New Worlds
Kevin Le Gendre presents a special edition of J to Z exploring jazz, Afrofuturism and beyond with guests Nicole Mitchell, Theo Croker and William Parker.
Kevin Le Gendre presents a special edition of J to Z exploring jazz, Afrofuturism and beyond with special guest Nicole Mitchell. Playing cosmic tracks by Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane and others, Kevin investigates why so many jazz musicians have used music to travel the space ways, embracing futuristic sounds and alternate realities.
Later in the programme, Nicole, a visionary flautist and composer known for her tributes to science fiction writer Octavia Butler, shares some of her own favourite Afrofuturist tracks. They include a healing, meditative work by Nala Sinephro, music by Moor Mother that Nicole sees as "pleasure activism", and a radical statement from Jimi Hendrix who 鈥渢ook the blues to outer space".
Elsewhere, we hear the voices of other prominent Afrofuturists, including bassist William Parker, trumpeter Theo Croker, Octavia Butler (whose groundbreaking Afrofuturist novel Parable of the Sower was published 30 years ago this year) and Sun Ra himself.
Produced by Thomas Rees & Makeda Krish for Somethin鈥� Else
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Music Played
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Sun Ra Arkestra
Space Is The Place
- Space Is The Place.
- Impulse! Records.
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Sons of Kemet
The Long Night of Octavia Butler
- Lest We Forget What We Came Here To Do.
- Naim Jazz.
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William Parker & Hamid Drake
Gilmore's Hat
- Corn Meal Dance.
- AUM Fidelity.
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Alice Coltrane
Galaxy In Turiya
- World Galaxy.
- Impulse!.
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Theo Croker
LOVE QUANTUM (Soliloquy)
- LOVE QUANTUM.
- Sony Music.
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Seed
The Dreamkeeper (feat. Cherise Adams鈥怋urnett)
- Driftglass.
- Jazz Re:freshed.
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McCoy Tyner
Song of the New World
- Song of the New World.
- Milestone Records.
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Nicole Mitchell
Dance of Many Hands
- Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds.
- FPE Records.
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Nala Sinephro
Space 5
- Space 1.8.
- Warp Records.
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Moor Mother
Golden Lady (feat. Melanie Charles)
- Jazz Codes.
- Anti-.
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Ren茅e Baker & Chicago Modern Orchestra Project
My Mysterious Cloud
- Where.
- Self Released.
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Jovia Armstrong & Eunoia Society
Breathe
- The Antidote Suite.
- Black Earth Music.
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Tomeka Reid
Imagist Theme (revised)
- Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists OST.
- Corbett vs Dempsey.
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Jimi Hendrix
Star Spangled Banner
- Live at Woodstock Music and Art Fair, August 18, 1969.
- Sony Music.
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Don Cherry, Tommy Koverhult, Maffy Falay, Okay Temiz, Tage Siven & Tommy Goldman
Utopia and Visions
- Organic Music Society.
- Caprice Records.
Broadcasts
- Sat 29 Oct 2022 17:00麻豆约拍 Radio 3
- Sat 26 Aug 2023 17:00麻豆约拍 Radio 3
- Sat 27 Jan 2024 17:00麻豆约拍 Radio 3