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NPR looks at Atlanta’s indie soul scene
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
India Arie performing at the Trumpet Awards in January 2008. Photo: File.
We know the Atlanta music scene is a big deal, but it seems National Public Radio knows it, too.
On July 4, NPR begins a summer music series on “All Things Considered” about cities’ local music scenes. The segments will delve into what defines each city’s music scene, speak to some of the musicians and examine how a sense of place influences the music.
First up in the series is a piece on Atlanta’s indie soul scene, which will air July 4. This initial installment was the suggestion of a fellow NPR staffer, “Talk of the Nation” director Gwen Outen, says series editor Tom Cole.
“She’s just a big fan of the music and she put together a really interesting pitch, talking about how the scene developed, how it evolved and what’s happened to it since the heyday of the ’90s,” Cole says. “We thought it was a good story and decided to start there.”
For the inaugural report, NPR spoke with one of the scene’s biggest success stories, India Arie, along with fellow musicians Anthony David and Julie Dexter and Freddy Luster, owner of the now-defunct Yin Yang Cafe, among others.
The series will continue at roughly two-week intervals, at least through the summer. In the coming weeks, Cole says, there will be segments on a burgeoning rock en Español scene in Charlotte, N.C., and the thriving avant-garde jazz community in Albuquerque, N.M.
“All Things Considered” airs locally on WABE-FM (90.1) from 4-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Comments
By Muzicluva
July 4, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
I HOPE THEY TALK TO THE LEGENDARY FUNKJAZZ KAFE. It would be great if they do.
By China
July 4, 2008 11:58 PM | Link to this
Atlanta’s indie music scenes is one of the city’s best kept secrets … (big probs to Algebra, Rahbi, Dain Harris, P.J. Morton, Leaf, etc…)
By malika
July 6, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
i’ve always thought that the artists in atlanta’s soul scene deserve a lot more kudos and national publicity than they get. i’m also glad that this is one of the few blogs on ajc about urban music that isn’t laced with racist rants.
By soul man
July 6, 2008 7:30 PM | Link to this
Atlanta’s Soul music scene might be better if these “cliques” opened up more to outsiders that live here in the city as well. It is oftentimes very difficult when you are new artist trying to break into the scene here, because those who have certain venues on lock that cater to Soul music are resistant to allow you to be a part of their scene if you are not in their “clique” of musicians. People will grow tired of seeing the same musicians over and over, and that happens a lot here.
Heavy politics here in Atlanta. Please believe it.
By Langston Ell Richey
July 28, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
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