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In the spring of 2018, the Library of Congress hosted the talented composer, bassist, and vocalist Esperanza Spalding. The concert featured the premiere of the Library Commission for piano and violin "Accompania me me me ment," performed by Ms. Spalding at the Coolidge Auditorium. Later in 2019, the Library presented saxophonist Benny Golson and photographer Art Kane's son, Jonathan Kane, to talk about the iconic "Harlem 1958" photograph.
We hope this edition of the Pick of the Week inspires you to learn more about Esperanza Spalding, the history behind the iconic "Harlem 1958" photograph, and the contributions of Black Americans to the music and culture of this great nation.
Esperanza Spalding
May 4, 2018
A luminous artist with a magnetic stage presence and brilliant chops as an improviser, composer, bassist, and vocalist, Esperanza Spalding is grounded in jazz traditions but never bound by them. Her visionary, "funky yet cerebral" (Downbeat) musical voyages and performances with partners ranging from Herbie Hancock to Prince have won her four Grammy awards and a worldwide fan base. This exhilarating evening features Spalding's new violin and piano commission from the Library. She is joined by Olivia De Prato, violin; Leo Genovese, piano; and Francisco Mela, drums. Program: Esperanza Spalding: "Accompania me me me ment" (McKim Commission).
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Art Kane: Harlem 1958
October 29, 2019
A handsome new art book marks the 60th anniversary of Art Kane's iconic "Harlem 1958" (also known as "A Great Day in Harlem"). The photograph is a glimpse of jazz history documenting a now-legendary gathering of 57 jazz artists on the steps of a Harlem brownstone. Larry Appelbaum talks with the photographer's son Jonathan Kane and saxophonist Benny Golson, one of two living musicians captured in this eloquent image.
“Not only is this photo important to the people in it, but it should be a reminder of where we need to be: together” (Quincy Jones).
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The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. READ MORE
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