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Confronting the Questions: Race, Anonymity, and the American Experience

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In the early 1900s, James Weldon Johnson explored the complex life of a bi-racial man who chose to disappear into white society in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Now, saxophonist Mark Turner uses this powerful novel as the foundation for his latest project. Join us as we listen to and discuss Turner's powerful compositions—a musical meditation on race, anonymity, and heritage—performed by his stellar quintet featuring Jason Palmer, David Virelles, Matt Brewer, and Nasheet Waits. Discover how this music forces the listener to confront the novel's enduring questions about identity and the American experience. This episode features music from Mark Turner's Reflections on: The Autobiography on an Ex-Colored Man (Giant Step Arts, 2025).

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