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Of the 370,000 African-American troops that hearing these bands in Paris. served during the war, about 40,000 served in American combat divisions, many of which established Black regimental bands returned home in 1919, their own regimental bands. and went on to take American audiences by Originals storm. “We won France by playing music which Unlike traditional Army bands, the legendary New was ours and not a pale imitation of others, and York 369th Infantry “Hellfighters” Regimental if we are to develop in America we must develop 1918 Band led by Lt. James Reese Europe, entertained along our own lines,” said Europe, whose landmark troops and civilians by performing original works 1919 recordings on Pathé Records include W.C. in a ragtime style, including “Hey There!” with Handy’s “Memphis Blues”, and “Strutter’s Ball” “The war to end all wars” ended on November its infectious syncopation and high-energy flair. by Shelton Brooks, which are among the very 11, 1918, but in many ways, that date also “All of France contracted ‘ragtimitus’ thanks to first wildly popular jazz standards. marks the beginning of America’s cultural Jim Europe,” quipped fellow bandmate and singer awakening. Within the decade following Noble Sissle, who later wrote the smash hit “I’m The “Empress of Blues” Bessie Smith, another early World War I, burgeoning jazz, country, and Just Wild About Harry” along with Eubie Blake recording star, helped make a hit of “I Ain’t Got blues styles began to blossom across in their groundbreaking 1921 musical Shuffle Nobody” by Spencer Williams and Roger Graham in the nation: styles that would bear fruit Along. The 350th Field Artillery Regiment “Black 1925, but is best known for the fearless strength in American popular music for the Devils” Orchestra was another celebrated band, she expressed in compositions like “I Ain’t Gonna remainder of the century and define led by Timothy Brymn. His “Cocoanut Grove Jazz” Play No Second Fiddle”, sung here powerfully by our shared musical ethos. One of the shifts musical gears between swing, ragtime and Rhiannon Giddens. Bessie Smith was frequently few positive things to come out of this boogie-woogie, like a Rosetta Stone of jazz style. accompanied by ragtime piano virtuoso James P. horrific war was the US Army’s embrace It is no wonder that composers like Stravinsky, Johnson, an often overlooked genius of the era. of African-Americans, which despite shameful Ravel, Poulenc and Milhaud were inspired to Johnson teamed up with lyricist Cecil Mack, an treatment, ultimately created new opportunities create jazz compositions of their own after alumnus of both Brymn’s and Europe’s bands, to for all black Americans, especially musicians. compose the most famous song of the jazz age, Irving Berlin’s beloved patriotic classic God Bless Like jazz, country music has its roots in the It is always a joy to work with the remarkable Charleston, presented here as a showpiece for America, George M. Cohan’s iconic march “Over years between the wars and owes much of its musicians of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra orchestra and tap dancer Robyn Watson. There,” and Walter Donaldson’s “How Ya Gonna early pedigree to folk music and blues, typified and the exceptional artists who helped shape Keep ‘em Down on the Farm” also inspired soldiers in the artistry of Jimmie Rodgers, whose “Prairie this project from beginning to end. We are all We cannot forget the contributions to the early in both World Wars, and on this recording they Lullaby” is sung with swagger on this recording deeply touched and awed by the composers jazz scene by Will Marion Cook, who gave Duke were given richly inventive settings by arranger by Pokey LaFarge. Pokey also sings “Night Owl” and performers of a century ago whose work we Ellington his first composition lessons, and Rob Mounsey. Brilliant American composer by Herman Hupfeld, best known for “As Time Goes celebrate in this recording; their struggles and wrote the first, full-length, all African-American Peter Boyer created a new work, “In the Cause By” from the film Casablanca. The sensational brilliance inspired us in equal measure. production on Broadway, In Dahomey. “Swing of the Free”, featuring Pops Principal Trumpet Steep Canyon Rangers give us a splendid ren- Along” was not only the show’s big hit, but Robert Sullivan, to honor those thousands of dition of Irving Berlin’s “Remember” and provide served as an anthem in the Black community young soldiers whose ultimate sacrifice over the blazing ‘encore’ of “Auden’s Train”, written for two generations, including the famed one hundred years ago helped create a more by band member Nicky Sanders and frequent ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ in the Second World War. peaceful world we all enjoy today. collaborator and banjo aficionado Steve Martin, with help from poet W.H. Auden. –John Morris Russell 5. I Ain’t Gonna Play 11. In the Cause of the Free 17. I Ain’t Got Nobody Track No Second Fiddle Peter Boyer Spencer Williams/arr. Rob Mounsey Perry “Mule” Bradford/arr. Julie Spangler Robert Sullivan, trumpet Rhiannon Giddens, vocals Rhiannon Giddens, vocals Robyn Watson, tap dancer Listing 12. Prairie Lullaby Steep Canyon Rangers, vocals and bluegrass band 6. Strutter’s Ball Billy Hill/orch. Rob Mounsey Pokey LaFarge, vocals 1. “Hello Cincinnati!” Shelton Brooks/arr. Joe Price Pokey LaFarge, vocals 18. Auden’s Train 13. I’m Just Wild About Harry 2. Hey There! 7. Night Owl (bonus track) Eubie Blake/arr. Rob Mounsey James Reese Europe/orch. Timothy Berens Herman Hupfeld/arr. Rob Mounsey W.H. Auden, Steve Martin, Pokey LaFarge, lead vocals Rhiannon Giddens, vocals and Nicky Sanders Steep Canyon Rangers, backing vocals Robyn Watson, tap dancer 3. How Ya Gonna Keep ‘em Steep Canyon Rangers, vocals and bluegrass band Down on the Farm? 8. Charleston 14. Cocoanut Grove Jazz Walter Donaldson/arr. Rob Mounsey James Tim Brymn/orch. Timothy Berens Steep Canyon Rangers, vocals and James P. Johnson/arr. Rob Mounsey bluegrass band Robyn Watson, tap dancer 15. Memphis Blues 4. Over There 9. Swing Along W.C. Handy/arr. Rob Mounsey Pokey LaFarge, vocals George M. Cohan/arr. Rob Mounsey Will Marion Cook/arr. Rob Mounsey Rhiannon Giddens, vocals 16. Remember 10. God Bless America Irving Berlin/arr. Rob Mounsey Irving Berlin/arr. Rob Mounsey Steep Canyon Rangers, vocals and bluegrass band Singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens is the “Birmingham Sunday” and the Staple Singers’ co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning well-known “Freedom Highway,” from which string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, in which the album takes its name. she also plays banjo and fiddle. She began gaining recognition as a solo artist when she Giddens has performed for President Obama stole the show at the T Bone Burnett-pro- and First Lady Michelle Obama, appeared on duced “Another Day, Another Time” concert at The Late Show, Austin City Limits, Later…with New York City’s Town Hall in 2013. The elegant Jools Holland, and both CBS Saturday and Sun- bearing, prodigious voice and fierce spirit that day Morning, and she has dueted with country brought the audience to its feet that night are superstar Eric Church on his powerful anti-rac- also abundantly evident on Giddens’ critically ism song “Kill a Word” (including performing acclaimed solo debut, the Grammy-nominated the song on The Tonight Show and the CMA album Tomorrow Is My Turn, which masterfully Awards, among other programs). In 2017, Gid- blends American musical genres like gospel, dens was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant Rhiannon jazz, blues and country, showcasing her ex- and she has also received the BBC Radio 2 traordinary emotional range and mesmerizing Folk Award for Singer of the Year and the Steve vocal prowess. Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Giddens Banjo. She has performed a recurring role on Giddens’ follow-up album, Freedom Highway, the television drama Nashville, playing the role was released in 2017. It includes nine original of Hanna Lee “Hallie” Jordan, a young social songs Giddens wrote or co-wrote along with a worker with “the voice of an angel.” traditional song and two civil rights-era songs, Pokey LaFarge strives to make sense of all the reputation as a tireless, uniquely charismatic trouble he’s seen and trouble he’s been in. This live performer, winning a loyal international is the Great Why of his unending passion for fan base that regularly packs his rousing, songwriting. Each chord, each riff shades celebratory live shows. the stories he sets up in his lyrics, always in search of the purest truth within forlorn and “Americans love to reinvent themselves, but haunting melodies. you can never really get away from the place that you come from,” he says. “And in a global- The St. Louis-based singer, songwriter and ized world, I think that there are some parts multi-instrumentalist draws from a deep of our regional identity that we should hang well of American musical traditions to create onto and cherish. I do buy into that old idea of Pokey distinctively personal music that’s timeless the Midwestern work ethic, and it’s definitely rather than retro, transcending the confines something that’s been passed down through of genre in a manner that reflects the artist’s my family and something that I feel connected LaFarge openhearted attitude. to, and it influences the way I approach mak- ing music.” Incorporating elements of early jazz, ragtime, country blues, Western swing, and beyond, A musician, a storyteller, a narrator of the LaFarge has created a vibrant, deeply expres- messy, unkempt American experience…Pokey sive body of work that embodies an expansive LaFarge sits, he watches, he writes.

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