James Gordon Williams, PhD ’13, is an assistant professor of music in the Department of African American Studies at Syracuse University. As a pianist, composer, improviser and critical musicologist, Williams often collaborates with poets, dancers and experimental filmmakers. His forthcoming book, Crossing Bar Lines: The Politics and Practices of Black Musical Space will be published in March 2021 by the University Press of Mississippi. Here, he discusses the influence of history and current events on the artistry of musicians, as well as the impact of UC San Diego on his trajectory and what that impact could be for others in the future.