Artist:     Various Artists

Album:     The Social Power of Music box set

Label:     Smithsonian Folkways

Release Date:     2.22.2019

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The Smithsonian Museums keep history and the evolution of our American culture alive. Smithsonian Folkways has been a force in keeping our musical heritage alive. With the release of The Social Power of Music, a four-CD set with a 124-page book, the folks at Smithsonian have given us more than a glimpse into to impact of music on the social movements that have changed our lives; it gives us insight into our past as it leads us toward the future.

It seems appropriate that disc one, Songs of Struggle, opens with the Freedom Singers’ haunting, deeply personal version of “We Shall Overcome,” followed by the iconic “This Land Is Your Land.” From the desperation of the Great Depression to the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War, nearly every social movement and human struggle is represented. Even the plight of “illegal” immigrants is explored and exposed in Sammy Walker’s heartfelt reading of Woody Guthrie’s “Deportees.” And that’s only the beginning.

The rest of the collection follows culture, morality, values, and traditions. Each theme carefully presents a perfect blend of relevant music, setting the tone from the beginning. Sacred Sounds opens a prayerful collection with the universal “Amazing Grace.” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” which gave comfort to those suffering from the evils of slavery, drift easily beside Buddhist chants and “Kol Nidre.”

Music is also about sharing joy and enjoying life. Disc three, Social Songs and Gatherings, lets us “Shake Your Moneymaker,” dance, and drink some beer. Without fun, what’s left? As a land where immigrants brought their own culture, blended their traditions, food, and music with existing cultures, we became one. Disc four explores those places and traditions in Global Movements, bringing us full circle.

The people at Smithsonian Folkways began with premise that “engaging with music is a human activity that pervades virtually all eras and cultures. It has no equal as a way to position people in relation to themselves, their communities, and their wider environment.” This collection gives us “a taste of the amazing extent to which communities use music.”

—Gene Knapp