William Pemberton is a tubist and the music director of the River Raisin Ragtime Revue. The group, known as R4, has just released a new album called "Nobody is Somebody." They collaborated with bass-baritone and University of Michigan professor Daniel Washington.
Pemberton joined Classical IPR to play some selections from the new album. All pieces on the album are African American spirituals or theatre songs from the early part of the 20th century.
Pemberton explained why the concept of the "talented tenth" (coined by W. E. B. du Bois) discouraged composers such as J. Rosamund Johnson from arranging spirituals - at least at first.
He also discussed the troubling legacy of blackface minstrelsy and how it affected African American musicians. Bert Williams, the black musician and entertainer whose song "Nobody" inspired the title of the new album, performed in blackface his entire career.
Pemberton, a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, spoke about the lasting impact his education at Interlochen has had on his life and career.
Hear Classical IPR's entire conversation with William Pemberton below along with four pieces from "Nobody is Somebody."
Playlist (all music performed by the River Raisin Ragtime Revue and Daniel Washington)
Robert Allen "Bob" Cole, "Under the Bamboo Tree"
J. Rosamund Johnson, "Gonna Ride up in de Chariot"
Bert Williams, "Nobody"
Scott Joplin, "When Villians Ramble" (from "Treemonisha")
For a video of Daniel Washington introducing and then performing "Somebody" with R4, click here.
