Chila Nathi presents Joy Guidry: A Listening Party + Improvisatory | 21 Nov 2025
An intimate listening party and Q&A with Joy Guidry, hosted by Tej Adeleye, followed by live music with special guests SHABAKA, Kwake Bass, and Dwayne Kilvington (Wonki Logic). Across the evening, they explored Joy’s creative process and the inspirations behind Five Prayers.
About
In the liner notes for Five Prayers, writer Kehinde Alonge asked: What is the sound of a prayer?
In Joy’s own words:
“Five Prayers came from a place of my body that I hadn’t explored in a few years in my music. When writing this album, I constantly heard the earth rumbling between my feet and passing through my nervous system. I wanted to paint a world with many harmonies, infinite peace, serenity, and honesty.
This project came at a very tumultuous time in my life. While navigating one of the most challenging mental health episodes in my adult years, I began to pray in new ways. These prayers came in the form of sonic meditations and poetry, and they embraced more silence and solitude.”
The event featured an intimate listening party and Q&A hosted by Tej Adeleye, followed by live music with special guests SHABAKA, Kwake Bass, and Dwayne Kilvington (Wonki Logic). Across the evening, they explored Joy’s creative process and inspirations, including Alice Coltrane, Jazmine Sullivan, and Cleo Sol. They also discussed Joy’s relationship to spirituality as someone who grew up in the church, and how she used music and poetry as meditative and grounding tools to support her mental health.
Artist Biography
Joy Guidry
Joy Guidry is a bassoonist, versatile improviser, performance artist, and composer of experimental, daring new works that embody a deep love of storytelling; Joy’s music channels her inner child in honor of their ancestors and predecessors. The San Diego Tribune has hailed her performances as “lyrical and haunting…hair-raising and unsettling.” Joy was born in Houston, Texas, into a creative family that has shaped who she is today.
Joy is the founder of Jaid Records, which is a record label that focuses on experimental ambient music, free jazz. Jaid Records was founded in October of 2024, and currently has released her third album Titled Five Prayers.
Joy has presented her original work at The The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum for American Art, Hauser & Wirth, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, The Kitchen, Redcat, among many other venues. She has been commissioned by The National Sawdust, Long Beach Opera, JACK Quartet, Gaudeamus Festival, and the I&I Foundation. Joy has been featured in festivals like the La Biennale di Venezia, Banlieues Bleues festival, A'Larme Festival, Cologne Jazz Week, Dripping Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Big Ears Festival, and many more. Joy Guidry is the winner of the 2021 Berlin Prize for Young Artists. She is currently playing on a Heckel Bassoon number 6101.