- Classical Music is not all by Dead White Guys
- The Forgotten Superstar
- Breaking News in the World of Opera
- Black History Month—And Opera
- Black History Month and Opera, Again
- Naxos Releases New Recording of Music by Florence Price
- How Many Black Classical Composers Can You Name?
- Edmond Dédé
- Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
- Nicholas George Julius Ballanta
- Henry Thacker Burleigh
- Ludovic Lamothe
- Ignatius Sancho
- José Silvestre White Lafitte
- Robert Nathaniel Dett
- Vincente Lusitano
We’ll start off the month with one of my favorites, Edmond Dédé. He’s got a Wikipedia article that has some detail. But to really understand his legacy and the odds against him, look at this article from New Orleans Public Radio. And here’s an article from 64 Parishes about Dédé.
As you can see, there’s exactly one album available on Amazon. And there’s a book about Dédé: The Exile’s Song: Edmond Dédé and the Unfinished Revolutions of the Atlantic World. So while he’s getting some recognition, he’s not receiving the accolades that other composers of his stature do. Some of his musical scores are now available to the public at no charge at IMSLP, if you want to try performing some of his works for yourself (and you should!). And to just get a taste for his music, check out the performances posted on YouTube.