An opera in two acts with full orchestra, double chorus, and an integrated jazz ensemble with trap drums that drives its motoric rhythmic flow.  This recording is drawn from Lyric Opera of Chicago's 2007 world premiere performances.  Davis is best known for his opera "X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X".

 

"Amistad is an opera that was ten years in the making. Thulani and I first discussed the idea of making an opera on the Amistad Rebellion in 1986, after the premiere of our opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. We were drawn to the drama of the story, a successful uprising of captives on a slave ship, and the implications of the Amistad incident in an understanding of ourselves and the American experience. Through the Amistad, we could revisit the story of the Middle Passage, the contradictions implicit in the ethos of America, and also explore the emergence of the African-American as a cultural entity. Amistad is my most ambitious work to date and gave me the opportunity to expand upon what I learned from my previous operas as well as the chance to explore new musical areas."       - Anthony Davis

World premiere recordings of four recent concertos by Karl Jenkins. 

The vast repertoire of piano music of Africa and its Diaspora, which has until recently been generally unavailable, appears in myriad forms and styles, from simple to virtuosic. This compact disc brings to light compositions that may have remained in manuscript form, been out of print, or not widely circulated.  The title, Asa, is Fanti for dance as most of the music on the disc finds its roots in dance music.

 

Just when you thought it was safe to take a break from politics!  This recording is a compilation of the wax cylinder recordings made by the Democratic nominee, William Jennings Bryan and the Republican nominee, William Howard Taft, during the presidential campaign of 1908.  This race was a turning point in American politics as for the first time the voices of the candidates could be heard in cities and towns that neither candidate could have reached on their limited trains stops.