Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode: NYC Winter Jazzfest Preview with Freedom Riders
Date: January 8, 2026

This episode offers an in-depth preview of the 22nd annual NYC Winter Jazzfest, focusing on the jazz collective Freedom Riders and their upcoming concert "My Country Tis of Thee" at Le Poisson Rouge. Through performance, personal narrative, and reflective conversation, the episode explores the intersections of jazz, civil rights history, collectivism, and the role of music in contemporary social movements.

1. Introduction & Performance ("Freedom Day")

• [00:28] Alison Stewart introduces the NYC Winter Jazzfest and welcomes Freedom Riders, highlighting the group's name as homage to the 1960s Freedom Rides and the broader civil rights movement.
• [01:21] Sarah Elizabeth Charles (vocalist and featured guest) thanks Stewart and cues the set with "Freedom Day," composed by Max Roach and Oscar Brown Jr.—a central anthem of the civil rights era.
• Performance Excerpt [02:07–03:05]: The group delivers a moving rendition, with lyrics and vocal improvisation reflecting on freedom.

2. Discussion: Meaning and Legacy of "Freedom Day"

• [05:21–05:38]

  • Alison Stewart: Cites Max Roach’s intent for the song to end with a question mark, asking about its enduring relevance.
  • Sarah Elizabeth Charles [05:48]:

    "It's wild to me when people are able to compose and offer something up creatively that stands the test of time. And in a lot of unfortunate ways, this song has stood the test of time and is still so relevant today."

  • Charles emphasizes the persistent resonance of the song’s themes, noting how every performance feels distinct based on lived experiences.

• Charles on Her Arrangement [06:30]:
  She crafted an arrangement that allows musicians to express themselves freely, keeping the piece fluid to reflect present realities:

  "...to cultivate a sonic space with this piece that allowed for it to be different every single time for the musicians who were playing it, to feel free to embody and express whatever they needed to..."

3. Collective Structure & Naming the Ensemble

• [07:57] Stewart prompts introductions; Charles lists core band members, clarifying the collective nature:

  • Joe Dyson (drums)
  • Alfredo Colon (saxophone)
  • Melena Casado (trumpet)
  • Carmen Staff (piano)
  • Noah Garabedian (bass)

• [07:59] Charles on the ensemble’s ethos:

  "This ensemble is so much bigger than all of us and so much bigger than this group of people...there were over 400 Freedom Riders who contributed to the cause...I see this sort of black feminist collective collaborative idea embedded in the fabric of this group."
  (emphasizing the rotating, inclusive roster and its connection to the original Freedom Riders' persistence and collective action.)

4. Jazz & Civil Rights

• [09:44] Stewart asks: Why was jazz so central to the civil rights movement?
• Charles Responds [10:09]:
  She reflects on the concept of freedom, the temptation of binaries, and jazz as a musical form that fosters multiplicity and continually resists being boxed in:

  "...there are, like, boxes and barriers that are attempted to be put up for me constantly. And I think one of the beautiful things about jazz and Black American music is that throughout all of time, it has attempted to break down those barriers and not allow us to be put in boxes."
  She sees jazz as both the historical "soundtrack to the movement" and as an ongoing force for liberation.

5. Repertoire & Social Justice Themes

• [11:30] The collective’s repertoire includes both classic and new socially-conscious works.
• Charles [12:04]:
  Collective members each bring forward issues close to them—ranging from solidarity with Palestine/Gaza, LGBTQIA rights, and visions for America’s potential:

  "...the idea, too, again, I bring back that idea of, like, black feminism, because it's like this idea of Fannie Lou Hamer— like, nobody's free till everybody's free...the strength of this ensemble is that we have so many different issues that we all care about and that we're speaking to and we're playing to and in relationship with..."

6. Storytelling & "Doom Knocker"

• [13:44] Alfredo Colon introduces his composition "Doom Knocker," rooted in a personal family story from the Dominican Republic’s Mirabal region.

  • The song reflects themes of breaking generational cycles, courage, and redefining masculinity—drawing a metaphor from his father's refusal to kill a duck as a defining act of resistance and compassion.

    "If there's ever a duck in your life, you don't have to kill the duck." [14:48]
    "Whether it's something we're experiencing internally through our families or societally, I think we can all do our part to end whatever curses we're dealing with. And I know this country is dealing with many, many curses right now." [15:13]

• Performance: "Doom Knocker" [15:48–20:20]

7. Upcoming Concert & Honoring Legacy

• [20:59] Stewart inquires about the structure and guests at the upcoming concert.
• Charles [20:59]:

  "We are playing music. We are not putting our lives on the line. It is different...with the culture of erasure that is happening as a result of our current government, we feel it's important to honor their story, to honor this name."
  She lists special guests, noting the intergenerational mix and spirit of the collective:

  • Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Arturo O’Farrill, Samora Penderhughes, Adegoke Steve Coulson, Made Kuti, Ben Williams, Luke Stewart, Tomoki Sanders, and more.

8. Final Performance: "Discover This Country" (Words by Maya Angelou)

• [22:16] The last piece, “Discover This Country,” features Maya Angelou’s poem "America" set to music, connecting the festival’s theme "Still We Rise" to Angelou’s enduring influence.

  "Sometimes when someone before us has said something better than we ever could, it makes sense to just use their words." [22:18]

• Performance: "Discover This Country" [23:52–30:29]
  Poignant choral harmonies and Angelou’s incisive poetry meditate on American promise, pain, and the plea for renewal:

  • “The gold of her promise has never been mined the borders of justice not clearly defined… America. America. America… I beg you.” [23:52–28:45]

9. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sarah Elizabeth Charles [On timelessness of civil rights songs, 05:48]:

  “…a lot of unfortunate ways, this song has stood the test of time and is still so relevant today.”

• On the collective spirit, 07:59:

  “I see this sort of black feminist collective collaborative idea is really embedded in the fabric of this group as well.”

• Alfredo Colon's Parable, 14:48:

  “If there’s ever a duck in your life, you don’t have to kill the duck.”

• On the current necessity of their work (20:59):

  “…with the culture of erasure that is happening as a result of our current government, we feel it’s important to honor their story, to honor this name.”

• On Maya Angelou’s words and influence, 22:18:

  “Sometimes when someone before us has said something better than we ever could, it makes sense to just use their words.”

10. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Freedom Day Performance: [01:25–05:21]
• On the meaning of “Freedom Day” and arrangement: [05:21–07:24]
• Collective structure & the historical context: [07:39–09:30]
• Jazz and Civil Rights Movement: [09:44–11:30]
• Collective’s new, socially-relevant repertoire: [11:30–13:44]
• Alfredo Colon introduces "Doom Knocker": [13:44–15:30]
• "Doom Knocker" performance: [15:48–20:20]
• Concert Preview & Special Guests: [20:59–22:18]
• Discover This Country (Intro & Performance): [22:18–30:29]

Summary Takeaway

This episode paints a vivid picture of how jazz continues to serve as a vital form of collective memory, activism, and hope. Through conversation and live performance, the Freedom Riders’ collaborative, inclusive spirit echoes the original Freedom Riders’ courage—demonstrating that while the means have changed, the need to speak, sing, and play for freedom endures.