Terri Lyne Carrington We Insist! 2025

By the 1950s at the latest, jazz had come to be seen as the “music of freedom.” When the Congo declared its independence in 1960 and Patrice Lumumba was elected president, the country fell into the clutches of the Cold War. After Lumumba was assassinated, unrest broke out, leading to a memorable session of the UN General Assembly. Max Roach, Abbie Lincoln, and other jazz musicians “stormed” the assembly. Musically, this culminated in Max Roach’s legendary album “We Insist! – Freedom Now Suite.” Drummer Terrie Lyne Carrington and singer Christie Dashell took the current situation—which many people find oppressive—as an opportunity to attempt a sort of reimagining of Max Roach’s original, titled “We Insist! 2025.” In doing so, they took the liberty of completely reworking the songs.
The project conveys the history of the “Freedom Now Suite,” with the musicians reflecting on the jazz tradition while incorporating the influence of other musical traditions—such as gospel, soul, funk, Afro-Latin, West African, and blues, all with the resounding spirit and urgency heard in Max Roach’s work.
Carrington was a member of Wayne Shorter’s and Herbie Hancock’s bands and has worked with Carlos Santana, Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, and countless others. She has performed at the White House, toured the world, and won one award after another, including four Grammys.