Composer Terence Blanchard revisits Hurricane Katrina at Spivey Hall

“Atlanta has always been one of my favorite places to play because of the community. It’s a powerful moment that will (hopefully) make us reflect on how far we’ve come since then. Even now when I play it, it’s still a very emotional thing for me to think about what happened to my hometown,” he said.

The damage from the hurricane caused Black citizens to experience post-traumatic stress from losing their homes and relocating to cities like Atlanta and Houston. Blanchard told UATL he recorded the album to uplift those affected by the storm.

“I was trying to help people heal and felt called to do something. There were so many things that had been taken for granted, in terms of maintaining the levees. Politicians were being politicians, and people were suffering. We saw this country calling us ‘refugees,’ and all of that was very hard to deal with and painful. I needed to expand on it,” Blanchard said.

Credit: Cedric Angeles

Credit: Cedric Angeles

Sonya Carter, a Fulton County schoolteacher, moved to Atlanta from New Orleans in 2006. She said her family was homesick after the storm but found a supportive community after moving to Atlanta.

“We missed our family daily, but my sons overcame challenges of meeting new friends. They continued to achieve academically, and our co-workers and classmates became family. We still have a home in New Orleans and visit frequently. Living in Atlanta has been a blessing for us,” she said.

Blanchard regularly scores films for director Spike Lee like 2006’s “When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.” They met when Blanchard was a session musician on Lee’s 1988 historically Black college-themed film, “School Daze.”

He said collaborating with Lee is based on intuition. “We have a synergy and got to the point where we really don’t have to talk much. He asks what we haven’t done yet or the types of instruments we haven’t featured yet,” Blanchard said.

“We go through the scenes, assign themes, and he leaves me to myself to write the sheet music.”

In 2021, Blanchard’s opera, “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” made history as the first original work by a Black composer to premiere at The Metropolitan Opera.

Credit: Cedric Angeles

Credit: Cedric Angeles

Blanchard, who was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2024, said composing for stage and screen is about embracing simplicity and prioritizing the audience.

“You have to sit back, evaluate what the story needs and put your ego aside when capturing emotions or using harmonies. When people are coming to a film, live concert or opera, they’re coming to be swept away from their daily struggles,” Blanchard said.

“People need to be lifted up and inspired, so there’s no need to prove how brilliant you are, fast or the most complicated rhythms you can play.”

Blanchard is using his expertise to support young talent. In 2023, Blanchard became artistic director of SFJAZZ, a nonprofit that explores jazz music’s influence around the world.

During the 2024-25 season, he created “The UpSwing,” a concert series to help up-and-coming jazz musicians grow their fan base. “Those guys are not big enough to fill a main hall by themselves but too big for the small halls. It allows me to have an impact on the world of music and tell audiences these are the new young guys they need to pay attention to,” he said.

Blanchard hopes to continue to use music as a cultural unifier.

“I’m living a charmed and blessed life, but I still view myself as a student of music. It motivates me to keep going with the highest level of integrity and musicianship to help move the human race along and help us all grow,” Blanchard said.

The Terence Blanchard Sextet. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26. Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Boulevard, Morrow. 678-466-4200. spiveyhall.org

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