Maia Avery & Red Earth Collective

A Five Fold Conversation with Maia Avery in Scooters Cafe, Waterloo — Hosted by A.M

* Take it away

MA: Robin and the guys who set it up, have changed so many lives, and that's either the musicians themselves or its the people coming to watch. I feel like every week you're transported to a new country or something. We'll have South African artists, Brazilian artists, some British, Canadian everywhere, and it's created such a lovely community.

I don't know what kind of spiritual energy they're putting into it, but it makes your day so much better. I could be having the worst day, and I go to Effra Hall Tavern and life is good. (The Soothsayers) Their residency was there at the time. I was about 14 the first time I played there and I wasn't let into the pub, they said, Maia, just bring the sax you're allowed to. I felt so honoured. My confidence built so much more. Now Red Earth has our own residency at this pub as well, it's a full circle. We’re such a close family, and it's lovely that we can be a collective. We've all been playing with each other since we're 14, you don't have that a lot. I can feel it when I'm on stage. I've never felt so comfortable. I always get nervous, but with these guys, l'm not nervous, but always excited to play. Youthsayers, came from the youth project of Soothsayers. Youthsayers is my root, everything that I am, l think, honestly, without them I would not be where I am today. They changed my life.

It's not even just music, it's the connections I've made. I have so much more of a worldwide view, and feel a lot more deeply connected to the world. A lot more understanding and curious. It's made me so much more excited to talk to different people. We've all come from different backgrounds, so Red Earth being a branch of this is really amazing, because it proves that we can go into it professionally, and it can be an enjoyable thing, and it's not daunting. There are people who want to help and support us.

We had a gig supporting Idris' sister, and she's an amazing jazz pianist, and she curated a night, a guy who was there saw us, and said, "I'd love for you to do Love Supreme". For me it's really exciting because you have other youth projects like Tomorrow's Warriors, but not all of us have had access to join it. Tomorrow's Warriors have been going to these festivals for years and years, and I wanted to play at these festivals one day. Red Earth has given me a confidence to play in our style of music, fela kuti style, not platformed as much in prestigous jazz circles. Then Love Supreme comes along.

"Oh my, I get to play one of my favourite artists at the first festival I ever went to, when I was 16... I'm so excited. It hasn't really sunk in yet”

* What's your favourite song to play?

MA: At the moment, one of the songs we played yesterday (At Bricks), that we finished with, any Fela Kuti song really, seriously any FELA song. We did a whole Fela night, but we did it properly, where we played each song for about 11 minutes, 12 minutes, and it was so fulfilling. Big Muffler as well, the one we finished our set with yesterday. Every time we play it, everyone's so happy and jumping about.

*Everyone got an energetic car wash

MA: That's the thing, as well, being comfortable on stage means that I find it a lot easier to perform and have fun, and if I'm there jumping around, then the audience starts jumping around, which then makes me jump more, and they jump more. Our big aim is getting people to dance, and bringing people together. You can be from any background, enjoy any music, but there's something about Red Earth, and what we're playing anyone can enjoy it, because we're touching on different genres all the time, it's dance music, it's quite hard not to feel a little groove.

* Imagine I’m a council or gov official ignorant to what the community actually needs. What would you suggest is needed?

MA: This an important question. We need free community events, like music, more music youth groups, or more funding for the music youth groups. We need to set up more free gigs where the musicians are getting paid, free gigs that invite anyone in, because they give people hope. There are big issues in the world, and realistically we're not going to be able to solve a lot of them. But if we work locally and work on the local communities, we then help to develop morale and hope, which keeps people motivated to try and do good in the world. Youth groups. Put music anywhere. I was in Salvador, Brazil, and having music on the streets, everyone's happier. It's the most incredible place, and they've got an outdoor culture, regardless of music, just being outdoors and seeing people does something for the soul...we need to make it a lot more accessible to do that.

*Do you know the berimbau instrument? This is a sneak preview, Five-Fold is going to be doing outdoor barber sessions with live musicians, for the community. We have a berimbau in the band, a handmade wooden sax that looks like a flute, djembe drummer, emcee, and whoever else wants to join. VIBEZ. Outdoor music with fresh cuts.

MA: Awesome. That's the thing with sound system culture and dance. I feel like there used to be so many more, not that I was alive, but you see disco & salsa all these free events, they're so important for providing access to different people's cultures. That's the other thing as well. I think we're in a woke era, and as much as it can be good, it actually creates a seperation between people, "no no you can't indulge in other people's cultures because that's theirs". To an extent, I understand. But if we are open and we want to share there's no separation anymore, and were just enjoying it, rather than judging. We need to free our colonial mentalities.

* What culture are we a part of when we die?

MA: Exactly. That's it. Latin culture is super personal. Growing up in Brixton, I've been influenced by so many different cultures that have shaped me, and especially this kind of music. As long as you're aware of where it's coming from, the music you’re playing, and what it means, I think you should allow it to be accessible for everyone, because it brings people so much joy. Providing this for the youth is so important, because that is the next generation.

* This feels like the end of the magazine, this is what it's all about.

It’s all about women and children first and foremost. Out of womb comes the child, because woman is the creator, woman is God, and the child comes from the creator. The child is the seed, the child is the future. The seed is the future.

This is the final question, for ‘Love is in the Jam'*. With your nurturing ideas and your watery emotions, how do you wish to nurture the future seeds of our generation? How can our community nurture the spaces for these seeds to grow?

MA: By providing spaces that people feel safe to be in, regardless of background and who you are. Bringing people together that way from a young age, because then you become less aware of people's differences. You're a lot more curious and you come together naturally. Being excited to talk to different people and people get excited by it, excited by the world around you. Music, music, music, music, like music, space!

Pharaoh Sanders, ‘Love is Everywhere'* just started playing, as we finish. hahha hahah. Okay, yeah, that's where we finish.

Love