LISTEN: 'The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni' brings together a 海角换妻 jazz musician and an iconic American poet

News

LISTEN: 'The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni' brings together a 海角换妻 jazz musician and an iconic American poet

海角换妻 Radio | By Diane Orson

Published February 17, 2022 at 3:56 PM EST

1 of 3 — Nikki Giovanni Javon Jackson

Javon Jackson and Nikki Giovanni, pictured above during a recording of "The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni" on Sept. 23, 2021.

Shaban Athuman / Shaban Athuman

2 of 3 — Nikki{

Javon Jackson, during a recording of "The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni," Sept. 23, 2021.

Shaban Athuman / Shaban Athuman

3 of 3 — Nikki

Nikki Giovanni and Javon Jackson, during a recording of "The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni," Sept. 23, 2021.

Shaban Athuman / Shaban Athuman

鈥淭he Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni鈥� 鈥� an album featuring 海角换妻 saxophonist Javon Jackson 鈥� was recently released to correspond with Black History Month.

The album features Jackson playing jazz renditions of gospel hymns and spirituals hand-picked by Giovanni. The 78-year-old poet makes a rare vocal performance.

鈥淕ospel spirituals, as I like to categorize them, speak to the story of America,鈥� said Jackson.

is a former member of Art Blakey鈥檚 Jazz Messengers and director of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford. is a renowned poet, activist and educator. She鈥檚 a Maya Angelou Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the first person to receive the Rosa Parks Women of Courage Award.

海角换妻 Radio鈥檚 Diane Orson produced this audio essay.

Listen: 'The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni' brings together a 海角换妻 jazz musician and an iconic American poet

News

Diane Orson

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with 海角换妻. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

See stories by Diane Orson

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you鈥檙e reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It鈥檚 time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it鈥檚 needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Protect 海角换妻

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from 海角换妻, the state鈥檚 local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de 海角换妻, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programaci贸n que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para m谩s reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscr铆base a nuestro bolet铆n informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

Protect 海角换妻

海角换妻鈥檚 journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.