Healing through Land and Improvisation

A rare chance to interact with this Dine musician and ambassador for mutual understanding and respect. Anderson shares personal experiences and Diné elder wisdom on land and improvisation, exploring survival amid difficult circumstances and systems through New Mexico’s Long Walk and historical figure Jacob C. Morgan. A fun improvisation activity—Respect, Listen, Evaluate, Express—helps navigate life. He shares Indigenous knowledge of beauty (one’s overall life), balance (identity versus survival demands), and harmony (relationships with everything around us).

He leads exercises at different breathing levels to strengthen focus and use full lung capacity, explaining body function and how to maximize each breath. Enjoy Delbert Anderson and Robert Muller’s jazz and improvisation, a Jazz Jam, and the Delbert Anderson Quartet’s grand finale!

Delbert is a former SSB Away Artist in Residence and one of the most important young jazz musicians composing and playing today.

About the Leader

Delbert Anderson shares his experiences and knowledge from a Diné fathers perspective. Anderson developed a curriculum based on K’e (kinship) and Hózhó (beauty, balance, harmony). K’e teachings and knowledge derive from what values keep a family together. K’e is perfect for team building, organizations and communities. Hózhó knowledge and wisdom serves artist entrepreneurship. Hózhó speaks to all things and paths of beauty. Hózhó speaks to balance within all areas we are present physically and mentally. Hózhó speaks to our relationship with all things around us.