PBS recently aired a new mini-series, American Epic, a three-part documentary, with Jack White, T Bone Burnett, and Robert Redford as executive producers. American Epic explores early recording technology from the 1920’s and how it captured the sounds of some of the first musicians formative to the genres of blues, country, gospel, Hawaiian, Cajun, and folk music. The series can be seen here.
For the occasion, Nas revisited “One Mic,” from his 2001 Stillmatic album, with Jack White on piano. Because of the nature of the special in using instruments from the 1920’s, the rapper utilized one single microphone along with a “recording device timed by a weight-driven system of clockwork gears” that presses the recording to vinyl as soon as the session is over. Watch the stunning rendition below:
The series will also feature a full-length movie called The American Epic Sessions, during which various musicians come together to record on the primitive recording technology of the 1920’s. Artists to appear on The American Epic Sessions include Jack White, Beck, Elton John, Nas, Willie Nelson, the Avett Brothers, Alabama Shakes, Los Lobos and Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, and the film will be released on June 6th.
[H/T Rolling Stone]