Washington, D.C., based singer/songwriter Jeff Dwyer provides a profoundly emotional musical statement with his new release, "Tribute to the Ancestor." Co-composed with an exceptional African-American musician and band leader, J'sun Tyler, the song in many ways transcends the meaning of "song" as it exists in a real living narrative of enslaved Americans and their often dangerous journey to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
"Tribute to the Ancestor" is primarily accomplished as brief musical vignettes, each responding to emotional and historical moments from enslaved Americans' hallowed past. The song begins as hymn-like music, transitions through the soulful lament of "Nobody Knows the Trouble," culminating as heroic emotional triumph at its end. The whole song expresses resilience that colored the countless ordinary, yet remarkable individuals who experienced life-altering tragedy and trauma.
Dwyer leads us toward liberation and justice, framed in the continuity of struggle, suffering, and healing. The song is also M/Father; it's inescapably tethered to tradition, including the spirituals Dwyer selected for inclusion: "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Go Down Moses," "Motherless Child," and other traditional expressions of spirit. The result is a powerful clue to the intersection of reflection and information of history with contemporary cultural advocacy and activism.
Debuted in a moment when conversations around justice and equity remain very important, "Tribute to the Ancestors" serves as a sobering reminder of the struggles and sacrifices that are the underpinnings of Juneteenth and America’s continuous journey toward true freedom. Both educational and soul-stirring, the song is a demonstration of music preserving history and inspiring unity.