The Seeds of Black Lily

In this episode, we explore the role of media and changing technologies in documenting the movement as it was taking shape in Philadelphia. In the first portion of episode 4, we feature some of the people that helped document that moment as well as their use of media: filmmaker, Mike D., radio host, Tiffany Bacon, and writer and co-founder of Okayplayer[dot]com, Angela Nissel.In the second portion of this episode, we discuss the final days of Black Lily and the fire that took place at the Five Spot. But, we don’t just leave off there. That time at the Five Spot continues to reverberate across time and space!The atmosphere created by the Jazzyfatnastees helped water the seeds for future generations to come. As such, the second portion of the episode features drummer and singer-songwriter, Tre Lambert, and writer, Jasmin Johnson — two artists from Philadelphia that follow in the tradition of Black music and Black performance practices! You can visit 808s and Jazz Breaks for more info on this episode and the entire series!

In this episode, we explore what Philadelphia was like for artists in the period leading up to Black Lily opening with D. Ryva Parker, the host of Black Lily, and Stephanie Renee, an artist, radio host, and much more, who’s been critical to Black arts communities in Philadelphia since the 1990s.We also take a look inside Black Lily with the people that made it happen, namely Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez, and feature a conversation with Lady Alma, a mainstay at Black Lily!

In this episode, we explore the origins of the name "Neo-Soul" as musical genre as well as Philadelphia's unique history in contributing to its sound.We also take a look into Jill Scott's He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat), one of the most enduring songs from the Neo-Soul era, with producer and songwriter, Keith Pelzer.

In episode 1 - "Magic in a Bottle" - we explore Black music in Philadelphia at the turn of the 21st century, as well as the origins of what some began calling the rebirth of soul music.

The Seeds of Black Lily is an audio documentary exploring Black music in Philadelphia at the turn of the 21st century, and the performance space that helped make the movement possible.