Music Friyay: Cameron Avery, Johnnie Frierson, Andy Bey

By Joanna C. Valente

Here’s some music, new and old, you should listen to and check out:

Cameron Avery - Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams

Avery’s 2017 album is both ambitious and cinematic, and quietly tender. Avery’s ability to shift tones and moods so easily and seamlessly is inspiring.

Johnnie Frierson - Have You Been Good to Yourself

Frierson was a relatively obscure soul musician in Memphis; a compilation of his music was released in 2016 after his death. His music is both hopeful and melancholic, with each song questioning meaning and life and purpose, even while he celebrates it.

Andy Bey - Shades of Bey

If you haven’t listened to Bey, do yourself a favor. Bey is a wholly unique and underrated jazz musician whose music is unforgettable. His 1998 album will get you at your core.

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Joanna C. Valente is a human who lives in Brooklyn, New York. They are the author of several books, including Marys of the Sea, #Survivor (2020, The Operating System), and Killer Bob: A Love Story (2021, Vegetarian Alcoholic Press). They are the editor of A Shadow Map: Writing by Survivors of Sexual Assault and received their MFA in writing at Sarah Lawrence College. Joanna is the founder of Yes Poetry and the senior managing editor for Luna Luna Magazine. Some of their writing has appeared in The Rumpus, Them, Brooklyn Magazine, BUST, and elsewhere. Joanna also leads workshops at Brooklyn Poets. joannavalente.com / Twitter: @joannasaid / IG: joannacvalente / FB: joannacvalente