Cosmic Echoes: Sun Ra and the Bronzeville Forum — An Immersive Sonic Journey with MOTHABOARD

Description

This community-participatory performance explores Sun Ra’s profound legacy through his connections to Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood and the historic Forum. While there’s no documented record of Sun Ra performing at the original Forum, he engaged in an informal “Forum” in Washington Park, where he connected with Black intellectuals and radicals. This space embodied the spirit of community, political dialogue, and artistic expression.

Led by Chicago-based composer, clarinetist, and pianist Angel Bat Dawid, and Detroit-based sound healing artist Sophiyah E., the project combines sound healing, meditation, and musical exploration. SophiyahE will incorporate her expertise in sound therapy to promote community wellness, while Angel Dawid will delve into Sun Ra’s philosophies, emphasizing sound as a tool for healing, community-building, and spiritual awakening. As the duo MOTHABOARD, they will explore the extensive Sun Ra/El Saturn Collection at the Experimental Sound Studio, creating live reinterpretations inspired by his cosmic jazz and philosophical outlook through improvisation and sonic discovery.

This performance acts as a dialogue between Sun Ra’s ideas and the historical significance of the Bronzeville Forum, emphasizing themes of Black liberation, cosmic consciousness, and resilience. It invites audiences to experience Sun Ra’s work as a spiritual and cultural act rooted in specific historical and geographical contexts. A transformative, community-driven event, it will blend music, history, activism, and healing—creating a shared space for reflection on Black creativity, resilience, and the cosmic power of sound.

This program is supported in part by The Cliff Dwellers.

BIOS

MOTHABOARD is an avant-garde sonic collaboration rooted in the scholarly exploration of ethnomusicology, experimental jazz, and sound art, established by Angel Bat Dawid and SophiyahE—two distinguished researchers, composers, and practitioners based in Chicago and Detroit. Their work synthesizes improvisation, diasporic musical traditions, and therapeutic frequencies to foster collective consciousness and socio-cultural reflection.

Angel Bat Dawid is an acclaimed scholar and artist, recognized for her rigorous work as a composer, pianist, clarinetist, and vocalist within contemporary jazz and Black cultural studies. Her extensive discography and collaborations reflect a deep engagement with the historical and cultural dimensions of music as a tool for social transformation.

Sophiyah E. is a multidisciplinary scholar and artist, whose practice encompasses composition, vocal performance, piano, sound meditation, and community engagement. Her research integrates ethnomusicological frameworks, advocacy, and design to promote wellness, cultural legacy, and narrative agency within marginalized communities.

Together, MOTHABOARD advances experimental sound practices through immersive performances that emphasize spiritual healing, cultural remembrance, and sonic innovation. Their recent engagements include the 2023 Tremor Festival in Portugal, Big Ears Festival in Nashville, Chicago World Dumpling Festival, Spotlight Detroit, Moondog Cafe in Detroit, and 2025 Strangewaves Festival in Hamilton, Canada. Their ongoing work pushes the boundaries of sound, fostering transformative experiences grounded in scholarly inquiry and artistic excellence.