Follow the Drinking Gourd

Roots Music - The African American Influence in the Concert Hall

The Unknown Harriet Tubman

Titans of Song - A Musical Tribute to Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson

On The Freedom Trail

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ROOTS MUSIC

The African American Influence in the Concert Hall

               So much music composed in our time is based on traditional African American forms that you can hardly attend a concert   nowadays without hearing the influence. In this intriguing program for voices and piano, Follow the Drinking Gourd will sample the musical abundance that’s grown from these amazing roots. 

               We’ll perform spirituals in all kinds of inventive arrangements – as virtuoso piano pieces, in gospel-tinged vocal settings, in music with a rock beat. Then the group will show how the power and emotion of the blues inspired composers like Harold Arlen (“The Wizard of Oz”) and George Gershwin to write in this style, and follow up with new spins on ragtime and classic jazz.

To arrange for shows, contact Diane Goldsmith at dgoldsmith1@msn.com or call 609-505-1248.