Join us for a panel discussion in celebration of the 88th birthday of the late jazz musician, composer, and activist Horace Tapscott. The discussion will traverse generations to focus on the theme of transmissions and the legacy of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. The panel will feature performers Kamau Daáood, Mekala Session, Michael Session, Roberto Miranda, and Jimetta Rose, moderated by Mike Sonksen. The discussion will be followed by a brief musical performance and poetry.

About the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra: The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra is a Black music ensemble founded in Los Angeles, in 1961, by pianist Horace Tapscott. Since the beginning the Ark has been dedicated to community, social consciousness, arts and Afrikan culture. The mission of the Ark is to preserve and present music from Black composers, dead or alive. To this date over 300 musicians have passed through the Ark, and that number continues to grow. Some notable members include: Michael Session, Kamasi Washington, Kamau Daaood, Dwight Trible, Phil Ranelin, Arthur Blythe, Adele Sebastian, Jesse Sharps, Nate Morgan and many more. Learn more.

About the panelists:
- Kamau Daáood is a performance poet, educator, and community arts advocate and a member of the Watts Writers Workshop and the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
- Mekala Session is a drummer and current leader of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
- Michael Session is a saxophonist and founding member of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
- Roberto Miranda is a professor at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, a bassist, and historic member of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra
- Jimetta Rose is a singer/songwriter who founded The Voices of Creation, a soul and jazz choir centered around healing through music and positive thinking

Part 1: April 2 at 5pm: Screening—Horace Tapscott: Musical Griot (Learn More)
Part 2: April 6 at 7pm: Discussion—Passing the Magic

In conjunction with the exhibition Jamal Cyrus: The End of My Beginning at ICA LA, we present TRANSMISSIONS: Horace Tapscott — a two-part program about the musician, composer, and arts advocate Horace Tapscott. Tapscott’s dedication to the empowerment of the community; Black music cultural preservation; and the creation of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra are inspiration for next generation artists like Jamal Cyrus and others. The spirit of Tapscott and the Arkestra are models for a communal process of learning from the past to build the cultural future. Join us as we celebrate what would be Tapscott’s 88th birthday with a screening and discussion around music and transmissions.