Michael Franti & Spearhead "Live" at Folsom Prison

This past Thanksgiving Eve, poet/activist Michael Franti and his worldbeat band Spearhead performed inside California State Prison-Sacramento ("New Folsom") in a historic concert broadcast same day on stations across the country. Community radio station KVMR-FM of Nevada City, California collaborated with prison officials and the band on this unique special event, which celebrates the institution's "Arts in Corrections" program. The first half hour of the boradcast provides a human feel to New Folsom's arts program, including an interview with Franti and Rob Alby of the prison''s Inside Circle group, performances by arts participants Spoon Jackson (poetry) and Maryt Williams (song) and the acoustic music of three women who have performed for Folsom classes as part of KVMR volunteer Cheri Snook's series of visiting artists -- Diane Patterson, Melissa Mitchell and Kimberly Bass. The program has been highly effective in, among other things, reducing violence within the prison system. The final 90 minutes of the special is Franti and Spearhead's inspired, evocative concert in a 21st century twist on Johnny Cash's legendary Folsom Prison performance nearly 40 years ago. There is one holiday special reference and some Thanksgiving talk, but this program could be used in or out of the holiday season. This historic concert has broad social implications and bodes well for reform within the California Prison System. The two-hour special features superb remixing and editing by engineer Paul Kraushaar from the original recording