13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic and essential, March 4, 2001
This review is from: Rhapsodies in Black (Audio CD)
"Before I was an African-American, I was a black kid living in Los Angeles who wanted to be a rock 'n roll star. Then I discovered Harlem, and ever since, I've wanted to be a Negro." Shawn Amos, remarkable young producer of this great project, writes in "Notes from a Wanna-Be Harlemite, " by way of introducing this CD set.
This is a project that is so generous, so full, and so nicely focused that all one can do is read the booklet, and listen to the readings and the music in a sort of awed appreciation - for the greatness of it. Amos was painstakingly thoughtful and careful, and it shows at every turn. The essays are informative, thoughtful, and utterly absorbing. All the poetry and short story excerpts are included, too. So it's a field day for lovers of liner-notes and lyrics.
The music is thrilling. Much of it will be familiar, some less so. (Mastering Engineer Patrick Kraus weighs in, too, in a note regarding changes in sound quality over the years.) The pieces are arranged chronologically, and sensitively. Spoken word compliments music and song. This is something that requires a curatorial sensitivity that Amos clearly possesses. My only mild gripe is that I longed for several additional seconds of silence after each of the spoken-word pieces, before the music started. The power of the poems, for example, requires a little awed silence (the listener's) afterwards. Alfre Woodard's interpretation of Georgia Douglas Johnson's gorgeous, erotically triumphant poem "I Want to Die While You Love Me," deserves those seconds of silence. After Quincy Jones' interpretation of Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," you want some extra time, too.
Eartha Kitt interprets Cuban-born Marxist poet Nicolas Guillen's "Sensemaya - Chant for Killing a Snake" and it is spellbinding.
The terrific poems and short stories that are read in this compilation were for the most part recorded by Amos himself. He crisscrossed the country, LA and NY, at least a few times to do it - taping in an attic (Branford Marsalis) and in a variety of venues. The performances are fantastic.
These four CDs knocked me out. I've listened to them repeatedly, with no loss of enthusiasm. Buy this box set - a very good value considering the high quality of the book that comes with it - if you have an interest in the fabulous sound of the Harlem renaissance, and in an artful and wonderful project.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
History in a box, January 30, 2001
This review is from: Rhapsodies in Black (Audio CD)
Wow, what a resource for history and language classrooms! That and a great look and listen besides. I'm a resource librarian for a public school system and this set doesn't stay on the shelf long enough to gather dust.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, simply amazing, July 19, 2002
This review is from: Rhapsodies in Black (Audio CD)
The quality of music and poetry in this boxed set is superlative. It's so good, in fact, that it turned me on to early jazz after a lifetime of listening to other, largely unrelated, musics. This music is the roots of much of today's contemporary jazz, pop, soul, and r'n'b, and it still sounds sensational. My only gripe would be with Rhino's overfussy packaging, in which the discs are housed in elaborate and flimsy individual holders; Rhino should take a hint from Hippo's (Universal) beautifully compact packaging for Louis Armstrong's "An American Icon" box set.
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