In the second of a two part series looking at aspects of life in NYC past and present, Joe Pascal recorded and presented a programme in front of a live, pre-lockdown, audience celebrating Harlem from its famed 1920's Renaissance era to the new century's inhabitants living and working amidst the borough's ever-increasing gentrification.
Pascal's principal interviewee was Marcus Samuelsson, head chef at NYC's Red Rooster restaurant. The engaging Samuelsson spoke of his most unlikely rags to riches story; leaving Ethiopia as a young child (cured of TB), growing up in Sweden then finding himself in the Big Apple. Spoken word artist Jaylene Clark Owens, veteran of poetry slams, gave a tremendous performance of quick-fire wordsmithery.
John T Reddick helped Pascal put things in historical perspective - the Harlem Hellfighters, Langston Hughes as Harlem's 'patron saint' and the contribution of contemporary figures like Maya Angelou and James Baldwin. And then there was the music. Joining Pascal and his studio audience was vocalist Martina Da Silva. A one time singer with Postmodern Jukebox, Da Silva was accompanied by pianist John Thomas as she topped and tailed the World Service programme with Drop Me Off in Harlem, It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Swing, Just Squeeze Me, Ain't Misbehavin' and God Bless the Child.
New York Stories will be repeated at five past midnight Wednesday night/Thursday morning and online at www.bbc.co.uk
Russell
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