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American Rhapsody
African, Native, and European music in the New World
Available on all Streaming Services

Burnett Thompson, Pianist and Arranger
Alex Blake, Bass
Hamid Habib Zadah, Tabla

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The Reviews

"American Rhapsody is as purposeful an album as I have had the pleasure of hearing in a very long time. When first hearing of an album that combines 17th century African Native American and European elements, one could be forgiven for being a little skeptical: too many influences can result in a lukewarm world-music soup. But great music is ultimately about great story-telling.

Burnett Thompson‘s American Rhapsody is story-telling at its best. Thompson navigates skillfully across stylistic boundaries, as he wisely delivers the necessary ingredients for these stories to develop and to blossom. His true mastery is revealed by how selflessly and tastefully he does so. The occasional firework occurs organically and without pretense.

The outstanding Alex Blake enriches the ensemble with a powerful anchor and amazing melodic solos. In Membertou, for example, his vocalizing beautifully melts with the pitched tabla played by the great Hamid Habib Zadah.

American Rhapsody breaks the mold of the traditional piano trio. Expect a wonderful new sonic landscape, some elements of which may remind the listener of Duke Ellington’s Money Jungle."-- Amadis Dunkel, Basel, Switzerland

"I enjoy many genres of music, jazz being among my favorites. American Rhapsody is easy listening, my premier criterion for music. I appreciated the research and respect for history and for the richness of other cultures represented by the folk songs on which the music is based. This adds interest for the careful listener, but focusing on that aspect of this music is not required for its enjoyment. I lived in Turkey and Yemen for 11 years, so the tabla is a familiar sound, and the resulting fusion of jazz, a modern contribution to American folk music, with a prominent sound in traditional folk music throughout the Middle East, is musically rich and, at least for me, a pleasing instrumental harmony."--Allen Gall, Arlington, VA

"American Rhapsody is surprising, challenging, and above all, fun to listen to. The seventeenth century has never sounded so fresh and alive, and you won’t find a better set of guides than Alex, Burnett, and Hamid. The album is lovingly researched and beautifully produced - I find myself returning to it again and again." --Ann Yuan, Washington, DC

"Once again, Burnett and Alex make beautiful music together by crafting their own spin on tunes from the New World. Hamid Hadid Zadah adds a compelling dimension to the music with his enthusiastic and expert tabla playing. The album makes for an interesting musical history lesson. Here is an opportunity to make something more out of this foundational material. What would Aaron Copland have made of these themes, I wonder? " --Michelle Gerhard, Columbia, MD

“Pianist Burnett Thompson and his colleagues Alex Blake (bass) and Hamid Habib Zadah (tabla) have conquered space and time. On American Rhapsody, they have connected with the European, Native American, and African musical cultures of the 17th century and refracted them through a 21st century sensibility. The result is nothing short of astonishing." --Sean Becketti, Mountain View, CA

"The recordings are beautiful, with clear sound, and a wonderful presentation of music from the time of 17th century in America. This was very educational for me! Thank you" Mamiko Watanabe, Fukuoka, Japan

"American Rhapsody is a kick-ass album that is already bringing great joy to our family. It's melodies are intoxicating. The gentle sounds of the piano, coupled with the soft beat of the bass offer a compelling rhythym that is both smooth and intricate. The tune “Lullaby for a Sleeping Baby” is a gem. Bravo! "--David Boul, Washington, DC

"Spectacular ! How did the three of you ever find your way together? The album project is so fascinating in its own right even before adding in the three musicians! I've long been a jaw-drop fan of tabla masters (one of my favorite parts of teaching World Music every few semesters), though admittedly have never really considered the instrument's potential for jazz. I do now! Thanks so much for the fresh gift of that album, which I certainly plan to listen to many times over. Congratulations!" --John McGinn, Sherman, TX

"LOVE the opening of track one (Membertou) with the "this'l get your attention" percussion, folky scat from the bass player, the cool, lush, even sometimes crunchy, jazz chords from the piano. Then into a jazzy rendition of what sounds like it would have been a traditional folk song from another culture. 16th Century, jazzed up, man! It sets up the album! VERY VERY cool.

The mix of piano, bass, and percussion across these tracks is fantastic. There is a lot of variety, with what feels like folk from different cultures, jazz (multiple styles), and often a mix, plus some classical and American blues/rock/pop overtones as well.This should become part of the history of American music, consistent with the liner notes. This is where it all started, interpreted through a classical/jazz crossover composer/pianist who doesn't pander to the mob and is proud of that fact! That is exactly what this project required, and it has delivered a masterpiece.

Since this is the first of its kind, it should get credit as such--the first serious attempt to dig into the roots of American music and present those roots and what came out them in a musical way through compositions created from historical records and this performance. American blues, pop, jazz, rock, all grew out of the influences heard and masterfully blended into the presentation across these tracks.

The Gambling Song -- I felt like I was in an 1877 Saloon! All the tunes flash between traditional folk from diverse cultures and the modern day, most often blending the two. Incredibly original. Love the lullaby -- beautiful. Too many specific songs I like to single out -- Kormanti is amazing. Ashanti Melody. Have happy things to say about all of them. Too much to say. The jazz passages throughout, layered over folk, are brilliant.

What else? From 40,000 feet: (1) This is the first (and maybe the only) serious effort to represent musically the three diverse musical influences on American music -- Native American, African, and Western European -- that evolved into the American music we know today; (2) Perfect choice of artists -- all firmly rooted in the relevant influences; (3) Listening, you can feel how traditional forces morphed into American music of the day; (4) Great variety, spanning centuries' old folk to older and more modern jazz that the composer and artists layer wonderfully over traditional rhythms, melodies, tempos, etc., capturing the range of emotions that the song titles and liner notes suggest. Highly original, and a historical and artistic musical gem. Have fun!" --Dan O'Brien, Lake Tahoe, CA.

"American Rhapsody carried me deep into roots of music from the New World with a current twist. Indigenous rhythms added spice to historic works from which scores by Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck surely evolved." -- John Ross, Middleburg, VA

"This overview of music in the Americas before the conquest is informative and well-researched, but it is the interplay of three distinct musical style, not the the scholarship, that captures our attention. Like an exotic buffet, the tabla and bass offer up spicy rhythms which the piano overlays with cool harmonies and short melodic bursts . The instruments blend, then break into small conversations, graciously allowing each time to have his say. The complexity of the tabla is breathtaking, the intimacy of the bass is a gift. The piano's jazz inflected style ties all seventeen distinct tracks together A beautiful album."--Joan Singer, Alexandria, VA

"American Rhapsody is a fascinating compilation of African, Wester European, and Native American music dating back to the 16th Century, as interpreted through the musical skills of a modern trio. The sources are inspirational; the transcriptions are masterful; and the musicianship of Burnett Thompson, Alex Blake, and Hamid Hadid Zadah is topnotch. If you play this as "background" music for your guests, they will soon stop talking and start listening to the fascinating rhythms and cool jazz piano. "Dagna" from Burkina Faso will capture them entirely.--Carmel Thompson Arlington, VA

"This is classic jazz at its best, performed by the best. Taken as a whole, the album presents ancient music adapted to the jazz vernacular that's both satisfying and intriguing. The musicianship shines brightly, especially in Peyote Drinking Song and Trois Chansons des Americaines. Dagna and Mamadou clearly echo their African origins with their drum tattoos and intermittent vocals. And A Moment Lost could easily have been written expressly for a talented 20th century pianist. Altogether, an informed and sensitive nod to our musical roots. Bravo!" --Meredith Whiting, Middleburg, VA

"an impeccably beautiful album, virtuoso musicians, and LOVE it Riveting! Compelling! Brilliant!" --Marianne Ackerson, Bloomington, IN

"In his latest major project, American Rhapsody, pianist, composer, arranger Burnett Thompson unleashes the best of his talents. In his well researched work of art he tackles what the music scene was like in America in the 17th Century when three very different cultures,African, Native American, and European, each with distinct music styles, lived and clashed side by side. Thompson combed through volumes of historical texts on each culture to learn about the inherent music of each. Some of the texts contained simple transcriptions of melodies and or lyrics. From several dozen folk songs, dances, and lullabies, Thompson chose a dozen and a half to conceptualize, reimagine, and arrange for piano, bass, and tabla. While there would not have been pianos as such or the upright bass in the colonies at that time, drums were common to all three cultures. The amalgamation of the three instruments works beautifully to give the listener a glimpse of the music that would have been heard in prayer, celebration, or recreation in early America.

Thompson has fun in this serious project and doesn’t hesitate to jazz the pieces up a bit. He swings to his heart’s content in Herzlich tut mich Veriangen, a 1600 German Folk Song. He throws in some blue notes in Gambling Song, transcribed 1877, Ute Nation, Yampa Band, Colorado.

Bassist Alex Blake holds everything together, as is the bassist’s job, and he shines in many pieces such as Lullaby for Sleeping Baby, Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

There is gorgeous interplay between tabla player Hamid Habib Zadah, Blake, and Thompson in Dayna, Mamadou Diabate, composer, Burkina Faso.

Mamadou, Gambia Traditional is playful, rhythmic, energetic and so pleasant that it leaves the listener craving to hear more. I enthusiastically encourage you to purchase the CD to hear the entire Rhapsody."-- Polly Reierson, Arlington, VA

"We love the album! Thanks for giving us this beautiful music! American Rhapsody is brilliant and sexy! It’s an uplifting and colorful listen. I can’t wait to share it with friends!" --Tom O'Briant, Washington, DC

"American Rhapsody, with Burnett Thompson, Alex Blake, and Hamid Habib Zadah takes transcriptions dating back to the 15th century and using these original themes expanded them into a modern jazz concept, replete with polyrhythms and improvisation. If the creators of these works were to hear these sublime performances today, they could not help but be pleased with how their music has matured and evolved. “American Rhapsody” is a paean to its history." --Jack Porter, Mclean, VA

"American Rhapsody" is a clever idea brilliantly executed. It gives one appreciation for the wide range of cultures that have melded together to make America so distinctive. I never expected to hear a tune composed by Henry VIII followed by an indigenous American peyote drinking song." --George Troutman, Arlington, VA