We Sick, by deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson, Davu Seru

We Sick

by deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson, Davu Seru

supported by

Peter Uvin Deeply moving, touches me to the core. An unbelievable album, with near certainty one of my top ten of the year. Also an amazing proof of how just three human beings, listening carefully to each other, can use their talents and their values to create deep, soul-stirring music. thank you, deVon, Nathan and Davu. Favorite track: They Stay Breathing Here.

Don Berryman The music is intense, plaintive, and beautiful. In the last track “Paths Open and Tolling” transcenting despair, we can hear hope. I consider it the most significant and poignant release of the year.

Stephen Maki This recording is, in both sound and performance, just exactly stunning. “Hats Off” to each of you, as musicianship at these levels comes only from serious dedication, love and trust with one another.

(*Stephen Maki, North St. Paul) Favorite track: Sanctuary.

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Compact Disc in a lovely 4-panel wallet, artwork by Lara Hanson

Includes unlimited streaming of We Sick via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Letters 07:56	info
2.	They Stay Breathing Here 09:14	info	buy track
3.	Solve for Malcolm (mvt I) 06:25	info
4.	Solve for Malcolm (mvt II) 15:34	info
5.	Sanctuary 13:51	info
6.	Paths Open and Tolling 09:48	info	buy track

about

We Sick
deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson, Davu Seru

1. Letters 7:57
2. They Stay Breathing Here 9:14
3. Solve for Malcolm (mvt. I) 6:25
4. Solve for Malcolm (mvt. II) 15:35
5. Sanctuary 13:52
6. Paths Open and Tolling 9:48

In his 1963 speech, “The House Negro and the Field Negro” Malcolm X assigns blame to those in his time who show concern for a master class whom he believes, on sound reason, does not deserve it. Why not just care for yourself?

“We Sick” thinks backwards through this reasoning to the Word of all Adam's children, received through the power of Eve’s vulnerable questioning. We think that we are all–insofar as we serve anything beyond ourselves–both master and servant. We remember that we embody both power and vulnerability; we remember that we have been contaminated, sullied, corrupted, sinner-saints from the karmic jump. We point to this Malcolm in order to point away, since he would keep transforming before being deemed impure and dispatched back to paradise. We take responsibility for being bad at purity, which is to say we each vow: “I take responsibility for this life.” Like the choice to submit to vaccination, or sound.

The music of We Sick is surrender: lyricism as it moves from interior to exterior, moaning within the living space of a sanctuary. The sanctuary recorded here–a church 150 years old and rendered vacant by COVID–became an ensemble member through its acoustics and ambiance.
We recorded together on December 28, 2020 weeks after police murdered George Floyd and several months into the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine. Across the street from our sanctuary, the National Guard surrounded the Minnesota State Capitol. Their heavily armed presence provided a tangible reminder of the old dharma that house is field, white is Black and that–without question–we sick.

The music made that day reflects the feelings of isolation from community, hunger for justice, and the weariness of the wait. We offer it to you as a humble confession and renewed covenant.

deVon Russell Gray, piano
Nathan Hanson, saxophones
Davu Seru, drums

All pieces spontaneously composed by deVon Russell Gray (BMI), Nathan Hanson (Hansonic Publishing, ASCAP) and Davu Seru (BMI).
© and (p) 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Engineered by Caleb Anderson
Mixed by Brett Bullion
Mastered by Huntley Miller

Recorded at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, St. Paul, MN on December, 28, 2020.
Cover art: “We Sick” by Lara Hanson (larahanson.com)
Layout by Jamie Breiwick, B-Side Graphics

Thank you to Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, August Seru, Emily Seru, Lara Hanson, Rafael Hanson, Janette Gray, Felicia Frelix, and Naimah Pétigny.

Davu Seru is an affiliate of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM).

innova® is the label of the American Composers Forum.
Director of Recordings: Chris Campbell
Manager of Recordings: Tim Igel
Innova is supported by an endowment from the McKnight Foundation.

www.innova.mu
www.nathanhanson.com
www.davuseru.com

credits

released April 28, 2023

deVon Russell Gray, piano
Nathan Hanson, saxophones
Davu Seru, drums

All pieces spontaneously composed by deVon Russell Gray (BMI), Nathan Hanson (Hansonic Publishing, ASCAP) and Davu Seru (BMI).
© and (p) 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Engineered by Caleb Anderson
Mixed by Brett Bullion
Mastered by Huntley Miller

Recorded at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, St. Paul, MN on December, 28, 2020.
Cover art: “We Sick” by Lara Hanson (larahanson.com)
Layout by Jamie Breiwick, B-Side Graphics

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about

Nathan Hanson Saint Paul, Minnesota

I'm an improvising saxophonist and composer in St. Paul, MN.

Sometimes I play alone, and sometimes with others.

This page and the links below can help you to explore my work.

Thank you for stopping by. I'd love to hear from you if you'd like to connect. ... more

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