Joshua Draper

Joshua plays the room with his hands. As Joshua Bear he wears Mi.Mu gloves, which turn a gesture into sound, so a raised hand at the decks is not only a greeting to the floor. It is part of the music.

At SolarPunk Summit he held the golden hour on Earth Day, the Friday evening set on the main stage. From the deck he raised a gloved hand to the lawn and the lawn answered: skirts turning in the low sun, dancers on the stage and on the grass, everyone welcome on the floor. It was the hinge of the day, the moment the afternoon’s talks became bodies moving together on the land.

What we love in Joshua is that play is his practice. Grow Through Play, his improv work, treats improvisation as a path of spirituality and personal growth, and his sets carry the same spirit: live, in one take, felt in the body before it is understood. His music page names David Starfire, who also played the summit, among the artists he has shared a stage with.

To support Joshua, follow Joshua Bear, stream the mixes, bring him to your gathering, or step into a Grow Through Play circle and let yourself be seen playing.