It was a Love Supreme Friday on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God were determined to keep the energy pointed toward possibility — even as the week’s Nebraska primary election results gave the community plenty to chew on.
“We have to make a decision,” Paul B. told viewers. “It’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today. And we’re going to change our mindsets over to something else — because it’s real easy to let your emotions take over when there’s so much to be emotional about.” It was the kind of grounding reminder that has made the show a Friday morning ritual for so many Omaha households.
Buddy the God didn’t let the election conversation pass without a pointed observation of his own. “A lot of this doesn’t matter if everybody voted,” he said plainly. “None of this — a lot of this — doesn’t matter if everybody voted.” The remark landed with the weight of a challenge, not a criticism — an invitation to show up differently next time.
From there, the conversation shifted toward something the hosts clearly hold close: the idea of building from within. Paul B. laid out what he calls the “secondary matrix” — the deeper purpose running beneath the surface of everything the show does. “On the surface we’re a couple of talking heads,” he explained, “but what we’re really trying to do is build community, build coalition, build a family of people that we can regularly talk to and come to some conclusions and get to some action.” Viewer Pops connected with the concept immediately, writing in: “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.”
That connection between mindset, music, and community set up the morning’s main conversation beautifully — because next to join the show was Dana Murray, founder and director of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), located on North 24th Street.
Murray is a South Omaha native who spent eleven years honing his craft in New York City before returning home with a vision. What began as Love’s Jazz has grown into a youth music academy, performance venue, and cultural anchor — and Murray has far bigger plans still to come. The conversation he brought to the show Friday morning was equal parts practical and inspired.
Paul B. set the table with a question he clearly feels deeply. “I’ve always called it the most important Black corner in Nebraska,” he said of North 24th Street, “and we have to be of service to it.” Murray agreed — and then got specific about what “service” actually looks like.
“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,” Murray said. “As a district you also have to have destinations — entertainment, restaurants, lounges, bread-and-butter attractions to draw people into the community. It would be great to have a hotel — then you can throw larger attractions, music festivals, conferences right in the community.”
Murray was candid about the challenges, too. He noted that North Omaha has sometimes missed its own moments. He pointed to Native Omaha Days with respect but also with honest critique, contrasting it with South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. “Look at South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo and how they champion their culture — it’s a festival that brings them together but they invite everybody,” 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, and people don’t have any problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to hear jazz music or whatever we present. That taboo about the area and its ability to be an attraction was false — we’ve proven that.”
The heart of Murray’s vision, though, isn’t just filling seats on a Friday night. It’s about what music does to a young person’s mind. “We’re not only raising musicians but, more importantly, we’re raising more critical-thinking human beings,” he said. “Not all these young kids are going to become musicians by choice — some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners — but whatever they choose to do, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.” NMA also teaches live sound, broadcast, and live streaming, with a broadcast lab where students conduct their own artist interviews. “It’s not just teaching them ‘oh you can be this,'” Murray said. “No — you can be this right now.“
The chat lit up throughout the conversation. Viewer Derek Higgins offered a simple but sincere “Congrats, Dana, and what NMA is doing,” while viewer Senator KML wrote: “Thank you, Uncle Dana. You’re changing lives in big ways. We are the students.”
As for NMA’s future, Murray made clear that the current space is just the beginning. He described a planned capital campaign — with a first phase of twenty million dollars — aimed at building a full NMA campus. He drew a direct comparison to Omaha Performing Arts and its economic impact downtown. “If you think of what it means — not only as a cultural and music entertainment entity, but as an economic vehicle that brings in forty, forty-five, fifty million dollars in revenue every year — that’s what we’re trying to build for North Omaha,” he said. The throughline of his argument was direct: “Our culture is equity. Our brilliance, our artistic genius is equity.”
NMA is currently seeking music instructors, and Murray was clear about what they’re looking for — not just technical skill, but the ability to inspire. “They don’t need us for the ‘what,'” he said. “They can go to YouTube and see anything we’re trying to teach them. The ‘why’ they’re doing it is everything.” Interested instructors can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
The morning also had its share of joy. Viewer Aeros 402 shared some personal news that brought warm energy to the chat: “On a love note, my only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.” The room, virtual as it is, felt it.
Upcoming events to mark on your calendar include NMA Fest and the Omaha Freedom Festival — both community gatherings in the spirit of everything the show talked about Friday morning. Viewer Mark Manor also flagged a can’t-miss performance: “Mono Neon is bringing one of the last and relevant connections to Prince. I saw Mono Neon a few years ago — he’s awesome. Do not miss that.”
It was the kind of Friday morning that leaves you thinking a little harder, caring a little more, and feeling genuinely glad your neighbors are out here doing the work. Tune in Monday — the conversation is always worth showing up for.
