Keep the City Calm is a passion project of Dr. Martinez, a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist. This is a grassroots initiative born in Los Angeles during a time of rising tension and civil unrest. Our mission is simple but powerful: to introduce calming jazz music into the nighttime cityscape, gently transforming public emotion through sound.
At its core, this project is about creating a peaceful sonic backdrop in neighborhoods likely to experience protests, demonstrations, or unrest. Whether played from a home balcony or carried by demonstrators through the streets, our curated jazz selections aim to promote tranquility, reduce confrontation, and restore calm to the urban environment.
Los Angeles is our starting point—a city rich in diversity, creative spirit, and history of activism. With recent events prompting widespread demonstrations, we saw a unique opportunity to test whether peaceful, melodic sound could modulate tension in real time.
This is not a formal research study, but rather an observational effort powered by volunteers. Participants submit simple reports before and after playing music, allowing us to look for patterns and possible impacts when paired with public data like police reports and emergency calls.
While the project began in LA, we believe the concept has the potential to resonate far beyond. Any city facing unrest could benefit from citizens choosing music as their message. We hope that with time, data, and participation, Keep the City Calm becomes a national—and even global—symbol of peaceful resistance.