A Musical Call To Action
Drawing from his deeply rooted connection to Miami and Havana, Fabian Almazan presents “We Call This Home,” a stirring multimedia concert for climate justice. Created as a world premiere evening at the Koubek Center, this work emerges from Almazan’s intensive ethnographic inquiry into South Florida’s “sacrifice zones”-neighborhoods bearing the brunt of environmental degradation through pollution, industrial encroachment, and economic neglect.
“Not just a concert, but an immersive act of remembrance and environmental reckoning.”
At the core of this project lies a seamless integration of original jazz compositions and evocative visual narratives. Almazan composes with profound intent, channeling his dual identity as a Cuban‑American naturalist and urban artist. Throughout the evening, audiences experience music born from field recordings, including endemic bird songs captured in Cuba, alongside live piano enhanced by electronic manipulation. Layered visuals by Andrew Scott and Sigmund Washington amplify the immersive storytelling, situating each acoustic gesture within expansive ecological and socio‑political landscapes.
“An urgent meditation on place, migration, and vulnerability through the power of live music and image.”
The performance culminates in a communal dialogue: post-concert, Almazan convenes with audiences in a “Classics & Grooves” garden gathering, bridging musical, scientific, and communal spheres by partnering with WDNA, student ensembles, and environmental advocates. This gathering reinforces that We Call This Home is not merely a concert, but a cultural ecosystem: a hybrid of artistic expression, situated research, and collective reflection. The project was a recipient of a South Arts Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant.
Andrew F. Scott, visual design and production, We Call This Home. Fabian Almazan Trio, Linda May Han Oh, Kenny Grohowski, Matt Unkenholz, remote cameras and technical direction, and Sigmund Washington. Live Arts Miami, The Koubek Center, Miami, FL, December 9, 2022.