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Mississippi River Suite

by Michael J. Miles

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PART I Mississippi one and Mississippi two Oh say can you see, well what’re we gonna do, this old man river is wider than mile my huckleberry friend Between the world and me there is no place finer for you and me to be.  Right here right now,   put your hand on your heart.  Yes you, just you, barefoot with me right here by the river,  ‘cause this is our river. And if rivers could dance no one has done better. If rivers could pray this one’s on its knees. If rivers could sing, just close your eyes and listen close your eyes and listen.
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DILEMMA They agreed They won’t talk about that But they won’t agree about anything. A good proposition is a cheap imposition if it’s not their idea in the first place. Kill the lights, close the doors Done here. There is an aisle between them More than a mile between them Windmill stories spin. Somebody’s gotta lose “It ain’t me babe.” Pay the cashier on the way out. Jefferson and Washington tried very hard, held all the cards. Black servants to bring the tea. Sprightly now, no denial, comfort was the key to a lovely day. Oh and revolution? yes yes yes! They had one. It was grand. But there was a flaw in the plan. Shoot the Brits, all dressed in red Create this world here instead where all men are created equal. Well… sort of, but ….. uh remember, they agreed? They won’t talk about that. Which side are you on?
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about

This CD, as Beat poet Michael McLure would say, is “poetry off the page,” written to be heard more than read; written to be performed with the musical score that surrounds it like a companion who whispers and cries and shouts out loud.

Miles uses the river that ‘divides the nation’ as the foundation for this musical/poetic work about a ‘divided nation.’ There are two 22-minute performance poems—Mississippi River Suite and Which Side Are You On. Each is divided into 8 sections.

The musical accompaniment is banjo driven with flute, percussion and bass for the Mississippi River Suite and with string quartet and cello for Which Side Are You On. The final three tracks, the Sundial Suite (instrumental only) presents, on its own, the musical composition that underscores Which Side Are You On.

credits

released June 1, 2020

MISSISSIPPI RIVER SUITE
text and music composed
by Michael J. Miles*

Zahra Glenda Baker, vocals
Michael J. Miles, banjo
Lloyd Brodnax King, flute
Chris Clemente, bass
Brent Roman, percussion

*Includes musical quotes from Jerome Kern's Old Man River and the traditional song, Wade in the Water.

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
text and music composed
by Michael J. Miles

Zahra Glenda Baker, vocals
Michael J. Miles, banjo
Nora Barton, cello
Becca Wilcox, viola
Samuel Sharp, violin
Charith Premawardhana, violin

SUNDIAL SUITE
Composed by Michael J. Miles
String Arrangement by Ron DeGrandis

PRODUCED by
Michael J. Miles and John Abbey

RECORDED at
Kingsize Soundlabs Chicago
John Abbey, engineer

ARTWORK & CD DESIGN
Bruce Vogele

Funded in part by the City of Chicago, Dept of Cultural Affairs.

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all rights reserved

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about

Michael J. Miles Chicago, Illinois

Imagine Bach on the 5-string banjo.  And then the fretless, sweaty blues of 1930’s, sung like it matters.  Mix in Cole Porter and a fresh take on John Lennon’s guitar.   Michael J. Miles has been celebrated for his virtuosity; but he calls it curiosity because that’s what drives him.  Musical hunter-gather and boundless genre-bender, you’ll be surprised by what he plays next. ... more

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