Music
Unlike so many of the iconoclasts from the ’80s, these architects of alternative rock stay true to their school.
Manfred Honeck’s one of the finest and most exciting Beethoven conductors around, but his interpretive decisions result in an account of the Ninth’s climactic sequence that comes over as episodic and mannered.
The life of a working musician is not a second-class life, and Mimi Rabson’s is Exhibit A: “I try to get past the limits of the definitions and get to the joy.”
We need more recordings like this. This is a diverse and imaginative album that draws on a wide range of influences: rap, old-school funk, Afropop, traditional West African music, and R&B jam sessions.
This live performance recording showcases the Boston-based singer/pianist Kemp Harris’s merrily eclectic approach — it is a thought-stirring and animated musical excursion.
This is a sophomore album that showcases an artist’s desire to grow beyond his initial success.
“The Ivan Variations is kind of a departure for me, though some would argue that my whole career is a departure, and I hope they’re right!”
With the “Fireside Sessions,” Tedeschi and Trucks have found the perfect online format for showcasing their attention to detail, nuance, and craft.
One disc pays expert homage to the late pianist Harold Mabern; pianist Yoko Miwa’s latest album supplies much appreciated exuberance.
The VPO’s performance doesn’t want for energy or purpose because of the lack of a crowd. Rather, there seems to be an internal imperative to the ensemble’s music-making that isn’t always apparent at these events.
Design Review: The Look of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games