I am inspired to create soundscapes and share art that represents the diverse cities I have had the pleasure to dwell, grow, and be connected to: Hamilton, Toronto, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, and more (Istanbul, Banjul, Gaborone, and Kingston, Jamaica). In all of these cities, I am inspired by the people I have met playing music and places where we have gathered. Am fortunate to be friends with many other selectors from different nationalities that work to share and preserve world music on vinyl for us all. I love that I can mix Jamaican Dub with South Asian Qawwali and follow it up with Miriam Makeba mixed with Lata Mangeshkar and Buffy St. Marie—while I have dedicated my career and life to social equity and anti-racism, it is only here when we are together and the sound is right that I can HEAR the sound of world peace.
The impact I am hoping to achieve is to promote our interconnectedness. You can hear it in the music: Spanish horns mixed with African Drums and Turkish Oud. If we can enjoy a more balanced soundscape it will foster connectivity across our bodies (we are not our bodies), and across linguistic and cultural barriers as we follow the vibrations.
I don’t believe the riddims that I have been entrusted with belong to me but rather I am instead their caretaker. My responsibility is therefore to share these songs with as many ears as possible, especially other musicians who might like to adapt it for contemporary use by adding their own layer of sound and/or vocals, or even reinterpreting the song with a new and fresh sound.
The music I share is also healing energy that invokes wellness and self-reflection. I am dedicated to showcasing musical talent and artists from at-risk and vulnerable communities. My dedication to music is aimed and on display live and direct for people in formal and informal spaces (www.instagram.com/shazbad), I will continue to share and revitalize foundational music and cultures for BIPOC communities in Canada and abroad.
