The Black Legacy Project Returns to Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre Feb 28

For singer-songwriter and producer Todd Mack, Music in Common has always been about bridging divides. In October 2005, following the murder of his friend and bandmate Daniel Pearl—a Wall Street Journal reporter abducted and killed in Pakistan—Mack established the nonprofit to strengthen, empower, and connect communities through the universal language of music.

In the two decades since, the Atlanta-based organization’s programming—aimed at finding common ground amidst deepening social divides—has expanded significantly, notably in the form of the Black Legacy Project (Black LP). Launched in the Berkshires in September 2021, the project embarked on a two-year journey across the country and now returns to Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre on Friday, February 28, for the penultimate performance of its 2025 Black History Month tour. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show can be purchased here.

“The more divisive things get, the more critical and necessary the work becomes—it’s that simple,” Mack says, acknowledging America’s current social and political climate, which, from his perspective, should not come as a surprise. “We need to find our way back to the center, which starts with seeing one another as human—regardless of our respective ideological belief systems,” he adds, underscoring the mission of his six-member touring band since their tour launched earlier this month in Davis, California.

“People are yearning for the human connection that our shows bring,” Mack says, emphasizing that he never assumes his audience shares a single political perspective. In fact, he knows they do not. Each event begins with audience members introducing themselves to their neighbors and concludes with a community conversation—both efforts designed to acknowledge personal differences while fostering understanding.

“We are more determined than ever to meet people where they are—in as many communities as we can—to facilitate these conversations through music,” Mack says. For him, the Pittsfield performance is a homecoming of sorts. In addition to the nonprofit’s deep roots in the region, four of the six touring band members hail from the Berkshires. Musicians Bryan House and Bree Nicola, both part of the original launch, will be joined by Katherine Winston and Michael Aaron for the third Black Legacy Project event at the Colonial since the initiative’s inception in 2021.

What began as a musical tribute to Black history—created in response to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery—has since become an annual tradition. Weeklong residencies in seven cities across the country (Atlanta; Boise; the Mississippi Delta; Denver; the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas; Los Angeles; and the Berkshires) bring together artists of diverse backgrounds to record present-day interpretations of songs central to the Black American experience. The project also commissions original works to amplify calls for change. Half of the twenty-four songs recorded thus far were released on the debut album, Black Legacy Project, Vol. 1, in September 2023, with Vol. 2 slated for release later this year.

One of those tracks, “Brave Enough,” has taken on particular significance given the nation’s evolving political and cultural landscape. The song speaks directly to the idea that courage is often a prerequisite for meaningful engagement with those who hold differing beliefs.

“We’ve created such walls in our own minds [around differences],” Mack says, adding that addressing this divide is a multi-generational effort. Two of Black LP’s touring artists, Bree Nicola and Katherine Winston, became involved with Music in Common as children, as did Trey Carlisle, a co-creator of the project.

“This serves as proof that the work impacted these kids—who are now adults—enough that they want to keep doing it, which gives me great hope,” Mack says. In 2022, he and Carlisle were named CNN Champions for Change for their work with the project, highlighting its ability to harness music’s power to evoke empathy, spark collaboration, and promote dialogue.

Both a feature-length documentary and a seven-part series about Black LP are currently in post-production. Audience members in Pittsfield will have the opportunity to screen the pilot episode, which explores the project’s origins in the Berkshires.

“The Berkshires are a global destination for folks from across the country and around the world,” Mack says, adding that he is thrilled to bring the Black Legacy Project back to its roots. Since 2005, Music in Common has directly served thousands of people in more than 300 communities worldwide, bridging divides across religious, ethnic, cultural, and racial lines. For Mack, every return to the Berkshires is a moment to reflect on the organization’s mission, its successes, and the road ahead.

“This reaffirms for me that what we are doing matters. And it works.”