Samora Pinderhughes Confirms 'Black Spring' Mixtape; New Single Available Now

Pianist, composer, vocalist, and multidisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes has confirmed a new mixtape, Black Spring, set for release on July 18 in collaboration with The Healing Project. In advance, he has shared a new single, “Hold Fast­,” featuring The Healing Project Choir. Listen to it below.

Black Spring, formed around new songs inspired by Pinderhughes’ performance in February at Harlem's The Apollo, celebrates the 100th birthyear of seminal author and activist James Baldwin. The 10 tracks blend piano ballads with modern electronics and R&B production, with a tracklist featuring members of Pinderhughes’ New York community, including Elliott Skinner, Jamila Woods, Dani Murcia, Jehbreal Jackson, Marcus Gilmore, and more.

Pinderhughes was recently named the Adobe Creative Resident at MOMA, a Pioneer Works Visual Art & Music Resident, and has given a TED Talk/Performance that will be released publicly shortly—he’s also currently getting his Ph.D. at Harvard University, where he teaches an undergraduate class titled “Music in Social Practice: Sounding the Chorus of Community.’

On February 22nd at The Apollo, in celebration of Baldwin’s legacy, Pinderhughes performed The James Baldwin Essays: As Much Truth As One Can Bear, an immersive multimedia experience that wove together songcraft, poetry, film, and inspiration from Baldwin’s own plays & essays like The Amen Corner and The Cross of Redemption. Originally commissioned by Harlem Stage in 2015, Pinderhughes refreshed the original score with new songs and new voices. 

About Samora Pinderhughes

Samora Pinderhughes is a composer, pianist, vocalist, filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist known for examining sociopolitical issues and fighting for change through his art. He has collaborated and performed with a number of artists including Common, Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins, Kyle Abraham, Sara Bareilles, Daveed Diggs and Herbie Hancock, and his works have been commissioned by institutions including Carnegie Hall, the Sundance Film Festival, The Kitchen, Yerba Buena Center for The Arts, and the Kennedy Center. 

Pinderhughes also recently won an Emmy for his work as the composer, pianist and vocalist on Michéle Stephenson and Joe Brewster’s documentary, “Going to Mars: the Nikki Giovanni Project,” which also earned a place on the Oscars shortlist on top of IDA and Cinema Eye Honors nominations for Best Music Score.

Photo credit: Ragan Henderson