Brian Jackson

Shade

WELCOME TO SERIES NINE!

This is my end of year series! New episodes will be released each weekday, between Dec 13-21. Inspired by the Black radical tradition of the harmony between the lyrical and visual. I am joined by friends (artists, dancers, photographers, musicians) to explore the musical influences that inspire their work. We also look to the people, real and imagined, familial and ancestral who guide them. Get ready to be inspired!

Today I am delighted to introduce a special episode, with my friend the musician Brian Jackson. You may know Brian's work from his partnership with Gil Scott-Heron, together they made ten albums over an eight year period, including Pieces of a Man and Winter in America.

Time and time again that music has found its way onto over 100 cuts like Common's The People (from We Almost Lost Detroit) and Kendrick Lamar's Poe Mans Dreams (from Peace Go With You, Brother). Brian is still building with artists as diverse as Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Midnight Hour, A Tribe Called Quest) to the vocalist Gregory Porter.

I started by asking Brian about Langston Hughes, and how his legacy brought he and Gil together, where they followed in the footsteps of not only Langston Hughes but also Thurgood Marshall, Kwame Nkrumah and Oscar Brown Jr. Brian says in our conversation:

”It [Lincoln] just seemed like a logical place for me to continue my journey into Afrocentricity.”

"Gil used to call our songs, our albums, survival kits on wax. And, you know, that's just another way of looking at the Griot tradition. Because, it was his responsibility to heal the community. It's spiritual work."

"I'm gonna tell you Lou, before it's all over, I'm gonna do a Christmas album. What you think about that?!"

Please share and review this independent show. Thank you!

ENJOY!

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Brian Jackson NYTimes

Pieces of a Man Podcast

This is Brian Jackson

Jazz Is Dead

This series was produced and hosted by Lou Mensah

Music King Henry IV for Shade Podcast by today's guest Brian Jackson

Mixing Tess Davidson

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