo worldview is connected to our health and mindset and how to connect in the world, community and family. Arnold also explains some of the links to their living culture, even attracting, communicating and interacting with animals through ceremony and song.

Enjoy this Interview with Padmashri Guru Rewben, an extraordinary artist from a mountainous region of Manipur (Northeast India, bordering Myanmar). His music is a compelling blend of the tribal Naga songs and instruments with guitar and raw sound of American folk, blues and rock n roll.

This lively discussion is peppered with musical examples and focuses around the importance of indigenous knowledge, including stories of his search to discover the traditional music and instruments of his own people, the Tangkhul. His message speaks to a number of issues as he addresses the violence and conflict of the region through his music. His message is universal for all of India and the world, with songs which lift up hope and faith in the human capacity to do good for one another.

Arnold Clifford is an extraordinary Diné elder from Shiprock, the Four Corners region of New Mexico. A Navajo renaissance man, Arnold's knowledge spans botany, geology, myth, spirituality.  As a teacher, he is a true culture bearer of the Navajo people and carries a wealth of knowledge within the worldview of his tradition and their connection to all living things.  Today we will feature in part one of his talk, a bit of his extraordinary story and his connection to the Holy people and the role that a Navajo botanist plays as a medium between the plant beings and patients in need.  One difference of significance is how a Native American botanist like himself takes an approach based on their worldview which  is quite different from a typical western botanists, among other things.

Second part of this talk we will release in a few weeks time where Arnold unpacks some of the Navajo spirituality and traditional worldview called the Beauty Way

Enjoy these enlightening interviews with a living legend of American history and architect of the nonviolent movement in America.  Reverend James Lawson at age 92 sharp as a tack, breaks down his personal experience,  American history and contemporary outlook on issues ranging from plantation capitalism, the persistence of poverty and the American obsession with guns.  Lawson shows how love in its most courageous expression, creates necessary conflict when addressing injustice.

Part One is peppered with his authentic practical philosophy and socially informed spirituality
as he unpacks his story over the past 80 years. Lawson compels us to consider our history and its meaning today in continuing the struggle for fulfilling our commitment to the truth of the Declaration of Independence.
 
To see the videos of these Rev Lawson Soul Force interviews at Holman Church in Los Angeles, go to the Soul Force website, creative content page here: https://www.soulforceproject.com/creative-content

Enjoy the Soul Force interview with musicians Jesse Sharps & Fundi Legohn discussing the historic spiritual lineage of creative black music in Los Angeles.  Jesse and Fundi unpack this inter-generational legacy, the healing power of the art and the impact it continues to make on younger jazz musicians today.  The interview is interspersed with musical excerpts from Horace Tapscott's 'Freedom's Sweet', an upcoming large ensemble release of immense importance.

Like Sun Ra’s iconic work in New York and Philadelphia and the Art Ensemble of Chicago which grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in the windy city, the Pan African People’s Arkestra of Los Angeles is due for equal recognition for their vision and contribution to creative black jazz and the unique sound that emanated from the musicians, poets and composers of this lineage.

The Gathering is a multicultural music collective founded in 2005 by composer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Sharps. The mission of the Gathering is to preserve and feature the extensive compositions of Los Angeles composers of the Pan African People’s Arkestra, of which Jesse was an early composer and soloist. Jesse worked extensively (since 1967) alongside Horace Tapscott; founder of the Arkestra and UGMAA (Union of God’s Artists and Musicians Ascension) and helped to shape LA’s own African American creative Jazz scene around Watts and South LA.

Contribute your support to the upcoming Gathering release in 2022, a historic recording of Black LA Creative Jazz:  For more info visit: http://thegatheringleimertpark.com/lacpapa/

2020 will be the 60th anniversary of The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, with plans to feature several iconic works. The project includes Lester Robertson's In Times Like These and Horace Tapscott's epic The Ghetto Suite, last performed in early 70s and has never been recorded. We hope to record several additional compositions by some of the most vital and under-recognized local composers such as Jesse Sharps himself as well as Nate Morgan, Linda Hill and legendary Watts poet Kamau Daáood.

Paul Livingstone interviews Richard Estrada who just turned 78 years young and speaks about his role working with immigrants, refugees and the nature of power in organizing in the Chicano movement. Father Richard was instrumental in the earliest sanctuary churches in Los Angeles and has been a tireless human rights activist and community organizer working with Cesar Chavez and many others at the historic Church of the Epiphany in Lincoln Heights and La Placita, the oldest church in Los Angeles. Hear a few of his life stories from saving lives in the desert to organizing street theater as creative community resistance to the de-humanizing systems of our culture.

Pakistani scholar Safoora Arbab, discusses with Paul Livingstone the extraordinary legacy of Abdul Ghaffār Khān, also known as 'Bacha Khan' and the Pushtun 'Khudai Khidmatgar'.  Under Bacha Khan's leadership, this movement encouraged creativity and feminism as it transformed the Pushtun cultural values of honor and courage into a radical force of nonviolent resistance. 

As one of most effective anti-colonial freedom movements of the 20th century, Safoora elucidates the grassroots social roots of the largest army of non-violent soldiers in history and what it can inspire in us today.  She points to the simplicity, universality and the beautiful ordinariness of non-violence in a movement which lives on in the hearts and minds of the deeply courageous Pushtun people and their struggles today.

Martin King was truly a visionary artist, his mastery of the word was soaked in a musical delivery. Exploring the idea of a change-making artist that pushes culture forward, Martin was a personality who utilized traditional elements in provocative ways.  Martin focused on communicating truth and inspiring others towards creative lives of love and service. This kind of artist’s work gives meaning to the present moment, makes us feel more alive, and inspires us to new heights of consciousness. 

Martin’s art was his message, skillfully crafted oratory with a prophetic purpose bringing together disparate knowledge, disciplines, and insights into a cohesive vision, giving heightened meaning to the times we live in.  Martin's creative impulse is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago, join us as we explore his vision of change and a life of meaning.