(calm music) - [Announcer] Your favorite local musicians like you've never seen them before.

(audience cheering) Intimate collaborations between iconic artists and the musicians they want you to know about.

Tonight, Laamar featuring Lucia Sarmiento.

It's all happening now on the legendary 7th St Entry stage.

(audience applauding and cheering) With a vibrant mix of Folk, Americana, R&B, soul and country, Laamar's music is rooted in social justice and authentic human connection.

- Yeah, I should let you know you have all just been dubbed Laamartians (audience applauding and cheering) - [Announcer] Please welcome to stage, Laamar.

♪ Now you see me ♪ ♪ Now you see me in the light ♪ ♪ Now you leaving ♪ ♪ And I won't put up a fight ♪ ♪ Leave 'em wanting ♪ ♪ Leave 'em always ♪ wanting more ♪ ♪ Leave them talking ♪ ♪ Leave it all ♪ out on the floor ♪ ♪ Honey, that's all right ♪ (mellow music) ♪ That's all right ♪ ♪ Honey, that's all right ♪ ♪ Honey, that's all right ♪ ♪ An illusion ♪ ♪ Just a fact held in my hands ♪ ♪ A delusion ♪ ♪ Promising the promised land ♪ ♪ Is this heaven ♪ How's everybody doing tonight?

(audience applauding and cheering) And we are Laamar.

And I'm also Lamar.

And it's very confusing.

Sometimes people ask like, "What kind of music do you play?"

I'm like, "Oh, it's kind of like, folk, Americana, soul, R&B, country."

(audience laughing) Well, it sounds horrible I think, but it rolls out the tongue.

Yeah, someone's gotta get the right order and really concisely let us know.

♪ ooh ♪ ♪ Honey, that's all right, ooh ♪ ♪ Honey, I don't know, ooh ♪ ♪ Honey, that's all right, ooh ♪ ♪ Did you sign up ♪ ♪ Put your name upon the line ♪ ♪ Did you find that ♪ ♪ Did you find that ♪ peace of mind ♪ ♪ Are you sleeping ♪ ♪ Sleeping in somebody's bed ♪ ♪ Do they echo ♪ ♪ All my words ♪ inside your head ♪ ♪ Honey, I don't know ♪ ♪ Oh no honey, I don't know ♪ ♪ Honey, I don't know, honey ♪ ♪ Oh no honey, I don't know ♪ ♪ Don't know honey, ♪ I don't know ♪ ♪ Honey, I don't know, honey ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) - Thank you.

You know, I can't overstate how much of a high it is to like write songs and then have really talented musicians without the promise of compensation, at least initially agree to join you on this venture.

I'm really lucky that all of these folks have agreed and continue to agree to do this with me.

(audience applauding and cheering) I should also note that my parents are in the audience.

(audience applauding and cheering) I'm sure that when I was in jazz band in eighth grade, it was really great to listen to and to drop me off at band practice at like 6:30 in the morning.

But you know, a career, if you can call it that in music, it doesn't happen in a vacuum.

It takes a village led by your parents for many years I think.

So, shout out to them.

(audience applauding and cheering) I grew up here in Minneapolis playing music.

I took a saxophone and so I played that through college.

I studied jazz and then was going to grad school studying music therapy and we needed to learn guitar to be in the music therapy program.

And then it turned out I really liked playing guitar a lot more than I liked going to grad school.

And so I started writing songs and had a band in New York for many years.

And then when my now wife and I moved back to Minneapolis, enlisted the help of a few people and started what is now Laamar.

In previous music practices, I had also sort of spoken about issues of race and culture and I thought I'd sort of moved past that and then life happened and I was like, "No, I feel really compelled to like contribute to this conversation in a way that feels authentic to me, which is through music."

When I decided to reemerge and start writing songs again after moving back to Minneapolis, at first I kind of wrote songs and kept them to myself shortly after Philando Castile was murdered and had me thinking about just the sort of the experience of being in person of color while driving and tried to sort of crystallize that into," Home To My Baby."

Just sort of the benign yet frightening experience of being pulled over by the police.

And just, you know, the different experience that people can have.

So I'm happy that it's been a conversation starter for people and we can also just enjoy the nice bop of the tune.

Thanks for being here, for being present, for showing up for this music.

I love it.

Yeah, thank you.

(audience applauding and cheering) (soothing music) ♪ I was driving real slow ♪ down a one way street ♪ ♪ With the needle on empty ♪ trying to make ends meet ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to ♪ get home in one piece ♪ ♪ To my baby tonight ♪ ♪ Got a little bit of grass ♪ in my front left pocket ♪ ♪ Case beer the trunk ♪ ♪ You need a key to unlock it ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to ♪ get home in one piece ♪ ♪ To my baby tonight ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ Flashing lights ♪ in the rear view ♪ ♪ I'm getting pulled over ♪ ♪ I'm so tired of being black ♪ and looking over my shoulder ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to ♪ get home in one piece ♪ ♪ To my baby tonight ♪ ♪ And he asks for my license, ♪ checks my registration ♪ ♪ And I try to keep calm ♪ ♪ I try to keep ♪ my cool waiting ♪ ♪ And I'm just trying to get ♪ home in one piece to my baby ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ I'm not trying ♪ to just get by ♪ ♪ I'm not trying ♪ to just survive ♪ ♪ I'm just trying ♪ to live my life ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to live ♪ (calm guitar music) ♪ He comes back to the car ♪ ♪ He keeps a hand by his side ♪ ♪ He says, son, ♪ you seem nervous ♪ ♪ You got something to hide ♪ ♪ I said, I'm just trying ♪ to get home in one piece ♪ ♪ To my baby tonight ♪ ♪ And he stares for a moment ♪ says, have a nice day ♪ ♪ Tips his hat with a smile ♪ as he's walking away ♪ ♪ And I'm just flying to get ♪ home in one piece to my baby ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ ♪ One wrong move and a man ♪ might turn out your lights ♪ ♪ Isn't it strange ♪ how a minute might ♪ ♪ Change your whole life ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) Thank you, all.

(audience applauding and cheering) I know, it was kind of a snappy song, you know?

People get bopping and then they start listening to the words and they're like, "Oh yeah, maybe I should just listen," but I'm giving you permission to move your bodies.

It's okay.

Music, it's natural.

♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Now that I see you ♪ coming around the corner ♪ ♪ Brown skin baby daughter ♪ ♪ Now, I can pull you over ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ You got a gun ♪ ♪ My finger on the trigger ♪ ♪ Just, another hmm-hmm-hmm ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ you, now that I see ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Now that I see ya ♪ standing on the highway ♪ ♪ Hmm, you're ♪ standing in my way ♪ ♪ Something here's ♪ gotta change ♪ ♪ Now that I see you standing ♪ shoulder to shoulder ♪ ♪ Hmm, black bodies ♪ getting colder ♪ ♪ Hmm, brown skin ♪ getting bolder ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my name ♪ - Finding my place in sort of the social action in conversation and protest.

Certainly post George Floyd.

Feeling like I had something to contribute has been really meaningful.

I feel good about that.

I mean I always feel a little bit uneasy that I am getting some of this attention due to the circumstance that someone else suffered, let's say.

So that that is a strange thing to sort of live in.

Like if George Floyd wasn't murdered, like would I be here having this conversation with you?

Or if Philando Castile wasn't shot in his car, would I be here, you know, opening for Semisonic at the Palace?

Like what's the weird through lines of that incident to this amazing thing that's happening in my life.

♪ Now that I see ya ♪ But at least naming that and being mindful of it is helpful.

If that's what it takes to like get into a big room with people and then to like start a conversation through song, then hopefully it's like serving a larger purpose.

♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Now that I see ya ♪ ♪ You're lying in ♪ you burial suit ♪ ♪ Hands up, don't shoot ♪ ♪ What's a brother gonna do ♪ ♪ Now that I see ♪ ya, now that I see ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my name, ♪ say my name, name, name, name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my ♪ name, say my name ♪ ♪ Say my name, say my name, ♪ say my name, say my name ♪ (audience cheering) (audience applauding and cheering) - You guys okay standing up here?

This is a solo song and the guys are like, you know, "Can we get off stage or something?"

I said, "Now you guys just stand right there."

Try to blend into the curtains.

(audience laughing) So if you guys could like pretend like you can't see them, I think that would make them feel a lot more comfortable.

- [Audience Member] Whoo.

- I was going to, you know, talk briefly about like writing songs and where do songs come from.

You know, some are spurred on by very profound or significant social things that happen like, "Home To My Baby" and "Say My Name," and then others like this song which is called, "Deceiver," of kind of like obscure and you write them.

♪ I'm a wild open dreamer ♪ ♪ Cold-hearted mother, ♪ faithless believer ♪ ♪ In the cruel heart of summer ♪ I'm still kind of like, "What?

What was I talking about?"

(audience laughing) But also it was like very stream of conscious.

I think I wrote that like probably in 2015.

I like a little artist retreat that I went to and I lived in in New York and I like sat in a like a plywood shed for like three days and I just got to write songs which is unimaginable now I have two young kids.

I'm like, "Plywood sheds.

That sounds incredible.

Undisturbed."

(audience laughing) ♪ A heaving of and ♪ birds of feather ♪ ♪ From when's came together ♪ ♪ And your brother is seether, ♪ your father a leader ♪ ♪ He's been like a maple ♪ ♪ When weight starts ♪ to take hold ♪ ♪ And your sister just suffers ♪ ♪ Some unspoken lover ♪ ♪ Live long in full cover ♪ ♪ When winter starts coming ♪ in fits and in phases ♪ ♪ The full moon comes chasing ♪ ♪ And the blind ♪ man is shameless ♪ ♪ When autumns erases you ♪ Songwriting is an exercise in vulnerability in some ways in singing, especially like at least for me the biggest hurdle was probably like singing in front of people.

♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ When you live with people, how do you practice your singing without them hearing you?

Which is like what I was always in the pursuit of.

Then you have kids and like that's just not possible.

And being a parent in general has like deepened my capacity for just like love and empathy and vulnerability in a way that I think serves my songwriting.

And I want my songs to be real and honest and vulnerable and the kids sort of are there to like reinforce that.

♪ I'm Eve's great deceiver ♪ ♪ I'm lying between her ♪ ♪ I call you at midnight, ♪ I'm waiting by bedside ♪ ♪ She's long and she's winding ♪ a song without ending ♪ ♪ A garden needs tending ♪ ♪ A heart stays on mended tune ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ And you often once mentioned ♪ a bold apprehension ♪ ♪ A faithless devotion, ♪ some calm and commotion ♪ ♪ For some love of labor, ♪ a gift from neighbor ♪ ♪ A branch that bends deeply ♪ ♪ A secret between me ♪ ♪ A truth in the attic ♪ ♪ A hopeless romantic, ♪ laden fruit heavy♪ ♪ A bow in the head ♪ ♪ And you move and lack water ♪ ♪ Some lamb to the slaughter ♪ ♪ I'm guilty and I know it ♪ ♪ And I try not to ♪ show it to you ♪ I think some people are very diligent or like, "I'm gonna sit down and I will write a song today."

And I'm like, "I'm gonna sit down and write that song."

And then I'm like, "Oh, that's an interesting sounding chord.

Like let me work on that."

And then I'm like, an hour later I'm like, "I have done nothing.

I did not write any songs."

(audience laughing) But it works for me.

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) Thank you.

(mellow music) ♪ Was he my lover ♪ ♪ Was he my man, was he ♪ my man, was he my man ♪ ♪ And I saw him running ♪ ♪ And I took his hand ♪ ♪ Yes, I took his hand ♪ ♪ Yes, I took his hand ♪ ♪ And I loved him ♪ in spite of him ♪ ♪ And I need him ♪ because of him ♪ ♪ And I loved him ♪ in spite of him ♪ ♪ And I need him ♪ because of him ♪ ♪ He kept it covered ♪ ♪ His loving endless thing ♪ ♪ But I spoke his truth, ♪ yes I spoke his truth ♪ ♪ And I laid him ♪ bare for all to see ♪ ♪ That I loved him ♪ in spite of him ♪ ♪ And I need him ♪ because of him ♪ ♪ And I loved him ♪ in spite of him ♪ ♪ And I need him ♪ ♪ Hmmm-mmm ♪ ♪ I loved him because of him ♪ ♪ I need, I need, I need, I ♪ need, I need, I need him ♪ ♪ Said I loved him, I loved ♪ him, I loved him, I loved him ♪ ♪ I need, I need, I need, ♪ I need, I need, I need ♪ ♪ I need, I need him, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Aah ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) When I had the opportunity to do this show, I also got to find someone who I thought would be an interesting and compelling person to open up the night.

I really had a short list and Lucia was at the top of it.

- [Speaker] I tried to do it.

- Lucia, if you don't know, is like a worldwide known artist that you just so happen to perhaps not be aware of until today.

(beautiful saxophone music) - We met about two years ago in a recording session and our job was to play loud, crazy saxophone.

Remember that?

- Yeah, yeah.

That's why I got invited with you.

I was kind of confused at first 'cause you're a much better sax player than I am, but the instruction was to like just play loud and play little bit out of tune.

- Make noises.

Yes.

(chuckles) - I could do that.

Lucia Sarmiento, saxophonist, composer, educator, a brilliant transplant to our city from Peru seemed like some of that would be fun to play with.

Outside of the sphere of Minneapolis, she is like a hugely known up and coming talent in the world of like jazz.

She's toured with Pitbull and Karol G. I mean she's played like huge stadiums.

But in the Twin Cities people are like, "Oh, Lucia, I've never heard of her."

And I was like, "Yeah, I know you haven't, but that's why she's gonna play this show," 'cause like you should, like five years from now.

Like you probably see her on the late shows.

(upbeat music) I was thinking about having her play on my record and then also like, "Well, this would be a really interesting person to like at least bring to my audience who's probably not going out and like listening to jazz fusion."

(saxophone) It's interesting 'cause we're in very different places I think in our career.

You are at the beginning but also like well into like making music as a like a career.

And I've always sort of like had one foot in music and one foot sort of like out of music, just in terms of like paying bills, et cetera.

I'm interested to hear how you feel about having two feet in the pool of like, "I'm a musician, this is my, not only my identity but how I assume like pay my rent."

- (chuckles) I don't know how to do anything else really.

- Yeah.

- I moved to the US as an international student.

Part of my visa was that I could not work outside of my field of study, so I could never get a job outside of music.

And that pushed me to have to make it work.

I've been doing music since I was five years old or even younger, so it's part of who I am, it's part of my identity.

I don't see myself doing anything else.

(mellow music) (audience applauding and cheering) Thank you very much.

My name is Lucia Sarmiento, and I'm very happy to be here with my band playing some of my music for you.

(audience applauding and cheering) Joe, show us the beat.

(gentle drum music) Yeah, the beat.

We also call it the pulse, musicians do.

The beat is like the heartbeat of the music, right?

Every song has it and every person in different part of the world interprets it in a very different way.

Here in the United States, for example, we interpret it like this.

One, two.

(upbeat music) I come from a very remote place in the world called Lima, Peru.

And over there we like to do things in a different way.

Instead of subdividing the beat in two like.

(claps) We like to do it in three.

(claps) Da, da, da, da, da, da, da.

Zach and I will show you.

One, two.

(upbeat saxophone notes) I was always very passionate about the saxophone.

Since high school I loved jazz music, I loved bebop and artists like Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.

And I thought, "I really want to learn how to play this kind of music."

So in order to do so, I have to go to the United States and I landed in Minnesota.

(upbeat music) The music community has been really welcoming to me.

I've done from polka to funk.

You know, there's so much in this city to do musically and artistically that it's just a great place to be.

(jazz music) (mellow jazz) (jazz music continues) (jazz music continues) (Lucia speaking in Spanish) In 2020 we had so much free time as musicians, so I started a YouTube channel teaching people how to play the saxophone and how to play jazz, but in Spanish.

(Lucia speaking in Spanish) There is a lot of information out there for English speaking people, but not so much if you don't speak English.

I started posting videos without having any real like plan behind it and it kind of blew up.

I got a lot of people watching them and sending me comments and emails thanking me for making this information available in Spanish, which is my mother tongue.

(relaxing music) - [Lamar] Overrated or underrated?

Practicing?

- Underrated.

- [Lamar] Underrated.

- Think people should practice.

What do you think?

- That's why I never got better at the saxophone.

(Lucia chuckles) Wen prepping your reeds, water or vodka?

- Vodka.

- And why?

- Because the vodka will keep them sanitized.

And also, so long story short, I put my saxophone reeds in a container, like a pickle container with vodka.

But don't fill it up all the way, just a little bit.

Keeps them from being exposed to the different climates and also keeps them sanitized.

But right now today they're in tequila.

- Tequila, okay.

- Because I didn't have vodka.

(chuckles) - Do you drink the reed in tequila when it's done?

- That's gross.

(chuckles) By the way, I'm a little cold.

Can I like?

- Yeah.

- Can I borrow your jacket or like something?

- This is cool.

- I'm like.

(chuckles) Actually like this.

- It's nice, right?

I know.

- I wish I wore it from the beginning.

- Yeah.

- I am singing a song tonight.

- Yeah, how are you feeling?

Yeah.

- I'm nervous.

- Your voice sounds.

- So I am starting this new venture of trying to be a singer and singing more because I think it's a very specific way of connecting with the crowd that I cannot do when I'm playing saxophone, 'cause my mouth is already busy.

- You're telling me?

I've been on this journey.

I pulled the saxophone outta my mouth and started singing in my mid20s.

- Ah, that's what I'm trying to do.

- Yeah.

- Today is a a very important day because it's my first time singing and now I'm gonna do it like in a recording.

- [Lamar] Yeah.

- No pressure.

- [Lamar] No pressure.

Don't be nervous.

(Lucia chuckles) - Up next, we have a song.

It's a very important song for me.

It's a traditional Peruvian waltz called, "Maria Sueños."

Maria is a girl from Peru.

She has this very big dreams and hopes for the future.

The lyrics of the song will describe how she starts falling asleep and in her sleep she sees these huge mountains.

She can smell the pine trees in the distance and she's also creating a dream world of her own where she's free.

I chose to arrange this song because I have always felt like I related strongly to the lyrics.

And it reminds me of home.

(Lucia singing in Spanish) (Lucia continues singing in Spanish) (Lucia continues singing in Spanish) (mellow music) (mellow music continues) (audience applauding and cheering) (Lucia singing in Spanish) (audience applauding and cheering) Thank you very much.

That was, "Maria Sueños," by the greatest Peruvian song singer, songwriter and poet from Peru called Chabuca Granda.

I have always felt a responsibility that I wanted to practice a lot and be very good at my instrument and be good at my craft because when I was growing up as a little girl, I didn't have very many examples of female saxophone players.

And now that I'm in like a role where I'm teaching and I'm touring, I get a lot of messages from young girls who say, "Hey, I wanna be like you when I grow up."

And this to me is so beautiful, 'cause I guess I didn't have that when I was growing up.

But also makes me feel like I want to always give my best.

- [Lamar] There's a little pressure - [Lucia] To be a good- - [Lamar] Yeah, yeah.

- [Lucia] Be a good role model.

Give a good example.

- [Lamar] You're providing representation among other things.

- [Lucia] Yeah.

- I feel that.

I don't think people are expecting that I play like Americana and country.

- I think people also don't expect that I'm playing jazz fusion.

(chuckles) - Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But it's also fun.

It's like nice to surprise people, you know?

- Yes.

♪ I feel like I'm living ♪ on a knife's edge ♪ ♪ You just stick around ♪ to see what happens next ♪ ♪ Maybe you're amused ♪ or just a masochist ♪ ♪ Maybe you're the blade, ♪ just the sheath for it ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ Mornings I put all ♪ my dreams on paper ♪ ♪ Write them down so I ♪ can live them later ♪ ♪ Later when I ♪ lose imagination ♪ ♪ Later when I need ♪ an invocation ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ You see, go sit ♪ every room walking ♪ ♪ I turn out all the lights and ♪ they start talking at once ♪ ♪ Squeeze your eyes closed, ♪ try to keep my body in bed ♪ ♪ I'm standing in the corner ♪ with a sheep over my head ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ And I keep skeletons ♪ in all my closets ♪ ♪ At nights I take them ♪ dancing in the city ♪ ♪ And I keep secrets I ♪ haven't yet thought of ♪ ♪ I dress them up in ♪ diamonds to feel pretty ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ (soothing music) My previous band was a band called Jus Post Bellum, which is a Latin name, which is not a good idea to name your band something in Latin that no one can really speak.

And we would play in some of the strangest places.

We once played at a sports bar in Alabama during the time of a Alabama college football game.

Roll Tide.

If you know anything about Alabama at one o'clock at kickoff, they're not interested in hearing about your folk music at a sports bar.

But you know what, gave us just enough gas money to get along to the next city.

(audience applauding and cheering) I think a lot of musicians and creatives probably in general, you're like afraid to say no to anything.

You're like, they want us to be there.

They might even give us a little bit of money or maybe no money, but exposure, or like this number of people could be there, and you just start saying yes to everything.

And certainly we did that like as Laamar kicked off.

And right now we're sort of in this transition where we've still mostly saying yes to a lot of things.

You know, I played like a show on Sunday in someone's driveway.

But I think I'm starting to understand like what's the value in what we do.

And if part of what I wanna deliver is like an experience that's like visceral and emotional and like delivering a message.

If not just delivering like music that's really engaging and fun to listen to.

If you don't listen to the words like am I gonna achieve one of those things versus just being blindly like, "It's a show?

Yeah.

Yeah, when is it?

What time?

We'll be there."

♪ Monday morning, calling ♪ sick to work again ♪ ♪ Wash the shadows creep ♪ across the window ledge ♪ ♪ Boil the water, grind the ♪ coffee, pour the cream ♪ ♪ Run the shower, cloud ♪ the windows up with steam ♪ ♪ Stepping over cracks ♪ in all the pavements ♪ ♪ I'm trying to leave tracks ♪ because I'm erasing it ♪ ♪ All the pictures that ♪ took my face and seen ♪ ♪ All the memories ♪ I've been defacing ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ ♪ There's something ♪ coming over me ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) And on that note, we are going to invite Lucia up here to join us.

(audience applauding and cheering) For a couple songs.

I am excited though.

It's gonna sound fun tonight.

Tonight will be the first time that we've performed live together.

- [Lucia] Yes.

- If it goes really poorly tonight, let's promise to remain friends.

(Lucia chuckles) And I apologize if I forget.

Lucia came to the studio and tracked a few songs on our record, which sound amazing.

No, just humbly bragging for her.

(audience cheering) - He just told me, "Show up, bring all your stuff."

I showed up with my alto, my tenor, my flute.

And then I asked him like, "Hey, what are we doing?

Do you have charts?"

And he's like, "No, just go.

Just do your thing."

- Yeah, yeah.

- And we had the most fun recording session, four hours long in the studio, experimenting, creating lines and just hanging.

- I'm glad you think that was fun, 'cause I wasn't sure.

I know like you are very like well-trained and I'm very like, "Make it up as you go."

- I loved it.

It's a whole different world, right?

- [Lamar] Yeah, different approach.

- I also love the creative process from coming up with an idea and then following through with all the steps that it takes until you see it finished.

And then even the moment where you put it out into the world for other people to hear it, it's hard.

You know, it's like a process that takes sometimes like months or years.

So I think that takes a lot of commitment.

Takes a lot of faith.

- [Geoffrey] Yeah.

- Those are very strong things that like are important for life.

But I think I've learned that through music.

(audience applauding and cheering) - Lucia, my question for you is, is a show like this, which I mean for me is a lot of people, but is intimate in the scale of stadiums.

Is this more scary or is like playing like for 10,000 people in like an amphitheater in Miami?

Is that more intimidating?

- This is more scary.

- That's what I think.

(audience laughing) Yeah, yeah, yeah.

(mellow music) ♪ Heaven is a place on earth ♪ ♪ This is what they said to me ♪ ♪ Heaven is a ♪ place you deserve ♪ ♪ That's what they ♪ said to me now ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I know ♪ ♪ Love is just a winding road ♪ ♪ It's what they said to me ♪ ♪ Love is just a hand to hold ♪ ♪ This what they ♪ said to me now ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I believe ♪ ♪ And my mama, what ♪ she see in me ♪ ♪ And my father, what ♪ he will believe ♪ ♪ When we were young, ♪ we knew everything ♪ ♪ No loose ends, we untapped ♪ ♪ When we were young, ♪ we could always run ♪ ♪ Never look back ♪ ♪ It's always run on ♪ ♪ It's funny when, ♪ it's funny when ♪ (audience cheering) (mellow saxophone music) ♪ Fate is just a fickle friend ♪ ♪ Let's begin again ♪ ♪ Fate is just a fickle friend ♪ ♪ Let's roll them dice again ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ How would I, ♪ how would I know ♪ ♪ Time is just a turning wheel ♪ ♪ Honey, tell me how you feel ♪ ♪ Time is two hands ♪ turning round ♪ ♪ Til your body lays down ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I, who ♪ would I believe ♪ ♪ Who would I believe ♪ ♪ And my mama, what ♪ she see in me ♪ ♪ And my father, what ♪ he will believe ♪ ♪ And my sister, ♪ would she walk away ♪ ♪ And my brother, what ♪ do you have to say ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) Yeah.

Whoo, I mean life is better with saxophone, right?

(audience applauding and cheering) I mean I think music can be more agnostic than a lot of things in culture.

And jazz is like a great example because jazz was one of those things that really helped to like break down barriers between at least like black people and white people.

So in that sense, I think like music has always had a special role in sort of like bringing disparate communities together.

Bringing Peruvians and Minnesotans together.

People of all stripes can love Beyonce and Taylor Swift and maybe Laamar and Lucia.

(audience applauding and cheering) Could music heal the state of the nation?

I don't know about that, but it could help.

(audience applauding and cheering) ♪ People all lined up more ♪ than you've ever seen ♪ ♪ Given no other choice ♪ ♪ Get in line with me ♪ baby, waiting patiently ♪ ♪ Can I speak my mind ♪ ♪ Should I hold my tongue ♪ ♪ Can I stand my ground ♪ ♪ Should I turn and run ♪ ♪ And I'm trying to keep my ♪ patience, losing all my grace ♪ ♪ And all I want to ♪ do is walk away ♪ ♪ And I'm running ♪ outta options ♪ ♪ Someone called the cops ♪ ♪ And everywhere I ♪ go, it's in my face ♪ ♪ Run around the block, ♪ staring at my watch ♪ ♪ People trying to talk, ♪ I just wanna walk ♪ ♪ It is gonna stop, stop ♪ ♪ Suffering defeat, ♪ standing in the heat ♪ ♪ Rising from the street, ♪ trying to keep it sweet ♪ ♪ When we in the shade ♪ ♪ It was mistake ♪ ♪ It was just a bad dream ♪ ♪ Dreaming of a car, ♪ dreaming I'm a star ♪ ♪ Dreaming I go ♪ far to vacation ♪ ♪ Just a conversation ♪ ♪ Do, do, do, oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Holy Mother, ♪ won't you give me ♪ ♪ Something that I ♪ could hold on to ♪ ♪ Somewhere that I ♪ could belong to ♪ ♪ Some kind of sign ♪ of your vision ♪ ♪ Show me divine intervention ♪ ♪ Give me your reason ♪ to stay strong ♪ ♪ Moment of peace ♪ when the day's long ♪ ♪ Teach me to stand ♪ out to stand up ♪ ♪ I need a hand, not a handout ♪ ♪ Show me the joy ♪ in my blackness ♪ ♪ Show me your boy ♪ without sadness ♪ ♪ Gimme your woman of action ♪ ♪ I need to remember ♪ compassion ♪ ♪ Gimme your moments ♪ distraction ♪ ♪ I'm the whole ♪ nother fraction ♪ ♪ Teach me the ♪ meaning of justice ♪ ♪ Keep it between ♪ us is justice ♪ ♪ Show me the joy ♪ in my blackness ♪ ♪ Show me your boy ♪ without sadness ♪ ♪ Show me the joy ♪ in my blackness ♪ ♪ Show me your boy ♪ without sadness ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me your joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me your joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me your joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me your joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me your joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ ♪ Show me the joy, joy ♪ - [Announcer] This program was produced with The Current and made possible by Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and these stage supporters.

(bright music)