Cassandra Wilson's new CD Thunderbird soars over a swirling array of musical influences.
Backing up the pop tune "Go to Mexico," are the chant-like sounds of the Tchapatoulis Mardi Gras Indians. And you might have a version of the familiar American tune "Red River Valley" in your head, but Wilson — one of the great jazz vocalists of her generation — gives it a fresh new feel.
T-Bone Burnett produced "Red River Valley," and two of his own songs — notably the haunting "Strike a Match" — join Wilson's original material.
Wilson tells Debbie Elliott about a CD that pays tribute to the Native American spirit and the rich traditions of American music.
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