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This turned out to be a significant artistic gathering for many reasons. First, it marked a pivotal point in the development of Bay Area Asian American music in terms of its artistry and innovation. The unique instrumentation and improvisational virtuosity evident within each piece on the recording speaks for itself. Second, the all-star roster of musicians involved in the project was nortable, consisting of longtime Bay Area leaders Anthony Brown, Mark Izu, Miya Masaoka and Hafez Modizadeh; Francis' frequent musical collaborators Glenn Horiuchi, Elliot Humberto Kavee and William Roper; and the youthful talent of Kevin Mingus. We are especially fortunate to hear the late Glenn Horiuchi's shamisen at his peak, in one of his last major performances. The presence of Lawson Inada, one of America's great poets, (and a former internee at the Amache and Rohwer Internment Camps) completed the circle, his words grounding igniting and transforming the music (and vice versa!) with a profound sense of dignity, humor and purpose.
Thirdly from a broader perspective, Legends is acornerstone work illustrating the dynamic interplay of music-making and community-building. In Francis' case, the genesis of Legends was his involvement as creative director of Asian Improv aRts, the producer of the annual Day of Remembrance Concert & Commemorations since 1993. As a musician/composer/producer, creating 'music with conscience' was the natural extension of his work in the redress and reparations movement dating back to the 1980s.
Finally, from a cultural empowerment perspective, this work is an exquisite and expansive tribute to the Japanese American experience in the post-redress period. Alongside other recordings in the Asian Improv catalog, most notably (Jon Jang's Never Give Up! (1989), Glenn Horiuchi's Poston Sonata (1992) and Anthony Brown's Asian American Orchestra's Big Bands Behind Barbed Wire (1999) - Legends & Legacies affirms the Japanese American incarceration and redress movement as an integral part of American culture.
Vastly and intricately textured, these works are at once an anthem and a meditation. In 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese American became 'the enemy'. But, as we witness today, especially following the attacks of September 11, 2001, it could be about any community's struggle to endure, debate, seek justice, and in every way, maintain its humanity within a tumultuous world order.
Now more than ever, works like Legends & Legacies can provide us with a spiritual and moral compass-tools for us to navigate these stormy times. Let music such as this help us to remember and celebrate! Our diverse and defining legends; the stories often ignored and denigrated; and our many unsung heros, past and present -
-Julie Hatta
