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Homegoings
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Homegoings

What is jazz? That’s up to you

By Myra Flynn
Published March 13, 2025 at 2:45 PM EDT

What is jazz? And who gets to call themselves a jazz musician? Recorded live at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, host Myra Flynn sits down with renowned musicians Nicole "Lady" Wray, Adi Oasis and Melanie Charles to unpack how they are redefining the landscape of jazz on their own terms.

This is the latest episode of Homegoings, a podcast that features fearless conversations about race, and YOU are welcome here. Follow the show here.

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This music we call jazz took its original shape in the late 19th century, and is widely associated with the Congo Square in New Orleans, Louisiana. History tells us that enslaved people would gather at the square and mix together sounds of West African and Caribbean music, church hymns, field chants and brass instruments ... et voila: Jazz was born.

But since jazz rose to fame, the genre has birthed many more children. Soul, ragtime, the blues — the list goes on. Which begs the question: Today, what is jazz? And who gets to call themselves a jazz musician?

In this most recent episode of Homegoings, host Myra Flynn sits down with renowned musicians Nicole "Lady" Wray, Adi Oasis and Melanie Charles to unpack how they are redefining the landscape of jazz on their own terms.

Myra Flynn, Nicole “Lady” Wray, Adi Oasis and Melanie Charles on stage at the Flynn Center for a panel discussion of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.
Mike Dunn
/
Vermont Public
Myra Flynn, Nicole “Lady” Wray, Adi Oasis and Melanie Charles on stage at the Flynn Center for a panel discussion of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.
Nicole “Lady” Wray
Kyle Ambusk
/
Vermont Public
Nicole “Lady” Wray
It definitely has evolved. I feel like I'm the new and in between mix and all of that above. But I will give it back to the ancestors. It's in our blood. It’s rooted and grounded - Nicole “Lady” Wray

Show and Tell

Adi Oasis - Red to Violet

Adi Oasis

One day I realized I was like, wait, I can do it myself. And that's when everything changed for me. - Adi Oasis

Red to Violet
Adi Oasis

À mon tour
Like red to violet, move
And I'll take the pilot seat, you
Ain't never given me nothing, move
I'm just tryna say something

I’m Tired, tired, tired to try, try, try
No denyin', you don't have to love me
You’re livin' out your lies, you rather fantasize
Let's stop pretending
That you don't really need me

Move
Like red to violet
Move
And I'll take the pilot seat, you
Ain't never given me nothing, move
I'm just tryna say something

Give me my position
Why your legs so wide in the seat?
Why your love taking space from me?
Does it boost your self-esteem?
That's sad to me
You need a hand over all the keys
I'm done with people pleasin'
I'm learnin' to state my needs

Like red to violet, move
And I'll take the pilot seat, you
Ain't never given me nothing, move, move, move
I'm just tryna say something to

Magicians on mission
We cookin'
We make your s___ better
We hold it
We keep it together
You know now it's our turn

Melanie Charles - Jazz School

Melanie Charles

Basically, this song is really, I'm lamenting, of all the crap that has come out of believing that if I went to jazz school, if I was a good student, that I would live a comfortable, successful life. - Melanie Charles

Jazz School
Melanie Charles

I want my money back
I've been sold a lie
I did what I was told
and never quite sure why

They said learn it all keys
Transcribed them as a beat
One day it all makes sense
That's what my elders said

But for what, for who?
No one cares, Sing the blues
All the time, all the tears
Jazz school

But for what, for who?
No one cares, Sing the blues
All the time, all the tears
Jazz school

I want my money back
I've been sold a lie
Who cares if I can swing
Or if I can’t keep time

All the accolades
They barely pay my way
Now the times have changed
The shed was all in vain.

And for what, for who?
No one cares, Sing the blues
All the time, all the tears
Jazz school

Oh for what, for who?
No one cares, Sing the blues
All the time, all the tears
Jazz school

I want my money back

Credits

This episode was hosted and reported by Myra Flynn, with production support and direction from Mike Dunn. James Stewart is our associate producer and Peter Engisch was our sound designer. Myra composed the theme music with other music by Melanie Charles, Adi Oasis, Nicole “Lady” Wray and Blue Dot Session. Kaylee Mumford is the graphic artist behind this episode’s Homegoings artist portrait.

Thank you for listening. You can see a video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel.

To continue to be part of the Homegoings family:

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Homegoings New England News Collaborative
Myra Flynn
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
See stories by Myra Flynn