A capturing experience for Järva Röster, the church choir from Kista, Sweden

About seven years ago I got a stack of poems in my hand with the question; Can you compose music for some of these poems? They are written by an American life sentenced prisoner, Spoon Jackson. Two of my choir members working in the Swedish correctional system had a temporary co-worker who wrote letters to Spoon. Sure, I said, I'll look at them. After some time I started reading the poems and became completely fascinated by Spoons way of portraying the situation of the inmates - Their world and their feelings. I felt that I had to do something more to this than just composing music for a few poems. This resulted in the music work “Freedom for the Prisoners” and as a result from this work, the choir went on tour to San Francisco in the spring of 2006. Through out the tour we acquired many new contacts. Perhaps not by pure coincidence?! Through the Swedish Church in San Francisco we also got in contact with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Danville and Pastor Steve Harms, who thought we should come back on a second tour.

In May 2009 we went on a second tour to California to perform the newly composed music work, “Words of Realness”. This time, we did not only visit San Francisco but also Danville, Sacramento, Nevada City, and also performed in New Folsom and San Quentin, two of the most famous prisons in the United States. We worked with the soundSFounds Orchestra, musicians from the San Francisco Bay area.

Our first concert was performed in Peace Lutheran Church in Danville where the church, even though it was Memorial weekend, was filled and we had a very enthusiastic audience with standing ovations. This was followed by a concert in St John's Church in Sacramento with an equally enthusiastic audience. It turned out there were many Swedish-related people in these two congregations. Then the moment came where we were most tense and excited about; The concert at the high security prison New Folsom where Spoon Jackson is one of the inmates. This was a day in my life that I will never forget.

Järva Röster in the Folsom prison yard with musicians and Spoon Jackson.

The bus left Sacramento at 8 am in the morning. We were supposed to be at Folsom Prison at 9 am, 2 hours before the concert were supposed to start. When we got off the bus, all the musicians are already there at the entrance. Our contact at the prison, Jim Carlson met us when we arrived together with a very stressed out prison guard who told us several times how dangerous this visit was and that it was very important that we did exactly as we were told. There was no one of us that even thinking about doing something but this. 51 people were divided into groups of 10. Jim's first idea was that we could walk all the way to the concert site. There was however a colleague of his that was not keen on this so instead after the first security checkpoint we got on a bus to get to the second security point. The first security point was basically the same way as at the airports, the metal detector and such. We got an invisible stamp on our hands and our passport number on a green patch that should not be left or given away on the inside. At security point 2 we signed a document and they noted the time we went in and then we continued to checkpoint 3. Here they checked the passport and green patches again. After this we went through a corridor and finally out on to the prison yard where we were going to perform the concert. Since I was in the last group, everything was already prepared and set up when I arrived. Nice to have a self going choir! It turned out that Spoon was already there, greeting everyone and shaking hands with the first group of choir members when they arrived. Fantastic! We never dreamed they would allow such a thing. Spoon could move around rather freely, and even inside the area where the yellow plastic tape line marked the border between our area and the prisoners' area. We were not allowed to pass over this line from any direction.

A brief sound check then it was time to start. The time was now closer to 12.30 instead of the planned 11.00 when the concert was originally supposed to begin. 92 inmates had arrived to listen though we were told only 85 would have permission to come. Jim had warned me that he had no idea how this music work would be received and that I had to be prepared to reduce the concert if the inmates became restless. With this in my mind we started. Cheers, applause and joyful call outs after each and every piece! I wanted to somehow show my appreciation for the good reception so I made a thumbs-up several times to them. It was such a peaceful and warm atmosphere. There was no need to shorten the performance. I felt so much warm feelings and appreciation in my back while conducting and it made me so immensely happy to be part of this. Most of the inmates sat down on the grass, some were lying down and some were standing. The warden was present for most of the concert. Also some other prison managers were there. Due to their presence the guards most likely behaved differently compared to how they would have otherwise. During the piece called SAG, the atmosphere was a bit less calm because this poem speaks of “not obeying the flag”, and that “prison life is just an endless slavery”. These words were of course highly appreciated by the inmates, but not so much by the guards.

After the concert when we were on the bus between security checkpoint 2 and 1, we are told by Jim that we had experienced something quite unique. Out in the prison yard the inmates usually never sit down. They're simply afraid that they will be attacked from behind. Now they sat or lay down on the grass and enjoyed the music and lyrics with no fear. One could understand that Spoons texts spoke to them in a very special way. It was their emotional language, and one of them had written these words. To have been part of spreading some peace and self confidence felt incredible. After the concert, we had some time to say hello to the inmates on the other side of the yellow line. We had been told that we were not allowed to shake their hands, but no one took notice of this rule. We had a fantastic time talking with the inmates and they were very grateful for what they have just experienced. It never appeared dangerous or threatening although we knew bad things can of course happen. The guards also seemed relaxed and if they, if anyone, are experts knowing whether if the situation could become dangerous or not. Going back out from the prison meant the same procedure as going in which meant that I ended up among the last to leave. Spoon was standing in a steel net-cage with his hands on the net looking out at us. Lena, my wife, walked over to him, put a hand on his heart and asked: How do you feel now?! He said: Today I'm not in prison! Then you understood, from Spoon's point of view, that he could not be happier than that. At 3 pm, we finally came back out and went in to our own bus. We had then spent 6 hours at the New Folsom prison with only water to drink. Jim came out to the bus and thanked us all. What had we actually experienced? I tell you it’s really not possible to neither comprehend nor describe.

After a short lunch break in Folsom city for 20 minutes, we continued to Nevada City and the Miners Foundry where we performed with a live radio concert for the radio station KVMR at 8 in the evening. The concert at San Quentin the day after was highly appreciated as well and the inmates there were also deeply touched.

Säfsten Stefan, conductor