Pianist Lara Downes Journeys Through America’s Musical Heritage On Some Of These Days, Out Today
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Today, internationally acclaimed pianist Lara Downes - genre-fluid chart-topping recording artist and concert soloist, arts advocate and activist- releases Some Of These Days(Flipside), her revival of some of America’s most important traditional freedom songs and Spirituals. Across classical, jazz, folk, country, and gospel interpretations, Lara and an eclectic range of collaborators remind us of music’s power to unite and uplift us in the name of survival, solidarity, and optimism.
Listen to Some Of These Days here: https://spoti.fi/2wRUt9o
Tonight, Lara is teaming up with Sacramento’s CapRadio (her hometown NPR affiliate) to livestream a 45-minute home concert performing songs from her new album to raise funds for Feeding America and their national relief efforts in response to COVID-19. This think global, act local collaboration starts at 5PM Pacific / 8PM Eastern on Facebook Live via Lara’s Facebook page.
Over the past few days a number of other NPR affiliate stations across the nation have also signed on to stream the concert on their own Facebook pages, including Minnesota Public Radio, WRTI Philadelphia, WUOL Louisville, WRCJ Detroit, WPLN Nashville, WCLV Cleveland and Texas Public Radio.
Facebook Live event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008445202883893/
And streamable on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lara.downes/ and website: http://laradownes.com
Lara also spoke with the CapRadio news and culture program yesterday (calling in from her closet, and performing a snippet of Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen at her piano), listen to the interview here: http://www.capradio.org/147588
Earlier this week, Folk Alley shared her interpretation of the traditional song “All Night, All Day” featuring guest vocals by Howard Fishman. “When times are dark and all looks bleak,” writes Henry Carrigan, “pretty much like these days we’re living in right now—a gospel song provides a dose of hope and an uplifting sound that carries out of our troubles, for a few moments, at least.” Listen here: https://www.folkalley.com/song-premiere/2020/song-premiere-lara-downes-with-howard-fishman-all-night-all-day
Says Glide Magazine: "Some of this music Downes is playing has been with us for centuries. Her interpretations are so precious, that they should continue to extend for centuries to come. It’s a masterful recording."
The album has also been covered by American Songwriter, Jazziz, San Francisco Classical Voice, Sacramento Magazine, and is scheduled as WRTI’s Album Of The Week. Lara will be appearing soon on WQXR, WNYC, I Care If You Listen, The Violin Channel and more.
Some Of These Days tracklist:
- Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child - Traditional
- Steal Away w/ Toshi Reagon - Trad / Charles Ives
- Troubled Water - Margaret Bonds
- Hold On w/ Musicality and PUBLIQuartet - Margaret Bonds
- I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Billy Taylor / Nina Simone
- Deep River w/ PUBLIQuartet - H.T. Burleigh
- Down By The Riverside - Traditional
- All Night, All Day w/ Howard Fishman - Traditional
- My Lord, What A Mornin’ w/ Alphonso Horne - Traditional / H.T. Burleigh
- The Bells - Margaret Bonds
- We Shall Overcome with The Chapin Sisters - Traditional
- Fantasie Negre No. 2 - Florence Price
- Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen w/ Adam Abeshouse - Clarence Cameron White
- Some Of These Days - Florence Price
Lara Downes
Press page: https://shorefire.com/roster/lara-downes
Website: http://www.laradownes.com/