Juneteenth 19, 2023 + 7/2/23 Fun in the Oakland Sun
Juneteenth, a combination of the words June and 19th, is also known as Emancipation Day. It commemorates the day in 1865, after the Confederate states surrendered to end the Civil War, when a Union general arrived in Texas to inform a group of enslaved African Americans of their freedom under President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
Pepe Tekpa, friends and I have played Lake Merritt three years in a row to commemorate Juneteenth. In 2023 friends stopped by to sit in, and it was a great way to celebrate this important holiday, kick-of the summer and catch up with musician friends - in our community! Good times!
Photo by Don Wilson, Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA 2023
Pepe Tekpa (drums), Anthony Mills-Branch (bass), Ben Eichel (keys), me (trumpet) performing by Columns and Cleveland Cascades on Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA
Had a great time performing at Frank Ogawa Plaza / City Hall for City of Oakland staff leaders, volunteers, and statesmen (Rob Bonta, Attorney General).
Oaktown Jazz Workshops performed this summer 7/2/23 at Frank Ogawa Plaza, fun in the sun, good times!