Friday , March 29 2024

Jon Sobel

Jon Sobel is Publisher and Executive Editor of Blogcritics as well as lead editor of the Culture & Society section. As a writer he contributes most often to Music, where he covers classical music (old and new) and other genres, and Culture, where he reviews NYC theater. Through Oren Hope Marketing and Copywriting at http://www.orenhope.com/ you can hire him to write or edit whatever marketing or journalistic materials your heart desires. Jon also writes the blog Park Odyssey at http://parkodyssey.blogspot.com/ where he is on a mission to visit every park in New York City. He has also been a part-time working musician, including as lead singer, songwriter, and bass player for Whisperado.

Concert Review: Gerard Schwarz Conducts the Juilliard Orchestra with Violist Jordan Bak (NYC, Oct 26 2017)

gerard schwarz conductor

Jordan Bak, a marvelous young violist, helped remind us that 20th-century American composers kept audiences in mind even as they created original, boundary-breaking concert music.

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Music Review: Various Artists – ‘Jesus Rocked the Jukebox: Small Group Black Gospel 1951-1965’

jesus rocked the jukebox gospel music

Concord Music assembled this blast of classic gospel from the 1950s and '60s expressly to show the direct and multifaceted influence of gospel music on secular soul and rock 'n' roll. In addition to its historical and musicological interest, it's pure enjoyment any old way (but if you have a record player, get the 3-LP vinyl edition.)

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Book Review: ‘The Writing on the Wall: Rediscovering New York City’s “Ghost Signs”‘ by Ben Passikoff

writing on the wall ben passikoff ghost signs new york city nyc

Faded painted signs from times past linger on the sides of Manhattan's buildings, advertising everything from theaters to hosiery, meat markets to hotels, stables to department stores. Ben Passikoff's big, crisp photos of these relics preserve a vanishing history of industry in New York.

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Music Reviews: Brian Lisik and the Unfortunates – ‘We’re Sorry…’ and Thor Platter – ‘Take Time’

Straight-ahead but rough-edged and with quirky lyrics, Lisik's songs are self-aware with a sometimes tongue-in-cheek attitude but nonetheless soaked in real feeling.

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