The Harlem Renaissance Remembered

Gr 7 Up—Filled with music and poetry, The Harlem Renaissance Remembered was originally a performance piece created by Jonathan Gross who plays the piano for this recording. Professor Gross's introduction includes brief biographical notes on the poets. He explains the use of terms such as "Negro" and "colored," as well as expressing the rationale for his combination of jazz notes and words to glimpse the early 20th century Golden Age in African-American culture. With panache and vitality, "Mack" Jay Jordan provides the vocals for songs such as "Take the 'A' Train," "Satin Doll," and "It Don't Mean a Thing." Jordan also delivers monologues about life in the period and poems such as "Dream Deferred," "Theme for English B," and "Harlem Wine." History, music, and literary luminaries are combined in a lively manner likely to inspire finger snapping and foot tapping while subtly disseminating information. Sound quality is good, and the case includes a list of tracks for easy cueing. Although intended for Black History Month, this recording is useful year 'round and is an excellent vehicle for cross-curriculum studies. Recommended for middle and high school libraries, but also valuable for public library collections with a focus on African-American culture, jazz, or poetry.—Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT