In the first episode of Amplify With Lara Downes, the pianist (left) speaks with singer-songwriter, banjo player and MacArthur "genius" Rhiannon Giddens. How can a moment of protest and isolation inspire creative rebirth? That’s the question renowned pianist Lara Downes is exploring as the host of a new video series for NPR Music, simply titled Amplify With Lara Downes . Downes says the mission of the series is to present intimate conversations with Black musicians who are experiencing creative awakenings during a time of transformation and uncertainty. She joined Ari Shapiro on All Things Considered to talk about it; hear the radio version at the audio link, and read on for an edited transcript. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Ari Shapiro: In your introduction to this series, you mention Harlem in the 1920s, a time when Black artists from around the country came together in one place. You say something similar is happening now, even though we’re all so isolated. How so? Lara Downes: Rebirth comes out of devastation. This is a time of so much tragedy and loss, and I think that in the moment that we are losing so many things that we […]

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