What is the sound of perception colliding with reality? In the experience of Black women, especially Black-women artists, what does it look like to safeguard one’s own relationship to multidimensionality? To “define myself for myself,” in the words of Audre Lorde? Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin will join Devon Gates and Liany Mateo, two young bassists, bandleaders and scholars, and vocalist-flutist Melanie Charles and vocalist and curator Faith Quashie, to discuss in an open-ended format these questions of creativity and self-preservation. The conversation will find multiple jumping-off points within the works of Dr. Griffin, on such figures in the music as Billie Holiday, Abbey Lincoln and Geri Allen.

Gates and Mateo also perform with their ensemble on June 25 at Cafe Erzulie as part of the JGI's Soundoff Sessions.