Milena Casado: New Record + Plays Album Release Show at Public Records in Brooklyn

May 29

Milena Casado wears many hats.

She’s not just an impressive and highly-acclaimed trumpeter, one that All About Jazz calls an undoubtable “leader among the newest generation of trumpeters,” or a “revelation,” as the New York Times confidently asserts. She is also a composer and producer, one whose debut LP, Reflections of Another Self, saw its triumphant May 10th release.

The record is packed with rich, and at times traumatic, stories of Casado’s past. Growing up in Spain as a black woman, she was subject to a lot of racism. She also has a dual heritage, which can make things even harder. She has struggled with imposter syndrome, she has struggled with her hair and white society’s appraisal of it. In fact, the first track, “THIS IS MY HAIR (!),” is a 30-second conversational and thought-provoking opening.

On another track entitled “SELF LOVE,” Casado explains,

“Loving yourself is one of the hardest things to do. With “SELF LOVE",” I wanted to capture that journey, what it feels like to reach a place of acceptance and understanding. For me, self-love is still a work in progress.”

She wondered whether she should go with a more conventional jazz record, one that might be more appealing in terms of sales. Casado explains,

“But that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I was really trying to find these sounds that I had in my head, that I hadn’t really heard yet, and see how I could mix them with an acoustic sound, drawing inspiration from Miles’ quintet with Wayne Shorter—especially the Miles Smiles LP.”

Casado’s record release show was dim and hushed. A small room, a sticky floor, and a tiny leak of light, provided the backdrop. As Casado’s record invites in her listeners into her personal space, so, too, did the live setup. All the performers were arranged in a circle as the audience formed a larger circle around them. Everyone was able to have a front row seat, everyone was able to view the show from equal standpoints. This highlights our connection with each other, and with the performers themselves. It’s the echo of universality in a room, a space that sounds as carefully curated as the composition of Reflection Of Another Self.

Check out some photos of the amazing set below!