The Pledge of Black Asian Allegiance

By Eddie Wong. Posted July 23, 20918.

The following seven minute video clip from Jon Jang’s four part musical composition “The Pledge of Black Asian Allegiance” features Dr. Amanda Kemp and the Jon Jangtet: Jon Jang (pianist/composer), Gary Brown (bass), Deszon X. Claiborne (drums), Hitomi Oba (saxophone), and Nick DePinna (trombone). The composition focuses on the friendship of Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama, who met in Harlem, New York in 1964.

Jon Jang Video Interview on the Origins of “The Black Asian Pledge of Allegiance”

Pianist/composer Jon Jang premiered “The Pledge of Black Asian Allegiance” on the shared birthday of Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama on May 19, 2018 at the San Francisco Buddhist Church.  In the following video interview, Jon Jang explains the origins of the piece as well as one of the musical themes.  The CD of this work should be available this fall via Asian Improv aRts. Go to www.asianimprov.org to order this CD, which will be Asian Improv aRts 101th release.