Call & Response

Latest Episodes:

Live At Newport Folk Festival: Margo Price Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

“Sometimes the best thing to do is to listen and to not speak. Listening is where you're going to grow.” In this second episode of our mid-season special taped live at Newport Folk Festival, Adia catches up with her longtime friend, collaborator, and country music star Margo Price. Adia and Margo discuss how Margo has come to embody a radical honesty; both in her music and speaking out on what needs to change in the Nashville music scene. They talk about Margo’s love of Tina Turner and what it means to give credit to Black artists.

/ Show Notes /

Margo Price’s recent EP is Live From The Other Side. She recently performed her song “Hey Child” on Colbert.

Adia’s latest single is South Gotta Change.

You can find more about what Margo Price said during her performance, at the Opry, here.

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Emily Shaw. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Tom Tierney.

Live At Newport Folk Festival: Jay Sweet Jul 25, 2021

Show notes

“Americana and roots music has become too complacent. What we need now is to shake ourselves from feeling comfortable and start looking at the world around us.” We’re back for a mid-season special series recorded live at Newport Folk Festival, and in this episode, Adia sits down with Newport’s Director, Jay Sweet to dig into the Black roots of folk music. The two explore how Newport can serve as a platform for uncomfortable conversations so that it can grow and evolve with the expanding landscape of folk music, and what the festival’s return means for the artists and audiences it calls family.

/ Show Notes /

Jay Sweet is the Director of the Newport Folk Festival.

Adia references the 1963 performance at Newport by the Freedom Singers, a group formed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Jay brings up the song “Ohio,” originally performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, inspired by the 1968 killings that took place at Kent State University in Ohio.

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Emily Shaw. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Tom Tierney.

Brandi Carlile: Multiple Selves (One Story) Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

In the last episode of this season of Call & Response, Adia sits down with GRAMMY award winning singer and song-writer Brandi Carlile. Carlile has collaborated with Elton John, dueted with Dolly Parton and churned out powerful songs about queer love and motherhood. In this conversation, Adia and Brandi talk through how great personal challenges can become the greatest teachers. And in this week’s playlist, we’re listening to women who’re paving the way for the future of country music in Nashville. For the playlist of songs curated for this week's episode, visit http://bit.ly/cr-brandi.

/Music In This Week's Episode/

The Highwomen, “Highwomen”

Yola, “Diamond Studded Shoes"

Erin Rae, “Mississippi Queen”

Margo Price, “Four Years of Chances”

Allison Russell, “Nightflyer”

Kyshona Armstrong, “My Own Grave”

Gillian Welch, “The Devil Had a Hold of Me”

Those Darlins, “Optimist”

/Show Notes/

Brandi Carlile’s new book is Broken Horses, which you can buy at Parnassus Books if you’re in Nashville. Brandi’s most recent solo album is By The Way, I Forgive You.

Brandi says “Nightflyer” by Allison Russell and “Carolina in My Mind” by James Taylor are the songs giving her life right now.

Dolly Parton and Brandi performed “I Will Always Love You” at The Newport Folk Festival All Female Super Jam that Brandi curated.

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Caroline Randall Williams: Blues Work (is the Work) May 27, 2021

Show notes

The blues can’t be defined by a set of chord progressions. It’s a philosophy, it is catharsis, it is taking something painful, and turning it into art. In this episode, Adia sits down with blues scholar and poet Caroline Randall Williams. Together they redefine the blues, and talk about what American culture can learn from its music. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode visit www.mixcloud.com/sonos.

/Music In This Week's Episode/

Sippie Wallace, “Women Be Wise”

Muddy Waters, “Mannish Boy”

Koko Taylor, “I Am a Woman”

Samantha Ege, “Fantasie Nègre No. 1 in E Minor

Billie Holiday, “Solitude”

Precious Bryant, “Fool Me Good”

/Show Notes/

Caroline Randall Williams article that made waves in the New York Times last summer is called You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument.

Caroline says her life sounds like the playlist of blues songs her students made for her, particularly “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” by Leadbelly.

Adia and Caroline collaborate as part of their poetry collective, the Blair House

Caroline’s book and ballad about Shakespeare’s Dark Lady is called Lucy Negro, Redux.

The song giving Caroline life right now is “No Weapon” by Fred Hammon.

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Brittany Howard: Seeing the South (Seeing Yourself) May 20, 2021

Show notes

“How does the South inform my music? How do I describe the sound that your bare feet make when they pat the cool, packed red dust under them?” In her music and her writing, Brittany Howard has tapped something elusive: the feeling of the south. It’s contradictions, it’s pain, and its beauty. In this episode, Adia sits down with rock legend and longtime lead singer of the Alabama Shakes Brittany Howard to talk about getting down to the feelings below her lyrics, being unapologetic about where you come from, and who you are. Brittany asked Adia to make a playlist for this episode with her mom, Miss Jackie, so that’s exactly what we did. As always, you can hear the music that accompanies this show on Sonos Radio and Mixcloud, and we hope you will. This one’s a real treat. Visit www.mixcloud.com/sonos for the playlist curated for this week's episode.

/Music In This Week's Playlist/

Al Jarreau, One Good Turn

Soul For Real, Candy Rain

Basia, Run For Cover

Fiona Apple, Get Gone

Marvin Gaye, Inner City Blues

Nirvana, All Apologies

LaBelle, Lady, Marmalade

Kings of Leon, Four Kicks

/Show Notes/

Brittany Howard’s essay, The South Just Has a Thang, is in the Oxford American winter 2020 issue.

Brittany Howard’s debut solo album is Jamie.

/Credits/

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Kiese Laymon: Telling Hard Truths (Staying Soft) May 13, 2021

Show notes

Author Kiese Laymon recently got into a twitter dust up about the eternal question, Outkast v. The Beatles. He wrote, “Beatles stole southern Black and added it to British white. Outkast stole Mars and added it to southern urban Black. Outkast wins.” After reading more of what Kiese had to say about the appropriation of Black southern music, Adia knew she needed to bring him on the show. Their conversation unfolds over how Outkast created new space for southern hip hop, what Adia learned from watching the Derek Chauvin trial, and what hip hop itself can learn from the blues. For the playlist of songs curated for this week's episode, head over to http://bit.ly/cr-kiese.

/ Music In This Week's Playlist /

Rich Boy, “Throw Some Ds”
Goodie Mob, “Cell Therapy”
Trina, “The Baddest Bitch”
Lucille Bogan, “Shave ‘Em Dry”
Nappy Roots, “Awnaw”
Ludacris, Field Mob feat Jamie Foxx, “Georgia”
Arthur Alexander, “Anna (Go To Him)”

/ Show Notes /

Kiese Laymon is the author of the genre-bending novel, Long Division and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.

Link to the tweet that launched this episode.

Watch Outkast win best new artist at the 1995 Source Awards.

Scholar Regina N. Bradley’s book is Chronicling Stankonia, and you can read Kiese’s essay about OutKast ‘Da Art of Storytelling (A Prequel) in Oxford American.

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Natalie Daise: Sharing Stories (Planting Seeds) May 06, 2021

Show notes

Remember the show Gullah Gullah Island on Nickelodeon from the 90’s? The colorful worlds, songs and stories inspired by the Gullah Geechee culture were created by Adia’s family friend and the show’s creator, Natalie Daise. Spirit to spirit, Natalie and Adia connect over what it means to use stories and songs to more fully step into your own truth. They talk about moving from south to north and back again, and the importance of southern Black folks returning to the dirt, to seeds, and the land. For a playlist of songs curated for this week's episode, http://bit.ly/cr-natalie

/ Show Notes /

Natalie Daise was the host and creator of Gullah Gullah Island, a children’s show about Gullah Geechee Culture. Natalie and Adia bring up Wintley Phipps’ “It Is Well With My Soul,” “Detroit Moan” by Victoria Spivey and “Coconut Oil” by Lizzo.

/ Music in This Week's Playlist /
Queen Quet and De Gullah Cunnekshun, "Kneebone"
Our Native Daughters, "Blood and Bones"
Jessie Mae Hemphill, "Black Cat Bone"
Bessie Jones, "Sometimes"
Yasmin Williams, "Jarabi"
Precious Bryant, "You Don't Want Me No More"
Ibeyi, "River"
Bessie Jones, "Steal Up, My Young Lady"
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, "The Homeless Wanderer"
Nina Simone, "Four Women"

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Kamasi Washington: Making Music (Finding Freedom) Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

Kamasi Washington is a bonafide jazz icon and visionary who embodies the idea of music making as a communal act: collaborating with folks from across the music industry and infusing his free ranging Angeleno jazz into rock, rap and beyond. You've likely seen his name in the liner notes of your favorite artists’ work from Kendrick Lamar to St. Vincent and Snoop Dogg. In this episode, Adia sits down with Kamasi to talk about his musical upbringing, creating in an unpredictable world, and the transcendent power of Black art. For a playlist of songs curated for this week's episode, visit http://bit.ly/cr-kamasi

/ Show Notes /

Kamasi Washington’s most recent album is Heaven and Earth.

Kamasi’s favorite childhood song was “The Pink Panther Theme” by Henry Mancini. He cites “A Chant for Bu” by Art Blakely and The Jazz Messengers and “Out To Lunch”by Eric Dolphy, as well as Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, as music that has inspired him throughout his musical journey.

/Music in This Week's Playlist/

Nina Simone, “Sinnerman”

Kamasi Washington, “Hub-Tones”

Joshua Asante, “Everybody Gets Used”

Sun Ra, “Honeysuckle Rose”

Beyonce, “Formation”

Kendrick Lamar, “King Kunta”

St. Vincent, “Pills”

Henry Mancini, “The Pink Panther Theme”

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Jamila Woods: Mapping Lineage (Writing Legacy) Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Jamila Woods carries a lineage in her music— artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Zora Neale Hurston and James Baldwin filter into her song lyrics. She channels their voices in her critically acclaimed album, LEGACY! LEGACY! not speaking for them, but instead, singing through them. On this week’s Call and Response, Adia sits down with Jamila to talk about how they each draw strength from the artists who’ve come before them, and using these pandemic times to recenter home, rest and stillness in the creative process. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode, visit http://bit.ly/cr-jamila

/ Show Notes /

Adia and Jamila discuss Zora Neale Hurston’s essay, How It Feels To Be Colored Me. They also reference this Muddy Waters interview.

You can find recordings of Zora Neale Hurston’s singing at the Library of Congress and an interview with Tori Morrison on her writing process, here.

Adia references the song, “Window Seat” by Erykah Badu. Jamila and Adia discuss Lucille Clifton’s poetry and Toni Morrison’s Sula.

Jamila has been playing Deborah Vandyke’s Chords of The Cosmos, Tasha’s “Lullaby” and serpentwithfeet’s “Fellowship,” to lean into rest.

/ Music In This Week's Episode /

70’s Blues, Betty Davis

Goin’ Down Slow, Howlin’ Wolf

VRY BLK, Jamila Woods

Blues at Midnight, Sun Ra

Sweet Home Chicago, Robert Johnson

It’s Hard Sometimes, Frankie Knuckles

Honeybee, Muddy Waters

Smile, Saba

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

Rhiannon Giddens: Looking Back (Looking Forward) Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

“Nostalgia is a killer of truth” says roots musician Rhiannon Giddens. “Musically, what I try to do is just tell as much truth as I can.” In the first episode of Call & Response, Adia sinks into conversation with Rhiannon, and together, they trace the lineage of the banjo from the Caribbean to the Carolinas and question the whitewashing of American folk and blues music. Plus, hear a playlist made by Adia of artists who’ve used their music to reframe the sound of the south. Head over to http://bit.ly/cr-rhiannon to hear the playlist.

/Show Notes/

Rhiannon Giddens’ new album is They’re Calling Me Home.

Rhiannon talks about the akonting, an African ancestor to contemporary American banjos.

Learn more about Frank Johnson, the artist Adia talks about who was whitewashed out of music history.

Adia describes how important Nina Simone’s Four Women is to her, and the impact of listening to Kaia Kater’s music.

Rhiannon says the theme for Japanese TV show Midnight Diner, “Omoide” is the song that’s giving her life right now.

/Music In This Week's Playlist/

Rhiannon Giddens, I Shall Not be Moved

Kaia Kater, Southern Girl

Roseanne Cash, The Killing Fields

Jesse Clarence Gorman, Going up to the Country #1

Valerie June ft. Carla Thomas, Call Me A Fool

Amethyst Kiah, Black Myself

Linda Martell, You’re Crying Boy, Crying

The Moving Starhall Singers, You Got To Move

/ Credits /

Call & Response is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Adia Victoria, Babette Thomas and Megan Lubin. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.

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