Storytelling is big business in concert halls these days, and as a yarn spinner Sarah Walker is in a class her own.
Music
Opera Album Review: The Most Neglected Master of Opera? Carl Maria von Weber, Early and Late
New recordings of Peter Schmoll and His Neighbors and of Euryanthe pose an embarrassing question: why is the opera repertory so narrow?
Concert Review: Singer/Songwriter Michael Kiwanuka — He Will Fill You With Light
Michael Kiwanuka blends singer/songwriter with funk and soul, the energy of Afro-pop with the intensity of psych and prog.
Jazz Concert Review: Cécile McLorin Salvant and Aaron Diehl — A Remarkable Collaboration
The recital of this remarkably self-aware singer was a series of highly literate and musically satisfying mini-dramas.
Opera Album Review, Oscar Wilde, Part 3 –A Spiffy “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Odyssey Opera revels in the glittering wit and touching moments of this full-length chamber opera by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, better known for his Hollywood film scores and some wonderful guitar pieces.
Concert Review: Rex Orange County — A Love-in for Bedroom Pop
For all the teen-pop trappings, however, there is an old-fashioned sensibility to Rex Orange County’s music.
Concert Review: Odyssey Opera’s “The Chronicle of Nine”
Arnold Rosner’s writing in each act is strongly contrapuntal, metrically unpredictable, and idiomatically scored. The music is marked by constantly shifting colors, a strong sense of rhythm, and a healthy dose of lyricism.
Jazz CD Review: “Light Blue” — Tight and Graceful
Overall, Light Blue is an impressive album: its ensembles simultaneously tight and graceful, its solos expressive.
Music Review: Providence Art-Pop Trio Arc Iris stretches its wings in “iTMRW”
So, after three original albums (plus a re-imagining of Joni Mitchell’s Blue) that fell short of wide acclaim, perhaps it was only a matter of time for them to think big.
Post-Rock CD Review: Caspian’s “On Circles” — Short Films for the Inner Eye
With this album, post-rock sextet Caspian pulls off the tricky maneuver of infusing blood and emotions into carefully assembled and deliberately delivered songs.