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 in the room matched the occasion. Fresh off a Nebraska primary election that had the community buzzing — and not always in the most productive ways — the two made a conscious choice to steer the conversation toward hope, action, and the real work happening right here in Omaha.
“We have to make a decision,” Paul B. told viewers early in the show. “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 keeps the 1st Sky community coming back every morning.
Buddy the God didn’t shy away from the election conversation, though. He cut straight to the heart of it when it came to voter turnout. “None of this really matters if everybody voted,” he said. “The level of rhetoric, complaints, arguments, propaganda, keyboard warriorship — it doesn’t compare to what kind of change you can actually make.” The chat room echoed the sentiment. Viewer Mama God put it plainly: “People say they want younger leaders, but are they prepared to donate their vote? Low to average turnout even when Spivey, McKini, Kimra, Wayne, etc. are on the ballot.” And viewer Kimber Snipes offered a more sympathetic lens, noting that in 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,” adding a call for more education and “deep dive discussions” rather than shaming non-voters.
Paul B. also shared a post from community member Raquel Henderson that landed with quiet force: “Posting on Facebook is not enough. Awareness without action changes nothing.” It was the kind of line that needed no commentary.
From there, the show pivoted to something that felt like a direct answer to all the hand-wringing — a conversation with Dana Murray, founder of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), formerly known as Love’s Jazz, located on North 24th Street. A musician and educator originally from South Omaha, Murray spent eleven years in New York City before returning home to build something lasting for the next generation.
Paul B. set the stage beautifully before Murray ever said a word. “I’ve always called it the most important Black corner in Nebraska,” he said of the North 24th Street corridor. “We got to serve it. We have to be of service to it.” Murray didn’t disagree — and he came armed with vision and specifics.
“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,” Murray said. He spoke frankly about what it takes to make a district truly self-sustaining — housing, parking, laundromats, eateries, gas stations — and then what it takes to make it a destination: entertainment, restaurants, attractions, and yes, even a hotel. “With a hotel, you can throw larger attractions, music festivals, conferences right in the community,” he said. “The X’s and O’s have to make sense.”
Murray was equally candid about what has held North Omaha back. He spoke lovingly but critically about Native Omaha Days, calling it “a failed opportunity to showcase our culture because it doesn’t invite the rest of Omaha to partake in what we have to offer.” He pointed to South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo as a model — a cultural celebration that throws its doors open to everyone. His own approach at NMA has followed that same philosophy. “People told me that was going to be very hard,” he said of drawing audiences from across Omaha and even Iowa to North 24th Street for jazz. “People have no problem coming from wherever they are 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.”
At its core, NMA is a youth music academy and performance venue — but Murray’s ambitions reach far beyond music lessons. He described a vision reminiscent of what Omaha Performing Arts means to downtown: an economic and cultural engine. “If you think of Omaha Performing Arts and what it means to downtown — not only as a cultural and music entertainment entity, but as an economic vehicle that brings in $40 to $50 million in revenue every year — that’s what we want to be for North Omaha,” he said.
Paul B. captured the deeper mission with what he called the “secondary matrix” — the idea that teaching kids music is the surface, but building critical thinkers is the real work. Murray agreed wholeheartedly. “These young kids are not all going to become musicians,” he said. “Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners. Whatever they choose to do, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.” That includes teaching kids live sound engineering, broadcasting, podcasting, and even how to interview visiting artists — all happening right now inside NMA’s broadcast lab. “So it’s not just telling them, ‘Oh, you can be this,'” Murray said. “No, you can be this right now.”
He also spoke passionately about music history education — not as a series of names and dates, but as context that sparks connection. “We’re teaching who Victor Lewis was, why he’s one of the most recorded jazz drummers in history. If you give kids context, they connect the dots for themselves.” The chat room felt it. Viewer Senator KML wrote simply, “Thank you, Uncle Dana. You’re changing lives in big ways. We are the students.” And viewer Pops added warmly, “I love this interview. This brother’s vibe is so cool and his intentions are admirable. First Sky loves the kids.”
Looking ahead, Murray revealed plans for a major capital campaign — with a first phase goal of $20 million — aimed at building a full NMA campus on the North 24th Street corridor. “What we have to sell in most Black communities is our culture,” he said. “The sooner we understand that our culture is equity — that our brilliance, our artistic genius is equity — the better off we’re going to be.” He also put out a call for music instructors who not only know their craft but can inspire. Interested educators can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
The show closed the way the best Love Supreme Fridays do — with gratitude, community, and a little warmth to carry into the weekend. Viewer Arrows 402 (Mary Sanchez) shared some beautiful personal news: “My only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.” The whole chat room seemed to exhale with her.
If this episode was any indication, the work happening on North 24th Street — and on this show — is very much alive and building toward something. Don’t miss what’s next. Join Paul B., Buddy the God, and the whole 1st Sky community Monday morning, right here on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning.
