There’s something fitting about the fact that this particular Friday on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning was declared “Love Supreme Friday.” After weeks of post-primary political talk, hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God made a conscious choice to pivot — and what followed was one of the most inspiring conversations the show has produced in recent memory.
“We’ve been talking a lot of politics for a while and it’s time to make a decision,” Paul B. told viewers as the show opened. “It’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today. We’re going to change our mindsets over to something else.” That something else turned out to be a deep, wide-ranging conversation about music, youth, culture, and the soul of North Omaha — anchored by a guest whose work is quietly doing something extraordinary on one of the city’s most storied corners.
Dana Murray, founder and director of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), joined the show to talk about what he’s building at 24th and Lake — a stretch of road that Paul B. has long held in reverence. “I’ve always called it the most important Black corner in Nebraska,” Paul B. said. “We have some history there and some legacy there, and we got to serve it. We have to be of service to it.”
Murray, a South Omaha native who spent eleven years in New York City before returning home, has taught music in Omaha for two decades. But NMA isn’t just a music school. Murray has a vision that stretches well beyond lesson plans and recitals — he’s thinking about North 24th Street the way urban planners think about entire districts. “The area that has the most history, and the one that can truly claim it is a cultural and arts district, is the North 24th Street corridor,” he said. “There are metrics for the success of any district: enough housing, places of service, parking, laundromats, eateries, gas stations — all the things any area needs to be self-sustained. And then you have to have destinations — entertainment, restaurants, lounges, attractions to draw people in.”
Murray drew a pointed comparison to how other communities celebrate and leverage their culture. “Look at South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo and how they champion their culture — it brings them together, but they invite everybody to be part of it,” he said. “One of the things I’ve tried to do was reach out and be a beacon for all of Omaha to come down to North 24th Street. People told me that was going to be very hard. But people have no problem coming from wherever in Omaha or Iowa to come down and hear jazz music. That taboo about the area and its ability to be an attraction was false. We’ve proven that.”
The chat was clearly feeling the energy. Viewer Pops connected the conversation to his own family history, writing: “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.” Later, the same viewer added simply: “I love this interview. This brother’s vibe is so cool and his intentions are admirable. First Sky loves the kids.”
And the kids really are the heart of it. Murray was careful to frame NMA not just as a pipeline for future musicians, but as a foundation for stronger human beings. “More importantly, we’re raising more critical thinking human beings,” he said, “because these young kids are not all going to become musicians. Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners — and whatever they choose to do, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.” NMA also teaches students live sound engineering, broadcast, live streaming, podcasting, and artist interviewing. “It’s not just teaching them ‘oh, you can be this someday,'” Murray said. “No, you can be this right now.”
When it comes to instructors, Murray said NMA is growing its capacity but is intentional about who comes through the door. “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 the technical side of music,” he explained. “The ‘why’ is everything.” Those interested in teaching at NMA can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
Looking ahead, Murray described an ambitious capital campaign — a first phase of $20 million — aimed at building an NMA campus that could one day function for North Omaha the way Omaha Performing Arts functions for downtown. “If we don’t monetize our culture — and 99% of the time we don’t — the rest of the country monetizes our culture for us,” he said. “The sooner we understand that our culture is equity, that our brilliance and our artistic genius is equity, the better off we’re going to be.”
The broader themes of the show weren’t limited to the interview. Paul B. introduced what he called the “secondary matrix” — the idea that community-centered work always carries a deeper purpose beneath its surface. “On the surface, we’re talking heads on a podcast,” he said, “but what we’re really trying to do is build community, build coalition, and be able to reach out to each other and take some action.” Viewer Pops connected the concept beautifully, sharing: “I experienced my secondary matrix in junior high when I took algebra. I was gaining proficiency and I noticed that I was suddenly able to think outside the box on several different levels. Music the same.”
There were lighter, warmer moments too. Viewer Aeros 402 shared a joyful personal note mid-show: “On a love note, my only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.” The kind of news that belongs on a Love Supreme Friday, if anything does.
Paul B. closed out the Dana Murray segment with the kind of send-off that summed up the whole morning’s spirit. “I want one of your students to win a Grammy out of nowhere,” he said. “I just really appreciate the kind of work you guys are doing over there, and it really has to do with the kids and art — and that’s a very Love Supreme thing.”
Hard to argue with that. Tune in Monday morning to 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning — because if this week was any indication, the conversation is always worth showing up for.
