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Islanders are being invited to a "listening party" next week to hear a "joyous" album made by prisoners at HMP La Moye.
Entitled 'H.M.P: His Music Productions', the album was the result of several workshops held earlier this year with professional musicians Thabo Mkwananzi and Fred Harper from UK charity Finding Rhythms, supported by Esther Rose Parkes from The Moving Arts Collective.
The album includes 13 tracks which span genres such as drill, rap, drum and bass, disco, rock, and acoustic.
After the album was completed in May, an official listening party took place at the prison which was attended by friends and family of the inmates, the Education Minister and the community groups and charities involved.
It was described as a "joyous occasion", with organisers explaining that attendees were "moved by the powerful lyrics and were emotionally overwhelmed as they experienced the prisoners' emotional expressions".
Pictured: The "joyous" listening party was attended by friends and families of the inmates as well as those from the organisations involved.
Aras Amiri, a Moving Arts Collective member, reflected: “For an hour, the prisoners were musicians acknowledged for their soul and creativity. This empowering response filled them with pride and transformed their sense of self.”
Feedback from prisoners was also overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing newfound confidence, hope for the future, and enhanced collaboration skills with many expressing a desire to continue making music.
One said: “This project left us more confident in our values and skills. We learned that new skills are not painful to acquire if you invest time and effort. Cooperation among us was incredible, and the bond we formed was strong.”
Another added: “Working with people from different backgrounds made me more aware of ways to deal with conflict situations. There was a lot of empathy and respect.”
Now, the album has been made available to the wider public online, and a listening party will be held next Thursday (22 August).
Pictured: The album comprises of 13 original songs written and recorded by HMP La Moye inmates.
Taking place at ArtHouse Jersey's Capital House base, it coincides with the staging of an exhibition of prisoner paintings, drawings, ceramics, photography and crochet entitled 'Inside Out', which opened this week and runs until the 25th of the month.
Reflecting on the project, the prison's Head of Education, Sanja Koppen, said the Finding Rhythms project, which was made possible with a Government Connect Me scheme grant, had "demonstrated an enormous positive impact on prisoners’ skills, behaviour, and wellbeing".
Outgoing Prison Governor Susie Richardson went a step further, describing the team as having "changed lives forever".
"The confidence building, permission to show emotion and level of relationship built between participants and with the facilitators has been palpable,” she added.
To listen to the album in full online, click HERE.
The album is also available on Spotify HERE.
Inside Out: Inmate art exhibition opens this week
WATCH: Songs of Freedom! Jersey prisoners to write and record album
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