"When I'm playing snare, bass drum, cymbals, I hear orchestral sounds. I hear a universe of sounds," says drummer and composer Nate Smith. Audience members present at Crosstown Arts in Memphis, Tenn. on May 7 were welcomed into a new section of Nate Smith's musical universe: When Smith and his ensemble KINFOLK took the stage, they were joined by a string octet comprised of members of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The addition of live string accompaniment heightens the sense of theatricality and lushness already present in Smith's music. For pieces like "Home Free (for Peter Joe)," which already include strings on the recordings, this concert is an opportunity to hear it performed as Smith originally conceived it. After you watch this electrifying concert, take a listen to our radio episode, profiling Smith's journey from Chesapeake, Va. through to the present moment in his career: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/01/113989...

Musicians:
Nate Smith, drums, arrangements
Amma Whatt, vocals
Jaleel Shaw, alto and soprano saxophone
Brad Allen Williams, guitar
John Cowherd, piano
Fima Ephron, bass

Sam Shoup, conductor
Marcin Arendt, violin
Marisa Polesky, violin
Jessica Munson, violin
Yennifer Correia, violin
Beth Luscombe, viola
Mario Williams, viola
Mark Wallace, cello
Kimberly Patterson, cello

Set List: (All music written by Nate Smith unless otherwise noted)
0:00 Signs of Life: Secret Agents of Weathering
3:51 Street Lamp
10:41 Don’t Let Me Get Away (Nate Smith, Amma Whatt)
18:17 Pages (Nate Smith, John Gordon, Amma Whatt)
23:20 Morning and Allison (Nate Smith, Amma Whatt)
30:12 Home Free (for Peter Joe)
38:10 Rambo: The Vigilante

Head to the Jazz Night in America homepage for more episodes, including out weekly radio show, full-length concert films, and short video documentaries: http://www.npr.org/jazznight

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