Ashley Kahn
on “Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland”
Ashley Kahn is a Grammy-winning music historian, author, professor and producer. He joins me to discuss his wonderful new book, Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland. You’ll hear about Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, with whom Ashley toured, and many of the musicians who helped define the Graceland sound, including Bakithi Kumalo, Ray Phiri, producer Ray Halee and insights into Paul Simon’s songwriting process. You’ll hear Ashley read several excerpts from the book and reflect on how Graceland the album and later as a touring project affected the musicians living under Apartheid, and also those in exile like Hugh Masekela. He also speaks about several of his other projects including his books about the music of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane and as co-writer of Carlos Santana’s award-winning autobiography The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light . A recipient of many awards and honours, Ashley has a broad and fascinating career in the music industry and is a professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU TISCH.
Book: “Days of Miracle and Wonder” Ashley Kahn NYU link
Suggested episodes: Verna Gillis the ethnomusicologist who recorded traditional music globally, founded Soundcape, and worked as manager and concert producer with Youssou N’dour and Salif Keita, then I have linked several episodes featuring musicians recorded with Ian Brennan across 5 continents, Jah’Mila the Reggae singer with a focus on her cultural roots and career path, Omo Bello the Nigerian-French opera singer with a focus on her album of African art songs with Rebeca Omordia, and my couple of episodes with Pat Irwin, a renowned film and television composer and musician who played with the B52s and other bands for many years. These few episodes are linked along with my catalogue of over 250 episodes since 2021.
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