Babylon considers the text of Psalm 137 (By the Waters of Babylon) as it has resonated through the music of two ghettoized peoples – Italian Jews of Mantua during the period of the Counter-Reformation, and African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond. Narrated by the titanic voice of actor Ezra Knight, the musical performances of works by Italian-Jewish composer Salamone Rossi (1570 – 1630) and contemporary American Brandon Waddles (1988 –) are by the groundbreaking Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble. Other musical selections are historical recordings by such luminaries as Ma Rainey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, and others, as well as two luminaries in contemporary West African music, Kevin Nathaniel Hylton and Yacouba Sissoko.
- Year2020
- Runtime29:06
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld
- NoteMusic Mixing and Mastering: Aaron Fagerstrom; Video Production: Aaron Fagerstrom
- DirectorJessica Gould
- ScreenwriterJessica Gould
- ProducerSalon/Sanctuary Concerts
- Executive ProducerSalon/Sanctuary Concerts
- Co-ProducerNYU Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò
- FilmmakerJessica Gould
- CastEzra Knight, The Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble, Jessica Gould
- CinematographerAaron Fagerstrom
- EditorAaron Fagerstrom
- Production DesignJessica Gould & Aaron Fagerstrom
- ComposerSalomone Rossi, Brandon Waddles, Ma Rainey, various traditional African American and West African anonymous sources
- Sound DesignAaron Fagerstrom
- MusicWorks of Salomone Rossi and Brandon Waddles performed by The Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble. Works of Salomone Rossi performed by Jessica Gould, Lucas Harris, the Bacchus Consort, and Theater of Music. Archival recordings include selections of works by Ma Rainey and Sister Rosetta Tharpe performed by the composers, Lieber and Stoller performed by Big Mama Thornton, as well as traditional Western African and African American Spirituals performed by Yacouba Sissoko, The Fisk Jubilee Singers andThe Southern Sons. Closing credit is an original composition by Kevin Nathaniel Hylton performed by the composer.
Babylon considers the text of Psalm 137 (By the Waters of Babylon) as it has resonated through the music of two ghettoized peoples – Italian Jews of Mantua during the period of the Counter-Reformation, and African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond. Narrated by the titanic voice of actor Ezra Knight, the musical performances of works by Italian-Jewish composer Salamone Rossi (1570 – 1630) and contemporary American Brandon Waddles (1988 –) are by the groundbreaking Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble. Other musical selections are historical recordings by such luminaries as Ma Rainey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, and others, as well as two luminaries in contemporary West African music, Kevin Nathaniel Hylton and Yacouba Sissoko.
- Year2020
- Runtime29:06
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld
- NoteMusic Mixing and Mastering: Aaron Fagerstrom; Video Production: Aaron Fagerstrom
- DirectorJessica Gould
- ScreenwriterJessica Gould
- ProducerSalon/Sanctuary Concerts
- Executive ProducerSalon/Sanctuary Concerts
- Co-ProducerNYU Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò
- FilmmakerJessica Gould
- CastEzra Knight, The Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble, Jessica Gould
- CinematographerAaron Fagerstrom
- EditorAaron Fagerstrom
- Production DesignJessica Gould & Aaron Fagerstrom
- ComposerSalomone Rossi, Brandon Waddles, Ma Rainey, various traditional African American and West African anonymous sources
- Sound DesignAaron Fagerstrom
- MusicWorks of Salomone Rossi and Brandon Waddles performed by The Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble. Works of Salomone Rossi performed by Jessica Gould, Lucas Harris, the Bacchus Consort, and Theater of Music. Archival recordings include selections of works by Ma Rainey and Sister Rosetta Tharpe performed by the composers, Lieber and Stoller performed by Big Mama Thornton, as well as traditional Western African and African American Spirituals performed by Yacouba Sissoko, The Fisk Jubilee Singers andThe Southern Sons. Closing credit is an original composition by Kevin Nathaniel Hylton performed by the composer.