features Becca Stevens, Kenny Barron, Immanuel Wilkins, Melanie Dyer, Maia, Shoko Nagai, Devon Gates and more on Saturday, October 4 at Roulette Intermedium
“The M³ Festival…a music extravaganza…and a celebration of the act of collaborating.” – Vanessa Ague, I Care if You Listen
“The M³ commissions pair artists who haven’t worked together before, and at Roulette a dozen of them present work of their choice… I go primarily to learn from them, for a condensed opportunity to discover artists from around the world… one of the least stylistically predictable festivals I’ve ever attended….From a strong, exploratory opening… striking melding of Arabic tradition and modal jazz expression to the Balinese ritual and song…, the busy programs cover considerable ground.” – Kurt Gottschalk, The Wire
Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³), the groundbreaking initiative dedicated to advancing professional and artistic growth for women and gender-expansive musicians, presents the fourth annual M³ Festival 2025 on Saturday, October 4 at Roulette Intermedium, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. The event begins at 7 pm. Tickets and information are available at m3musicians.org. Early bird discounts through August 22. Digital tickets are also available.
The marathon-style event features Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Becca Stevens, NEA Jazz Master and pianist Kenny Barron, acclaimed saxophonist/ composer Immanuel Wilkins, and pioneering M³ musicians and their projects including Siren Xypher (Melanie Dyer, Mara Rosenbloom, Kyoto Kitamura), Shoko Nagai and Satoshi Takeishi’s Vortex, Vertical Sounds (Kess Southpaw, Mnisibass, Melanie Dyer), Maia & Zamonda, and Devon Gates’ Ghost Stories (Gates, Victoria Awkward, Keyanna Hutchison).
Audience members at prior M³ festivals described the event as “innovative, nourishing, forward-thinking… shocking, heart-opening, magical… dynamic, creative and vibrant… collaborative… a beautiful collective of people really supporting each other through their creative process and learning from each other…you can see that give and take through the music that they’ve created.”
The Festival will also launch the inaugural issue of M³ Magazine featuring writing from most of the artists performing at the Festival. It also includes an interview with 2025 M³ Luminary Awardee Maia who has earned renown as a longtime active member of the AACM and is giving a rare NYC performance at the Festival. The magazine springs from M³’s Anthologies of Writings which were formerly published in book format. “We wanted to create an archive of writings that takes control of the narrative with regards to underrepresented musicians. We envision it as a legacy for future generations,” say visionary M³ co-founders Sara Serpa and Jen Shyu.
Now celebrating its 5th anniversary, M³ was founded during the COVID pandemic in 2020 by Shyu and Serpa as a platform for creative risk-taking, exchange through musical commissions, peer-led mentorship, publication of anthologies, performances, festivals, and awards. In just 5 years, M3 has commissioned and supported 92 artists creating 46 new co-compositions and transforming the creative music industry around the world. “Music and art keep our imagination and hope alive, beyond the noise of social media and endless digital scrolls, providing spaces for real connection,” says Serpa. “It is more important than ever to listen, support and show up for musicians. because through them, we feel less isolated. Music embodies all that this moment holds: sadness, rage, grief—but also joy, strength, and gratitude.”
Serpa and Shyu conceived of M³ through conversations about elevating women and non-binary musicians, particularly those of color, in their global music community. Having both experienced inequities in professional opportunities and financial remuneration, limited recognition and media visibility, and isolation in their own careers, they recognized firsthand the need for greater opportunity, community and support, as well as the need for women and non-binary mentors in the music industry. “I remember at one festival, our colleague Sofia Rei whispered to us, ‘I can’t believe I’m watching this. It’s like seeing a new universe,’ meaning that she rarely, if ever, saw this magnitude of instruments, cultures, and voices of women when she first got to New York,” says Shyu. “There’s a community here working together that I didn’t have in my 20s. Sara and I were isolated like islands, but now, these artists are like an ocean, mixing together and inspiring each other and anyone who witnesses this festival.”
For M³ artists, the initiative has offered invaluable experiences and support. Says songwriter/ improviser Maya Keren, “I think it’s so beautiful what Jen and Sara have built, and I think it’s really special to be able to honor all the spirit and heart that they’ve poured into M³.” Pianist, composer, and improviser Naomi Nakanishi says, “It’s just an amazing opportunity to form really deep connections and get a chance to make really meaningful and beautiful music. It really is a community. There’s nothing like M³.”