On Sunday, June 28th, over 50 artists and tens of thousands of fans came together for Justice Comes Alive, a one-day, virtual festival harnessing the power of music to bring about collective change in response to racial inequality. The donation-based streaming event generated $55,000 and counting in funds for the participating artists, who remain out of work as the pandemic continues, as well as a number of social justice-oriented causes via PLUS1 For Black Lives Fund.
The 12-hour live-stream marathon featured new contributions by an array of amazing artists from around the world including the collaborative improv project known as Everyone Orchestra. Led by conductor Matt Butler, Everyone Orchestra delivered a remote, improvised rendition of a new song, “Family Legacy”, featuring JCA co-host James Casey and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band) on vocals, Al Schnier (moe.) and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer on guitar, Aron Magner (The Disco Biscuits) on keys, Bridget Law on violin, Kai Eckhardt (Garaj Mahal) on bass, Weedie Braimah on percussion, and Butler serving as drummer as well as conductor.
Much like he did at Quarantine Comes Alive in late May, Butler proved during Justice Comes Alive that he has perfected the art of putting the scene’s best and brightest musicians together in a pot like gumbo, although the constraints of live stream concerts have added a new twist to the equation. The collection of musicians for the Everyone Orchestra Justice Comes Alive segment didn’t disappoint, delivering a relaxing, melody-rich experience for the fans who watched from home. The song’s lyrical message, as sung by Casey and Hartwick, is one of unification, making it a perfect fit for Justice Comes Alive.
Relive Everyone Orchestras’ virtual performance of “Family Legacy” for Justice Comes Alive below. If you enjoyed the performance and have the means, consider making a donation to Plus1 For Black Lives Fund via www.JusticeComesAlive.com.
Everyone Orchestra – “Family Legacy” (Debut) – Justice Comes Alive
Presented by Live For Live Music in partnership with PLUS1 and Nugs.TV, Justice Comes Alive was conceived as a way to harness the power of music to bring about collective change in response to racial inequality. All funds raised from Justice Comes Alive will be split evenly between the artists on the bill and the PLUS1 For Black Lives Fund, which was developed to address and continue the fight against anti-Black racism and violence in the U.S.
Directly supporting organizations like Equal Justice Initiative, Impact Justice, and The Bail Project, the PLUS1 For Black Lives Fund focuses on empowering Black communities, movement building, keeping people out of the criminal justice system while dismantling it more broadly, and a collective, international narrative change toward the equitable treatment of Black people. 30% of the PLUS1 for Black Lives Fund is also committed to small grants for Black and Indigenous-led grassroots efforts combating racism. For more information on Justice Comes Alive, head here.