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‘Out of the Ashes’: New album benefits black-owned businesses and Native youth in Minneapolis

by Jay Gabler

June 07, 2020

An album of newly-recorded tracks, compiled by local guitarist Matt Sowell and released via San Francisco's Tompkins Square record label, is available now with proceeds going to benefit black-owned businesses and Native youth in Minneapolis.

Out of the Ashes: A Benefit Album for Minneapolis is available exclusively on Bandcamp. The tracks include Siama Matuzungidi and Dallas Johnson doing "Ko Yimbi Ko"; Charlie Parr's instrumental "A Meditation for George Floyd"; "Ragi Thandiro" by veena player Nirmala Rajasekar; Dakota Dave Hull's instrumental take on Stephen Foster's "Hard Times"; Mikyoung Park and Soojin Lee performing "The Long Long Night"; and "Our55406" by experimental guitarist Steve Tibbetts.

In a press release, Tompkins Square described the compilation's beneficiaries. "MIGIZI acts as a circle of support that nurtures the development of Native American youth in order to unleash their creativity and dreams. Migizi's building was destroyed by fire on May 28th. Association for Black Economic Power is partnering with Pimento to provide black businesses without insurance relief after white supremacists set them on fire during the protests."

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.