WATKINS, ZACHARY JAMES - Black Spirituals

Cassette-only release. Edition of 250 copies. Black Spirituals was recorded during fall 2009 in Northern California. These four works grew out of intense dialogue with sound artist Morgan Craft that dealt with our mutual interests in questioning the stakes and pushing our art amidst a landscape of sameness. Its these spaces where ideas on race, gender, sex, politics, etc. inform the imaginations of artists in communities and influence new works. Also around this time, I found a dusty tape recording of a lecture from the late 70s on the topic of Black Spirituals given by scholar and musician Bernice Reagon, an original member of the vocal group Sweet Honey On The Rock. This tape has helped me incorporate into my performance, stories and voices of New America. These improvised tapestries are tuned by ear and offered as meditations. What does Black Spirituals mean to you?" --Zachary James Watkins, Santa Cruz, CA, March 24, 2010. Zachary James Watkins: PAIA analog synthesizer (A1, B2), guitar (A2, B1), bass (A2), SuperCollider (A2), cassette (B1), percussion (B1), Casio (B1, B2); Jordan Glenn: drums and percussion (B1). Tracks A2 and B1 engineered by The Norman Conquest in October 2009. Illustration by Sav X." - The Tapeworm.