1-4 PM on Friday, February 12
NPR will offer a special three-part radio series, KANAVAL: Haitian Rhythms and the Music of New Orleans, that explores and investigates the historical and present day ties between the nation of Haiti and the city of New Orleans with a focus on the music that bonds together the places and people.
Hosted by the Grammy-winning Leyla McCalla and produced by WXPN, KANAVAL: Haitian Rhythms and the Music of New Orleans airs on WXPR at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 12. This limited-run series will feature three hours, including a two-hour audio documentary special and one hour of needle drop music. The special will focus on themes such as:
- The history of Saint-Domingue and the Haitian Revolution
- A look into early Haitian immigration in North America and to New Orleans specifically
- The cultural and musical ties between New Orleans and Haiti
- Exploring the Kanaval annual event and its historic significance
- 20th century history in Haiti
The series is produced by Alex Lewis, an award-winning independent radio producer and musician whose projects include Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio, Every ZIP Philadelphia, a Localore: Finding America collaboration with AIR and WHYY, with additional assistance by Cheryl Devall (Reveal, Daily World, Marketplace), and Whitney Jones (host and producer of Pitch, The Moth). The series Executive Producers are WXPN Program Director and World Cafe Executive Producer Bruce Warren and WXPN General Manager Roger LaMay. The series is made possible with support from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage.
