This celebratory release event for “Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)),” the final album by the late trumpeter and composer jaimie branch and her quartet Fly or Die, will begin with a screening of never-before-seen footage of the band’s final concert together. Recorded live at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska for International Anthem, this film shows jaimie in all her glory as she plays against a backdrop of her own artwork.

Directly following the screening, trumpeters Dave Ballou, Rob Mazurek and Ambrose Akinmusire will each perform solo sets. Then, all three will join Mike Pride and Luke Stewart, as well as Aquiles Navarro, Tcheser Holmes, Amirtha Kidambi, Anthony Pirog and Heru Shabaka-Ra for a special jam in tribute to their friend, and collaborator, jaimie branch.

Part 1: Screening – Never-before-seen footage of jaimie branch & Fly or Die’s final concert at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska.
Part 2: three trumpet solo sets – Dave Ballou, Rob Mazurek and Ambrose Akinmusire
Part 3: Jam – Dave Ballou: Trumpet, Rob Mazurek: Trumpet, Ambrose Akinmusire: Trumpet, Aquiles Navarro: Trumpet, Tcheser Holmes: Drums, Amirtha Kidambi: Vocals, Mike Pride: Drums, Luke Stewart: Bass, Anthony Pirog: Guitar, Heru Shabaka-Ra: Trumpet

A portion of the proceeds of this event will go to the jaimie branch Foundation.

A livestream will be available free of charge at 8pm on the day of the performance and archived for future viewing. Watch below or on YouTube.

jaimie branch (1983 – 2022) is a Brooklyn based improvisor, composer, and trumpeter whose work is primarily focused on expanding the sonic and technical limitations of the trumpet in free and improvised musics. Branch received her bachelors degree in music from the New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with John McNeil, Joe Morris, and Steve Lacy. In May 2017, Branch released her debut record as a leader, Fly or Die (International Anthem 011), to critical acclaim. Her follow up release, Fly or Die II: bird dogs of paradise was released in October 2019, and Fly or Die LIVE was released in May 2021, both also on the International Anthem label. Her third and final record with the quartet is due out in August 2023. Branch believes that all the music in the Universe lives in a cloud just above our heads and that if you listen, you can hear it. Listen. Can you hear it?

Rob Mazurek is an interdisciplinary artist/abstractivist, with a focus on electro-acoustic composition, improvisation, performance, painting, sculpture, video, film, and installation, who spent much of his creative life in Chicago and then Brazil. He Currently lives and works in Marfa, Texas. He is director/composer of Exploding Star Orchestra and co/leads the Chicago Underground and São Paulo Underground Collectives. Mazurek leads an array of unique ensembles from solo to octet and has released over 70 records on various labels including International Anthem, Rogue Art and Astral Spirits. Mazurek’s work incorporates sound as vision and vision as sound in interesting ways, a vocabulary constantly shapeshifting, utilizing disparate elements to construct complete works of inter and outer feeling tectonics that have the capacity to shift perception past, present and future. Time Travel Devices toward multiverse complete love unity.

Ambrose Akinmusire Described by NPR Music as “a trumpeter of deep expressive resources and a composer of kaleidoscopic vision,” Ambrose Akinmusire has made a home at the crossroads of different musical forms and languages, from post-bop and avant-garde jazz to contemporary chamber music and hip-hop to singer-songwriter aesthetics. He began recording for Blue Note in 2011, earning widespread acclaim for his albums when the heart emerges glistening (produced by Jason Moran), the imagined savior is far easier to paint (“gorgeous, moving”– JazzTimes), A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard (“amazingly effective” – DownBeat), Origami Harvest (Top Albums of 2018, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times), and on the tender spot of every calloused moment (2021 GRAMMY) nominee, Best Jazz Instrumental Album). Akinmusire has also received numerous prestigious composer commissions, created music for film and television projects including the new Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal series “Blindspotting,” appeared as a featured soloist with the legendary artists Archie Shepp and Roscoe Mitchell, and made signal contributions to groundbreaking albums including Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl, Brad Mehldau’s Finding Gabriel and Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly (on the closing track “Mortal Man”). He also played on Joni Mitchell’s 2014 release Love Has Many Faces, and in 2018 accompanied Chaka Khan, James Taylor and other luminaries honoring Mitchell in a gala concert documented on Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration. Other sideman highlights include Jack DeJohnette, Marcus Miller, Steve Coleman Terri Lyne Carrington, and many others. Akinmusire received his 2nd GRAMMY nomination, this time for “Best Improvised Solo” on Carrington’s 2022 release, New Standards Vol 1.

Dave Ballou is a trumpeter/Composer/Improvisor who can be heard in a variety of settings, from solo trumpet improvisations to large ensembles. His recordings can be found on the Steeplechase, CleanFeed, pfMentum and the Out of Your Head record labels. Ballou has performed or recorded with Rabih Abou-Kahlil, Steely Dan, Michael Formanek, Mary Halvorson, Woody Herman, Andrew Hill, John Hollenbeck, Sheila Jordan, Oliver Lake, Dave Liebman, Dewey Redman, Maria Schneider and Gunther Schuller. His compositions have been performed and recorded by the Meridian Arts Ensemble, Trumpeter Jon Nelson, French hornist Adam Unsworth, Saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, the TILT Brass Ensemble and the Rose City Brass Quintet. Ballou is a Professor of Music at Towson University teaching in the Jazz and Commercial Music Division.