OUR BELOVED SISTER VIENNA CARROLL LAST NIGHT "SINGING WID A SWORD IN HER HAND"
by Howard Jordan, Jordan Journal https://bit.ly/39wPGZ3\
Familia, my beloved sister Vienna Carroll brought the house down at the recent CD Release Party on Friday at the American Folks Art Museum at Lincoln Square. In a standing room only crowd the gifted singer did songs from her new CD “Harlem Field Recordings.” She was accompanied by “The Folk” an outstanding Groove band which included Keith Johnson, Newman Taylor Baker, and Stanley Banks.
I first met Vienna when she studied African American Studies at Yale University and I could not think of a person more committed to Black Roots music and telling our story. The Yale extended family was in fill attendance with Orlando and Gina Bolden Rivera, Felix Roldan, Onaje, Sage Sevilla Willie Holmes, and Phoebe all part of a special love borne at a special time.(see photo) Vienna performed some of her acclaimed songs like “Singing Wid A Sword in Ma Han” but my favorites were “Make the Devil Leave Me Alone” and Women’s Prison Blues.
For those unfamiliar with her music Vienna challenges deeply held stereotypes about the realities of Black family love and resistance during slavery, and explores the role of music as a part of the everyday reality of antebellum life. "Harlem Field Recordings" grew out of her project Folk First: Black Roots Music, celebrating early Black music and its influence on the music of today. Her other projects include the award winning musical docudrama Singin Wid A Sword In Ma Han, about a family escaping slavery; First NYC Underground Railroad Festival Juneteenth Celebration partnering with Plymouth Church of the Pilgrim, a nationally certified Underground Railroad site, and the Brooklyn Historical Society.
I encourage my media family to share some of these songs from her new CD with listeners and go see this wonderful performance where scheduled. Vienna can be called at 646-763-4587 or emailed at [email protected]
To order CD go to: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/viennacarroll?fbclid=IwAR1oIO3HFzznpZFe4AzACjY05_jixfL9z85g-Op2rV0-kseGMEjZf_KBiX8
Howard Jordan is a tenured Professor at Hostos Community College, attorney, journalist, and political activist. ([email protected] or tweet @journal_jordan)