Lawrence Brownlee: NPR Music Field Recordings

Opera singer Lawrence Brownlee is known for portraying kings and princes. But lately he's been thinking about real people: Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, to name a few.
He's been thinking about the Black Lives Matter movement and an old spiritual called "There's a Man Going 'Round Taking Names." Decades ago, singers like Paul Robeson and Lead Belly recorded it. Brownlee, with jazz pianist Jason Moran, revives the old song to tell a new story for the 21st century.
"Jason and I chose this song because we felt it accurately captures a growing sentiment that's in society today," Brownlee says. "So many senseless deaths of young African-American men."
A crypt, they thought, would be an appropriate setting to perform their version of the song. So we took our cameras and microphones - and a lovely piano - deep into the active crypt below the historic Church of the Intercession in Harlem. The 1915 structure at 155th Street and Broadway is a New York City landmark and a dramatic setting for occasional concerts, including a December 2015 recital by Brownlee.
"I know that the ashes of the parishioners of this church are here in this crypt," Brownlee explains. "You can feel the weight of death, you can feel the sting. It adequately captures the atmosphere, the somber mood that we are trying to capture with this song."
In this arrangement, an already solemn song becomes even more dark and agitated.
"What [Jason] has done with the piano part has made it build, and you feel the unrest, the turmoil, the tension that is underneath," Brownlee says. "This is something that is painful and difficult to deal with.”
-Tom Huizenga
SET LIST:
"There's A Man Going 'Round Taking Names"
CREDITS:
Producers: Mito Habe-Evans, Tom Huizenga; Audio engineer: Josh Rogosin; Director: Mito Habe-Evans; Editor: Cameron Robert; Videographers: Mito Habe-Evans, Cameron Robert, A.J. Wilhem; Executive Producer: Anya Grundmann; Special Thanks: The Church of the Intercession, Mark and Rachel Dibner of the Argus Fund; Piano by Steinway & Sons

[@ScoutMasterDruncle]

I heard this while watching the 13th documentary on Netflix. I felt my body shivering listening to this and I had to search it up. thanks for sharing

[@jordanscott2886]

I immediately looked it up watching that documentary too!

[@natsumeniko5651]

Sameer omg this song gave me goosebumps

[@jackieburgett4018]

Same here!

[@composerdoh]

Ditto to all that. Replete with chills.

[@filo1210]

I’d love to have the piano instrumental , absolute goosebumps

[@brittanyjames275]

the 13th brought me to search for this song. ❤

[@jeremiahmathews1650]

Same. Such a powerful and historic piece. This rendition is awe inspiring.

[@lcpowell]

Same

[@leegallagher3684]

Such a harrowing and powerful documentary. The song is heartfelt

[@cory-vonanderson6996]

same!🖤🖤

[@LizODonoghue]

Me too. So much to learn.

[@emsoprano]

Unbelievably moving. Phenomenal singing and playing. Bravi. #blacklivesmatter

[@jennyeknox8037]

Bravi, bravi, bravi! What inspired talents! Great work gentlemen! Thank you! You sent chills down my spine!

[@kimberly3718]

Totally agree with you! I cried hearing imagining the pain and uncertainty

[@akeyser0629]

This literally made me shed a tear. I could feel the pain in his voice. Such an accurate depiction of the weight that has been unduly placed on #BlackAmerica. "There is a man going 'round taking names. He has taken my father's name. And it's left my heart in pain." #MassIncarceration #CriminalJusticeReform #HealingWounds

[@jennyeknox8037]

Spot on, Andre!

[@michaelbulatao5381]

I am brought to tears by Lawrence Brownlee and Jason Moran.

[@falcodante]

Hauntingly beautiful. It was introduced to me by a documentary on Netflix titled 13th. The weight of this rendition will sit with me for a very long time.

[@flyindarig]

Daniel Aboaf I said the same thing!! This runs deep!!

[@OjKaru]

Daniel Aboaf exactly the same as you.

[@tytv49]

same

[@nunyabidness1847]

Yup. Same. School made us watch it in the library and I'm glad they did

[@karagregory9159]

Phenomenal. Just amazing. So beautifully expresses the loss, pain, hurt and anger simultaneously. Thank you.

[@22hundo73]

Love the reverb of this space. The piano sounds really nice here.

[@robertknox386]

Thank you God for talent like this to be able to express the issues that is going on in today's society. I urge all black men to come together and stop the violence amongst each other, and trying times are really about to come if Donald Trump gets elected president the time is now black people let's stand together with smarts and intelligence instead of hate and ignorance.

[@kensanemthembu4018]

Such untouched beauty and bare honesty

[@adilton7401]

I came here because of the documentary by Ava Duvernay, 13th. Beautiful interpretation.

[@SpiritualItachi]

What a powerful performance and story to tell....

[@lauraservidei5728]

Great performance, thank you Maestro! #BlackLivesMatter

[@sd09gfh8sfgjmsf9yhkm]

+laura servidei All lives matter.

[@cesarsaura1954]

+AlexanderSuperTramp please don't...

[@sd09gfh8sfgjmsf9yhkm]

+Cesar Saura Shut the fuck up.

[@savagevic]

+AlexanderSuperTramp #Blacklivesmatter.

[@sd09gfh8sfgjmsf9yhkm]

savagevic #blacklivesmatter is extremely racist.

[@acatssoftnose3940]

Please, continuing doing Opera renditions of these old and painful spirituals. I'm genuinely heartfelt in writing this.

[@takumitag]

Amazing and heart wrenching. Thank you for sharing.

[@joaomarcelino2929]

Amazing! Congratulation! Essa canção me trespassa! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@tyraedmonson9677]

13th brought me here. So beautifully done 😭

[@joyus21]

harmony of heaven

[@mauriciovillanuevaoficial]

I love your musicality...thank you for sharing it :-)

[@JordinRevel]

Fantastic performance- such raw emotion behind the vocals and piano! You should get The Gloaming on to do something like this, that'd be brilliant.

[@kaylawarden2321]

The Spirit was definitely moving them!

[@joelbalzun]

Is there sheet music available for this specific arrangement?

[@sclilmama100]

MY MENTOR GOT ME HERE!

[@Thiago-Schembri]

Heavy song

[@Will-wp2cp]

These men are gifted for sure. #everyhumanlifematters

[@K5RTO]

johnson, lead belly and cash brought me here... I stand corrected.

[@PascalbigT]

1:10

[@thejonbushshow5895]

Who’s watching the 13th documentary in 2020 quarantine?

[@ddubs______]

"13th" brought me here....

[@tytv49]

same

[@rpark378]

me too!! excellent documentarery

[@lucibellesuppafly8565]

Me too ! I'm a french african girl, and now, i can understand your story better.

[@TheBlackJewelz]

damian walker Same.

[@klmpore4334]

and because of that, actually hearing the song made me cry a little. his voice is so beautiful

[@jeremiahmathews1650]

The way those ending keys ring out sharply like gunshots 🙏🏾💔

[@jdog81590]

Yes I was thinking the same thing. Amazing musician that that was able to be portrayed so well. Gave me chills

[@leefbucks]

While my white english so graciously made me aware of the movie 13 she allowed us to lay back in class and watch this great movie on the projector and when this song came on it made my eyes water. So i searched it and found Paul Robeson was the first to record it but this version right here just does something to me.

[@acatssoftnose3940]

1:10 for frequent visitors.

[@benjackson3257]

4:40 that part always gives me chills. The high pitch just sounds like gunshots to me and just makes feel so emotional when hearing it. I also tear up at that part. #blacklivesmatter #jovemnegrovivo

[@lauraservidei5728]

#BlackLivesMatter more and more

[@AnneloesF]

Wow.... the power of his voice! (And of the piano player too!) Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@KaitoShinja]

This makes replay number 8. I can't help it. It's way too beautiful for my heart to handle. And I must say, this soundtrack on Netflix 13th is too lit.

[@stevejoseph4875]

if you didn't have tears while this song was being played you're not alive

[@rhysgaunt7769]

I’m here because of the documentary 13th amazing documentary and wow what a powerful voice 🙏

[@gta1977]

This is incredible, true beauty and pain in this song.

[@billyandthesouthernnation8529]

Chilling. Thank you 13th.

[@lcct635]

#blacklivesmatter

[@josueesparza9730]

Damn, this Performance is just unbeliavable.

[@blackmessiah2112]

watching the documentary 13th made me shazam this moving masterpiece

[@maracayg]

Brownlee ha introducido un nuevo paradigma en la interpretación de los Spirituals. Excelso.

[@KateandBree]

I have frissons from listening to Lawrence Brownlee singing. I almost wish Brownlee had sung this a capella. I feel as if the piano and he are fighting for attention.

[@PerroneFord]

Glad to find this after hanging out and chatting with Mr. Brownlee a few weeks go. Wonderful gentleman and marvelous singer.

[@dorian07109]

POWERFUL!!!!!

[@carlosmorais3610]

Espetacular! This is art! Deepening and elevating our souls at the same time...

[@andrewbechtel5821]

amazing. great voice, and hot damn the natural reverb on that piano!

[@boujee.eenobe124]

13th brought me here. Made my heart just sank seeing Trayvon when this song came on.

[@patriciaholliday2058]

love his voice. God bless him

[@OjKaru]

if everybody repented for their sins with much passion. the worlday have even exceeded its initial design rather than becoming the picture of hell that it mayseem to be to some of us this day

[@emmystarlight]

one of the best tenors of the world at this moment!!!Absolutely splendid!!!!!!

[@NanaYawAforo]

Amazing, beautiful, and necessary

[@nicholasdoyle9906]

Is there a possibility for this to have sheet music?

[@ingrid4179]

This comes at just the right time in my life. Just as I begin to fear for the future of my grand-daughters in these troubled times.

[@joygrace8008]

Amazing!

[@SuperPopem]

Wow that was beautiful!

[@alaricmoondragon930]

This song and Lawrence's voice broke my heart...

[@hgfxjnn]

So beautiful 😭😭😭

[@7aj3r]

Please get this on apple music !!

[@yannaboo94]

13th brought me here too

[@nicobas773]

brings me to tears.....

[@Foodication]

I can’t even begin to express the amount of gratitude I have for this piece.

[@八神太一-g5t]

Netflixから来た

[@dymondwells9012]

heavy-meaningful-deep-profound-enlighten-

[@latakahashi9133]

46

[@FrankColesMadeEasy]

spectacular

[@Dawnaxel37]

Lawrence brownlee

[@2010metalmaster]

I would love to buy this piece to study and potentially perform... Does anyone have any idea where to find it?

[@malexander8726]

Jack Dolan eBay and amazon

[@byronheart2618]

second

[@OctaviaMaybank]

This song... My god

[@NanaYawAforo]

Speechless

[@sitwmimi]

At the end, he hits the keys 7 times. This was the same as the bullets that wounded Jacob Blake. Premonition.

[@maracayg]

Extraordinariamente cantado, sobrecogedor por la realidad que trata esta canción. Brownlee es extraordinario.

[@christoncarney4915]

Is this arrangement open to the public? where could I get it? I'm a student at NEC and I'd love to do this work.

[@LaurenMSmith-it9lt]

Bravissimo. Thank you for your art.

[@carloschisholm9699]

"13th" brought me here as well..

[@StephenRezzaOfficial]

Absolutely incredible. Gorgeous. Wish there was a rendition with a more organized piano composition. without the karate chop at the end

[@laughinelf]

The chops reference gunshots, its perfect for the message being given.

[@nikroglich3697]

Annoying song

[@gangsta5677]

13th amendment brought me here