Music

Terence Blanchard Turns A Tragic Champion Into An Opera Hero

editor — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:43:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVQd7H28xts

Tom McDermott's Memory Piano

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:00:00 +0000

The day we visited Tom McDermott's home, the sound of James Booker's "Classified" greeted us. It was a sweet gesture: walking into a man's home to the sound of your radio show's theme music.

McDermott knows how to communicate with a piano.

Blame it on Rio... and ragtime. McDermott has a piano playing style that smacks of sweet melodies, savory harmonies, and spicy Brazilian rhythm. And he serves up all three this hour. Pull up a chair, and enjoy.

LAGNIAPPE

The Pfister Sisters Are Pfabulous

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Harmony, thy name is Pfister!

This week, the Pfister Sisters sing out and occasionally act out during a rollicking hour spent on jazz vocal harmonies.

Dr. Michael White & His Mighty Clarinet

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

What do you hear when Dr. Michael White plays his clarinet?

Can you hear the bayou? The river? The French Quarter? People sitting on their stoops waiting for someone to deliver the news? Penny parties?

Susan Cowsill: The Sound of Happy

Gwen Thompkins — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Like most girls her age, Susan Cowsill watched The Partridge Family every week on television. But unlike most girls her age, she was related to the Partridges, albeit in a Hollywood kind of way.

The show was modeled after Cowsill and other members of her singing family.

Susan Cowsill: The Sound Of Happy

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Like most girls her age, Susan Cowsill watched The Partridge Family every week on television. But unlike most girls her age, she was related to the Partridges, albeit in a Hollywood kind of way.

The show was modeled after Cowsill and other members of her singing family.

Gods And Monsters: 5 Unforgettable Wagner Moments

Tom Huizenga — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:39:58 +0000

How much do you know about Richard Wagner? Probably two unfavorable facts: He wrote very long, grandiose operas and was Hitler's favorite composer. As true as they are, those simple examples barely hint at the complexity of this endlessly creative and confounding artist.

Two centuries after Wagner's birth (he was born in Leipzig May 22, 1813), the man and his music continue to beguile and bewilder fans, detractors and critics.

Professional Street Musicians Undaunted By Second-Line Shooting

Maureen McMurray — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:20:18 +0000

The Mother’s Day shootings, which injured 20, rattled residents of New Orleans and led some to question the security around second-line parades. For many, the prevailing tradition brought them out to yesterday’s Divine Ladies Parade, but for the professional musicians who participate in the parades it was also a matter of their livelihood.

Sonny Landreth: Master Of The Slide Guitar

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

If you've never seen Sonny Landreth's hands glide over the fret of his slide guitar, you should. It's like watching someone touch the finest of silk.

Marcia Ball: Make 'Em Dance

Gwen Thompkins — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:06:39 +0000