Commissioned by the Jazz Coalition Commission Grant 2020

This five-part piece explores the evolution of MLK’s political and progressive views, the expanding of his awareness of the devastating negative impact of systemic economic inequality and the lack of support for black and brown communities, which he denounced in several speeches during the latest stage of his prolific civil rights activism.

Pianist, violist, and composer Aruán Ortiz – born in Santiago de Cuba, and resident of Brooklyn, NY – has been an active figure in the US progressive jazz and avant-garde scene for more than 15 years.
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Named “one of the most creative and original composers in the world” (Lynn René Bayley, The Art Music Lounge), he has written music for jazz ensembles, orchestras, dance companies, chamber groups, and feature films, incorporating influences from contemporary classical music, Cuban Haitian rhythms, and avant-garde improvisation. Aruán consistently strives to break stylistic musical boundaries.