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This is Our Environment

by Joseph Herbst

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RJ Kirkevold
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1.
They Say There Are Beautiful Trees 05:18
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2.
Momma Nature (ft. Dasan Ahanu) 02:53
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If Momma said be in by the time the streetlights came on, We did it If Momma said clean up your room, We did it If Momma said go outside and play, We did it If she’d say stay outta grown folx business, We got quiet then said “Yes ma’am” If Momma said say your prayers before bed, We did it Then said “Amen” If she spoke manners We straightened up and said “Thank you” This is a reciprocal relationship She give We love back She say We listen She work We give thanks Come to understand what work is Then tell me Why do we treat this world so disposable Ain’t it disrespectful when dust settles Shouldn’t we be in place to enjoy what the night brings Not be in practice to mistreat what Momma gave Shouldn’t we keep our communities clean Urban sprawl Environmental waste Landfills, polluted air, trash covered streets Shouldn’t we preserve our lands, Protect our parks, Make sure our rivers and lakes are chemical free We clear land to build buildings to sit in all day Aren’t we supposed to be able to go out and play Isn’t an indulgent pretentiousness to interfere with the work those forests do? Those flower beds Those fields Ain’t that grown folx business Momma have we lost our way I mean Ain’t each prayer a prelude to a rising dawn Each morning we wake up is an amen And is it blasphemous to interrupt that greenhouse effect Pretend global warming doesn’t exist Where are our manners We build to destroy That ain’t a thank you We should build and preserve But instead we talking fossil fuels Giving oil companies the right to dismantle Indigenous preserves Our presence on this Earth is a reciprocal relationship She gives We love back She say We listen She work We give thanks Come to understand what work is I mean I don’t know, Momma I can’t explain it, Momma I know you taught us better, Momma Momma, this ain’t our nature We have to do better For you
3.
Solastalgia 07:50
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4.
Mama E (ft. Cynthia ‘THiA’ Sharpe) 01:26
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Ain’t she a woman Ain’t she everything a man don’t know how to handle Don’t know how to touch without letting go Don’t know how to value without a price tag to show cause Her thighs hold diamonds and her curves hold gold Ain’t she too much of a woman for a man not to want her To have and to own her To build something on her like A family Ain’t she a mother Whose children only call when they need her Who never sit with the intent to hear the sound of her voice The cadence of her tongue The rhythm of her heart Children who become skilled at abusing her At taking and using then not knowing what to do with her Children who pucker their lips Expecting her to breastfeed ‘till her bosom bleed Long as they get what they need Cause that’s what mamas do Keep giving to children that don’t know nothing ‘bout thank you’s
5.
Is this my fault? 06:27
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Silence holds my mind aloud with fury and peace, to question is to grow, yet I can't stop myself, I ask is this my fault?
6.
Erring of the Revolution Pt. 1 (ft. Yexandra 'Yex' Diaz) 01:54
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I’ve got this change in my pocket that I rearrange and rearrange but it just keeps dropping I’ve got a hole in my pocket They’ve got a hold on the old me I just can’t stop It’s a beautiful day to spend this change but My momma warned me not to use it all up in one place In time My mind breaks as I try to make a dollar out of change Out of fifteen cents It makes no sense why my currency’s not accepted here Urgently I search for the convergence We need the gold standard To uphold manners and not -isms Can’t you hear my change jangling? It sounds like white hands strangling like Strange fruit dangling like Black bodies mangled and tangled In the leashes of hounds cause they can’t count No matter how much I change my Blackness resounds I’ve got this change in my pocket that I rearrange and rearrange so that it’s placed in order, order, order in the court There is no order please abort Abort mission, abort fetus Abort full grown man from Indigenous land We refuse to join them so they beat us Labored slavery reborn, they need us Can’t you hear my change jangling? It sounds like white hands strangling like Strange fruit dangling like Black bodies mangled, tangled In the hands of bankers that have a hankering for Black despair I bleach my Black skin I perm my Black hair I police my Blackness while you police my Black kids It don’t make no sense It’s just not fair
7.
Makes No Cents 09:42
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8.
Erring of the Revolution Pt. 2 (ft. Yexandra 'Yex' Diaz) 00:22
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I’ve deposited change in my memory bank In the fold of my mind’s eye I’m trying to use all my change in this lifetime I know I can’t take it with me Or give it to my pickney They’ve gotta find their own way To make their own change
9.
Iron Eyes 06:02
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Far too long they tried to say that you and I were to go our separate ways. Here we stand in full circle with you, one by one we have joined hand in hand we find our strength. Now I see only when we come together as one a light shines a path before us.
10.
LEGACY (ft. RaShad Eas) 01:46
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As my community Thinks We’re only selfish Living in a situation Sorta Like Elvis? Pressing me In this hellish But what I see Is we feel helpless Feeling like something is around our shoulders A necklace Am I posing? An actor Am I choking? With asthma Do I have a closed mind with eternity? Or am I really open? Eating chips and snacks Coping Walking down my streets Scoping Noticed that the forest is more open The healthier I try to get I worry about my colon The news got me scared Anytime something on me is swollen I’m not sure if I’m living right But I’m not talking about fidelity I’m talking about what I’m building And what I’m walking on A legacy And it’s not just to leave millions And it’s not just to leave buildings But leave a world for those That every year drop children
11.
Estrange Us 04:42
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12.
Communion (ft. RaShad Eas) 02:11
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Air, water, soil, trees Animals, fish, birds, me Bugs, rocks, fire, breathe Storms, life, death, we We, be, one, see We, be, you, me I am free, then you can be But I believe, that we don’t see The world can’t last if you and me Have three-story homes, cars – three Take showers for hours, just to get clean Water, grass, wash cars, dirtiest thing If we see, that this can’t be We concerned ‘bout worms, ants, bees It was here before us We can’t just be The air, water, soil, trees
13.
Simple Life (ft. RaShad Eas) 03:11
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A good sign to know if you are at peace If you can sit in quiet Not in front of computers or the phone You may actually like it A busy life is good But only temporarily A broken life is hard Can calls, vulgarities A rich life is nice But, so is charity A quiet life is great When you have clarity Without opportunities at my fingertips Puts focus on necessities Not queens not whips Those are nice to have But let me get a grip So I don’t get stuck drowning on a sinking ship Too much desire always requires Attention on getting something when you’re not in dire Need Rush to the mall Freeze Head out to eat Please Go to the movies DVD’s out before you leave The Theater How much money do we waste On this paper chase Must stop running this race Thoughts are fresh Not corrupted The devil can’t touch it Until I get impatient with anything And then I want to rush it Like spending with credit cards Thinking with my…you know Had all the cards in my hand But then I got down to Uno Lost it all Which can be the best thing Helps with peaceful resting Cause now I’m deducting A new kind of life that’s not depressing Life is always easy Hm, that I’m not suggesting It doesn’t have to be so hard Stop pressing T’was a mark that’s impossible to reach Just stressing So many due in life It has peaks and valleys Problems you’ll always have So you’re blessings keep a tally Watch how your mind changes And your heart expands Your vision shifts Become a better them, woman, or man Save when you can Don’t hold the things so tight Unless it’s family and friends Because that’s what you need in this life FREEDOM
14.
Visions of Freedom 07:28
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about

At times making you want to dance and at times making you want to cry, Joseph Herbst’s debut album “This is Our Environment” features all original compositions that brings together his classical saxophone background with his modern jazz focus, seemingly flowing from one song to the next all under the timely lens of environmental justice. Interwoven into the album are powerful performances and works by four spoken word artists, who were given the prompt "What does the environment mean to you?", as well as lyric and lyric-less vocals, adding an extra layer of depth to the already colorful and diverse sound the band creates.

What is the environment? Too often, this word is taken for granted, with little time spent thinking about what it means. To many, the environment refers to the separated natural world filled with wilderness. However, at the first National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, the environment also encompasses “all aspects of daily life-where we live, work, and play.”

The key word in the title of this project is “our.” One cannot draw a clear line between environment and people. Rather, everyday, people interact with and are affected by their environment in different ways. For some, the environment is an escape from society, while for others the environment serves as a stark reminder of the injustices that persist throughout society. Even though it may be taking for granted at times, the environment provides all of us with countless necessities, including breathable air, drinkable water, sustenance through food, protection from natural disasters, and climate mitigation. A threat to the environment, then, is in reality a threat to people.

Yet, the direct impacts are disproportionately felt by frontline communities, usually determined by other marginalizing factors in society, including racial, social, and economic factors.

“This is Our Environment” brings together original music, spoken word, and environmental justice in order to challenge our understanding of the environment to push us towards a more just and equitable society founded on a sense of community.

Learn more about the project: www.josephherbstmusic.com/this-is-our-environment

credits

released January 22, 2021

Joseph Herbst Sextet:

Evan Taylor - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

Joseph Herbst - Alto and Soprano Saxophones

Liany Mateo - Bass

Luther S. Allison - Piano and Rhodes

Peter Martin - Guitar

Zach McKinney - Drums


Featured Guests:

Aubrey Johnson - Vocals (Tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12)

Dasan Ahanu - Spoken Word (Track 2)

Cynthia ‘THiA’ Sharpe - Spoken Word (Track 4)

Yexandra 'Yex' Diaz - Spoken Word (Tracks 6, 8)

RaShad Eas - Spoken Word (Tracks 10, 12, 13)


Produced by Joseph Herbst

Recorded by Eric Wojahn and Josh Wiechmann at Solid Sound Recording Co., Ann Arbor, MI

Recorded on June 24th & 25th, 2019

Aubrey Johnson recorded by Randy Ingram at Ingram Music Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Yexandra ‘Yex’ Diaz recorded by Cuba Carter at Made by Us Studios, New Haven, CT

Rashad Eas, Dasan Ahanu, and Cynthia ‘THiA’ Sharpe recorded by Greg Elkins at Pershing Hill Sound, Raleigh, NC

Mixed and mastered by Jim Alfredson

Album artwork by Molly Jane Design

Originally released on Next Level

All musical compositions composed by Joseph Herbst (ASCAP)

℗ © 2021 Joseph Herbst/Joseph Herbst Music. All Rights Reserved.

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Joseph Herbst New York, New York

Composer, arranger, copyist, and saxophonist Joseph Herbst uses music as a medium for storytelling, often as part of collaborative projects, in order to push ourselves to see the world in different ways while strengthening our sense of community.

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