The Jazz Gallery Presents: American Dreamers

This Sunday, December 2, The Jazz Gallery is pleased to welcome the University of Miami's Frost Concert Jazz Band to our stage for a special performance of American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom. This past fall, John Daversa, chair of the university's studio music & jazz department, spearheaded an album featuring performances by "Dreamers"—undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children. The album's repertoire includes fresh takes on classic Americana, including Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," Bernstein's "America," and Woody Guthrie's "Deportee," interspersed with musical spoken-word segments by the Dreamer-performers.Following in the footsteps of works by the likes of Sonny Rollins, Nina Simone, Charles Mingus, and others, the album is a work of musical activism. According to one of the album's producers, music attorney Doug Davis, "We're hoping to use the music for messaging purposes. We're using the album to get these phenomenal kids in front of people who otherwise wouldn't be aware of the issue. If lightning can strike because we hit the right notes, well that's the goal."Before coming out to hear the Frost Concert Jazz Band's special performance of this work, give a listen to the album, below.The Frost Concert Jazz Band performs American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom at The Jazz Gallery on Sunday, December 2. The band is under the direction of John Daversa. One set at 2:30 P.M. $15 general admission (FREE for members), $20 reserved cabaret seating ($10 for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.