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"St. James Infirmary Blues"

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Silk Road Ensemble + Rhiannon Giddens |

TED2016

• February 2016

Singer Rhiannon Giddens joins international music collective Silk Road Ensemble to perform "St. James Infirmary Blues," spiking the American folk song that Louis Armstrong popularized in the 1920s with Romani influence and mischievous energy.

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Singer Rhiannon Giddens joins international music collective Silk Road Ensemble to perform "St. James Infirmary Blues," spiking the American folk song that Louis Armstrong popularized in the 1920s with Romani influence and mischievous energy.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Subscribe to Silkroad's mailing list to learn more about the Ensemble's performances and other work.

About the speakers

Silk Road Ensemble

Musical explorers

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With a repertoire spanning classical, improvisational and folk traditions from around the globe, the Silk Road Ensemble spins sounds that celebrate cultural solidarity.

Rhiannon Giddens

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With a rich voice and an equally rich sense of history, Rhiannon Giddens animates American folk tradition with her electrifying song interpretations.

Learn more

Hear more from the Silk Road Ensemble and Rhiannon Giddens

Download Sing Me Home on iTunes.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Subscribe to Silkroad's mailing list to learn more about the Ensemble's performances and other work.

Silk Road Ensemble + Rhiannon Giddens: "St. James Infirmary Blues" | TED Talk