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The Human Voice could be considered as the earliest musical instrument and expression of your spirit.

A strong spirit is reflected in a strong voice.

Tonight we meet an Afro folk gospel group who uses their voices as medicine to bring hope to others.

And they'll be singing live in our studio.

I'm so happy you're joining us.

From Los Angeles.

This is Clark's PBS.

Welcome to everybody with Angela Williamson and innovation, Arts, education and public affairs program.

Everybody, with Angela Williamson is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

And now your host, doctor Angela Williamson.

Travis from Black Magic is our guest.

Travis, thank you so much for being here.

Absolutely.

And bringing having me is our pleasure and also to bringing your group here to sing in the studio.

We so appreciate that.

But before you do that, our audience would love to get to know about you.

So tell us a little bit how you started this group.

It's so unique.

In fact, if you tried to research Afro folk gospel music, you get folk, you'll get gospel, but you combine them both.

So how do you do that?

Yeah, that's why we're here, to let people know that you can combine.

Educate us.

Yes.

So, you know, started out in the church doing the gospel, and then we went out and started doing folk festivals and then listening to different folk groups and listen to those Afro groups.

Sweet honey in the rock.

And then all the derivatives of that and then all of our influences.

And that created a sound that wasn't quite gospel as we know it, and it wasn't quite folk as we know it, but it was definitely rooted in the black diaspora and rooted in blackness and in black gospel and those different iterations.

And with both of those genres, it's all about the message and how it like it's the spiritual part of how it makes people feel.

Yeah, right.

So yeah, it was it probably it was it easy for you to combine those.

Well, yeah.

It felt very organic and very natural.

And you know, you you get the kind of the training, the 10,000 hours, you probably get it three times over, just sitting in church and sitting with old folks and listen to them sing, and it just washes over you.

And then you become that.

And then you get a few gray hair.

Some people take you serious.

You know, this is one of those things.

Oh, Travis, it's just going to be such a great conversation.

I can already tell that because you're really putting how the root of the black church is.

Yeah.

And how you can take that and make it something new and make it your own.

Right?

Yes.

And so how do you do that with your siblings?

I mean, that's hard working with family.

You know, the music keeps us together.

The music is that one thing that we can all come back to, and it's real life.

We've grown together.

We've fell in love.

We fell out of love.

And we fell back in love together.

And we've learned to forgive each other and live real life together.

And so you see it in the music and you see it.

It shows up in a very authentic way because we've lived this, you know, out through the music and the music gives us together, singing together, sitting next to each other.

So you think the journey, all of your personal journeys is what adds to make your group black magic that we hear today?

Yes, because that that living gets poured back into the music and express back out and it becomes a very authentic voice, a very authentic timber texture, tone.

There's certain songs that change over the years.

You start out when you're young and you sound young and get a little older and you sound and there's some experience there in the voice.

The voice, it's all there in the voice.

Well, and let's talk about the voice because it's a powerful tool.

Yeah.

And I actually mentioned that in my teaser, how powerful it is.

And it's so powerful that it's almost like a medicine, but you're not really thinking that when all of you are young, starting to sing in the church, are you or, you know, not realizing, when do you realize of the impact that you have with all of your voices together?

I think when loss comes into it, lose some loved ones, have some real life happen, and then at that point you realize what you go to is those songs, and then they just start to be that nectar, that medicine for you.

And then it very organically, just by living and having life experiences, let you know that, oh, this is important because that's what you go to in the darkest hours, those songs, and you start singing them and you feel just a little bit better, and you just keep singing that and keep singing that, and after a while you're like, oh, that was healing.

Yes.

Well, I know that you sing like some classics, but do you also you talk about healing because a lot of times when you think of folk music and you think of gospel, they're rooted in a journey, in those journeys where people have had to struggle through those journeys, to come out on the other side.

So do you sing those songs or do you also do you sing those songs and write your own?

How does that work for you?

So you start with those songs, right?

That's that's the beginning.

That's like almost the needle sonic.

The sound is those roots, and then you start writing your own songs.

And so we have a combination of both where we've written a lot of songs over the years.

But we started with the classics, with the ones that everybody knows, because that's a perfect like foundation, because the songs are designed and written in a way that anybody can sing them.

Everybody knows that.

You start singing.

Everybody's like, oh yeah, I know that song.

And they're designed that way, you know?

Yeah.

Yes.

So, you know, I'm going to ask you what song comes to your mind and then tell me that song, tell me the meaning.

And how do we turn that into a black magic?

Right.

So go tell on the mountain was the first song, Amelia Jackson.

That was my childhood, sitting in front of the record player, listening to her sing Go Tell on the mountain and that hook you know?

And so then we have a song that we took called Isha Lewa, which is means God's words won't be destroyed and it's given to us.

Just pass through, be singing, singing to us.

And we caught it.

And then we put on there go tell on the mountain as a tag in a different melodic structure.

The original.

The original has a very specific structure that she's singing.

Everybody knows it when we change the melody, but still saying the same words and sort of chopped it up and had a little bit of hip hop influences with how we chopped it up, but it still has the gospel voice and texture and timber.

And so that was a perfect example of taking the classic and then making it our own.

And, and seeing that how we could sing it because we couldn't sing it like Mahalia, but we could sing it like ourselves and whatever we were listening to at the time.

And so that's how we did that.

And a lot of young people don't even know who Mahalia Jackson is, right?

Right.

So what you're doing is you're taking that song on probably one of the most popular female gospel artists, if not artists of all time.

You're taking that song and you're bringing it with your own twist, the black magic twist, and you bringing it to an entire generation.

Am I understanding what you're telling me?

Yes.

Yes.

So.

And that's important because the song is still relevant.

Sometimes you just got to change the context where people can receive it.

And this and the song is more than relevant now that the song is.

The song is almost like a sonic matrix, if you will, is the foundation.

That's the foundation which so much music is built from.

And Billy Jackson is that.

And so it's important to always remember that, and that's a way of remembering it and never forgetting the lightning that live on in us.

Her spirit, her, magic power, articulation of those words live on in us.

Which, I mean, you chose a really wonderful example because, I mean, I don't even know if I'm overstepping, but she would probably be considered probably one of the first crossover artists, because even though she was a gospel singer, she appealed to the masses so much.

So that's what you're doing with Black magic, because you're taking these songs and giving giving them the makeover without losing the message.

Yes.

To bring it to the masses.

That's that's so that's a great observation.

Thank you.

Yeah.

That's excellent because that's exactly what it is because you start in the container of the church, okay.

But we take them out of the church.

We take them to festivals, we take them out into the world.

And you put you're doing the same thing.

It's just out there and it has the same potency and it's still.

And so that's and that's exactly what you did.

She was doing tours in Europe and she was doing stuff with Louis Armstrong and she, you know, there's all this, it was it was obvious that her power was going to transcend the church house and take nothing away from the church.

So that's where it starts.

But she was she was going to play.

She's going to play at Carnegie Hall.

She's going to play in Europe.

She's going to play all over the world and bring exactly what she did in a church house to masses.

And that was it was it was just like undeniable.

And and inevitable.

And so, yeah, go with that.

And we've done the same thing.

We still got a ways to go to get to Amelia status.

But you're, you're you're close to it.

Trust me.

You're close to it.

Hallelujah.

Jackson's whole philosophy and moving that to the future.

But what you're also doing is causing an evolution between folk music and gospel.

I mean, was that your intention?

Or you just knew that those two could be could work together?

It.

I don't think it was even that thought out.

I think it was more organic.

It was it was just us.

Just what we're drawn to.

Certain folk songs were drawn to.

And you start singing them and you're like.

And then also who you're around.

We got invited.

We didn't get invited to jazz festivals, but we got invited to a folk festival.

And then we sort of filled a niche because you had all of this folk music, but you didn't have Afro roots folk music.

And so it filled a little spot.

Right?

And so that's how that organically and we're like, okay, we're getting invited.

And then we sing these songs and they're connecting with our songs.

So it was very organic.

It wasn't really thought out.

It was just like, this is where an open door is, and we'll go sing and do our music.

And that just kept happening and happening.

And then here we are.

And so you discovered folk music after gospel?

Yes.

What was the song that resonated with you or your brothers and sisters that you thought, okay, I'm going to take this and we're going to combine this from theirs, but they probably have some different songs.

For me, I think it was maybe Peter Seeger or some of the, you know, and then seeing songs that he was doing with Sweet Honey.

So we have one of the members of Sweet Honey in the Rock.

He was doing a song with her, and you're in.

Then you let the circle be unbroken, and you start hearing those kind of songs and you're going, okay, and and you're seeing the they're singable and they're and they're maybe a little bit melodically different, but there's some connective tissues to the gospel melodies from the folk and just the format of the song.

There's a connectedness.

And I think those parallels, instinctually we saw that we can sing these songs, and so then we sing these songs and before you know it, you're singing it at a festival and it's working.

A lot of those folk songs just work with the audience because they know the song and they have a narrative and a history with that song.

Right.

And so that shared kind of symbiosis or symbiotic relationship with the audience and with yourself and the song being the sinner, I think creates like a new life and understanding of the song in itself.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, and I love how you were giving two examples, Mahalia Jackson and Pete Singer, both activists in their own right.

Right.

I mean, both I mean, they were able to, you know, sing a song that resonated with people, resonated with the times.

And you're able to combine those two.

But also to do you think it's also the audiences, too, because they have audiences that are really receptive and they love to hear people change it up?

Does that have something to do with it?

That's a lot.

That's a lot.

So singing, just singing in community and asking other people to sing is really, really a big deal.

And that is, that's, that's different than maybe like a rock concert where you just jumping up and down and you're screaming in your mosh, you know, it's a different.

So this is about bringing people into a singing community.

Yeah.

And so when you decide all together or, I don't know, maybe you decided to tell your other members, we want to sing this song.

I mean, how do you decide what part Travis sings versus because you're acapella, too?

So yeah, this is what I love that you're bringing to the studio.

How do you decide what part you take?

What part the other person takes in?

How do you do that?

Break that down?

In the beginning, everybody just had different voices.

So I had the lowest voice.

My oldest sister had the highest voice.

And then my sister, my youngest sister had an alto.

And then my other brother, both of my brothers were lead and tenor and sometimes, sometimes we even switch.

Now, nowadays, in the middle of the song, we'll switch parts and I'll go to the lead and they'll, he'll go to a bass or a bass beat box.

But in the beginning it was just where our voices lined up.

So I was just the lowest.

And then we just said, my sister the highest, my older sister and everybody just found their part given the melody.

And usually my brother would sing lead, and then my sister would sing lead as well.

And then we arranged the harmonies accordingly to whoever was singing the melody, the lead melody.

So that's how it worked.

Well, if you're changing who's changing lead and you just doing that organically, you really have to be comfortable with each other to do that, right?

Yeah.

Is that part of that's where the folk and the gospel background come into play?

Yeah, yeah.

You know, so like in a church setting you can start out with one person leading and then if someone else fills it, they're going to take the lead, you know, or if it needs to go longer, they're going to sing that first verse again, you know.

And so that kind of improv and making those decisions very quickly on the spot, became a very comfortable place over many years of singing that became just like, oh, this is, this is a Tuesday.

This is what we're doing.

You know, I love it.

Yeah, well, I can't believe our first segment has gone by so quick.

Thank you so much.

Not only just to share your history, but I think we gave our audience a very good educational background to what they are going to be listening to next.

So when they come back, you're going to bring your family members on set and sing for us.

Yes, yes.

Great answer.

You knew the answer.

So thank you.

So Travis, hang on there.

Come back to hear Black Magic in our studio.

Let's go.

I'm really.

Busy.

We're still right.

You see this one for this one?

Two 900.

I believe we get.

I.

On season ten of Paddy's Mexican Table, we're traveling one of Mexico's most storied stage, the birthplace of so many treasured Mexican traditions.

The.

Join me as I journey from Mexico, second largest city to one of its most beautiful beach destinations.

Hello, my name is Travis Johnson and we are the Johnsons.

And we're also Black Magic.

And I'm with my siblings, Erin and Olivia.

When I was in trouble, my way was like at night.

Vision gave me comfort and brought me to the light.

They took away my soul.

Amen.

The burdens.

Light is everything to me.

If it wasn't for the Lord, tell me, what would I do?

Oh, tell me one.

What I do is tell me what would I do if it wasn't for the Lord?

Tell me what would I do?

He's everything to me.

He.

He gives bread and dry places and water in a thirsty land.

He.

He's my rock and shelter.

And he holds me by the hand.

And when my friends forsake me by my side is he everything to me?

If it wasn't for the Lord.

Tell me, what would I have you?

Tell me what would I do?

Please tell me what would I do if it wasn't for the Lord?

Tell me what would I do?

You gave me better me.

And when my life is ended and I'm listening.

He will be my gateway.

Up to that home on high.

And in that golden city.

There'll be no side.

Goodbye.

He's everything to me.

E o o e o.

Hey.

And hold on, oh, hold on, hold on.

Just a little while longer.

Won't you hold up just a little while to hold on.

Just a little while longer.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Love him.

Oh, And just a little while longer.

Won't you love, love, love just a little while longer.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Just, Little, little, on the move.

Everything is gonna be, Oh, good at the knees.

No, just a little word.

Love.

No love.

These go on.

Just a little while.

Yeah.

Me strong.

Just a little while under everything is gonna be early March.

March on my show.

Not too much.

Oh, little.

Oh, no.

Oh, show my Nigel.

Nigel.

Just a little, oh, yeah, yeah.

You march on March.

March.

Oh, just a little, Oh, now.

Hey, everything.

Oh, don't be afraid.

Love on your love on then.

Love and just on then.

Oh, wow.

Oh, no.

Oh, you love, love, love.

Just a little, Love.

Yeah.

Love love love love.

And I'm gonna live.

Everything is gonna be, jamming out.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But.

Yeah.

That idea to come by.

Oh.

May I add that then?

But I understand.

Hey, day I'm gonna.

If you the third.

Oh, I, oh oh, I, they are ready.

I gotta I thought that.

Oh.

Hey.

Hey, Hey, get to that little.

You.

Love.

Yeah.

That idea that a liar.

I you.

And, They.

Yeah.

Everything I can do, I can do anything.

Why me?

My purpose worthy of my purpose.

I am my ancestors dreams.

Eve.

If I just read Eve.

If I just read Eve.

If I just read.

Yeah.

Everything I can do, I can do anything.

Where are the my purpose?

Why are the of my benefits?

Yeah.

My ancestors mean Eve.

If I just briefly.

Eve.

Just be E-Verify.

Just very beautiful.

Beautiful.

Thank you.

And thank you for joining us on everybody with Angela Williamson.

Viewers like you make this show possible.

Join us on social media to continue this conversation.

Good night and stay well as we end with Black magic.

Last, this body.

Bless this feed.

Bless this guy.

My son came.

I, he deep inside all and three.

And so I say bless this baby, bless this film, bless his ground.

I saw the e and I, him deep inside.

Oh, oh and three.

And so, like, he.

Hi, I'm Angela Williamson, host of everybody with Angela Williamson.

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