More than two decades later, in a comparable time of social change and political upheaval, Lomax has reimagined the instrumental work for his Urban Art Ensemble to challenge listeners: what if we let go of old boundaries — between sacred and secular, traditional and modern — and let diverse musical traditions lift each other up?
Mark Lomax and the Urban Art Ensemble will present the reimagining of “The Unity Suite” on March 7 at the Foundry Theater in Yellow Springs.
In 2001, Lomax tried to understand, as an artist, what role he had in engaging in the new paradigm America was experiencing at the time.
“The language that I was hearing in the political landscape — the day-to-day conversation — was so divisive,” Lomax said. “As a composer and musician, I was trying to figure out, how do I construct something that brings people together?”
As a preacher’s kid, Lomax grew up in the church. He’s also been a professional musician — a drummer who has played jazz and other styles since he was 12. When he had the idea for “The Unity Suite,” he wanted to combine improvisation with gospel and blues — genres he knew could unite — and structure it like a church service with a narrative arc.
Lomax premiered the piece at his home church in 2002. He performed it again at the University of Cincinnati the next year. The combined audience for both performances was about 30 people.
“At the end of those two performances, I honestly felt it was a failure and put it on the shelf,” he said. “Enter the 2024 presidential election cycle. The level of divisive political commentary and conversations felt even higher. And here again, I’m trying to create art that’s relevant to the culture in which I’m living.”
More than two decades after “The Unity Suite” premiered — long after he’d let go of the physical scores — Lomax rediscovered a live recording on tape. He listened, saying the piece had “good bones,” and reconsidered the possibilities. He restructured and rewrote sections, originally a project envisioned as three CDs.
Each movement maintained its overarching structure; only the lengths were changed. The music, he said, felt like it wasn’t written for the early aughts at all — that now is the time for it.
In October, Mark Lomax and The Urban Art Ensemble sold out the premiere concert of “The Unity Suite” at the Wexner Center in Columbus.
The first-ever studio recording of “The Unity Suite” is set to release on vinyl Jan. 23.
Because of the instrumental nature of the work, Lomax explained how the music crosses the barrier from notes to notes with meaning.
“In African American musical tradition, instruments have always spoken as if they were people,” he said. “Many African dialects are tonal, and so the instruments could speak in that tonal dialect with inflection. There’s never been a notion that these inanimate objects did not have the power to speak in African American tradition.”
Bringing that musical dialect to America, Lomax pointed to B.B. King and his guitar, Lucille, which often mimicked the human voice.
In traditional African music, oftentimes the drums were direct communication tools between that which is understood as deity and the people; specific rhythms were said to invoke the presence of particular notions of deity, too.
Lomax studied with a master drummer at the First African Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, who helped him understand the role and function of the drums, even though Lomax plays a drum set.
“An instrument that is uniquely American can still play this hybrid role of direct communication to deity while also approaching rhythm and music in ways that are contemporary,” Lomax said. “It’s the nature of being African American.”
He hopes that “The Unity Suite” will continue leading to substantive discussions about things that bring us together, instead of contributing to the noise that drives us apart.
Brandon Berry covers the music and arts scene in Dayton and Southwest Ohio. Reach him at branberry100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
What: Mark Lomax and the Urban Art Ensemble: “The Unity Suite”
When: 7 p.m. March 7
Where: Foundry Theater, 920 Corry St., Yellow Springs
Cost: $25 general admission
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