Black Earth SWAY (BE SWAY), founded by award-winning flutist Nicole Mitchell, sings liberation through the lens of Afro-Folk-Futurism. This multigenerational ensemble—featuring Nicole Mitchell (flute, electronics), Coco Elysses (percussion, diddley bow), JoVia Armstrong (cajón set, electronics), and Alexis Lombre (piano, bass)—celebrates open spirits, sisterhood, and the storytelling traditions of Great Black Music. Their performances are a joyful fusion of funk, blues, experimental jazz, and beyond, weaving ancestral memory with bold new mythologies. Together, they create music that is as liberating as it is innovative, carrying forward Chicago’s rich cultural legacy into a vibrant future.