About this project

The musical heritage in America is steeped in a diverse history. At the beginning of the 20th century, American Roots music helped to develop a unique cultural identity. Musicians from different backgrounds came together to shape an American tradition. Welcome to Heritage on ArtistShare®.

The American Roots Project aims to integrate two American musical traditions – American Roots music and jazz – in a full-length album, entitled Heritage. The repertoire will feature original and re-imagined works by five of the leading composer/arrangers in contemporary improvised music, played by eight prominent musicians on the world stage, assembled exclusively for this project. Each of the eight new compositions will be inspired by the rich heritage of traditional folk music that is distinctly American, crossing numerous forms (bluegrass, gospel, blues, and others), paying tribute to American Roots music that led to a unique cultural identity shaped by American tradition. Heritage will serve as the launch into an extended performance life and an exciting collaboration with an art museum to curate a companion American Roots Art exhibition.

As the project progresses, we will keep you, the participant, involved through exclusive interviews with the composers, rehearsal videos, photos, downloads, and more. We are excited to share this new journey with you and we hope that you will enjoy the path to making this recording. Join us for Heritage.

This project is part of the Eastman/ArtistShare partnership program designed to recognize and support the career and artistic development of exceptional Eastman students and alumni.