The Four Fives: History of the American Zombie

Thursday, December 5, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. (Doors at 5:30 p.m.)
San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94102 
Free and open to the public 

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) are proud to present The Four Fives: History of the American Zombie, an evocative five-song vinyl album and 20-page poetry booklet by 2023 artist-in-residence Christopher Burch, in collaboration with multi-talented musician Rasul Grayson. This project explores the absurdities and contradictions inherent in racial oppression, merging Burch's personal experiences with a rich tapestry of Black musical traditions. 

In 2023, Burch was one of four artists-in-residence selected to participate in the San Francisco Arts Commission's Artist-in-Residence program at the San Francisco Public Library. Launched in 2015, this program aims to foster partnerships with City departments, enabling artists to contribute to civic dialogue.  During his ten-week residency at SFPL, Burch spent much of his time researching historical figures and places that had significant impact on African American culture in San Francisco. As his research deepened, he became increasingly drawn to the SFPL audio archives, and in particular their collection of music that he found to be deeply resonant with themes of Black liberation, resilience, and ancestral memory. For Burch, music is personal and revolutionary—a channel for protest and self-discovery.  

Burch and Grayson met in San Francisco 10 years ago and started playing music together as The Four Fives, named after the 45 RPM record. The Four Fives: History of the American Zombie came out of years of informal and improvisational collaboration between the two and embodies the Afro-Surrealist vision of writer and cultural critic D. Scot Miller, where myth and abstraction are necessary to reclaim narratives around race, identity and freedom. Through a blend of jazz, blues, and hip-hop, Burch and Grayson craft an immersive experience that confronts deep-seated cultural injustices while celebrating the endurance of Black identity. The album and poetry booklet invite listeners into a fusion of sound and storytelling that reimagines historical struggles, pushing the boundaries with a radical vision of Black identity and endurance through the legacies of Afro-Surrealism. 

About the Artists 

Christopher Burch is an artist and educator whose multidisciplinary work spans painting, public murals and surrealist narratives to explore themes of Black cultural memory, mythology and identity. Based in San Francisco and St. Louis, Burch’s work blurs the lines between myth and reality, drawing on folklore, Black transfigurative rituals and surrealism to create vivid, layered narratives that confront life, rebirth and resilience. His public murals, made under the moniker Goya Goon, extend these themes into the community, transforming urban spaces into powerful storytelling canvases that invite reflection on shared cultural heritage and the complexities of human experience. goyagoon.com

From San Francisco, Rasul Grayson is a multi-instrumentalist who pours his soul into his primary instruments: Tenor Saxophone and jazz/ rock/ funk/ guitar, which inspires his continuous exploration of new soundscapes. 

Project Partner