Fay Victor

Hey y’all, I am honored to share that there’s a feature of yours truly in the October 2025 issue of the iconic British magazine, The Wire: Adventures In Modern Music. @thewiremagazine I know it’s been in my stories and I wanted to make a proper post about it here because it’s a huge deal to do your work day in and day out and after a loooong time, someone writes a piece that grasps it all. Then write about it so beautifully. Thank you @stewfsmith for truly capturing the deep macro of what I do and why I do it. Thank to the Wire magazine for their support and for making space for this piece, especially in the 500th issue! The Wire sent a fantastic photographer, @elijahmogoli to Callicoon to photograph me for the article as well. Pretty damn cool. 🙏🏾 Buy the issue at the linktree link! Better yet, why not pick up subscription. The world is in an indescribable zone. I have a hard time finding the words to articulate the horrors, traumas and realignments I’m seeing on a daily basis. I meditate a lot, give where I can and we are organizing our space to help and house more. Having music and the ability to make things offers hope, opportunity. Let me know if you want talk more off these channels. #herbienicholssung #herbienichols #weallwegot #trinidadandtobago #freesong #treetrinicollective #soundnoisefunk #chambertrio #housemusic #solomusic #mishamengelberg #roswellrudd #billieholiday

This project started the day I became acquainted with the music of Herbie Nichols. The day I heard his music for the very first time, I was floored. I knew nothing about Herbie Nichols. I hadn’t heard anything like it yet but it was familiar too. I stumbled on a compilation of his in my then boyfriend's music collection and pulled the album out based on his face, a warm face with cerebral eyes. What would it sound like? The music I heard that day connected to my heart immediately as if it were an old friend. A few years later, I had learned House Party Starting and set it to lyrics. The words came like a flash. I sang it with my first serious band. We let go of the Nichols intro, started right on the head and used guitar instead of piano. I came out of the box wanting to find my own way with his music, not interested in an archival approach. I was going for something else. Something I didn't hear as much as I wanted to hear. Nichols' music is harmonically complex. The forms may feel strange. There has been an effort to sound out all of these elements in other projects dedicated to his music. This is important.  For example, Misha Mengelberg and members of ICP flushed out these harmonies across 10 players of brass and strings.  Misha felt that was the natural progression for Herbie’s music. Buell Neidlinger felt the same thing with his Blue Chopsticks project. My focus beyond the musical components was the joy in his music and to channel the cultural connection that he and I share, which has roots in the Caribbean, specifically Trinidad and Tobago where both our mothers are from.   Grateful to have connected to the right musicians for this work, an organic unfolding over many years with Michael Attias, Anthony Coleman, Tom Rainey and Ratzo Harris. The journey to this day was built organically, gig after gig. Thank you for your patience toward the immersion and your love of Herbie’s music. A joy to have built this world with you all. Purchase, share and listen with your heart wide open. Thank you! LINK in Bio to purchase, read the full @wsj review, or link to the FB website for more. #TaoForms #herbienichols #lifeisfunnythatway #newmusic #jazz

Making some space for my bad asssssss dad today. I woke up this morning with him on my mind. Desmond Victor was an economist who worked for the United Nations in the 1960’s while only in his 30’s, getting his BS in economics from Columbia University in 1965. Check out his appointment letters and the last slide is of the both of us in Lusaka, Zambia. He was taking me to school on his way to work. I’m 2 years old. #dads #blackexcellence #zambia

One day after Mother’s Day. I was alone yesterday. mostly forgetting it was Mother’s Day. When I remembered, I felt a sense of peace. Happiness even. For the first time, Mother’s Day was strangely beautiful. Mom, who you now know as Faith, died more than 42 years ago. Navigating Mother’s Day was fraught, year in and year out. Since SM came on the scene, I try to stay away on Mother’s Day. Grateful for the few that would post in acknowledgement of how painful Mother’s Day is for some of us. I’d feel so seen! This year, I feel good. I’m still in shock and I’m proud of myself for creating Faith, The Gift, putting the perfect ensemble together for it and making sure Faith, The Gift happened. What I didn’t know was creating and performing Faith, The Gift would almost make my Mom alive again. Those days of creation, speaking about her with the band and having conversations with many audience members who now knew her name and a little about Faith Evangeline Susannah Victor. Emotionally tough, yes. Phew. Y’all, I’ve never done anything more personal, sensitive and vulnerable in my life. For real. It was HARD. Deeply cleansing and cathartic too, though. I can now speak freely about my Mom as if she was right here. I had no idea that this sense of connection to my Mom could be a by-product of creating Faith, The Gift. It feels incredible. Yesterday, my Mom felt like she was right here. Who knew? Grateful for this vibration. Grateful for the ability to make things I believe in. Sharing amazing images here by @meredithtraux , who did a wonderful job of creating visuals for Faith, The Gift and capturing many moments in real time as well. Will share video soon. Thank you again to the @thejazzgallery and the George Wein Foundation for your generous support, making Faith, The Gift a living reality. Faith, The Gift will be at Roulette on March 17, 2027. Much more on that soon. Much love to you all. FV - voice/composer @rebekahfawn - conductor @blackearthmuse - flutes @ehrlich_marty - clarinets @chris_ryanwilliams - trumpet @jenbakertrombone - trombone @angelicasanchezpianomusic - @cellisita - cello @sean_conly - double bass #ReggieNicholson - drums

Stepping into the new… #visualquilts

Friends! Just one week since I premiered Faith, The Gift and with May upon us…Mothers are in the air for reflection in creative work. Over the past year, I’ve seen and been in projects with Kenny Wolleson, Kelly Greene and where family reflection makes deep creative work. In that light, I’m excited and cannot wait to take in @jenshyu ’s Fertile Land, Fertile Body, tonight! which is the last night to see it in person at the @thejazzgallery ! Seating is limited so get tix! tinyurl.com/fertilelandmay1 I’ll be joining in on the Livestream! Jen Shyu - composition, libretto, voice, gayageum, Taiwanese moon lute, piano, movement, raw video footage @nanawhirl - director @layalechaker - violin, voice, movement @alexandria_dewalt - flute, voice, movement @melaniedyer.viola - viola, voice, movement @elizabethkatehk - cello, voice, movement @l.esley - drums, voice, movement @teenyteenylee - writing doula @soomdawg - choreographer @mujer.rana - projection design @echengphoto - photography and iceberg video Jamie Chen - stage manager @mely.anet - digital program designer The Jazz Gallery staff - lighting & sound ⁠ Sets at 7pm & 9pm⁠ Live & Livestreamed⁠ ⁠⁠The Jazz Gallery⁠ 1158 Broadway, 5th fl⁠ (entrance on 27th st)⁠ New York NY 10001⁠ jazzgallery.org⁠

Fay Victor’s chicken pilau begins with burnt sugar. A dish shaped by movement - Persia, India, the Caribbean - layered into one pot. We couldn’t have enough of it! Check out the recipe at the link in our bio.

Had a beautiful time, for the first time at @nyc_close_up last night. We ventured into new zones. Thank YOU @lianymateo @l.esley and @michaelsarian for joining me and playing with fire! 🔥 🙏🏾 and thank you to the intimate audience that came along for the ride. 🫶🏾 By the by… Close Up is a lovely, lovely venue. Great old skool vibes, delicious food and cocktails. An absolute no agro vibrational space. So good for the music. Take care out there. The 🌍 is crazy. ❤️

Playing for the first time tonight at @nyc_close_up with a project called Jean! This project has been slowly developing via writing and performance for the last few years. Come check out this new soundworld. Pic for the algo. Check stories for tix! 🙏🏾 Featuring Liany Mateo @lianymateo - Double Bass Lesley Mok @l.esley - Drums Michael Sarian @michaelsarian - Trumpet Yours truly - Voice, Compositions 154 Orchard Street NY, NY 2 sets, 7:30 and 9:00pm

In this Life you meet some Beautiful Souls that are not just existing, but Living, Walking in their Light, Sanging their faces off, creating amazing compositions, influencing the masses, and I am BEYOND fortunate that I was able to experience her concert on Friday night. @freesongsinger you are a Shining Star!🌟 🇹🇹💜

Amazing photos of Faith, The Gift ensemble from @meredithtraux ! @thejazzgallery @blackearthmuse @cellisita @ehrlich_marty @chris_ryanwilliams @jenbakertrombone @angelicasanchezpianomusic @sean_conly @rebekahfawn #reggienicholson #blackcomposers #tributetomothers #faiththegift

This past weekend, Faith, The Gift premiered at the Jazz Gallery and it was glorious, y’all. Across two nights, beautiful friends, family, colleagues and strangers were deeply moved by my Mom’s story, the visuals by Meredith Traux and how the music moved through the eight (8) movements of Faith, The Gift. All original music and words, composed, written and orchestrated by yours truly. And it wouldn’t have sounded the way it did without the ridiculous ensemble of musicians I gathered to perform it. Oh man! A dream band. Thank you all for coming out and supporting Faith, The Gift! Thank you to the Jazz Gallery for the opportunity through the George Wein Foundation! @thejazzgallery We did it! Listen to a bit of the final movement called High Heels 👠 Faith, The Gift will next be performed at Roulette on March 17, 2027. More information on that soon. Fay Victor - voice/composer Rebekah Heller/ @rebekahfawn - conductor Nicole Mitchell/ @blackearthmuse - flutes Marty Ehrlich / @ehrlich_marty - bass clarinet/clarinet Chris Williams / @chris_ryanwilliams - trumpet Jen Baker/ @jenbakertrombone - trombone Angelica Sanchez/ @angelicasanchezpianomusic - piano Tomeka Reid / @cellisita - cello Sean Conly / @sean_conly - double bass Reggie Nicholson /#reggienicholson - drums Meredith Traux/ @meredithtruax - video, photo for Faith, the Gift This vid is recorded by @fishdreams.mus (Jochem van Dijk) ❤️🌸❤️🌸❤️ 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾