New Sounds

#4748, Protest Songs

Episode Summary

Listen to protest songs by Tunisian singer and composer Emel Mathlouthi, Polish cellist Resina, guitar hero Yasmin Williams, and New York-based musician and composer Laura Watts. There’s music from Tunisian singer-songwriter, musician, arranger and producer Emel Mathlouthi, and her protest song "Kelmti Horra", which “became an anthem for the Tunisian Revolution and the Arab Spring”, (https://emelmathlouthi.com/). Then, listen to music by Warsaw-based cellist, composer, author of music for films and games, Resina, from her album Speechless, created at a time when several hundred thousand people throughout Poland were taking part in the Women's Strike to protest new anti-abortion laws. Listen also to music from composer, arranger, and pocket trumpeter Laura Watts on piano with drummer-husband Jeff “Tain” Watts (Wynton Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, McCoy Tyner.) Hear selections from their recent Protest Songs – a record of piano duets, including a piece called “Rojava,” an area in northern Syria where people are fighting for equality and autonomy, and “Paint the Streets,” which is dedicated to the protests against racial injustice in America 2020. Plus, hear inventive music by guitar hero Yasmin Williams also written in reaction to the social injustices and outrage from the time of late May 2020 and the aftermath, called "After the Storm". Hear music by Vermont-based vocalist, educator, and composer Moira Smiley, with special guests Sam Amidon and Seamus Eagan, along with music by guitarist and composer Marc Ribot also featuring Sam Amidon, and Fay Victor. Music by Philip Glass and the opera Satyagraha rounds out the show. - Caryn Havlik Program #4748, Protest songs (First aired 5/8/23) ARTIST: Emel MathlouthiWORK: Kelmti Horra [1:19]RECORDING: Kelmti HorraSOURCE: World VillageINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Youtube, Spotify ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Paint the Streets [2:58]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Moira Smiley and VOCO, feat. Sam Amidon, Seamus EganWORK:  Days of War [4:42]RECORDING: In Our VoicesSOURCE/INFO: moirasmiley.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Yasmin WilliamsWORK: After the Storm [5:42]RECORDING: Urban DriftwoodSOURCE: Spinster SoundsINFO:  yasminwilliams.bandcamp.com  ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Time (for Öcalan) [2:37]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Emel MathlouthiWORK: Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free) [6:32]RECORDING: Kelmti HorraSOURCE: World VillageINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Youtube, Spotify ARTIST: ResinaWORK: Mercury Immersion [5:19]RECORDING: SpeechlessSOURCE: 13701 / FatCat RecordsINFO: 130701.com/release/speechless ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Rojava [3:07]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com ARTIST: New York City Opera Orchestra & Chorus | Christopher Keene, conductorWORK: Philip Glass: Satyagraha Act 2, Scene 3: Protest [8:09]RECORDING: SatyagrahaSOURCE: CBS/Sony 62960INFO: Available at Amazon.com ARTIST: Marc Ribot ft. Sam Amidon and Fay VictorWORK: How To Walk In Freedom [5:44]RECORDING: Songs of Resistance 1942-2018SOURCE/INFO: marcribot.bandcamp.com  

Episode Notes

Listen to protest songs by Tunisian singer and composer Emel Mathlouthi, Polish cellist Resina, guitar hero Yasmin Williams, and New York-based musician and composer Laura Watts.

There’s music from Tunisian singer-songwriter, musician, arranger and producer Emel Mathlouthi, and her protest song "Kelmti Horra", which “became an anthem for the Tunisian Revolution and the Arab Spring”, (https://emelmathlouthi.com/). Then, listen to music by Warsaw-based cellist, composer, author of music for films and games, Resina, from her album Speechless, created at a time when several hundred thousand people throughout Poland were taking part in the Women's Strike to protest new anti-abortion laws.

Listen also to music from composer, arranger, and pocket trumpeter Laura Watts on piano with drummer-husband Jeff “Tain” Watts (Wynton Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, McCoy Tyner.) Hear selections from their recent Protest Songs – a record of piano duets, including a piece called “Rojava,” an area in northern Syria where people are fighting for equality and autonomy, and “Paint the Streets,” which is dedicated to the protests against racial injustice in America 2020. Plus, hear inventive music by guitar hero Yasmin Williams also written in reaction to the social injustices and outrage from the time of late May 2020 and the aftermath, called "After the Storm".

Hear music by Vermont-based vocalist, educator, and composer Moira Smiley, with special guests Sam Amidon and Seamus Eagan, along with music by guitarist and composer Marc Ribot also featuring Sam Amidon, and Fay Victor. Music by Philip Glass and the opera Satyagraha rounds out the show. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4748, Protest songs (First aired 5/8/23)

ARTIST: Emel MathlouthiWORK: Kelmti Horra [1:19]RECORDING: Kelmti HorraSOURCE: World VillageINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Youtube, Spotify

ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Paint the Streets [2:58]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Moira Smiley and VOCO, feat. Sam Amidon, Seamus EganWORK:  Days of War [4:42]RECORDING: In Our VoicesSOURCE/INFO: moirasmiley.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Yasmin WilliamsWORK: After the Storm [5:42]RECORDING: Urban DriftwoodSOURCE: Spinster SoundsINFO:  yasminwilliams.bandcamp.com 

ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Time (for Öcalan) [2:37]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Emel MathlouthiWORK: Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free) [6:32]RECORDING: Kelmti HorraSOURCE: World VillageINFO: Available at AppleMusic, Youtube, Spotify

ARTIST: ResinaWORK: Mercury Immersion [5:19]RECORDING: SpeechlessSOURCE: 13701 / FatCat RecordsINFO: 130701.com/release/speechless

ARTIST: Laura Watts, Jeff "Tain" Watts WORK: Rojava [3:07]RECORDING: Protest SongsSOURCE/INFO: laurawattsmusic.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: New York City Opera Orchestra & Chorus | Christopher Keene, conductorWORK: Philip Glass: Satyagraha Act 2, Scene 3: Protest [8:09]RECORDING: SatyagrahaSOURCE: CBS/Sony 62960INFO: Available at Amazon.com

ARTIST: Marc Ribot ft. Sam Amidon and Fay VictorWORK: How To Walk In Freedom [5:44]RECORDING: Songs of Resistance 1942-2018SOURCE/INFO: marcribot.bandcamp.com