It was all about spreading love at the Funk on the Green Juneteenth celebration.
Juneteenth is about the remembrance of the slaves in Texas finally hearing in 1865 that they were free. When the sun finally broke through the clouds, over 100 inmates gather to watch the event.
“This is our Memorial and Independence Day. It’s good to see that everybody came out to celebrate,” said Micheal Polk.
The June 20th concert on San Quentin’s Lower Yard. The “One Man Band” named Allen “Squirrel” Ware opened the show with six original jazz tunes. The crowd went crazy when he sang about a relationship in “All about the money” and “Sunshine.”
“Ware was the first one to look out for me back in 1979. He gave me a T.V. and whatever I needed. Things were different back then. It would be good to see him go,” said Polk.
Harun Taylor was MC for the event, and gave a moving improvisation of a slave who just received the news that he was free.
Taylor depicted a 30-year-old slave named Abner Josephus Mac Williams who lived to be 180. Taylor used the character to take the crowd on a history lesson where Blacks fought for freedom in every major war, be it for themselves or others.
“Juneteenth is American’s history, even though it’s not taught in schools. We are Americans. We must sit back and take account that freedom isn’t free; it comes with a price,” said Taylor.
A band named The New Syndicate of Funk livened up the crowd with old school songs including Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Can’t Hide Love,” and Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go.”
Lead singer Rico Rogers performed an original song, “You Don’t Know” to the crowds delight.
The Just Us Band added its own funk and soul featuring songs by John Windham, Darryl “Champ” Hill, and spoken word “I am 2.0” from Taylor.
“All these songs represent some type of love, but no matter what, there is nothing greater in this world than love,” said Hill. “We really made today a celebration; that’s what’s important to us,” said bass player Darryl Farris.
The rap group A and R rocked with their song “She Loves It.” Jason Jones and Maurice Reed got the crowd on their feet to join in. “That’s the response we were looking for; we got the people to do our dance. It’s good to see everybody getting along and brothers in blue supporting each other,” said Reed.
Dwight Krisman asked the crowd to pray for long-time volunteer Audrey Auld, who suffers from cancer. Krisman, who is White, also led a moment of silence prayer for the Black church murder victims in South Carolina.
George “Mesro” Coles-El read his poem call “Victory.” The lines include: “Victory is living for the day. Victory is standing firm in the mist of evil. Victory is life.”
Eric Curtis read one of his short stories of a struggling family and its goal: not to commit the same mistakes.
Closing out the day was Paul Comauex and Friends with a tribute to legendary B.B. King. As Comauex sang, Joe Mason and Lee Jasper made their guitars scream the blues. When they ended with the “Thrill is Gone” the dwindling crowd gave their final cheers.
“What is a better way to end the day than by honoring one of our greatest with the ‘Thrill is Gone,’” said Comauex.
