Concert promoter Peter Shapiro and acclaimed drummer/producer Steve Jordan have teamed up to produce “Red, White, Black & Blues,” a 16-hour webcast event featuring archive performances that represent classic moments in black American music.
The virtual marathon will air on FANS beginning this Saturday, July 25th, at 9 a.m. ET. Fans who miss the initial webcast on Saturday can tune in on Sunday (July 26) at 9 a.m. for the rebroadcast. The collection of archive concert performances will include the whos-who of America’s most revered black artists ranging from Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Esperanza Spalding, Nina Simone, Missy Elliot, Chance the Rapper, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Kendrick Lamar, Leon Bridges, Beyoncé, Sharon Jones, Earth Wind and Fire, B.B. King, Bill Withers, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Kamasi Washington, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, Notorious B.I.G., Run D.M.C., Sade, The Neville Brothers, and many more.
The entire stream will be free to watch, but fans are asked to donate what they can to benefit the Jazz Foundation of America.
“The best way to show something is to show it. We thought the best way to showcase the unmatched influence that Black performers have on music that defines America and the American identity was to actually show it,” Shapiro said of the webcast event. “We edited 16 hours of video together, featuring the most amazing live performances by Black American artists over the past 90 years. It’s a very powerful thing to watch, and it becomes quite clear quickly that the story of popular music in America is driven by the story of Black music.”
Steve Jordan also added, “Jazz, blues, and gospel are African American art forms. They are the basis of rock ‘n’ roll. They are also the bedrock of American pop culture. American pop culture has turned out to be our greatest export. The universal language of music is undeniable, unmistakable, and unstoppable.”
Fans should click here to RSVP for webcast info.