I'm honored to be a part of this NTS Radio special broadcast celebrating 75 years of Folkways, a label I used to work for and one that is still near and dear to my heart.
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with record producer, writer, artist manager, and performer Verna Gillis, who produced and/or recorded 16 albums for Folkways from 1976-1985. They range from field recordings of Haitan rara, women's music in Ghana, Kora music from Gambia, Comanche flute, and the musical ministry of a women-run Black Philadelphia church, among others.
We talked about her experience recording Don Cherry in Mammoth Cave (!), R. Murray Schafer and how his conception of the "soundscape" inspired her radio show and New York venue of the same name, her trusty Stellavox recorder, and a lot more.
Listen to our conversation here.
Special thanks to Smithsonian Folkways’ Jonathan Williger and Sophie Abramowitz for inviting me to participate.