Amen by Joy Guidry

We oftentimes see self-acceptance as the pinnacle of our personal development, but the new album Amen by Joy Guidry focuses on a crucial next step: community integration. This experimental, soulful jazz record begins at a point of fully authentic selfhood, effortlessly following the flows of the artist’s thoughts and desires without mitigation from fear, shame, or doubt. Suddenly, a chaotic, jubilant big band busts down the door, accepting the refined, individual artistic voice into an unstoppable chorus of pure energy, pure ecstasy as the group unifies in a call to the divine. Since Guidry has so thoroughly mapped out the shape of her identity, she leaves as much of an impression on this group as the group does on her, using her self-assuredness to meld with the community even more thoroughly. As communities slip into decline all around us, we must remember that self-acceptance serves a dual purpose as a beginning and an end, as a crucial developmental goal and as a means to more meaningfully connect with those we love.