Nikki Giovanni – The Way I Feel

I already wrote about my early experience with Nikki Giovanni, and my wife’s complete fascination with her, back in 2020. So here’s another incredible re-release by Modern Harmonic of a work from 1975. Could there be a more important time to raise up Black voices? To raise up voices of all the oppressed, the different?

The music on this one is completely different from the gospel choral backing on “Truth Is On Its Way,” more in the jazz-funk style of the time, so a much more contemporary feel, but that doesn’t in any way diminish the impact. The poetry is generally lighter, too, with thoughts on love and life. On “Just a NY Poem” in particular, the music gives the poem such space to breathe:

Added this 2021 reissue in 2023. Honestly haven’t played it as much as the other album, but it deserves more plays.