Parting Words: Meat Of The Matter
Andrea Seabrook quotes from jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery: "I never practice my guitar. From time to time, I just open the case and throw in a piece of raw meat."
'Honeyboy,' A Living Link To The Birth Of The Blues
Delta blues guitarist David "Honeyboy" Edwards is one of the few men alive who knew the iconic bluesman Robert Johnson. If playing with the man who (as legend has it) sold his soul to the devil wasn't enough, Edwards was there the night Johnson was poisoned. At 93, he's still playing and having fun.
Amos Lee At The Studio 4A 'Lodge'
Before pursuing a career in music, Lee was a Philadelphia schoolteacher. Then he started going to open-mic nights with a car stereo full of classic R&B records. He recently brought his folky, soulful style to NPR headquarters for a solo performance.
In Concert, A Moment Of Sudanese Solidarity
At a time of outright genocide in Darfur, and civil unrest throughout the Sudan, an unprecedented gathering of musicians from across the war-torn country presented a contrasting picture — one of harmony and unity — at the Sudanese Festival of Music and Dance in Chicago.
Hillbilly Gypsies: Mountain Mama Music
Gathered around a large, vintage diaphragm microphone, the native West Virginians in Hillbilly Gypsies perform a mix of traditional and original Appalachian music before a crowd at the International Mother's Day Shrine.
Jakob Dylan: Strength In Starkness
In Jakob Dylan's full-length solo debut, Seeing Things, the singer-songwriter proves adept at insightful lyrics that provide commentary on modern times. Hear his performance, as well as an interview with host David Dye, on WXPN's World Cafe.
Alina Simone: 'Half My Kingdom' Everyone Is Crying Out to Me, Beware, the second album from Ukrainian-born singer-songwriter Alina Simone, is utterly haunting. With bare-bones arrangements and Simone's powerful, poignant vocals at the forefront, the record burns through a collection of songs by Siberian punk-folk singer, Yanka Dyagileva, with cathartic fervor. Though the lyrics are in Russian, the emotions are raw and easily felt.
Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One
Sarah Vaughan possessed one of the legendary voices in jazz. With a multi-octave range and a luscious, supple sound, she was celebrated by critics, fans, and fellow musicians alike. In this program from 1986, Vaughan's lively and sassy personality is on display, as are her amazing vocals.
A Sane Sister: Gluck's 'Iphigenie En Tauride'
Poor Iphigeneia. She comes from Greek drama's most dysfunctional family — matricide, patricide and madness. It's all in her past, but somehow she triumphs in Christoph Willibald Gluck's emotional drama, Iphigenie en Tauride, from the stage of the Paris Opéra.
Deerhoof And 'The Rite: Remixed' In Concert
If pop ever had a strange bedfellow, it's been in Deerhoof. Hear the forward-thinking indie-rock band perform a concert from the Wordless Music Series recorded in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Friday, June 18. The Metropolis Ensemble opens with its electronic take on Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.
