David Boykin – Composer, Saxophonist, Band Leader, Filmmaker
Curriculum Vitae
David Boykin began studying music on the clarinet at the age of 21 in 1991 and first performed professionally in 1997. Since 1997 he has released over 20 recordings as a leader; appeared as a featured guest on other prominent musician’s recordings; performed at major international jazz festivals and smaller jazz venues locally and globally; and founded Sonic Healing Ministries, which is an organization dedicated to the spiritual evolution of humanity through music.
Selected Performances
elements
Recordings
Hold Music (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Peaking Into Distortion (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Calculations (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Monkey Pox (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Live at Unnamed Club (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Chicago Creative Music Scene Sex Tape: Vol 1 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Random Rhymeness (Sonic Healing Ministries, 2021); Progenitor (Sonic Heling Ministries 2021);Expanse All Stars - Solar Suite at 63rd Street Beach (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Dr Belsidus Presents The Quarantine Collaboration Vol 1 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Slow Sweet Burn (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Sublimation (Sonic Healing Ministries 2020); David Boykin Reads Sun Ra (Sonic Healing Ministries 2020); SEBAU (Sonic Healing Ministries 2018); Solar Suite (Sonic Healing Ministries 2018); Fuck All Y’all: A Farewell to 2016 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2017); Love Power Magic (Sonic Healing Ministries 2014); David Boykin Trio: Live at Dorchester Projects (Sonic Healing Ministries 2013); Hazel Boykin: Big and Fine (Sonic Healing Ministries 2012); Ultra Sheen (Sonic Healing Ministries 2010); Omni-intervallic (Sonic Healing Ministries 2009); Transolo II (Sonic Healing Ministries 2009); David Boykin Expanse Live At the Velvet Lounge (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Victory Honor And Glory (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Galaxophone (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Microcosmic Sound Orchestra: Live At The Spareroom April 23 2005 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2005); The Eye of The Beholder (Dreamtime Records 2004); Diasporadiation (Dreamtime Records 2002); 47th Street Ghost (Dreamtime Records 2001); The Nextspiritmental Musics of Saxophonist David Boykin (Dreamtime Records 2001); Evidence of Life On Other Planets Vol. 1 (Thrill Jockey Records 1999); Evidence of Life On Other Planets Vol. 2 (Box Media 1999)
Films and Audio Stories
Random Rhymeness 2022- a short film highlighting the text of a song performed by the rap music persona Dark Mery
We Are Sunlight 2022 - a short film meditation in sound and light on Blackness set in a Chicago Lakefront nature preserve.
What The Afrofuture Say - 2021 - a short film critical analysis of Afrofuturism
Who Is Dr. Belsidus - 2021 - an audio documentary of his beat maker performance persona
Government Waste - 2020 - a short film made in collaboration with filmmaker Rob Christopher using footage from Chicago Film Archives
Awards and Grants
Curriculum Vitae
David Boykin began studying music on the clarinet at the age of 21 in 1991 and first performed professionally in 1997. Since 1997 he has released over 20 recordings as a leader; appeared as a featured guest on other prominent musician’s recordings; performed at major international jazz festivals and smaller jazz venues locally and globally; and founded Sonic Healing Ministries, which is an organization dedicated to the spiritual evolution of humanity through music.
Selected Performances
- Bob Thompson Exhibition Closing at the Smart Museum - May 2022
- Dr Belsidus - performed with choreopgrapher Keisha Janae and her ensemble Eternal Resolve - Columbia College March 2022
- Elastic Arts - ABEEKU - March 2021
- CIVL - David Boykin Expanse - December 2020
- Compound Yellow - ABEEKU - August 2020
- Dr Belsidus: Black Empire Sound System - Night Out In The Parks - August 2020
- ABEEKU - Hyde Park Jazz Festival - September 2019
- David Boykin Expanse - Englewood Jazz Festival - September 2019
- The Lynching of (Insert the Name of Any White Killer of an Unarmed BlackHere): an Avant Garde Jazz Hip-hOpera - Chicago Art Department - March 2019
- Urban Griot: Tribute to Bill Walker - Chicago State University/Hyde Park Art Center/Terra Foundation - at Hyde Park Union Church Feb 2, 2018
- ABEEKU - Chicago Soulful Book Fair - August 2018
- Sebau - Night Out In The Parks - Summer 2017
- David Boykin Trio - Chicago Soulful Bookfair - August 2017
- David Boykin Expanse: Jazz Rap - Night Out In The Parks - Summer 2016
- The Lynching of…: an Avant Garde Jazz Hip-hOpera - September 2016 – Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis
- The Lynching of…: an Avant Garde Jazz Hip-hOpera - November 2015 – Links Hall, Chicago
- Sun Ra: Astro Black Mythology and Black Resistance - Symposium and Performances with Danny Ray Thompson and Marshall Allen - May 21 and 22, 2015 - University of Chicago - 2015
- Chicago Jazz Festival - 8.29.2014 – David Boykin Expanse, performing my Solar Suite
- Drone of Testimony – 7.9.2014 - 8.30.2014 – Exhibited a sound and video installation at the David Reva Logan Center for the Arts
- 100 Saxophones for Sun Ra – 5.22.2014 – Organized 100 saxophone salute of Happy Birthday to Sun Ra on the 100th anniversary of his birth at the Washington Park forum
- David Boykin Trio: Live at Dorchester Projects Record Release Party - 2.16.2013
- Washington Park Arts Incubator, Chicago
- Part of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs’ and the Elastic Arts Foundation’s, Off The Record Series
- Chicago Cultural Center – 2.5.2013 – David Boykin Trio – Lunch Break Series
- Quai Branly Museum – Paris, France – 3.22.2012 – Collaboration with bassist Josh Abrams and the Delbeque trio featuring drummer Émile Biayenda and bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel
- Lublin Jazz Festival – Lublin Poland - 4.17.2011 – David Boykin Trio, Estrada Poznan Poland
- Chicago Symphony Center – 05.23.2011
- Guest Soloist with The Chicago Sinfonietta in the premiere of composer Renee Baker’s Divertimento Notte blu (for String Orchestra and friends)
- Artist In Residence at Dorchester Projects – March 2011 - May 2011
- David Boykin Trio - conducted a series of weekly open rehearsals of new compositions culminating in a live recording session of the works.
- I.E. Performance Series – The Spareroom - Summer 2005
- Stream of Consciousness – Summer 2004 – The Spareroom
- Elemental Vibrations – Insight Arts, Chicago – Summer 2004
elements
- Egwu Onu – Chicago Cultural Center, November 2002
- The Fifth International Festival of Movement And Dance On The Volga - Yaroslavl Russia, August 2002
- Jazz At Hermitage Garden - Moscow, Russia - August 2002
- Banileuese Festival - Paris France - April 2002
- Chicago Jazz Festival - 2001
- African Festival Of The Arts – Chicago - Summer 2000
Recordings
Hold Music (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Peaking Into Distortion (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Calculations (Sonic Healing Ministries 2023); Monkey Pox (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Live at Unnamed Club (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Chicago Creative Music Scene Sex Tape: Vol 1 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2022); Random Rhymeness (Sonic Healing Ministries, 2021); Progenitor (Sonic Heling Ministries 2021);Expanse All Stars - Solar Suite at 63rd Street Beach (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Dr Belsidus Presents The Quarantine Collaboration Vol 1 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Slow Sweet Burn (Sonic Healing Ministries 2021); Sublimation (Sonic Healing Ministries 2020); David Boykin Reads Sun Ra (Sonic Healing Ministries 2020); SEBAU (Sonic Healing Ministries 2018); Solar Suite (Sonic Healing Ministries 2018); Fuck All Y’all: A Farewell to 2016 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2017); Love Power Magic (Sonic Healing Ministries 2014); David Boykin Trio: Live at Dorchester Projects (Sonic Healing Ministries 2013); Hazel Boykin: Big and Fine (Sonic Healing Ministries 2012); Ultra Sheen (Sonic Healing Ministries 2010); Omni-intervallic (Sonic Healing Ministries 2009); Transolo II (Sonic Healing Ministries 2009); David Boykin Expanse Live At the Velvet Lounge (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Victory Honor And Glory (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Galaxophone (Sonic Healing Ministries 2007); Microcosmic Sound Orchestra: Live At The Spareroom April 23 2005 (Sonic Healing Ministries 2005); The Eye of The Beholder (Dreamtime Records 2004); Diasporadiation (Dreamtime Records 2002); 47th Street Ghost (Dreamtime Records 2001); The Nextspiritmental Musics of Saxophonist David Boykin (Dreamtime Records 2001); Evidence of Life On Other Planets Vol. 1 (Thrill Jockey Records 1999); Evidence of Life On Other Planets Vol. 2 (Box Media 1999)
Films and Audio Stories
Random Rhymeness 2022- a short film highlighting the text of a song performed by the rap music persona Dark Mery
We Are Sunlight 2022 - a short film meditation in sound and light on Blackness set in a Chicago Lakefront nature preserve.
What The Afrofuture Say - 2021 - a short film critical analysis of Afrofuturism
Who Is Dr. Belsidus - 2021 - an audio documentary of his beat maker performance persona
Government Waste - 2020 - a short film made in collaboration with filmmaker Rob Christopher using footage from Chicago Film Archives
Awards and Grants
- Chicago Art Department Artist in Residence - Sept 2018 - April 2019
- Wavefront Artist Residency – Experimental Sound Studios Chicago – Month long residency in Hong Kong – Sept/Oct 2015
- Individual Artist Program, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, City of Chicago, 2015
- Artist in Residence University of Chicago Department of Arts and Public Life 2013/2014
- Galaxy Award, Chicago Modern Orchestra Project, 2011
- Illinois Arts Council Fellowship For Music Composition, 2005
- CAAP Grant, Chicago Department Of Cultural Affairs, 2005
- Arts International Fund For US Artists Performing Abroad, 2002
- CAAP Grant, Chicago Department Of Cultural Affairs, 2000