“It’s like creating the soundtrack to a movie. Except there’s no movie.”

James Brandon Lewis found the inspiration for his latest album in the scientist and inventor George Carver Washington. Jesup Wagon depicts the journey of Carver and his mobile classroom among the poor farmers of the south on his mission to help them build better lives.

People say you have to experience something in order to play it. While James Brandon Lewis couldn’t literally step in the shoes of Mr. Carver — he did immerse himself in Carver’s published writings and personal letters in order to carry the essence of Carver’s life and mission into his music. In songs like “Experiment Station,” you can hear the innate curiosity of one of America’s most prominent black scientists. “Lowlands of Sorrow” carries the weight of this country’s dark racial history.

Listen to the full interview to learn more about what James Brandon Lewis discovered as he researched George Washington Carver, James’s process of composing and improvising, and the musicians that join James on his musical journey.

Resources

Learn more about James Brandon Lewis at JBLewis.com. You can find Jesup Wagon anywhere you stream music — it's also available for purchase on Amazon Music. 

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