Play It Forward

Angel Bat Dawid is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist rooted in Chicago's jazz scene. Mara Arteaga/Rhizomes Films hide caption

Devonté Hynes' new album, Fields, is nominated for two classical Grammy awards this year. Nick Harwood/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

"It's something that I've always thought that was important, ever since I was a kid, to laugh," Thundercat says. "Being able to laugh is one of the best feelings ever." Carlos Gonzalez / The1point8/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

"I've made a bunch of romantic albums," Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd says. "I think my world view is full of pink glasses." Azul Amaral/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

"Laughter has always been the juice of my life," says Laraaji, who pursed stand-up comedy before becoming a professional musician. Liam Ricketts/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

"I think a lot of my last record is just me trying to find some peace with saying whatever stream-of-consciousness things that come to my head," Nick Hakim says. "It's therapeutic for myself." Adam Zhu/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Lianne La Havas says her new, self-titled album is her at her purest and most authentic. Hollie Fernando/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Spoken word poet and musician Kae Tempest thinks that the act of paying extreme attention allows one to be more empathetic to others and to create art that resonates beyond the present moment. Julian Broad/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers contemplate their place as queer artists in country on their latest album, Look Long, released in May. Jeremy Cowart/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Responding to the noise he experienced daily in London, Mala pared down U.K. dance music to a skeletal form. He's the final rung in this chain, but hypothetically, he'd "play it forward" to the late dub pioneer Augustus Pablo. Fabrice Bourgelle/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Now more than a decade into his career, James Blake returns to his early years in the U.K. dance music scene in this installment of Play It Forward. Christopher Parsons/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Aided by an ensemble cast of jazz musicians new and old, Lakecia Benjamin recorded the entirety of her new album 'Pursuance: The Coltranes' in two days. Elizabeth Leitzell/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Georgia Anne Muldrow was Robin Dann's choice on the last episode of Play It Forward. Muldrow moves the chain of gratitude along to saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin. Priscilla Jimenez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Bernice was Glenn Copeland's choice of an artist he's thankful for in All Things Considered's series Play it Forward. In this edition, Bernice's lead singer Robin Dann chooses Georgia Anne Muldrow. Carter Hutton/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Glenn Copeland, whose long-overlooked recordings were rediscovered in 2015, was Caribou's choice for Play It Forward. Copeland in turn says he's thankful for the music of the band Bernice. Juri Hiensch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

In the first installment of Play It Forward producer and composer Dan Snaith, who records as Caribou, speaks about how he was inspired by the long-overlooked electronic innovator Glenn Copeland. Thomas Neukum/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

All Things Considered is launching a new series called "Play It Forward," which gives musicians an opportunity to talk to talk about the musicians that inspire them. Mr.nutnuchit Phutsawagung / EyeE/Getty Images hide caption