Blood on the Fields
A jazz oratorio with words and music by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The epic story of a journey by three slaves from Africa to America, and their struggle for freedom of mind as well as body is, for Marsalis, fundamental to American culture and society. To be truly free, they must learn to love their new country, to discover their new self and to sing with soul. The work was written for and is performed by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Jon Hendricks , Cassandra Wilson and Miles
Griffiths, directed by Wynton Marsalis. Introduced by Dave Gelly , who talks to Marsalis before the performance and during the interval. This performance was given in March at the Barbican Centre, London.