Celebrate Black History Month With NPR’s Wade In The Water

Plus, new music from Tame Impala, Jason Isbell and more.

NPR In 1994, NPR and the Smithsonian produced Wade In The Water, a 26-part documentary radio series that celebrates the history and legacy of the African-American sacred music tradition. Last year, NPR Music made the shows available online to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this award-winning project. The Rev. Wyatt T. Walker summed up the subject’s magnitude in the first episode: “There is no music born in America that does not have the influence or imprimatur of [the] Negro spiritual as we know it.” The documentary itself was groundbreaking in its own right; its senior leadership team — helmed by the series’ creator and host Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon — was almost entirely African-American women, a rarity these days, let alone in the early 1990s. Thanks to that diverse and talented team, African Americans across the nation heard stories about the culture and history of our music on public radio — in our own words. We invite you to celebrate and learn more about African-American sacred music and traditions, and how they shaped soul, jazz and R&B. We don’t expect you to listen to all 26 Wade In The Water episodes during Black History Month — but it’s a great time to start. Listen now on NPR.org. — Suraya Mohamed   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Featuring Joseph Shabalala, the singer who created the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and brought Zulu singing to a worldwide audience, died earlier this week. He was 78.  As the only solo artist to win the Grammy for record of the year two years in a row, Roberta Flack helped usher in an enduring style of R&B. As critic Ann Powers argues, to fully acknowledge her importance is to rethink the presumptions that have haunted popular music for as long as she's been making music. James Taylor is looking back. In a new audio memoir out later this month, he revisits some of his earliest memories, including his turbulent struggles with addiction. And on his album American Standard, also out Feb. 28, Taylor takes on the American Songbook tunes of his childhood.  Instead of roses and chocolate hearts, All Songs Considered opted for musical dedications. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked some of our favorite artists — including Torres, M. Ward, Phoebe Bridgers, Perfume Genius and Waxahatchee — to name the love songs they wish they’d written. From Kate Bush to The Cure, we loved hearing their answers. New Music It’s been five years since Tame Impala released Currents, and this week, Kevin Parker returns with The Slow Rush. Critic Tom Moon says it showcases Parker’s elevated craft and singular sonic euphoria. On this week’s All Songs Considered New Music Friday, we cover Tame Impala, plus Monsta X’s play for global dominance, psychedelic soundscapes from the Heliocentrics, garage rock courtesy of Beach Bunny and more. Good news, Jason Isbell fans: This week, the former Drive-By Trucker announced the follow-up to his Grammy-winning 2017 record, The Nashville Sound. His new album, Reunions, is out May 15. Hear the first single, “Be Afraid,” now. Collectively the members of Coriky — that’s guitarist Ian MacKaye, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Amy Farina — represent D.C. punk history. The trio will release its self-titled debut on March 27 through Dischord Records. If Valentine’s Day has you feeling some kind of way, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram gets it. Hear the guitar phenom’s update of late bluesman Michael “Iron Man” Burks’ anti-love ballad “Empty Promises.” Tiny Desk Kisha Ravi/NRP Debuts like Baby Rose's To Myself don't come out every day. To truly appreciate what the R&B up-and-comer achieves on that album, you simply have to see her perform those songs live. And at the Tiny Desk, her voice, unadulterated and weathered, felt utterly otherworldly.   We’ve admired the deeply moving music of singer-songwriter Laura Stevenson for years. At the Tiny Desk, her simple acoustic set-up was transformed when we commissioned string arrangements for three songs from her latest album, The Big Freeze. But that arrangement wasn’t the biggest delightful surprise: then came the first-ever Tiny Desk concert proposal. One More Thing Waffles, friends and Tiny Desk concerts. Just because Feb. 13 has come and gone doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Leslie Knope's favorite holiday. — By Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music! You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy