Podcasts · Episode

Imani Winds

Program: NoteWorthy
Aired: Monday, May 27, 2024
Hosted by Loki Karuna

Chamber music ensembles come in all shapes and sizes but there's nothing quite like the wind quintet. 

The instruments of a wind quintet are flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and horn, and when they join forces, as you can hear, they create a sound that’s quite unique – especially when it comes to one wind quintet, in particular. Hello – I'm Loki Karuna, and on this edition of Noteworthy you and I are going to celebrate the wind quintet known as Imani Winds.

Founded in 1997, Imani Winds is a collective of musicians who aim to bring something new and fresh to the world of wind quintet literature. Focused on the traditions and aesthetics that celebrate Black and brown folk, Imani Winds has featured and recorded arrangements and original works themed around tango, blues, soul, folk, and even gospel! This tune, arranged by composer and Imani Winds founding member, Valerie Coleman, brings to the classical chamber music realm an incredible take on Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue". 

Imani Winds has celebrated countless honors and recognitions since their founding, including a Grammy Award in 2024 for their album, Passion for Bach and Coltrane. This groundbreaking ensemble has paved the way for expanded thinking around not just the wind quintet, but chamber music, overall, making them one of classical music's most Noteworthy ensembles.

Noteworthy is a production of WDAV, classical public radio.

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