January 2009 - I was tasked with programming a new community and multipurpose space in the Frog Hollow neighborhood of Hartford, CT. I immediately knew who I wanted to collaborate with for its inaugural event: the late Margaux Hayes. Margaux gathered an incredible group of friends and graced the space with her presence on its maiden voyage. It was a cold January evening, and the heat in the building had only just started working late that afternoon. Margaux, ever undeterred, said, "No worries, we’ll heat it up." And she certainly did.
The photos from that evening, taken by Carlos Hernández Chávez, beautifully capture the energy of the event. These images were later shared by horn musician and modern-day griot Stephen Haynes, who reflected on the night in his blog:
"The music was a delight, full of energy and infused by the spiritual. Margaux's elastic voice (and conception) led us through a mixed menu of standards (think Rahsaan Roland Kirk) and original material. Not for nothing, the audience at The Studio comes to listen. Nothing like a witness to ground the music."
