Henry Threadgill: Dirt, and More Dirt

1967, Fort Riley, Kansas. Henry Threadgill is 23 years old. Knowing he’s going to be drafted into the military, he joins the Army Concert Band, hoping to focus on his passion: writing music. As he surrounds himself with new ideas, he works his influences into the music that he's arranging. Then one day, the band plays one of his arrangements of a patriotic song for an inauguration of big-wigs, and from the calm of a quietly confused crowd comes a cry from a cardinal in attendance: “Blasphemy!” One day later, he’s told to gather his things. Thirty days later, he’s on his way to Vietnam. Fifty years later, he wins the Pulitzer Prize for music composition. This is only the beginning of the story of how the energy, hunger and curiosity of Henry Threadgill have influenced and changed the people around him. In spite of the failure and rejection he’s faced, Threadgill is perpetually driven toward new ideas, new challenges and new opportunities to pursue and grow stronger in his improvisational creative vision. His music is the product of the community he builds in the moment. This is the story of Henry Threadgill, told by the people whose lives he has touched. Heard a piece of music that you loved? Discover it here! 1:32—Samuel Ward: America the Beautiful | Listen 1:47—Cecil Taylor: Air Above Mountains | Listen 1:51—Igor Stravinsky: Rite of Spring | Listen 1:57—Thelonious Monk: Solo Monk | Listen 2:58—The Star-Spangled Banner, re-imagined by Meet the Composer3:29—Henry Threadgill: Someplace | Buy 3:47—Henry Threadgill: Higher Places | Buy 5:24—Henry Threadgill: Little Pocket-Sized Demons | Buy 6:00—Nico Muhly: Mothertongue: I. Archive | Listen 6:20—Henry Threadgill: The Devil is on the Loose and Dancing with a Monkey | Listen 6:58—Henry Threadgill: Try Some Ammonia | Listen 9:00—Edward Ciuksza: Basia | Listen 9:07—Demiran Cerimovic: Laca's Proud Cocek | Listen 9:17—Sallie Martin Singers: Jesus | Listen 9:28—Howlin' Wolf: Back Door Man | Listen 10:20—Ernest Tubb & Red Foley: Hillbilly Fever | Listen 10:33—Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, op. 107 | Listen 10:39—Big Maybelle: Do Lord | Listen 10:52—Meade Lux Lewis: Honky Tonk Train Blues | Listen 12:17—Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life | Listen 13:11—Bishop Samuel Kelsey & Others: Tell Me How Long Has The Train Been Gone | Listen 14:19—Henry Threadgill: Where's Your Cup | Listen 16:10—Muhal Richard Abrams: Wise in Time | Listen 18:02—Muhal Richard Abrams: Marching With Honor | Listen 18:09—George Lewis: Voyager Duo 4 | Listen 18:16—Amina Claudine Myers: African Blues | Listen 18:24—Roscoe Mitchell: A Game of Catch | Listen 18:30—Wadada Leo Smith: Lake Michigan | Listen 18:31—Henry Threadgill: Old Locks & Irregular Verbs | Listen 28:03—Henry Threadgill: Old Locks & Irregular Verbs | Listen 29:15—Henry Threadgill: Subject to Change: This | Buy 34:08—Henry Threadgill: In for a Penny, Out for a Pound | Listen 37:27—Henry Threadgill: Old Locks & Irregular Verbs | Listen