Guardian running a feature on the recently opened National Museum of African American Music in Nashville...

 

'It took a long time to get here': behind the National Museum of African American Music

Tracing over 400 years of black music, an ambitious new museum in Nashville celebrates artists we all know and those whose work remains under the radar

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/09/national-museum-of-african-american-music

 

The museum does have an extensive website with many online features, which can be viewed via the link here

https://nmaam.org/

Museum Features

Anchoring the new downtown mixed-use development Fifth + Broadway, the 56,000-square-foot museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to preserving and celebrating more than 50 music genres and styles that were created, influenced or inspired by African Americans, including spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, and hip hop. With more than 1,500 artifacts, objects, memorabilia and clothing, along with state-of-the-art technology, each of the museum’s seven galleries is designed to share a different narrative and a unique perspective on African American music and history

Very interesting. Bit of a shame the museum doesn't offer much in the way of online content in these lockdown times. A missed opportunity there, I think.

One thing I did learn from scanning the museum's press releases is that a film has recently been made about the legendary Buddy Bolden, known as King Bolden and often described in the modern era as the "father of jazz".  

Trailer here:

For anyone interested in Bolden and the embryonic years of "jazz" in late 19th century/early 20th century New Orleans, I highly recommend the book Buddy Bolden and the last days of Storyville, written by Danny Barker (b. 1900 - d.1994), a jazz musician who actually knew and worked with Jelly Roll Morton, and played with Cab Calloway, Benny Carter and many others.

ISBN: 9780826457028

 

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Guardian running a feature on the recently opened National Museum of African American Music in Nashville...

 

'It took a long time to get here': behind the National Museum of African American Music

Tracing over 400 years of black music, an ambitious new museum in Nashville celebrates artists we all know and those whose work remains under the radar

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/09/national-museum-of-african-american-music

 

The museum does have an extensive website with many online features, which can be viewed via the link here

https://nmaam.org/

Museum Features

Anchoring the new downtown mixed-use development Fifth + Broadway, the 56,000-square-foot museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to preserving and celebrating more than 50 music genres and styles that were created, influenced or inspired by African Americans, including spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, and hip hop. With more than 1,500 artifacts, objects, memorabilia and clothing, along with state-of-the-art technology, each of the museum’s seven galleries is designed to share a different narrative and a unique perspective on African American music and history

I hope they do include the British involvement of the music and not just concentrate on the US, as I bet some of the stuff would be forgotten if it wasn't for the Brits ?

26 minutes ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

I hope they do include the British involvement of the music and not just concentrate on the US, as I bet some of the stuff would be forgotten if it wasn't for the Brits ?

I'd be very surprised. The local Nashville artists I know have had a long running battle to get their own contributions represented by the museum (to say its actually based in Nashville), though I think they may now have some kind of formal representation on the Board. I think there was talk of a possible separate / temporary exhibition on Nashville R&B / soul at one point when I asked the Director. I must admit there's a bit of a sour grapes situation between me and the museum, or at least their marketing / PR agency. I was recruited by the website handlers initially to provide blog article content, all systems go on both sides, then they pulled out at the last minute when they found out I was from the UK! Really odd, I didn't see it coming and sent repeat emails for an explanation. Not even the courtesy of a reply.

Cool Notes opened up a news item about this last month.

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/

 

Edited February 10, 20214 yr by Soulfusion

18 minutes ago, Soulfusion said:

Cool Notes opened up a news item about this last month.

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/

 

ahh yep, don't know how/why that slipped my mind, a busy morning must have threw me

it was a fully featured piece as well

thanks for the nudge

here's the full  link