Coming to PBS in February 2005, Thirteen / WNET New York's groundbreaking four-part series Slavery and the Making of America chronicles the institution of American slavery from its origins in 1619 - when English settlers in Virginia purchased 20 Africans from Dutch traders - through the arrival of the first 11 slaves in New Amsterdam, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the adoption of the 13th Amendment and Reconstruction. This CD will encompass the music of the series which was composed, produced and adapted by Emmy Award winning composer Michael Whalen. Also on the soundtrack are two of the world's best known experts on and performers of traditional African music and slave music: Kimati Dinizulu and Bashiri Johnson. Dinizulu has performed slave music all over the world and is a frequent lecturer and clinician at universities and institutions such as the Smithsonian. His work also appears on numerous feature films such as "Amistad", "Beloved" and "Rosewood". Johnson owns a large collection of modern and traditional percussion instruments which he uses in his own recordings and in his performances with such artists as Whitney Houston, Maxwell and Luther Vandross. The soundtrack also features vocals by the noted African singer Fredrick Akuffo. The rest of the CD is filled with lush, melodic and textured music featuring a variety of African and traditional Western orchestra instruments.

2-VLT-15191