Research project

The Expression of Islam at the Heart of Jazz

Jazz as a spiritual experience: Inner quests in African-American music

BIOGRAPHY, Anaïs Antonio

A journey shaped by images, narratives, and cultural exploration
For several years, I have worked at the crossroads of art, design, architecture, fashion, and history, immersing myself in activities such as artistic scouting, curating visual research, collecting archives, and building inspiring frameworks for architects, designers, curators, fashion houses, and filmmakers. My role was to provide tailored resources that enabled them to draw from meaningful narratives for their projects.
In parallel, I founded lafondamentale, a personal initiative aimed at fostering an environment where imagination, creativity, and cultural narratives can thrive and inspire new perspectives.


A dedicated focus on African and diasporic cultural narratives
Today, as Program Curator at MansA – Maison des Mondes Africains, I focus on creating and developing innovative programs that span a broad range of artistic and cultural expressions. These initiatives engage both seasoned connoisseurs and curious novices, celebrating the richness of African and Afro-diasporic cultures through exhibitions, performances, debates, and more. My work aims to inspire underrepresented voices, foster dialogue, and create meaningful connections across communities.


A deep connection to sound and rhythm
Born to a Guadeloupean father and a Fulani mother from Niger, my upbringing in Côte d’Ivoire, Canada, Martinique, Tanzania, and France was kaleidoscopic. Music has always shaped my identity, fueling my imagination and aesthetic sensibility, which is deeply influenced by both traditional and contemporary cultures, with a Sahelo-Saharan minimalism that resonates with modernity.

Presentation

Jazz and Islam have had a complex relationship for many decades, though it is only in recent years that scholars have begun to explore it in depth. Some even suggest that Islam has been one of the most significant religious traditions to influence this distinctly American musical form known as: Jazz.

Areas of exploration : Villa Albertine’s research project

I. Intersections between Jazz and Islam

This project explores the often-overlooked intersections between jazz and Islam, shedding light on the spiritual and musical journeys of iconic African-American artists within the genre, such as Yusef Lateef, Art Blakey, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders, Idris Muhammad, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Favors Malachi, Emmanuel Khaliq Abdul-Rahim, Idrees Sulieman, Shahib Shihab, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and many others.

Through their work, these artists infused their Muslim faith into their music in unique ways. Yusef Lateef introduced instruments and sounds from African and Eastern traditions, creating a musical fusion that evokes a philosophy of spirituality. Ahmad Jamal, elevated the concept of balance and restraint in his performances, embodying an aesthetic intimately linked to the Islamic notion of sobriety and divine unity. Finally, Pharoah Sanders made jazz a true vehicle for faith and inner quest, reinterpreting certain Quranic verses with synesthesia in a fascinating musical language…

II. Incorporating beliefs into music aesthetics

Drawing on the researches of Nathan Lean (NC), Jonathan Saraga (NY), Rasul Miller (PA), Ismaeel Dhul-Qarnayn (MI) and Dr. Adam Zanolini (IL), this reflection questions how these musicians transcended cultural and religious boundaries, incorporating their beliefs into a deeply innovative musical aesthetic and philosophy.

III. Between Muslim Universalism and Black Nationalism

African-American Islam has its roots in both the legacy of West African Muslim culture and the nationalist struggles of Black Americans.

Historically linked to movements of re-Africanization and the revalorization of African identity, African-American Islam represents a distinct form of religious practice that goes beyond replicating foreign traditions.

By integrating Islamic heritage into their fight for cultural and political autonomy, African Americans developed a uniquely Western form of Islam that empowered them to transcend their creativity, reconnect with their African roots while resisting Western societal norms. This inspiring fusion of faith and activism highlights how Islam became both a spiritual foundation and a tool for identity and liberation.

IV. Challenging stereotypes about Islam

In the eyes of the West, Islam conveys the stereotypes of a retrograde culture, restrictive of freedoms, while today it is undeniable that some of the greatest Black thinkers, artists, and Jazz musicians in history have embraced it as an instrument of transcendence and emancipation.

The project aims to challenge stereotypes about Islam in the West while celebrating jazz as a spiritual and religious experience.

The goal is to explore :

1. Faith and Resistance

How did Islam serve as a tool for Black cultural and political autonomy in the face of racial oppression?

2. Islam as a creative Force

How did jazz musicians incorporate Islamic principles into their compositions, rhythms, and improvisations? And how they integrated African, Eastern, and Islamic musical traditions into their jazz practice?

3. Spiritual Aesthetics

How does the experience of divine unity (tawhid), discipline, and inner peace manifest in their music?

Transcultural Influences

Focusing on the experience of Black Muslims in the West highlights how it is possible to reconcile being Muslim with Western cultural identity by reinventing a new form of cultural expression and belief. This transcultural blending allows for the creation of a unique way of practicing Islam, where the rich history of African roots and the dynamics of Western society come together to form a distinctive, evolving interpretation of faith. It challenges traditional notions of religious practice while offering a space for creativity, spirituality, and identity to coexist and thrive.

My desire is to transform these analyses into a unifying cultural event, through an immersive exhibition, musical performances, and debates on relationships with the sacred in contemporary societies, as well as spiritual diversity in the arts, celebrating jazz as a bridge between cultures and beliefs, as both an inner quest and an artistic and spiritual expression of Islam.

Origins of the project

This project is deeply rooted in both personal experience and academic research. My stepfather was an ethnomusicologist, and throughout my childhood, I was immersed in an environment where music was both a source of joy and a subject of rigorous analysis. This early exposure shaped my understanding of music not only as an art form but as a living archive of human experiences, beliefs, and struggles.

As I delved into the cultural history of jazz, I became fascinated by the profound yet underexplored influence of Islam on the genre. From the 1950s onward, numerous African American jazz musicians embraced Islam as a path to self-discovery, resistance, and transcendence, yet this history remains marginal in mainstream narratives. 

My approach is rooted in both historical research and fieldwork. I aim to highlight the journeys of musicians such as Yusef Lateef, Art Blakey, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders, Idris Muhammad, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Favors Malachi, Emmanuel Khaliq Abdul-Rahim, Idrees Sulieman, Shahib Shihab, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and many others—artists who integrated Islamic philosophy into their music, transforming jazz into a vehicle for spiritual elevation and social emancipation.

Methodology & Work Plan

The research will combine archival research, fieldwork, and artistic curation to bring this project to life. My residency at Villa Albertine will allow me to:

Conduct Research & Interviews: Engage with scholars, musicians, and historians in the U.S. to document the spiritual dimensions of jazz.

Explore Archival Material: Study personal writings, recorded interviews, and rare footage of jazz legends in cultural institutions.

Develop an Immersive Program: Transform these insights into a multi-dimensional cultural project, including:

a) An exhibition featuring rare photographs, personal artifacts, and audiovisual material.

b) Live performances reinterpreting the spiritual essence of jazz through contemporary artists.

c) Conferences & debates exploring faith in artistic creation and the diversity of spiritual influences in jazz.

Ultimately, this project will bridge music, spirituality, and history, offering a fresh perspective on the role of Islam in jazz and, more broadly, on the ways in which faith can inspire artistic and political revolutions.

Why applying in the United States and which territories are chosen?

10 Local Offices support residencies

The United States provides an unparalleled landscape for my research, offering a convergence of historical, cultural, and intellectual resources that are essential for my work on the intersections of jazz and African American Muslim communities.

  • Chicago stands as a key focal point due to its vibrant jazz legacy and significant Muslim American presence. Institutions such as the Chicago Jazz Archive, the Jazz Institute of Chicago preserve critical aspects of jazz history. Moreover, Chicago is home to influential figures like Dr. Adam Zanolini, whose work with Autophysiopsychic Millennium explores the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of jazz as taught by Dr. Yusef Abdul-Lateef. By situating my research in Chicago, I aim to engage directly with scholars, communities, and institutions to deepen my understanding of the interplay between music, spirituality, and social identity.

    // DETROIT

    Detroit, another critical site for my research, boasts an extraordinary cultural and historical significance. As a city deeply rooted in Black artistic expression, it houses institutions like the Detroit Sound Conservancy (where are gathered the Graystone International Jazz Museum archives) while also serving as a hub for groundbreaking initiatives like Gathering All Muslim Artists (GAMA). Figures such as Ismaeel Dhul-Qarnayn, whose work bridges jazz, social justice, and Black Muslim identity, offer a wealth of insight into the role of music as a tool for community-building and activism. The Autophysiopsychic Millennium collective, co-led by Ismaeel and Adam Zanolini, furthers the philosophical legacy of Dr. Yusef Abdul-Lateef while challenging commercialized narratives of jazz. Additionally, Detroit’s Muslim American Society and its dynamic faith-based networks underscore the city’s importance in exploring the intersections of Islam, cultural resistance, and creative expression. Immersing myself in Detroit would enable me to collaborate with these communities, enriching the cultural and intellectual dimensions of my research.

  • New York is a crucial hub for both jazz research and the study of African American identity. The city houses invaluable archives and institutions, including The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, which preserve the deep roots of jazz and its connection to Black culture. New York was also a key gathering place for jazz legends who performed in iconic venues such as the Apollo Theatre, Cotton Club, and Village Vanguard. By conducting research here, I will be able to engage with scholars, artists, and members of the Black Muslim community to better understand how jazz and Black Muslim culture intersected within this cultural metropolis. Institutions like Humanities New York and the African American Muslim Archive further enrich my exploration, providing resources to examine how these intertwined histories continue to shape the identities and cultural expressions of Black Muslims in America.

  • New Orleans, as the birthplace of jazz, is an essential location for this project. The city represents the very origins of the genre and its deep connections to African American spirituality. With a wealth of archives, institutions, and museums, including the New Orleans Jazz Museum, the city offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural and musical roots of jazz. Conducting research here will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of the city’s profound impact on the development of this music. Additionally, New Orleans is home to a vibrant African American and Muslim community whose history and traditions are of particular interest to my project, both from a spiritual and musical perspective.

Comment:

Should an itinerant approach not be feasible, I would be equally committed to developing a research residency anchored in Chicago as an initial framework.