Welcome to the February 2019 issue of Black Grooves, sponsored by the Indiana University Archives of African American Music and Culture. In honor of Black History Month, we’re featuring projects that explore different perspectives of Black life through music.
Jazz-oriented releases include Wadada Leo Smith’s Rosa Parks: Pure Love, an oratorio commemorating the civil rights icon; Mark Lomax’s 400: An Afrikan Epic is a suite marking the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade; Marcus Strickland Twi-Life’s People of the Sun sonically traces the African Diaspora from the past to present; Vivian Sessoms’s Life is the first of a two-part project about the Black experience in America; Etienne Charles’ Carnival: The Sound of a People Vol. 1 celebrates the music of his native Trinidad; and Chicago bassist Pennal “PJ” Johnson combines genres on Pickup Groove.
Classical releases include two albums from Chicago’s Cedille Records: Rachel Barton Pine’s Blues Dialogues explores 12 works by Black composers that incorporate blues idioms; and Sisters in Song is the first collaboration between world-renowned American sopranos Alyson Cambridge and Nicole Cabell.
Gospel releases include the highly anticipated box set/hardcover book Gospel According to Malaco: Celebrating 75 Years of Gospel Music, Joshua’s Troop’s new album Another Chance, and Black from Christian rapper Mr. Del. Other rap releases include Chicago poet Mykele Deville’s Maintain, and Ice Cube’s Everythangs Corrupt.
Also included is the debut album Don’t Tread On We! from the black punk rock band The 1865; The Bookends from blues-rock guitar virtuoso Eric Gales; Siltane from Haitian/Creole artist Moonlight Benjamin; and Malian singer Salif Keita’s Un Autre Blanc that elevates awareness of the persecution of Africans with albinism.
Wrapping up this issue is our list of January 2019 Black Music Releases of Note.