Melanie Charles: “The Lunacy of Not Believing”

As part of Make Jazz Trill Again’s year-long residency at the Center for the Arts, founder Melanie Charles will debut her newest album in an intimate, immersive performance installation examining what happens when we dedicate our lives to systems that fail to sustain us. Rooted in Charles’ experiences in jazz education, identity, ambition as a Haitian American artist, and mental health within family dynamics, the work explores belief, disillusionment, and self-worth, moving from institutional critique to a deeply personal reflection.