#5157, "Things to Like and Not Like in America"

There’s an All-American edition of the show featuring music from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire (pictured), creative polymath Laurie Anderson, and New York band Antibalas,  

Hear a work by trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire from his record, Origami Harvest, a collection of suites addressing that which divides us. Commissioned by the Liquid Music Series and the Ecstatic Music Festival, the record features an unusual combination of instruments – rapper Kool A.D. (Das Racist), the daring new music strings of Mivos Quartet, pianist Sam Harris, drummer Marcus Gilmore, and saxophonist Walter Smith III. Hear a track called “Americana / the garden waits for you to match her wilderness” with Mivos, Kool A.D., and Akinmusire. Also, listen to music from violinist, vocalist, and composer Laurie Anderson, in her alter ego, the Voice of Authority, from her 2010 record, Homeland, which presciently illustrates a dark, despondent state of America. 

Listen to music from Antibalas, and their 2004 record, Who Is This America?, inspired by the Afrobeat of Nigerian band leader Fela Kuti. The album asks questions and delivers powerful social statements with Duke Amayo’s lyrics mentioning the indigenous people, land rights, immigration, and colonization, “as our nation continues the struggle for our collective identity in the face of a changing world”, (Ropeadope Bandcamp).

There’s also a tune (from which this episode takes its title) - "Things to Like and Not Like in America", from a collaboration by Nick Hakim and Roy Nathanson from the album Small Things, which began as Hakim read some of Nathanson's poetry which in turn inspired several chords. The record was executive-produced by Isaiah Barr of the nebulous jazz ensemble Onyx Collective. Plus, pianist Lara Downes plays Paul Simon, and more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #5157, "Things to Like and Not Like in America" (First aired 7/3/26)

ARTIST: Nick Hakim, Roy Nathanson
WORK: Things to Like and Not Like in America [1:21]
RECORDING: Small Things
SOURCE: NYXO Records / tmwrk records
INFO: https://nickhakim.bandcamp.com/album/small-things

ARTIST: Antibalas
WORK: Who Is This America Dem Speak Of Today? [11:59]
RECORDING: Who Is This America?
SOURCE: Ropeadope
INFO: https://ropeadope.bandcamp.com/album/who-is-this-america

ARTIST: Gabriel Kahane
WORK: To Be American [2:57]
RECORDING: Magnificent Bird
SOURCE: Nonesuch
INFO: https://www.nonesuch.com/albums/magnificent-bird

ARTIST: Nick Hakim, Roy Nathanson
WORK: Things to Like and Not Like in America [4:19]
RECORDING: Small Things
SOURCE: NYXO Records / tmwrk records
INFO: https://nickhakim.bandcamp.com/album/small-things

ARTIST: Laurie Anderson 
WORK: Another Day in America [11:25]
RECORDING: Homeland
SOURCE: Nonesuch 524055
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: Ambrose Akinmusire, Mivos Quartet, rapper Kool A.D.
WORK: Americana /  the garden waits for you to match her wilderness [10:39]
RECORDING: Origami Harvest
SOURCE: Blue Note Records
INFO: bluenote.com

ARTIST: Lara Downes
WORK: Paul Simon: America (Arr. For Piano by Noah Luna) [2:27]
RECORDING: This Land
SOURCE: Pentatone
INFO: https://lnk.to/ThisLand