It was a Love Supreme Friday on this week’s edition of 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God made sure the energy matched the name. With Nebraska primary election results still fresh and social media buzzing with political friction, Paul B. set the tone early. “There’s a lot of chatter going on on Friends of First Sky Omaha — friends breaking up, all kinds of stuff happening over politics — and that just is like, okay, well, we have to make a decision. It’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today.” And so it was.
The show opened with a nod to a handful of community wins that don’t always make the front page but absolutely deserve to. Charell Shelton took home a $52,000 diagnostic lab prize. Omaha North’s engineering program earned national recognition. And Heart Ministry Center announced plans for an upcoming grocery store on North 24th Street — a development that had the chat room celebrating. Viewer Pops chimed in with a warm memory that tied the personal to the communal: “Artists like Fats Domino used to stay at your grandfather’s home when he came to town to perform. So yes, more infrastructure for the artist around the Deuce corridor would be a godsend.”
From there, the conversation shifted to something the hosts called the “secondary matrix” — the idea that the real gift of community work often lives just beneath the surface. Paul B. put it plainly: “In Dana Murray’s case, he teaches kids music, but on the surface that’s what it is. The secondary matrix for him is to create critical thinkers — people that can go further in their fields because they have the discipline of musical training and the mind-expanding benefits of musical training.”
That idea came to life in full color when Dana Murray, founder and director of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), joined the show. A South Omaha native who spent eleven years in New York City before returning home, Murray brings both a global perspective and deep local roots to his work on North 24th Street — a corridor Paul B. has long called “the most important Black corner in Nebraska.”
Murray’s vision for the NMA goes far beyond music lessons. “We’re not only raising musicians but more importantly raising more critical thinking human beings,” he said, “because all these young kids are not all going to become musicians. Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners — whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry. It opens up their curiosity, their ability to set a high bar for themselves, and to be accountable.”
When asked what North 24th Street could and should become, Murray didn’t hesitate. “Really, the area that has the most history and the one that can claim ‘we are a cultural and arts district’ for real is the North 24th Street corridor,” he said. He laid out a clear-eyed framework: sustainable infrastructure — housing, parking, laundromats, eateries — paired with destination attractions like restaurants, entertainment venues, and even a hotel. “With a hotel, now you can throw larger attractions, music festivals, conferences right in the community.”
Murray also spoke candidly about the missed opportunities that have held the corridor back, pointing to events like Native Omaha Days as examples of cultural celebrations that fall short of their full potential. “At every opportunity, we fail at taking advantage of showcasing our culture,” he said. “I tried to reach out and be a beacon for all of Omaha to come down to North 24th Street, and people have no problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to come hear jazz music.”
His ambitions for the NMA are large and deliberate. A $20 million capital campaign is on the horizon, with the goal of building a full NMA campus. Murray pointed to Omaha Performing Arts as a model — not just as a cultural institution, but as an economic engine generating $40 to $50 million in annual revenue for its surrounding area. “We need a vehicle like that for North Omaha, and I see NMA taking up that space,” he said. “Our artistic genius is equity, and the sooner we understand that, the better off we’re going to be.”
The chat room responded warmly throughout. Viewer Senator KML offered a heartfelt note: “Thank you, Uncle Dana. You’re changing lives in big ways. We are the students.” And viewer Pops drew his own connection to the secondary matrix concept: “I experienced my secondary matrix in junior high when I took algebra. I was gaining proficiency and noticed I was suddenly able to think outside the box on several different levels. Music the same.”
For those interested in joining the NMA team, Murray noted the academy is actively seeking music instructors who bring more than technical skill to the table. “Anyone can have the X’s and O’s of teaching, but unless you’re able to inspire a young person, they don’t really have the attention span for it,” he said. Interested applicants can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
The show also touched on voter engagement and civic responsibility following the primary results. Buddy the God kept it direct: “None of this — a lot of this doesn’t matter if everybody voted.” Viewer Kimber Snipes offered a thoughtful counterpoint from her own conversations with younger residents: “What I hear the most is most of them don’t really know what to do and know nothing about the candidates. I don’t think we should be slamming people for not voting when the system is really what has caused this. I think we need to have more education and deep dive discussions.” Paul B. brought it home with a both/and perspective: “You still do for self and then you vote so it can be supported and uplifted.”
The show closed the way it began — with community, warmth, and a little joy. Viewer Aeros 402 shared a beautiful personal moment: “On a love note, my only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.” It was exactly the kind of moment that makes Love Supreme Friday feel earned.
Tune in next week for another morning with Paul B., Buddy the God, and the whole First Sky community — right here in Omaha, doing the work, telling the stories, and keeping the love loud.
