Los Angeles Composers of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra

The Los Angeles Composers of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra is the current project of The Gathering: Roots & Branches of Los Angeles Jazz, under the leadership Jesse Sharps, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and early bandleader in the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. The current mission of the project is to complete and secure the archive of the community composers of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, and to perform and record some select pieces from that archive, including The Ghetto Suite by Horace Tapscott, and In Times Like These by Lester Robertson. For more info on the project click here or go to the LACPAPA page.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, which was founded in 1961 by Horace Tapscott and has seen numerous generations of musicians come through the group. To get more up to date info on the Arkestra go to panafrikanpeoplesarkestra.com

Jesse Sharps founded The Gathering in 2005 as a project to focus on the extensive archive of the music from both the Pan Afrikan Peoples Akrestra and the progressive improvised music scene of Los Angeles, and to continue in the tradition of connecting young emerging musicians with established elders on the local scene. Several recordings have been released, and a documentary film on the project has screened at several festivals and is currently on a festival run. More on that at thegatheringjazzfilm.com. There is also some new recording releases in the works from a special concert in 2015, featured in the film.

The Gathering is actively seeking sponsorship, support, and collaboration to help with the Lon Angles Composers of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Akrestra project. Please contact Jesse Sharps or Fundi Legohn on the contact page for more info and to find out ways to help. Bright Moments!