Unveiled, A Mixtape; Curated by Ron Adkins
Unveiled: A Mixtape
Curated by Ron Adkins
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash“Tariqat”
Jamshied Sharifi
A Prayer For the Soul of Layla
The first thought that came to mind when I pondered “unveiling” is that of Salome and the dance of the seven veils. Her slow dance of reveal was for King Herod, but she knew all eyes were upon her. Such a “dance” is something we’ve all done. We’ve all stood before a mirror to judge if our workout routine is working, or if the new clothes reveal too much, or even fit. Sharifi’s “Tariqat” wonderfully evokes that feeling of a smoky banquet hall, and the guest of honor who’s beginning to dance.
“All Blues”
Miles Davis
Kind of Blue
My second thought on “unveiling” was imagining an art gallery. A roomful of aficionados gathered for the debut of a celebrated artist’s new work. Surrounding them in the gallery is a retrospective of previous masterpieces. A glass is clinked and the audience turns toward something covered by a sheet. A small speech is made, and a rope is pulled, revealing a new artwork. The people applaud and move closer to see this next stroke of genius. This is much how I hear Miles’s “All Blues.” The song starts as a retrospective tour, of sorts. There are samples and bits of all the styles Miles has dabbled in up to that point. But then, the tone shifts and he begins to display a sound we’d never heard before. In one song, he’s celebrated his past and unveiled the new direction he would travel.
“Man Facing North”
Yellowjackets
Like a River
The theme of this whole album is the mystery of a twisting, turning river and the possibilities that following the river promises. With “Man Facing North,” I see someone at a bend in the river, surveying that waterway’s course and pondering his own. What will he find around the next bend? What will the river (and his own life) reveal to him if he continues on?
“Afternoon, In the Rain”
Dan Knight
A Day In the Gardens of Monet
Painter Claude Monet saw the world a little out of focus. It was this unique vision that gave us so many Impressionist masterpieces. Pianist Dan Knight once took a walk in Claude Monet’s garden. It was raining, and what he would have seen on a sunny day now looked different. The rain uncovers colors and tones and shades hidden until the rainwater discloses them. Knight’s piece, “Afternoon, In the Rain,” gives voice to the delight at the revelation of things that are, really, right before our eyes.
Ron Adkins is the afternoon host for Jazz 88.3 KCCK in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is an award-winning writer and producer of “Soundtrack to the Struggle,” a nationally-syndicated series spotlighting the contribution of jazz in the fight for racial equality. His novel, New Moon Over Lowtown, will be rereleased in 2024.