Mekala Session & PAPA + Qur'an Shaheed

**Qur'an Shaheed** This performance will feature a free jazz interpretation scoring of a new original film by Qur’an. The film and Jazz piece are rooted in empowerment and expansion of music and internal growth

“There has been so much death and devastation that I’ve seen in this last few years and I really want to capture the pain that I personally have been feeling and have seen others go through. I also want to pay homage to the beauty of Nature/Gods creation” - Qur'an Shaheed

**Mekala Session & The Pan Afrikan People Arkestra** Mekala Session is a young drummer and musical polymath raised in the fold of the multi-generational Los Angeles jazz band Pan Afrikan People’s Arkesta. For the past few years, he’s been largely responsible for leading this legendary band into the future while keeping the light of its founder Horace Tapscott shining bright. In 2026 Mekala was selected by the Los Angeles Jazz Society Jeff Clayton Memorial New Note program to compose a new piece which will be premiered at this concert.