Maya Keren
Maya Keren is a pianist, vocalist, composer, and songwriter from Philadelphia. They are interested in the process of environing people, voices, instruments, and sounds in ways that invite connection with one’s erotic instinct, embody compassionate and queer relations with the self and the collective, and destabilize learned systems of domination. These ideas have developed non-linearly throughout space and time. The Creative Music Program in Philly provided precious visions of potential artistic futures, traversed with dear friends John, Julian, Micah, and Zach. Time spent at the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music expanded the wild and abundant possibilities of radical art-making. Mutual Mentorship for Musicians and the Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab served as grounds for coalition and collective inquiry into the power structures that determine who and what is beautiful in our musical ecosystem and our world. Angelica Sanchez and Kris Davis offered kindness, wisdom, and guidance along the way. And time spent playing in Julien Chang and the Deep Green, Moon! Moon!, and Who's Lily solidified a group artistic practice through long-term commitments to growing together and seeing what feels and sounds good on that journey. And of course, everything traces back through silver threads – adrienne maree to Octavia and Audre, Nicole and Geri to Monk to Mary Lou – the web is infinite.