Rhiannon Giddens was on WBUR's On Point to discuss her new album, there is no Other, and the cultural origins of music. "With her most recent record, Giddens wildly expands the scope of her musical excavations," says host Meghna Chakrabarti. "In it, Giddens show us how a chord or a drumbeat contains histories of Africa, Arabic influences, European additions, and the mix that became American music."
Rhiannon Giddens was a guest on On Point from Boston's NPR member station WBUR. She and host Meghna Chakrabarti discuss Giddens' new album, there is no Other, and examine the cultural origins of music, refuting the idea that a culture can "own" an instrument or stake a claim on a style of music. You can hear their conversation below.
"With her most recent record, Giddens wildly expands the scope of her musical excavations," says Chakrabarti. "In it, Giddens show us how a chord or a drumbeat contains histories of Africa, Arabic influences, European additions, and the mix that became American music."
The new album, recorded with the multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi and produced by Joe Henry, is at once a condemnation of “othering” and a celebration of the spread of ideas, connectivity, and shared experience. To pick up a copy of there is no Other, head to the Nonesuch Store, where CD orders include a download of the complete album at checkout. The album can also be heard on Spotify, Apple Music, and other digital service providers. A two-LP vinyl edition, which includes four additional tracks and expanded liner notes, will be released on September 13 and is available to pre-order now in the Nonesuch Store with an exclusive, limited-edition autographed print.
Giddens and Turrisi will tour later this summer and throughout the fall. For details and tickets, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.
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