The World We Know! Featuring The Sean Dobbins Ensemble.

Dwight Adams (Trumpet),
Peyton Miller (Vibraphone),
Rick Roe (Piano),
Brandon Rose (Bass),
Athena Johnson (Vox),
Sean Dobbins (Drums, Leader).

This project features original repertoire written by Sean Dobbins that ranges includes Hard-Bop, Afro-Cuban R&B and Soul music.

The World We Know! is a project aimed at creating dialog and discussion to solve the cultural and social challenges that plagues our community. As a performer and educator, I feel that it is important that I use my artistry to provoke positive change in our society. In 2022 (after we all were all beginning to heal from the pandemic) I composed and arranged music that I felt addressed many of the cultural challenges that was creating a division within our society. I drew inspiration from John Coltrane’s Alabama; a song composed for the four Alabama girls killed in a church bombing and Max Roach’s We Insist! Freedom Now Suite which addressed the current state of civil rights for African Americans. I decided to use the approach of the “artistic journalist” as Coltrane and Roach displayed in their recordings, however, I also wanted to add an element of call- to -action to inspire ideas for change. I made a list of what I felt was the central challenges that everyone faces despite race, ethnicity or socio-economic status. These challenges include broken homes, mental health, breakdown within family communication structure, mass shootings and a loss of hope within our younger generation. While addressing these issues I thought it was important to add music that displayed the good in our community and also ways to use a positive attitude to make positive change. It was important to me that this music connected with everyone who heard it, so I composed in a variety of styles and approach so that the repertoire itself provided a place for everyone across genres and demographics.