Soul Force Podcast

From Child Soldier to Healer | Arn Chorn-Pond

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:00:00 -0500

Arn Chorn-Pond survived the Cambodian genocide by playing music for the Khmer Rouge, performing propaganda songs while people were killed around him. At just 12 years old, he watched over a million children die, including his own siblings, as the Khmer Rouge slaughtered a quarter of Cambodia's population and 90% of its artists between 1975-1979. After escaping through landmine-filled jungles and reaching a refugee camp, he was adopted and brought to rural New Hampshire, where he faced racism and isolation that nearly broke him.

Arn shares how music saved his life twice—first physically, then spiritually—and how learning to cry again became essential to his healing. Today, through Cambodian Living Arts, he's bringing music and hope to thousands of children across Cambodia with initiatives like the Magic Music Bus. This is a story about forgiveness, the universal power of music, and why we must choose love over hate.

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Bobby Bradford, 'Jazz and the new Black man' (part two)

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500

This is part two of this fascinating interview with master improvisor, composer, educator and legendary cornetist Bobby Bradford, Now 90 years old, Bobby unpacks more stories and first hand experiences on the cutting edge jazz history from the perspectives of the musicians themselves.

Bobby discusses the history of the evolving consciousness of the black man as a free artist and the evolution of the Black American voice of freedom through the art of Jazz music. We go deeper into the innovative collaborative music that Bobby made with Ornette Coleman and master clarinetist and composer John Carter in Los Angeles.

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Bobby Bradford, 'Jazz and the new Black man' (part one)

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0400

Master improvisor, composer, educator and legendary cornetist Bobby Bradford now 90 years old unpacks his stories and first hand experiences on the arc of jazz history from the perspectives of the musicians themselves.

In part one, Bobby discusses his early days, and the evolving artistic identity of the new black man and early impact of Ornette Coleman and John Carter also from Texas who he later worked with in Los Angeles. Bradford expands on the new directions of the music as linked to the historical expansion of jazz music from it's beginnings in New Orleans. He provides a cogent peak into the philosophy, psychology and social context which produced some of the most innovative music of the 20th century.

Bobby relates his own work to the legacies of Armstrong, Parker, Coleman and Coltrane as a conscious evolution of the Black American voice of freedom and art of Jazz music.

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Rev James Lawson, a nonviolent revolutionary - Holman Interviews (part two)

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:00:00 -0400

Enjoy these enlightening interviews with a living legend of American history and architect of the nonviolent movement in America. Reverend James Lawson at age 93 sharp as a tack, breaks down his personal experience, American history and contemporary outlook on issues ranging from plantation capitalism, the persistence of poverty and the American obsession with guns. Lawson shows how love in its most courageous expression, creates necessary conflict when addressing injustice.

Part Two is a continuation of a fascinating conversation unpacking Lawson's lived history of change making with a perspective that brings us up to 10 years of Black Lives Matter. Lawson compels us to consider our history and its meaning today in continuing the struggle for fulfilling our commitment to the truth of the Declaration of Independence.

To see the videos of these Rev Lawson Soul Force interviews at Holman Church in Los Angeles, go to the Soul Force website, creative content page here: https://www.soulforceproject.com/creative-content

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Diné teachings from Arnold Clifford (part two)

Fri, 05 May 2023 20:00:00 -0400

So happy to release part two of this extraordinary talk by Arnold Clifford, Diné elder from Shiprock, the Four Corners region of New Mexico. A Navajo renaissance man, Arnold's knowledge spans botany, geology, myth, spirituality. As a teacher, he is a true culture bearer of the Navajo people and carries a wealth of knowledge within the worldview of his tradition and their connection to all living things.

In this episode Arnold unpacks the Beauty Way and the legend of the Changing Woman and so much more. Elder Arnold breaks down how the Diné/Navajo worldview is connected to our health and mindset and how to connect in the world, community and family. Arnold also explains some of the links to their living culture, even attracting, communicating and interacting with animals through ceremony and song.

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The music and message of Guru Rewben, King of Naga Folk Blues

Tue, 24 May 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Enjoy this Interview with Padmashri Guru Rewben, an extraordinary artist from a mountainous region of Manipur (Northeast India, bordering Myanmar). His music is a compelling blend of the tribal Naga songs and instruments with guitar and raw sound of American folk, blues and rock n roll.

This lively discussion is peppered with musical examples and focuses around the importance of indigenous knowledge, including stories of his search to discover the traditional music and instruments of his own people, the Tangkhul. His message speaks to a number of issues as he addresses the violence and conflict of the region through his music. His message is universal for all of India and the world, with songs which lift up hope and faith in the human capacity to do good for one another.

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Diné teachings from Arnold Clifford (part one)

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 20:00:00 -0500

Arnold Clifford is an extraordinary Diné elder from Shiprock, the Four Corners region of New Mexico. A Navajo renaissance man, Arnold's knowledge spans botany, geology, myth, spirituality. As a teacher, he is a true culture bearer of the Navajo people and carries a wealth of knowledge within the worldview of his tradition and their connection to all living things. Today we will feature in part one of his talk, a bit of his extraordinary story and his connection to the Holy people and the role that a Navajo botanist plays as a medium between the plant beings and patients in need. One difference of significance is how a Native American botanist like himself takes an approach based on their worldview which is quite different from a typical western botanists, among other things.

Second part of this talk we will release in a few weeks time where Arnold unpacks some of the Navajo spirituality and traditional worldview called the Beauty Way

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Rev James Lawson, a nonviolent revolutionary - Holman Interviews (part one)

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500

Enjoy these enlightening interviews with a living legend of American history and architect of the nonviolent movement in America. Reverend James Lawson at age 92 sharp as a tack, breaks down his personal experience, American history and contemporary outlook on issues ranging from plantation capitalism, the persistence of poverty and the American obsession with guns. Lawson shows how love in its most courageous expression, creates necessary conflict when addressing injustice.

Part One is peppered with his authentic practical philosophy and socially informed spirituality as he unpacks his story over the past 80 years. Lawson compels us to consider our history and its meaning today in continuing the struggle for fulfilling our commitment to the truth of the Declaration of Independence.

To see the videos of these Rev Lawson Soul Force interviews at Holman Church in Los Angeles, go to the Soul Force website, creative content page here: https://www.soulforceproject.com/creative-content

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The Gathering: Jesse Sharps & Fundi Legohn, a 60 year legacy of healing music in Los Angeles

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Enjoy the Soul Force interview with musicians Jesse Sharps & Fundi Legohn discussing the historic spiritual lineage of creative black music in Los Angeles. Jesse and Fundi unpack this inter-generational legacy, the healing power of the art and the impact it continues to make on younger jazz musicians today. The interview is interspersed with musical excerpts from Horace Tapscott's 'Freedom's Sweet', an upcoming large ensemble release of immense importance.

Like Sun Ra’s iconic work in New York and Philadelphia and the Art Ensemble of Chicago which grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in the windy city, the Pan African People’s Arkestra of Los Angeles is due for equal recognition for their vision and contribution to creative black jazz and the unique sound that emanated from the musicians, poets and composers of this lineage.

The Gathering is a multicultural music collective founded in 2005 by composer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Sharps. The mission of the Gathering is to preserve and feature the extensive compositions of Los Angeles composers of the Pan African People’s Arkestra, of which Jesse was an early composer and soloist. Jesse worked extensively (since 1967) alongside Horace Tapscott; founder of the Arkestra and UGMAA (Union of God’s Artists and Musicians Ascension) and helped to shape LA’s own African American creative Jazz scene around Watts and South LA.

Contribute your support to the upcoming Gathering release in 2022, a historic recording of Black LA Creative Jazz: For more info visit: http://thegatheringleimertpark.com/lacpapa/

2020 will be the 60th anniversary of The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, with plans to feature several iconic works. The project includes Lester Robertson's In Times Like These and Horace Tapscott's epic The Ghetto Suite, last performed in early 70s and has never been recorded. We hope to record several additional compositions by some of the most vital and under-recognized local composers such as Jesse Sharps himself as well as Nate Morgan, Linda Hill and legendary Watts poet Kamau Daáood.

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'It's all about love' an LA legacy of activism with Father Richard Estrada

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Paul Livingstone interviews Richard Estrada who just turned 78 years young and speaks about his role working with immigrants, refugees and the nature of power in organizing in the Chicano movement. Father Richard was instrumental in the earliest sanctuary churches in Los Angeles and has been a tireless human rights activist and community organizer working with Cesar Chavez and many others at the historic Church of the Epiphany in Lincoln Heights and La Placita, the oldest church in Los Angeles. Hear a few of his life stories from saving lives in the desert to organizing street theater as creative community resistance to the de-humanizing systems of our culture.

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Bacha Khan and the ecstasy and anarchy of nonviolence

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 16:00:00 -0500

Pakistani scholar Safoora Arbab, discusses with Paul Livingstone the extraordinary legacy of Abdul Ghaffār Khān, also known as 'Bacha Khan' and the Pushtun 'Khudai Khidmatgar'. Under Bacha Khan's leadership, this movement encouraged creativity and feminism as it transformed the Pushtun cultural values of honor and courage into a radical force of nonviolent resistance.

As one of most effective anti-colonial freedom movements of the 20th century, Safoora elucidates the grassroots social roots of the largest army of non-violent soldiers in history and what it can inspire in us today. She points to the simplicity, universality and the beautiful ordinariness of non-violence in a movement which lives on in the hearts and minds of the deeply courageous Pushtun people and their struggles today.

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Martin Luther King as a Change-making Artist

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Martin King was truly a visionary artist, his mastery of the word was soaked in a musical delivery. Exploring the idea of a change-making artist that pushes culture forward, Martin was a personality who utilized traditional elements in provocative ways. Martin focused on communicating truth and inspiring others towards creative lives of love and service. This kind of artist’s work gives meaning to the present moment, makes us feel more alive, and inspires us to new heights of consciousness.

Martin’s art was his message, skillfully crafted oratory with a prophetic purpose bringing together disparate knowledge, disciplines, and insights into a cohesive vision, giving heightened meaning to the times we live in. Martin's creative impulse is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago, join us as we explore his vision of change and a life of meaning.

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