Jazz, in particular, seemed to not merely satisfy Justin Freed’s inner cravings for beauty, but it led him outwards, to others, eventually inspiring some of the key relationships in his life.
Commentary
Film Commentary: A Trio of Terrific Films Turn 50
Our critics salute three memorable films — anti-fascist (Cabaret), anti-capitalist (The Ruling Class), and anti-war (Slaughterhouse-Five) — that turned fifty this year. Perfect viewing for the holidays.
Arts Commentary/Interview: The Climate Crisis and Theater — A Playwright’s Perspective
Do we feel the environment breakdown in our gut? Will people looking back see art that conveyed the existential threat of the emergency?
Arts Remembrance: Lucia Small, 1963-2022
This is a profound loss to cinema and to Boston’s filmmaking community in particular, a close-knit group in which Lucia Small enjoyed many friendships and engaged in fruitful collaborations.
Arts Biz Commentary Update: Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment Got Some Explainin’ to Do
How do you spell a monopoly that is killing the live music industry? Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.
Children’s Book Review: “Discovering” Thanksgiving
Many Thanksgiving myths are dispelled, but the effort to reverse decades of misinformation leads to oversimplification at times.
Arts Remembrance: Art and Technology Guru George Fifield
The new media advocate, curator, and artist mentor passed away at the age of 72.
Book Review: Three Splendid Volumes Filled with the Cool, the Wicked, and the Amazing
It’s hard to convey what a benison these books have been to me, as I’ve read them in my narrow, monkish bed late into the night.
Book Review: “Realigners” — Stuck in the Middle
In the end, the historical cavalcade Timothy Shenk presents doesn’t tell us much about how America ended up in such straits or how it will pull out of them, if at all.
Book Review: “Folk Music — A Bob Dylan Biography in Seven Songs”
At points Greil Marcus’ digressive style can seem like nervy brilliance, at others, idle whimsy. What ennobles the book is the critic’s love for his underlying subject: the soulful search for a truer America.