Dec 21 2024 - The Art of Storytelling

This week on The Purple Room, I explored how music can challenge, inspire, and connect us to our roots. Every track carried a story—moments of rebellion, reflection, and love.

I opened with Christy Essien Igbokwe’s Struggles, a song that used music as a tool for social change. Igbokwe was known for supporting women and marginalized communities in Nigeria. It’s a reminder of music’s power to uplift, even in tough times.

From there, Nia Smith’s Personal pulled us into a raw, emotional journey of self-reflection. Vulnerability, I think, can be just as powerful as strength.

We also dove into the sounds of Mulatu Astatke, the father of Ethio-jazz, with Kasalefkut-Hulu, where traditional culture and global influences meet, breaking boundaries and connecting us across time and geography.

Hope you enjoyed the trip this week!

This week's playlist

Christy Essien Igbokwe
Struggles

Nia Smith
Personal

Samory I
Blood In The Streets

Stro Elliot & James Brown
Black and Loud

Betty Davis
Don't Call Her No Tramp

Eugene McDaniels
Cherrystones

Lafayette Afro Rock Band
Darkest Light

Amel Larrieux
Sophisticated Lady [+ Clark Terry]

Tarika Blue
Dreamflower

Mulatu Astatke
Kasalefkut-Hulu

The Meters
Just Kissed My Baby

Jerome Thomas
That

The Isley Brothers
Ernie's Jam

----
​The Purple Room
Curated by @ShantuDiggs
Saturdays @ 2 pm MT (replays Sundays @ 11 am)
FM 88.5 (yeg) | @cjsr_fm | CJSR.com (stream)