Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber presents “The Nineteenth Letter” at Winter JazzFest 2024
Appearing: Brooklyn Marathon at Brooklyn Bowl
Saturday, January 13 | Set time: 7:30pm
Tickets & Information
Text: Nelson George | Recorded Narration: Cassandra Freeman | Conduction: Vernon Reid | Special Guest: DJ Logic | Musical Direction: V. Jeffrey Smith & Jared Michael Nickerson
“The Nineteenth Letter” was created by Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber in 2023 as a part of Lincoln Center’s full campus Juneteenth celebration curated by Carl Hancock Rux.
“Yes, the word “free” is in the very first sentence of the ordinance. But the freedom authorized here kept the newly freed in the employment of their previous owners and, implicit, is that that freedom will be policed. “Idleness,” which some would argue is the truest expression of personal freedom, would be, and has always been, monitored.
Nelson George
So yes, Juneteenth is a celebration, but also a testament to the limits of freedom in these United States, it means full freedom was then, and remains now, a dream deferred and what happens to a dream deferred and deferred and deferred…”
“In January 2023, when we were developing “The Nineteenth Letter”, Rux sent this missive:
Jared Michael Nickerson
‘Jared … bring me the fury of a Sly Stone meets Richie Havens meets Betty Davis meets Grace Jones meets James Brown “Freedom Now”, “Slaves No Mo”, “Wake Up Everybody and Be Free”, “Fight the Power” “Burn This Mother Down”, “Turn This Mother Out”, “Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired”, “Flower Power” soul set list this side of a citywide bonfire (those aren’t set list suggestions, just references for feeling).’
With Carl’s request in mind, I had a conversation with Nelson George as I’ve always been troubled in regard to the idea of “celebrating” American Negroes in Texas finding out they were free people two years after the fact. Then … duh … Nelson mentioned how slowly news traveled back in those times, if it traveled at all … And that it wasn’t just the knowledge of being free, but the arrival of federal troops to forcibly make it so. This made all the sense in the world and sparked the creation of this performance piece.”
The Significance of Nineteen
“The 19th letter of the alphabet is a dance of two curls that slides through history, a letter both sweet and sour. It is the starting letter of words soft, silly and sad. The 19th letter is the first in slavery that most sinister and savage institution that symbolizes the sickness in our national soul.”
Sizzlin Hot Deep In The ❤️ of Texas
Chorus:
Fire
Sizzlin’ hot
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Ready to Expire
Cause it’s Sizz-I-Lin HoT
Fire
Sizzlin’ hot
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Surrounded by Colonizers
makin It Sizz-I-Lin HoT
1st Verse
The stars at night are big and bright (clap, clap, clap, clap)
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The prairie sky is wide and high (clap, clap, clap, clap)
deep in the heart of Texas.
The sage in bloom is like perfume (clap, clap, clap, clap)
deep in the heart of Texas.
2nd Verse:
The coyotes wail along the trail (clap, clap, clap, clap)
deep in the heart of Texas.
The rabbits rush around the brush (clap, clap, clap, clap)
deep in the heart of Texas.
The cowboys cry ki yippee yi (clap, clap, clap, clap)
deep in the heart of Texas.
Outro:
Sizzlin Hot
Cause It’s Sizzlin Hot
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Sizzlin Hot
Cause It’s Sizzlin Hot
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Sizzlin Hot
Cause It’s Sizzlin Hot !!!
General Ordinance #3
“Today news is instantaneous — a bombing, a Presidential declaration, a new dance sensation — are posted, streamed and dissected in seconds just as the news blast of information enters your dome.
But in the 1860s news was a letter in a Pony Express pouch, a bag in a rail road coach or the ticking of a telegraph wire. News arrived by word of mouth, in crumpled newsprint or via an ordinance posted on a church door. So it was with General Order #3. Posted on the Negro Church of Galveston on the 19th of June 1865. General Ordinance #3 reads … “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
No More Ridin Me Cause I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: Cause I Heard it Thru the Grapevine
Chorus:
Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
1st Verse:
Took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday
I know grown folk ain’t supposed to cry
But these tears I can’t hold inside
I can’t help but be confused
If it’s true please tell me dear
Chorus:
Ld: Don’tcha know that I
Chorus: Heard it through the grapevine
Ld: Word on the grapevine took it’s damn sweet time
Ld: Don’tcha know that I
Chorus: Heard it through the grapevine
Ld: And I’m not going to lose my mind No More Ridin Me
Chorus:
No More No More
2nd Verse:
People say, “Believe half of what you see
Some and none of what you hear
I can’t help but be confused
If it’s true please tell me dear
Now by law you must let me go
As it’s been two years that I should have known
Chorus:
Ld: Don’tcha know that I
Chorus: Heard it through the grapevine
Ld: Word on the grapevine took it’s damn sweet time
Ld: Don’tcha know that I
Chorus: Heard it through the grapevine
Ld: And I’m not going to lose my mind No More Ridin Me
Outro:
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: No More
Chorus: Ridin Me
Ld: Cause I Heard it Thru the Grapevine
Celebration Born of Delay
“For decades African-Americans in Texas celebrated liberation or, at least, the illusion of it that passes for freedom in many parts of this nation. That celebration, born of delay, has grown more powerful with time. So what we rejoice in here today is not information denied, but black folks ability to turn that denial into a party.
We turned that 19th letter into Juneteenth.”
BSAC WJF January 13th, Brooklyn Bowl 2024 Edition
Vernon Reid: Conductor
DJ Logic: Turntables & EFX
Abby Dobson: Vocals
Mikel “Spirithood” Banks: Vocals
Shelley Nicole: Vocals
Ms. Olithea: Vocals/Electronic Soundscapes
Bruce Mack : Vocals
Leon Gruenbaum : Keyboards/Samchillian/Vocoder
JS Williams : Trumpet
Lewis “Flip” Barnes: Trumpet
V. Jeffrey Smith: Tenor & Soprano Saxes/Electric Guitar
Jose Solares: Tenor Sax
“Moist” Paula Henderson: Bari Sax
Dave “Smoota” Smith: Trombone
Ben Tyree: Electric Guitars
Shawn Banks: Congas/Percussion
Chris Eddleton: Drums & Electronics
Jared Michael Nickerson: Electric Bubble Bass