The Cincinnati Pops' latest recording, released last month, features the musical sounds of the Harlem Renaissance and the jazz styles it gave rise to. The tracks include classics by Black Composers, such as Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Lady and W.C.Handy’s St. Louis Blues, modern arrangements, and a new composition by Carlos Simon inspired by a 1919 recording of Handy’s Memphis Blues. In addition to the Pops Orchestra, the recording features The Marcus Roberts Trio, The Modern Jazz Generation, and vocalists Mykal Kilgore and Tatiana Mayfield.
A Tempo host Rachel Katz chats with Pops conductor John Morris Russell about this latest release, and the role the Pops has played and continues to play in sharing and preserving some of the most quintessential American music.
