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Resources for Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: Asia, Europe & The U.K.

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The Recording Academy is committed to sharing resources to the global community of music creators and professionals affected by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic
GRAMMYs
Mar 23, 2020 - 5:11 pm

In the current coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, music creators and many of the professionals who support them have been greatly affected. The Recording Academy is committed to creating, amplifying, and sharing resources that will provide some form of comfort.

While The Academy’s MusiCares has set up a COVID-19 Relief Fund available as a safety net for music creators in need, below you will find resources available to those in the music community who live in Asia, Europe and United Kingdom.
 

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ASIA

Hong Kong Arts Development Council
The organization has increased its support for the Arts & Cultural Sector to HK$55 million to help relieve the financial burden of the arts sector during this difficult period. Information on how to apply is on the org’s website.

Singapore Sets up Funding for Arts and Culture Sector amid COVID-19 Outbreak 
About S$1.6 million will be set aside for the arts and culture sector as part of support for the community amid the COVID-19 outbreak, and to prepare the sector for “post-disease recovery.”

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EUROPE

BELGIUM

Flanders Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Self-employed persons and assistants in the main occupation and assisting spouses who have to stop their activity due to the corona virus can receive financial benefits.

Wallonia-Brussels Federation
Information on aid for artists negatively impacted by event and job cancellations and/or postponements related to COVID-19.

FINLAND

Finnish Foundations and Ministry Provide Millions In Emergency Aid For Cultural Sector in Distress
A number of large Finnish foundations, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) are working together to grant swift assistance to arts and culture professionals who have been hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak. Funding totaling approximately EUR 1.5 million will be apportioned during April via the Arts Promotion Centre (Taike). Foundations will also grant significant sums in aid through their own channels.

FRANCE

Institut Français COVID-19 Resources
This French institute, that promotes French culture abroad, while promoting artistic exchanges and dialogue between cultures, has compiled several available resources for French artists and those employed in cultural sectors.

French Government’s Measures for Temporary Workers and Employees in the Cultural Sector
Muriel Pénicaud, Minister of Labor, and Franck Riester, Minister of Culture, have announced exceptional measures to support intermittent workers and employees in the cultural sector in the context of the health crisis.

Pays de la Loire Region Coronavirus Emergency Plan
This €50 million plan would be devoted to supporting the local economy --- €25 million in immediately available credits in the form of existing support systems and €25 million in new measures and credits, including €2 million in support of cultural and sports associations. The Pays de la Loire covers the area to the south of Brittany and Normandy, along the lower stretches of the river Loire.

French Government Containment System Certifications
On March 16, 2020, the French Government decided to take measures to minimize contact and travel. “A containment system has been in place since Tuesday, March 17 at 12:00 p.m., for a minimum of fifteen days. Travel is prohibited except in the following cases and only if you have a certificate for: 1.) Move from home to work when telework is not possible 2.) Make essential purchases in authorized local shops 3.) Go to a health professional 4.) Travel for child care or to help vulnerable people, or for a compelling family reason, duly justified, on the strict condition of respecting barrier gestures 5.) Exercise only on an individual basis, around the home and without any gathering. Violations of these rules without a certificate will be punished with a fine of 135 euros.”

GERMANY

GEMA Corona Aid Fund
The German performance rights organization has created a $43 million fund for composers, lyricists, music publishers and songwriter members negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Depending on how one is personally affected, members can apply for transitional aid of up to EUR 5,000.

The Luxembourg Government – COVID-19 Efforts
The Ministry of The Economy has established a website and hotline for information and recommendations for businesses

Queer Relief (Berlin) 
Created by the queer community in Berlin, this application was created to help offer support for those who are vulnerable to COVID-19. Applicants who are on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, womxn, sex workers, refugees, and other marginalized individuals (i.e. BiPoC) will receive priority.

Petition: Help for Freelancer and Artists during the Corona Shutdown
This petition seeks to urge Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz immediate financial help for freelancers and people from the creative scene, for example in the form of “1.) Non-bureaucratic bridging money, for example in the form of a temporary (unconditional) basic income 2.) Aid fund to quickly compensate for lost income, e.g. connected to the artists' social security fund (but expressly NOT limited to its members, since all freelancers are equally affected) and 3.) A short-time work benefit, in which the net income from the last available tax assessment is based on a monthly support payment by the tax offices.”

ITALY

Petition: Appeal for Urgent Support For Show Business Workers
Fondazione Centro Studi Doc has set up this Change.org petition advocating Italy’s President and government to extend immediate emergency relief to the artistic community

POLAND

Poland’s Culture Promotion Fund
Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage is offering social assistance from The Culture Promotion Fund can be obtained by artists who are in a difficult financial situation.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What You Need To Do
The UK Government has set up a webpage offering information on financial support, school and business closures, small business support, and health related updates.

UK Tax Helpline for Businesses
New Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) helpline launched to help businesses concerned about paying their tax due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Help Musicians Health and Welfare Support
Help Musicians’ Health and Welfare team offers structured support to professional musicians in times of personal crisis. Their approach is “person-centered; building tailored support around an individual’s specific needs.” Help Musicians is unable to replace lost earnings. But they are able to provide financial support in cases of significant financial hardship as well as signposting for debt/welfare-related issues. The organization also provides financial assistance for health interventions and access to music specialist health assessments for performance-related health issues. Applicants who live in the United Kingdom who have savings that do not exceed £16,000 (rare exceptions may be made; for example, the limit is a higher £20,000 for retirees) should apply.

Music Venue Trust
Emergency legal advice for music venues. The organization allows every venue in the country to access free legal and expert advice on licensing, planning, development, noise, and even tenancy issues.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Musicians
Incorporated Society of Musicians has compiled an online resource hub for performers, music professionals, private and employed music teachers.

Musicians’ Union Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice
Find advice and read latest news on Coronavirus for musicians

Association of Independent Promoters
The Association of Independent Promoters (AIP) is a new not for profit trade association bringing together independent promoters from across the UK. Our aim is to represent, empower and provide a vital support network to promoters.

Petition: UK Government to offer economic assistance to the events industry during COVID-19
For the UK government to provide economic assistance to businesses and staff employed in the events industry, who are suffering unforeseen financial challenges that could have a profound effect on hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector.

Petition: Temporary Income Protection Fund
This Change.org petition is asking the government to create a Temporary Income Protection Fund to support freelancers through the Coronavirus crisis. The idea is for a time-limited, targeted injection of funds to keep businesses afloat over the coming months and cover basic income costs like food and rent.

Scottish Government COVID-19 Relief Efforts
The Scottish government has announced a £350m fund for councils, charities, businesses and community groups. Roughly £45 million will be added to the existing Scottish Welfare Fund which makes community grants and crisis grants to those in immediate need. In addition, £20 million will be allocated to a Third Sector Resilience Fund, £40 million to the Supporting Communities Fund to support the rapidly growing and inspiring community efforts at a local level; £70m will be allocated to a Food Fund and £50 million will be given to the Wellbeing Fund which will help charities and others who require additional capacity to work with at-risk people.

Ireland Artist Emergency Relief Fund
The Civic Theatre in Dublin has created this fund to provide financial relief to Irish artists experiencing lost income related to COVID-19. Small grants of up to €500 will be paid rapidly on a first-come, first-served basis to affected artists and groups.
 

GENERAL RESOURCES

MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund
The Recording Academy and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help people in the music industry affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and subsequent cancellation of multiple music events. From hotel and bar gigs to major music festivals, COVID-19 is deeply impacting live music events, and the creative community behind it all. Administered through MusiCares, the COVID-19 Fund will be used to directly support those in the music community with the greatest need. To establish the fund, both the Recording Academy and MusiCares have contributed an initial donation of $1 million each, totaling $2 million. Additionally, all Recording Academy Chapters have committed to fundraising in their local communities. Further updates and announcements will be made in the coming days.

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Hero The Band perform at the Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter Annual Membership Celebration
Photo: Marcus Ingram/WireImage

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Report: Music & Culture Infrastructure Can Create Better "Future Cities"

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How sound planning for a creative future in our urban areas makes all the difference for artists and musicians
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Oct 23, 2019 - 2:27 pm

The future, as they say, is now. And for music makers around the world, building a future for themselves often starts at home, in their local creative community and in the city where they live. While technology has expanded communication and made the world smaller, cities continue to grow, making planning for the future a critical cultural mission of the present.

To that end, a new report by global organization Sound Diplomacy titled "This Must Be The Place" examines, "The role of music and cultural infrastructure in creating better future cities for all of us." The 37-page deep dive into community planning and development highlights the importance of creative culture in what it calls "Future Cities."

"The government defines ‘Future Cities’ as 'a term used to imagine what cities themselves will be like," the report states, "how they will operate, what systems will orchestrate them and how they will relate to their stakeholders (citizens, governments, businesses, investors, and others),'"

According to the report, only three global cities or states currently have cultural infrastructure plans: London, Amsterdam and New South Wales. This fact may be surprising considering how city planning and sustainability have become part of the discussion on development of urban areas, where the UN estimates 68 percent of people will live by 2050.

"Our future places must look at music and culture ecologically. Much like the way a building is an ecosystem, so is a community of creators, makers, consumers and disseminators," the report says. "The manner in which we understand how to maintain a building is not translated to protecting, preserving and promoting music and culture in communities."

The comparison and interaction between the intangibility of culture and the presence of physical space is an ongoing theme throughout the report. For instance, one section of the report outlines how buildings can and should be designed to fit the cultural needs of the neighborhoods they populate, as too often, use of a commercial space is considered during the leasing process, not the construction process, leading to costly renovations.

"All future cities are creative cities. All future cities are music cities."

On the residential side, as cities grow denser, the need increases for thoughtful acoustic design and sufficient sound isolation. Future cities can and should be places where people congregate

"If we don’t design and build our future cities to facilitate and welcome music and experience, we lose what makes them worth living in."

For musicians and artists of all mediums, the answer to making—and keeping—their cities worth living in boils down to considering their needs, impact and value more carefully and sooner in the planning process.

"The report argues that property is no longer an asset business, but one built on facilitating platforms for congregation, community and cohesion," it says. "By using music and culture at the beginning of the development process and incorporating it across the value chain from bid to design, meanwhile to construction, activation to commercialisation, this thinking and practice will result in better places."

The report offers examples of how planners and leaders are handling this from around the world. For instance, the Mayor Of London Night Czar, who helps ensure safety and nighttime infrastructure for venues toward the Mayor's Vision for London as a 24-hour city. Stateside, Pittsburgh, Penn., also has a Night Mayor in place to support and inform the growth of its creative class.

Diversity, inclusion, health and well-being also factor into the reports comprehensive look at how music and culture are every bit as important as conventional business, ergonomic and environmental considerations in Future Cites. Using the Queensland Chamber of Arts and Culture as a reference, it declared, "A Chamber of Culture is as important as a Chamber of Commerce."

In the end, the report serves as a beacon of light for governments, organizations, businesses and individuals involved in planning and developing future cities. Its core principals lay out guideposts for building friendly places to music and culture and are backed with case studies and recommendations. But perhaps the key to this progress is in changing how we approach the use of space itself, as the answer to supporting music may be found in how we look at the spaces we inhabit.

"To develop better cities, towns and places, we must alter the way we think about development, and place music and culture alongside design, viability, construction and customer experience," it says. "Buildings must be treated as platforms, not assets. We must explore mixed‑use within mixed‑use, so a floor of a building, or a lesser‑value ground floor unit can have multiple solutions for multiple communities."

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Be Like Björk: Iceland Unveils New 'Record In Iceland' Initiative

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A Message From The Chairman, Interim CEO Of The Recording Academy

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The Recording Academy’s ongoing commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Membership
Jan 26, 2020 - 10:41 am

Six months ago, when I put my hat in the ring to be your Chair, I did so because I believed that the Academy could do better – could be better. The music we create has always reflected the best of ourselves and our world. But what was true of music has historically not been true of the music business as a whole. Too often, our industry and Academy have alienated some of our own artists – in particular, through a lack of diversity that, in many cases, results in a culture that leans towards exclusion rather than inclusion.
 
The Academy is recognized for our excellence. We are a leader. And being a leader means taking responsibility even when it feels like the problems at hand are bigger than us.
 
This is hard. Some might feel that responsibility is unfair, while others might feel it’s not going far enough. But in the end, we must take on this work. Because it’s the right thing to do.
 
I ran for this position because, as a music creator, I wanted to help bring this organization in line with the values I know this community shares. I asked for your trust – and your help – as we continue to push the Academy towards a place where everyone is valued, respected, and included. That’s the Academy that we – artists and fans alike – deserve.
 
In entering this role six months ago, I was fortunate to be building on courageous and inspiring work. Artists – especially women and artists of color – had long begun demanding transparency and taking on our traditional power structure. They have found allies across the industry who believe that we can do better and have joined the fight for change.
 
In February 2018, we empowered a Diversity Task Force, led by Tina Tchen and made up of distinguished individuals from outside the Academy, to take a hard, independent look at our organization specifically and the music industry as a whole. They detailed the ways in which we were falling short, and laid out 18 recommendations for change.
 
Since I took office, we as an organization have agreed to 17 of those 18 recommendations. I know some will feel that we’re not doing enough fast enough. I understand the urgency. For me personally, and for this organization, these immediate steps are a continuation of our ongoing work.
 
But it’s not enough to pledge ourselves to change. We must take action. There is no excuse for waiting, especially when so many of our members have been tirelessly advocating for a bold new direction for so long.
 
That’s why I’m proud to announce these new initiatives, initiatives developed in partnership with the Diversity Task Force and other champions of change. They include the following:
 
The Academy will hire a dedicated Diversity & Inclusion Officer. This person will be hired within the next 90 days.
We will establish a fellowship, funded by the Academy, that will be responsible for independent review and reporting of the progress of the Academy's Diversity & Inclusion efforts. This will be in place within 120 days.

We will create a fund to be distributed annually to different “women in music” organizations that will be managed by the D&I Officer. This will go into effect immediately.

The Academy will recommit to meeting all 18 of the Task Force Recommendations as outlined in the full report and in a manner that will endure, with the caveat that we will have a deeper exploration, along with the Task Force into voting processes for the GRAMMYS.

We are committing to meet with the Task Force to review our progress on these as well as the rest of their eighteen initiatives. This first meeting will happen in 45 days. There will be subsequent follow ups to review progress.

It’s been a challenging week for our Academy family. I’ve heard from many of you who feel betrayed and hurt by the untruths being spread about our motives and actions, the integrity of our process and the artists who've rightfully earned their GRAMMY Nominations, and the reminders of the hard truths we do have to face as a community. We can all be proud that we are recommitting ourselves to transparency, to independent investigations, and to following the facts wherever they lead. And I want to thank the incredible Academy team that, through it all, work day and night, from staff, artist support services, member relations, chapter leaders, MusiCares, The GRAMMY Museum Foundation, and to those putting on a spectacular show and the week’s events.
 
The movement to ensure that the Academy – and the music business – is truly representative of artists and their audiences has been going on for a long time. And that struggle will continue, not just for women and people of color, but for members of the LGBTQ+ community, for artists struggling to make ends meet, for those suffering from addiction or mental health challenges, for people of all shapes and sizes and backgrounds, and for groups we may not even recognize today. As a leading voice in the industry, we have an obligation to be on the frontlines of that change. To build a system that continuously evolves with our changing society – a system where every artist, no matter who they are, feels welcomed and supported. That’s what it will take to not just survive but thrive in an industry that’s transforming as quickly as ours.
 
This won’t be easy. But here’s the thing: I know we can do this together. Because that’s what we have always done. We are collaborators. After all, as a peer-based community, the

Academy truly represents music at its best. It has always reflected the very artists who grapple with the issues that shape our times, and push society to live up to our ideals. That’s what it means to be a part of this extraordinary community of artists – people with integrity, people with passion, and people who, above all, are committed to music and its possibilities.
 
Tonight, many of our colleagues will take the stage on Music’s Biggest Night, be honored by their community of peers and thank the Academy. On behalf of the Academy, I’d like to thank them. Thank you for the authenticity you bring to your craft, the dignity with which you carry yourselves, and the love you show to each other and our world.
 
I look forward to working side by side with you to continue building an Academy that reflects the best in us, and honors the incredible artists who lift us up every day.
 
Respectfully Yours,
Harvey Mason Jr

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GRAMMY U at Lollapalooza

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Photo Gallery: GRAMMY U Fall Semester 2019

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Check out what GRAMMY U students have been up to this semester
THE GRAMMYs
Membership
Sep 27, 2019 - 10:54 am

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GRAMMY U students from the Nashville Chapter with Big K.R.I.T. during SoundChecks With Big K.R.I.T. at Marathon Music Works. The students were able to have an in-depth conversation with Big K.R.I.T. about his career. In addition, students watched Big K.R.I.T.'s soundcheck before the show. 

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Students from the Nashville Chapter of GRAMMY U at SoundChecks With Conan Gray at Mercy Lounge. During this event, the students were able to interact with Conan Gray on a personal level and have an intimate Q&A about his creative process and life on the road after watching his soundcheck. 

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Photo: Saloni Jaisingh

Irish singer Hozier welcomed GU Chicago students into his SoundCheck followed by a Q&A during his stop in Chicago on his Wasteland, Baby! tour.

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GRAMMY U_Masterclass Soundscape_111219

Photos: Saloni Jaisingh

In this immersive experience at Soundscape Studios, GU Chicago students were able to mix and record their original music with audio engineer, Michael Kolar!

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Photo: Kristin Klimas

GRAMMY U Chicago were invited to watch the internationally acclaimed group, Of Monsters and Men, SoundCheck at the Aragon Ballroom!

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Photo: Maria Tangarova

Texas Chapter GU members gathered together to take a photo inside the iconic ACL Fest frame after their Industry Insights program with festival staff.

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Photo: Maria Tangarova

Texas Chapter GU members gathered backstage at Austin City Limits to learn from some of the masterminds behind the festival that "Keeps Austin Weird." 

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Photo: Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

On August 29, New York GRAMMY U members were able to attend SoundChecks with Jonas Brothers at Madison Square Garden followed by a special Q&A. All students were invited to stand on stage at the world's most famous arena after seeing the brothers perform their latest hits.

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GRAMMY U Lollapalooza 2019

Photos: Saloni Jaisingh

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GRAMMY U Chicago students had the exclusive opportunity to tour the Lollapalooza grounds before the festival began. On this Behind the Scenes tour with C3 Presents, students learned about hospitality, booking, and production straight from the team that puts the festival together.

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Photo credit: Getty Images

GRAMMY U SF students took a venue and production tour with ZEDD and his team at his favorite place to perform, the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

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Photo credit: Recording Academy Staff

GRAMMY U Nashville Chapter students pose with Maggie Rogers at the Ryman Auditorium. The students were able to attend her Soundcheck and participate in a Q&A regarding the music industry. 

Photo Gallery: GRAMMY U Spring Semester 2019

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Denzel Mendoza

Katie Summer

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Portland Trombonist Denzel Mendoza Isn't Done Dreaming Yet

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Featured on John Daversa and Kabir Sehgal's GRAMMY-winning jazz album, 'American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom,' trombonist and DREAMer Mendoza discusses his unique journey and how we can embrace our differences through music
Jeffrey Silverstein
Membership
May 17, 2019 - 12:40 pm

Created in response to a culture of xenophobia permeating the U.S., American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom is a triumphant, GRAMMY Award-winning record celebrating the resilience and artistic voice of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) recipients in America. In 2018 Philanthropist and music attorney Doug Davis turned to world-renowned trumpeter John Daversa and composer Kabir Sehgal to produce and arrange an album aimed to further dismantle the often bitter narrative spun by media of the immigrant experience through jazz, a genre that has stood at the forefront of social justice for decades.

Together, they assembled a cast of 53 Dreamers (young people who qualify for DACA) to re-imagine seminal works from the likes of James Brown ("Living in America"), Led Zeppelin (“Immigrant Song”) as well as traditional patriotic songs ("America the Beautiful"). Having made a name for himself performing alongside rising singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx, Portland-based trombonist Denzel Mendoza was selected to join the cast of Dreamers for a whirlwind recording session at the Miami Frost School of Music.

A proud Filipino, Mendoza was born in Singapore and began performing in the sixth grade after his mother gifted him a pawn shop trombone. Ahead of an upcoming tour, he spoke with us about taking a non-traditional path in music, the importance of feeling seen, and the impact working alongside fellow Dreamers had on him.

You’re now firmly rooted in Portland's music community. What brought you to the Pacific Northwest?

It was quite a journey for me to come to Portland. I moved here three years ago from New York City. I was there for two and a half years. I went to the New School for jazz and contemporary music, but I was only there for one semester. For me, a proud Filipino, I didn’t want to take the flight of shame and go back to Las Vegas so I decided to stay for the remainder of those years.

It was an insane process of trials and tribulations. I became homeless during that time as well. By the end of the two and a half years, I ran out of money. I couldn’t handle not being able to support myself so I decided to join the army. I wanted to join the military. My cousin was attending West Point during that time. I attended his graduation ceremony and that inspired me so much so to where I was ready to join.

Do you have other family members involved in the military?

A lot of uncles and some of my aunts are. Mostly Marines, Airforce, and Navy. My cousin was one of the first in the Army. I said goodbye New York, I’m going back to Las Vegas to see my recruiter and join the army. I moved back, I see my recruiter and I bring in all my paperwork and he sees that I’m under DACA. Once he saw that, I wasn’t able to join. It’s extremely interesting. There’s a loophole: If you’re an immigrant and joining the military, you could get a green card or get citizenship pretty easy. If you’re under DACA, in order for you to join the military you have to speak another language. But I’ve been here since 2000. I’ve lived in America since I was five. All I know is English.

What were you feeling when you were denied entry to the military?

It was extremely disappointing. I felt like a failure because I felt as though I had failed musically in New York and I failed joining the military, even though it wasn’t my fault. By chance, while I was in Las Vegas, two of my best friends Dan Rossi and R.J. Reyes, a drummer and bassist who also dropped out of music school were in Las Vegas at the same time. We used to play music together in high school religiously.

Serendipitous that everyone was back at the same time.

Yep, just the three of us. During that time RJ had been writing these tunes and he said, "Dude, I have this gig with a prominent band from L.A called Knower. It’s Genevieve Artodi and Louis Cole." They’re in Las Vegas and we play a house show with them. It went so well and we were so inspired that they dug our music and invited us to L.A. The three of us were like, "Yeah, let’s do this!" At that time, Dan, the drummer, was also living in Portland.

That’s the Portland connection.

That’s it. He goes, do you guys want to move to Portland? Literally a week or two after I moved from New York to Las Vegas, I pack my bags up, I take the van and I move to Portland, Oregon. Music just flew from there.

It sounds like that was a huge turning point for you. Meeting local singer/songwriter Haley Heynderickx a couple of days after Trump's election was another one. Can you describe that interaction and how it impacted you?

That was also very serendipitous. My whole life has been serendipity and luck, honestly. I mean I’m a hard worker, but I’ve also been very fortunate an lucky and I’m grateful for it. It was a day or two after Trump got elected. When that happened, I woke up in tears. His rhetoric throughout his entire campaign was like, "Let’s end DACA, let's deport every ‘illegal’ immigrant." What kind of a term is that? "Illegal?" Am I a criminal? Ugh.

I was devastated. I had a gig two days after, somewhere at PSU, and I was supposed to sub. I didn’t know where it was on campus. I’m milling about, didn’t know where to go or what to wear, walking around aimlessly with my trombone. I go on Facebook and I see that close by there is this welcoming back party for a name that I recognized on Facebook, Haley Heynderickx. I decided to go because it was close by. I go to the house and the first person to open the door is Haley! I didn't know she was Filipino, when I saw that, I was like, "Are you Filipino?" She was like, "Yeah!" We immediately connected. She sees that I have my trombone and for some reason she’s like, "Do want to open my set?" I was like, "Yeah, you sure you just want to hear solo trombone?" She was like, "Yeah, of course."

I played a solo trombone set. At that time, I felt like I had nothing to lose. I came out to the crowd in that house and said, listen, I’m undocumented. I don’t have a plan set. This is going to be an improved set of how I feel. I have been a member of Haley's band ever since.

When were you contacted about the American Dreamers album? Were you familiar with John Daversa’s work prior?

Also kind of wild how this happened. I knew about John Daversa since high school. He’s a prominent bandleader, arranger, composer and trumpet player. He teaches at the Miami Frost School of Music and I believe he did some time at USC. He’s well orientated with the college music and college jazz scenes. Also, Genevieve from Knower also did gigs with John Daversa. The crazy sixth-degree of everything.

I had no idea that the project existed. I was at a recording session with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble and I kept on getting calls from a random number. During a break, I call back and it’s Doug Davis, a music lawyer and one of the producers of said album. He said hey, I’ve heard about you, you’re undocumented, I know you play trombone, here’s this project. I’d love to hear a recording of you. I sent him the KEXP video of Haley's session with the full band. He gets back to me and he’s like, quote me on this, "You are exactly what we need, you are the unicorn we are trying to find."

He used "unicorn"?!

He used unicorn! I was like, "Dude, don’t say that, come on!" I was extremely happy to hear that. He said I want you in this project. We’re going to have a documentary made. There will be videographers in Miami, we want to fly you out. When can you do this? I tell him, whoah, I’m about to go on a month-long tour with Haley in two days. He’s like, "Okay, we can fly you out tomorrow."

So does that mean you did all of the recoding in one day?

In one day. It was absurd. I left the following day for Miami. I got there at like 9 or 10am. I tried going to my hotel and it wasn’t ready for me yet. I had taken a very early flight that I almost missed. I got to Miami, I was a mess, I haven't brushed my teeth, that whole airplane look. I wasn’t able to shower or anything so I went straight to the recording session. It was at at Miami Frost School of Music, a place I really respect because a lot of my contemporaries and people I met at the New School either went to Miami Frost for their grad or undergrad.

I get to the recording studio, and it’s the whole nine yards. It’s one of the most professional settings I’ve ever been in. I get there and there are cameras everywhere. I told myself to stay cool and pretend like you know what you’re doing.  fter that, Daversa hands me a folder of music that he wrote. All arrangements and originals of songs that portray what it’s like to be an undocumented immigrant in America. These tunes are so hard. The first tune was "America the Beautiful" in quarter note at 295 or 300. Extremely fast, I’m sight reading the whole thing. 14 hours later, we’ve got an album. My next flight was the following morning to SXSW for the Haley Heynderickx tour.

"With this album we are trying to voice the fact that we are here and we are not only creative artists, but that we hold PhDs, we speak multiple languages."

The album features over 50 musicians who qualify for the DREAM act. Can you give some context to that piece of legislation for those who might be unfamiliar?

DACA stands for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. What DACA means is, if you qualify, you have to be a certain age and you have to had entered the country before a certain age. If you do qualify, you are protected from deportation. You get a social security number, you get a workers' authorization permit and you are allowed to work legally. The most important thing for a lot of DREAMers is you are allowed to go to college. That is the reason I was able to go to the New School. There’s no such thing as the Dream Act, we’re just called DREAMers. It’s DACA, but the Dream Act I believe has been denied for the past 20 years.

You've mentioned that historically DREAMers tend to remain silent around their status as undocumented. Does a project like this help change that narrative?

That’s the point of this album. We DREAMers are trying to create a voice for all of us. The lucky 53 that were involved, we are coming out of the shadows to say that we exist, we benefit this country, we pay our taxes, we work, we create art, we make this country better. There is so much rhetoric and naivety around people thinking that DREAMers or undocumented immigrants in general are criminals. For us, we can’t have anything on our rap sheet. If we are to commit a crime, that’s it. We have the cleanest record ever. It's something that people need to understand.

With this album we are trying to voice the fact that we are here and we are not only creative artists, but that we hold PhDs, we speak multiple languages. One of the DREAMers who fascinated me the most, Saba, who I believe she was from Pakistan. She goes to school in Texas- she’s about to get her PhD. She is a mathematician, but she also plays piano and has a beautiful voice. All the DREAMers on the album are the most talented and humble and interesting people I’ve ever met. It was nice to finally meet people who were in the same position I was in on such a large scale.

The spoken word introductions to each piece are powerful. In yours you say that an early age you hoped that maybe if people saw you with your trombone they would notice you. Has winning a Grammy made you feel seen/validated on a larger scale?

It’s interesting, the post Grammy win for me. Portland is such a small town and the music scene is even smaller. Everyone plays with everyone. With me being in all of these projects, I was able to make a voice with my horn in this town very quickly. Doing the tours I’ve done, people have recognized my name and what I do. After the GRAMMY win, people were like whoa, Denzel just won a Grammy, let alone the project itself winning three.

I was being seen more. The limelight was kind of crazy for a hot second. It became a running joke between me and my musician friends, like oh Denzel can't make this rehearsal ‘cause he’s out winning Grammys. I don’t hold it over my head.

So, why the trombone?

Growing up in Las Vegas—Southwest vibes. I had a lot of family in Southern California, older cousins and whatnot. They introduced me to ska. That was happy-go-lucky music with boisterous horns. I know so many trombonists who are prominent in the jazz scene across the country who, say, "Yeah, I picked up the trumpet 'cause of ska." A good friend of mine is the touring trombonist for Streetlight Manifesto. We would do pep band gigs for NYU.

Initially I wanted to play trumpet. My mom bought me a trumpet from a pawn shop. I was pumped, I brought it to my sixth grade brass class. My teacher said no, your lips are too big for trumpet. Which is absolutely ridiculous 'cause that’s so not true! But I realized they needed more low brass than trumpets. I tested out a baritone, tuba, and fell in love with the trombone cause I thought it was funny.

You’ve begun composing under the moniker "Illegal Son." What are your plans for that project and how does it differ from your other work?

Illegal Son came from that night that I met Haley. It was the beginning of my understanding that I can perform as a solo trombonist and people will listen and hopefully will be capitaved. I did another gig with a bass player a few months after that and it was an avant-garde, solely improvised act. My whole idea with Illegal son is that it's mostly improvised.

The term "Illegal Son" definitely comes from me being undocumented for the majority of my life. To live as an undocumented immigrant, your whole life is literally improvised. There is no tomorrow. Any second, an ICE officer or police officer can just pick you up. I’m always watching my back. It's an improvised day, every day of my life. With that project, that’s how I perceive my music. There is a form and there are many emotions going on. The group now is an upright bass and drums, a trio. The people that I’m playing with are well trusted friends that know how to be emotive with their instruments and listen and improvise.

You’ve played a supporting role in projects for a long time. Do you enjoy stepping into the "driver's seat"?

Do I enjoy it. [Laughs.] It’s a completely different mindset. For the the entirety of my life as an instrumentalist, I’ve always been a side guy. I’m completely happy with that, but I need to have this expression of myself and the only way I can do that is through a truly leading role. It is something that is extremely challenging for me. I’m always worrying about what my band members think. It’s difficult, but it's something that I’m challenging myself to do. It’s a passion project. It’s my voice more clearly through music.

It’s hard to say it clearly.

If expressionism was music, Illegal Son is expressionism in that form. It’s emotive and all over the place, but there is beauty and resolve and chaos to it.

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