Destiny Muhammad is not only a composer, harpist, vocalist and band leader, but also a storyteller who is coming to campus at the end of the month. Through her Celtic to Coltrane genre, her music blends jazz, celtic music and often gives tribute to the late American jazz musician Alice Coltrane. During live performances with her band Destiny Muhammad Trio, she integrates verbal storytelling to highlight themes of social justice. “She has phenomenal storytelling skills, which she uses to frame the music’s often spiritual and ancestral background,” senior Design major El Wright said.
With the support of the Associate Dean of Social Studies Dr. Stephanie Sears and the Honors College, Destiny Muhammad Trio were able to come to campus last fall to perform for Media Studies Professor Teresa Moore’s Honors Forum Jazz Roots & Shoots class. Additionally Professor Pascal Bokar Thiam’s Jazz and Social Justice class joined, as the trio discussed social justice while showcasing their jazz.
Destiny Muhammad Trio consists of Leon Joyce Jr playing drums and percussion, Arthur “Chico” Lopez on the upright bass and Destiny Muhammad as harpist and composer. The trio’s new album “The Destiny Muhammad Trio v. 2” showcases both original compositions, as well as tributes to Dorthy Ashby who pioneered the jazz harp in the 50s. Their upcoming performance is set to feature tributes to Black, female jazz harpists like Ashby and Coltrane, as the group is known to highlight jazz and social justice figures. “[Muhammad] also told us the history behind some of her songs…The song “Awareness” itself was very beautiful and had a clear naturey feel to it, connecting her sound to some of her overarching themes of spirituality and consciousness,” Wright said. This song is a dedication to Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American male who was fatally shot by neighborhood watch patrol while walking home from a convenience store in 2012.
Muhammad wanted to present her work to all students this semester, and will be returning with the trio for a concert free to all USF students. This year’s concert will be held on March 23 in the Lone Mountain Handlery Room as the spring 2026 J. Paul Getty Distinguished Visiting Artists. The event is presented by the Honors College and Performing Arts and Social Justice program. Not only will live jazz be featured, but their signature elements of storytelling will be showcased.
The Honors College’s theme for 2024 to 2027 is Listening. The program believes that the art of listening is a reminder of our interconnectedness to one another, as well as nature, history and spirituality. The classroom discussions in the program embrace this theme and incorporate all of the dimensions of listening. “Listening, the Honors College theme this year, is central to the Jazz Roots & Shoots class. Jazz musicians have much to teach us about being present, paying attention, improvising and working together to create meaningful music. The Destiny Muhammad Trio exemplifies this beautifully,” Moore said, who is Foghorn’s faculty advisor.
Jazz was born out of blues and ragtime music in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and originated in New Orleans, a port city with a blend of Creole culture and African traditions. Jazz became a form of protest early in its creation with key figures such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington using music to talk about racism in America. Destiny Muhammad Trio continues this jazz tradition by honoring jazz artists that came before them and bringing these themes to the forefront of their show. “They used music as a form to get their message out there. I think that is incredibly powerful because sometimes when people don’t listen to words they listen to music,” said sophomore computer science major Georgia Lill.
Lill said that Muhammad defined social justice during the private concert as “the right to wealth, health, well-being, opportunity, and justice.” She went on to talk about how the music that followed was so powerful that it moved her to tears. For Lill, she has always felt connected to music because she has a background playing baritone saxophone in jazz band and clarinet classically. “It was one of those things you couldn’t really put words to, but you could just tell it was important. You could tell how passionate it was,” Lill said.
When playing together, Destiny Muhammad Trio flows off one another’s rhythm as they all have a deep understanding of each other musically. “They didn’t even need words to communicate; they moved like a single musical unit. In fact, all of the performers had their eyes closed at some parts because they were all so in tune with their instruments and each other,” Wright said.
The Destiny Muhammad Trio provides a unique, immersive experience to audience members that exposes them to the power of music as a tool for change and awareness.
Destiny Muhammad Trio will perform in Lone Mountain Hadley Room on March 23 from 4:45 to 6:25pm.
