Who We Are

Who We Are is a "blog music" duo collaboration featuring music by creative flutist Nicole Mitchell and spoken word by her late husband, Calvin Bernard Gantt. The album was completed just before Calvin Gantt's untimely death in July 2021, and released on his birthday, May 30, 2022.

Who We Are, by Calvin Bernard Gantt
June 15, 2020

In a collaborative effort to share their views on our current global conditions from both a verbal and musical perspective, spoken word artist Calvin Gantt and critically acclaimed flautist Nicole Mitchell have produced an album that hopefully provokes the listener to participate in what it is they are hearing. The content of every song applies to what’s going on in our world today, and the challenge is to think about what you are doing or what you can do to contribute to the healing of the planet we all share.

In regard to the melodious and verbalized content of each song, the
contemplative Billion Dollar Blog speaks of how a financial windfall can assist one in manifesting her or his dreams, yet the underlying message is that a selfless concern for the well-being of others is the overriding intent. The upbeat We All Care offers suggestions on how we can assist each other in making the world a better place, and indicates that we are all fully capable of doing so if we so choose. Then we have the yet pertinent What You Gon Do which questions our response to the unremitting, fatality causing onslaught of racial disparity.

Let it be known that this one of Nicole Mitchell’s earliest recorded projects
featuring her entry into the electronic music realm. Each sound being created by her is a syncopated expression that is in response to Calvin Gantt’s lyrical articulation, and her extensive improvisational skills allow her to incorporate staccato, legato, marcato and other musical expressions, in a manner that give life and varied accentuation to the words that are being expressed.

Both Calvin and Nicole are deeply concerned with the fear, chaos and confusion that permeate our earthly existence, and their intent is to provide a source of entertainment that elicits a sense of direct participation by the listeners, while at the same time evoking a desire in them to be an integral part of the opportunity to bring about a beneficial change in our global condition, and a positive shift in the manner in which we interact with one another.

Everyone on the planet is a participant in the global warming upsurge, the
corona virus pandemic, and the George Floyd assassination, whether we
choose to be or not. The intent of this album is to let the listener know how we feel about these and other intolerable situations, and to implore you, the listener, to join us in rendering what you have to assist us in resolving these conditions, even if it’s just a listening ear and/or an empathetic heart,.

This album, Who We Are, is a movement toward ONENESS, and we appreciate your willingness in listening to it and believe that giving a contemplative response to the question — ”How can I become as one with all that exists?”— will guarantee your understanding of how to become the LOVE that you were created to be, for that is Who We Are.

-- Calvin Bernard Gantt

About Nicole Mitchell and Calvin Gantt
Nicole Mitchell is an award-winning creative flutist, composer, bandleader and educator who emerged from Chicago’s innovative music scene in the late 90s. Calvin Gantt (1949-2021), was a writer, spoken word artist, public speaker, radio talk show host, community organizer and interfaith minister, who dedicated his life to being of service to others. Together the married duo created "blog music" with the intent of Black nourishment, human harmony, earth healing and universe expansion. Their album entitled Who We Are, was completed just before Calvin’s departure from Earth.