Guitar virtuoso and ethnomusicologist Tyron Cooper and world-class mezzo soprano Marietta Simpson lead viewers on a journey through African-American musical culture in MUSICAL THREADS: EXPRESSIONS OF A PEOPLE. Shot in the Cole Porter Room at the Indiana History Center, this simple, yet engaging production includes special arrangements of well-known secular and sacred songs and original tunes penned by Cooper and Simpson. The diverse set list ranges from traditional hymns and inspirational spirituals to the jazz standards "Body and Soul" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." Between songs, Cooper and Simpson discuss the origins and styles of the songs, while stressing the universality of the messages conveyed in them.
