Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell Unveil ‘We Insist 2025!’ 

Out June 13

Listen to “Driva’ Man” HERE

[Wednesday, April 9] Today, four-time GRAMMY-winning jazz luminary Terri Lyne Carrington and GRAMMY-nominated vocalist Christie Dashiell announce the release of their upcoming album We Insist 2025!, a bold reimagining of Max Roach’s 1961 album. Set for release on June 13, 2025, via Candid Records, the album pays homage to Roach’s legacy by sonically broadening the suite while staying true to its critical social justice message. Following the release of their first single “Freedom Day (Part 1), the duo shares their second single, “Driva’ Man,” a striking new arrangement that continues to resonate in solidarity with the movements of today for freedom and equality.

LISTEN HERE

Originally released in 1961, We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite was a formative protest album, created by Roach in collaboration with Abbey Lincoln and lyricist Oscar Brown Jr. The work commemorated the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation and served as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement. Recognized by the Library of Congress and cited among the most essential jazz recordings in history, its message remains as vital and urgent today as it was when it was released. Carrington and Dashiell’s reimagined version honors this legacy while expanding its sonic palette, blending jazz with influences from gospel, neo-soul, funk, Afro-Latin, West African, and blues traditions. 

We Insist 2025! is available for pre-order now, with its release just ahead of Juneteenth National Independence Day, which observes and marks the abolition of slavery and celebrates African-American history, culture and progress.

The album features an extraordinary lineup of musicians, many of whom are Candid recording artists, including Weedie Braimah, Milena Casado, Morgan Guerin, Simon Moullier, and Matthew Stevens. A special guest appearance is made by Julian Priester, the only living musician from the original recording. Together, they breathe new life into Roach’s timeless album, infusing it with the spirit of collective improvisation, meditation and joy as forms of resistance. 

Reflecting on the project, Carrington shares, “I set out to make an album that not only captures the spirit of resistance as did the original recording but also acknowledges joy as a form of protest. Maintaining joy can be an important part of being free, and the unapologetic expression of joy is a form of resistance to oppression.”

The second single, “Driva’ Man,” out today, is a swinging Afro-Latin/funk reimagining of the original track, with Dashiell’s soul stirring delivery of Oscar Brown Jr.’s poignant lyrics. The song tells a story of the enduring impact and experience of enslaved Africans. In the original, dramatic tambourine hits were often interpreted as the crack of a whip, but the 2025 version takes a nuanced approach, using a shaking tambourine, dissonant choral harmonies and a persistent ostinato to evoke tension and prompt warnings of replicating oppressive systems.

Carrington adds, “Max Roach has always been an important person and influence in my life. He was an innovator that brought the drums to the forefront in jazz—away from having just an accompanying role. He was a leader by nature—more than just in music—and helped me to see the importance of being a total musician because he composed, arranged, and dreamt up big ideas.”

We Insist 2025! is more than an album—it’s a call to action, a commemoration of resilience, and a tribute to the enduring power of music to inspire change. With its fusion of tradition and innovation, the album not only honors the past but also points toward the future of jazz as a dynamic and comprehensive art form.

LP Tracklist:

SIDE A

Driva’ Man

Freedom Day (Part 1)

All Africa

Boom Chick

SIDE B

Triptych: Resolve/Resist/Reimagine

Tears For Johannesburg

Dear Abbey

Freedom Day (Part 2)

CD & Streaming Tracklist:

Driva’ Man

Freedom Day (Part 1)

All Africa

Boom Chick

Triptych: Resolve/Resist/Reimagine

Tears For Johannesburg

Dear Abbey

Freedom Day (Part 2)

Freedom Is…

Joyful Noise

About Candid Records:

From 1960-1963, founder, A&R man, and producer Nat Hentoff recorded over 30 extraordinary albums for the Candid Records label. One cannot underestimate the breadth of these recordings - from bebop to the avant-garde, to blues. Candid sat dormant for years until Black Lion Records founder and producer, Alan Bates, bought the label in 1989. The next phase of Candid Records is happening now. Since its relaunch in 2021 the label has reissued over 30 titles to high critical acclaim. Thanks to brilliant new releases, Candid has received four GRAMMY® awards – 2024 winners the Count Basie Orchestra, 2023 winners Terri Lyne Carrington and Wayne Shorter, and 2022 winner Eliane Elias. Today’s Candid is not only committed to its legacy but looks forward to defining its future with the quality music that is synonymous with its elite heritage. Learn more at www.candidrecords.com

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES: 

Lena Wright / Shore Fire Media / lwright@shorefire.com

Matt Hanks / Shore Fire Media / mhanks@shorefire.com