It was a Love Supreme Friday on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God made sure the energy matched the intention. Before diving into the morning’s main conversation, Paul B. set the tone with a deliberate shift in focus. “We have to make a decision,” he told viewers. “It’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today. We’re going to change our mindsets over to something else.” And change it did — from a brief reflection on Nebraska’s recent primary election results to one of the most inspiring community conversations the show has hosted this season.
The primary was still fresh on everyone’s mind, and the hosts didn’t shy away from the civic questions it raised. Buddy the God pushed back gently on any sense of helplessness, noting, “We got to do both. We got to build our own ecosystems and continue to do the things that we’re about to talk about. But in the long run, we do got to figure this out as far as a nation.” Viewer Kimber Snipes echoed that call for nuance in the chat: “I’ve been having conversations with people between the ages of 20 and 35. 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.” It was a sentiment that landed — and the show leaned right into it.
Then came the guest the chat had clearly been waiting for. Dana Murray, founder and director of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), joined the conversation, and the energy in the room lifted immediately. A South Omaha native who spent eleven years in New York City before returning home, Murray has built NMA — formerly known as Love’s Jazz — into a youth music academy and performance venue on the storied North 24th Street corridor. Viewer Pops summed up the feeling in the chat simply: “I love this interview. This brother’s vibe is so cool and his intentions are admirable. First Sky loves the kids.”
Murray didn’t waste a moment getting to the heart of what drives his work. When asked about the role of the arts in the community, he was both philosophical and pointed.
“The arts are the core of who we are as people — definitely as black people. There’s very little talked about the social, people development, healing that has to happen to even take advantage of all the opportunities. A lot of that is unquantifiable, which as an artist, as someone who has lived their life as an artist and knowing the power of that, a lot of my agenda has been wrapped around shining light on the things that you really can’t see but are there.”
Paul B. connected Murray’s mission to a concept he calls the “secondary matrix” — the deeper purpose beneath the visible work. “Everything that we do has a secondary meaning, a deeper meaning,” Paul B. explained. “Dana Murray teaches kids music — that’s the surface. But the secondary matrix is to create critical thinkers.” Murray agreed wholeheartedly, noting that while NMA is raising musicians, it’s more importantly raising better human beings. “These young kids are not all going to become musicians,” he said. “Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners. Whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.”
The conversation turned to the future of North 24th Street — what Paul B. has long called “the most important black corner in Nebraska.” Murray painted a vision that was both grounded in reality and boldly ambitious. He described the corridor as a place with unmatched cultural history, but one that hasn’t fully leveraged what it has to offer — particularly when it comes to drawing in the broader Omaha community.
“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, and people have no problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to come down North 24th Street to hear jazz music.”
His vision for NMA’s future is nothing short of transformational. Murray spoke of a planned capital campaign — with a first phase of $20 million — aimed at building a full NMA campus that could serve North Omaha the way Omaha Performing Arts serves downtown, generating tens of millions in economic activity while anchoring cultural identity. “Money is not our issue in North Omaha,” he said firmly. “It’s transformative ideas that are going to allow us to be not only sustainable but gainfully active. The sooner we understand that our culture is equity, that our brilliance and artistic genius is equity, the better off we’re going to be.”
The personal history in the room deepened when viewer Pops dropped a remarkable note in the chat: “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.” It was a reminder that the legacy being discussed isn’t abstract — it lives in families, in homes, in memory.
The show also made room for celebration. 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 Fridays feel like more than a broadcast — it feels like a community gathering.
For those interested in getting involved with the North Omaha Music Academy — whether as a music educator, a donor, or simply a supporter — Murray encouraged reaching out directly to him at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or to his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
It was the kind of Friday morning that leaves you a little more hopeful than when you woke up. Join Paul B., Buddy the God, and the whole First Sky family back on the air Monday morning — you won’t want to miss what’s next.
