Musicians Anne Harris and Amanda Ewing dialogue about the theme of connection in their latest album
Revised Article
Let's dive into the interesting tale of musician Anne Harris and her latest fiddle, accompanied by a fresh album called "I Feel It Once Again." At 59, this versatile artist has a stellar career under her belt, having collaborated with a plethora of artists such as Living Colour, Los Lobos, Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland, and Cracker. Her eighth album showcases her diversity and experience in the music industry, as you'll hear for yourself. Here's a sneak peek of the title track.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I FEEL IT ONCE AGAIN")
ANNE HARRIS: (Singing) I was fine running through the morning...
Harris ponders about the song's origins, sharing the story of a grieving individual and the contrast between daylight's distractions and night's raw emotions.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I FEEL IT ONCE AGAIN")
HARRIS: (Singing) Now I feel it once again...
ELLIOTT: Speaking of everyone rising up, the track "Everybody Gotta Rise Up" sounds fairly like a call to action.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EVERYBODY GOTTA RISE UP")
HARRIS: (Singing) Everybody gotta rise up...
ELLIOTT: That's certainly rousing, indeed.
HARRIS: Absolutely. This song emphasizes my belief in the power of community. When we unite, we can create an unstoppable force. It's crucial to build a conscious community, but there's a lot of work ahead of us. "Everybody Gotta Rise Up" is my battle cry in this sense.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EVERYBODY GOTTA RISE UP")
HARRIS: (Singing) Rise up now. Rise up...
I'm at home in the realm of American roots music.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EVERYBODY GOTTA RISE UP")
HARRIS: (Singing) Shining light on (rise up)...
ELLIOTT: And what a spacious home it is. Anne Harris deftly combines American folk rock, Afrobeat, soul, blues, Appalachian spirituals, and even Celtic reels, demonstrating the versatility of her music. Consequently, this brings us to Anne Harris' new violin, which we discuss whilst sitting in an apartment in Nashville - the city where Harris recorded "I Feel It Once Again." Amanda Ewing, a skillful Nashville luthier, joins us.
HARRIS: The violin I've been playing since I was a teenager was gifted to me by my mother. It was acquired from a college student keen on quick cash. In recent years, I stumbled upon Amanda Ewing on Instagram - a talented Black woman violin maker. I became intrigued by her work and decided to enlist her for my next instrument, which would be the first professional collaboration between a Black woman luthier and a violinist recognized on paper.
ELLIOTT: Amanda, could you tell us about the process of making this exceptional instrument?
EWING: The top plate, or the primary wood, is made from a softer material like spruce. It takes a lot of effort to transform this wood into a playing instrument. The back is made from maple, which provides the strength required for the violin to produce sound efficiently.
HARRIS: Yeah, she's breathing life into a tree.
EWING: Correct. And I wanted it to have a golden sunshine feel, so every step, from the choices of wood to the final varnish, was designed to achieve that.
HARRIS: (Plays violin) I'd like to play a song called "May Mountain Waltz."
(Plays violin)
ELLIOTT: And I must admit, I couldn't resist a try.
(Plays violin)
HARRIS: Whoa, that was fun!
EWING: Impressive!
HARRIS: That's Anne Harris, accompanied by luthier extraordinaire Amanda Ewing. Harris' new album is "I Feel It Once Again."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I FEEL ALRIGHT")
HARRIS: (Singing) I feel... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
The song "Everybody Gotta Rise Up" serves as Anne Harris' battle cry for unity, highlighting her belief in the power of community as a means of creating an unstoppable force. In the realm of American roots music, Harris seamlessly blends different genres, including soul, blues, Afrobeat, and Celtic reels, with her new album, "I Feel It Once Again," bringing forth an entertaining and diverse soundscape.
