When the songwriting and his melodic and vocal talents click, they click securely, and sailing through the whole set is Rodriguez's fine voice, a pleasure to listen to whatever he's singing about.
Read More »Jon Sobel
Working With What I’ve Got: Amy Schumer on Playing the System
One way to address sexism in the entertainment industry is clearly to engage with the sexual politics of the prevailing culture, and right now no one does that better than Amy Schumer.
Read More »Theater Review: ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ by The Trip
This experimental treatment of the ancient myth takes in video, music, dance, and the online world as it plays with your expectations.
Read More »Music Review: Michael Grimm – ‘Grimm’
I'm sure part of my positive response to Grimm's new album comes from the fact that I grew up listening to the kinds of music it pays tribute to. But another part of it arises from the high-quality songwriting and musicianship, the melodicism, the literate lyrics, and the strong vocals – a pretty powerful formula.
Read More »EXCLUSIVE: Interview – Collabro, ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Winners, on New Album ‘Act Two’ and American Concert Debut
The five-piece vocal group debuts in New York and Los Angeles as its sophomore album soars in the UK and aims for American success.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC Off-Broadway): ‘The Weir’ by Conor McPherson at the Irish Repertory Theatre
A the denizens of an Irish country pub chat and gossip, then go on to spin the supernatural tales that are the meat of the drama, a vivid outside world of time and space unfolds – and a world beyond as well.
Read More »Music Review: Jonathan Edwards – ‘Tomorrow’s Child’
The crisp energy of the album's expertly performed acoustic arrangements, produced by the great singer-songwriter and all-around instrumentalist Darrell Scott, makes the songs feel both timeless and timely.
Read More »Win a Signed Copy of New Biography ‘Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll’ by Fred Goodman
A veteran music journalist 'tells the full story of how the Beatles broke up, how the Stones achieved the greatest commercial success in rock history, and how the music business became what it is today.'
Read More »EXCLUSIVE: Interview and Playlist Debut – Singer-Songwriter Emily West on her ‘Breakup Songs’ Spotify Playlist
Streaming services like Spotify are taking us "back to the future" in a way, reminiscent of the days of free-form radio DJs. Except that today, artists themselves are designing some of these creative, meaningful playlists. Emily West's new Spotify playlist is a prime example.
Read More »Music Reviews: Jazz and Beyond from Bassists Kyle Eastwood and Georg Breinschmid
Two recent releases from bassist-bandleaders show how jazz continues to thrive in the most disparate of musical "cultures," even with its relatively small, specialized audience.
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