Music
Over four days of listening (and walking), we found that the 13th Big Ears reaffirmed its reputation for daring curation—fostering a community of eager listeners always ready to discover something new.
Last Friday night, conductor Andris Nelsons and the musicians came on stage together wearing red carnations as symbols of solidarity. The applause was immediate and fervent.
April Varner, a rising star in this new generation of female jazz singers—which happily seems full of them—pays homage to Ella Fitzgerald; John Pizzarelli’s recording is an early entry in the no-doubt long list of tributes celebrating Tony Bennett’s 100th birthday.
The relaxed intensity of the band was apparent from the get-go.
Strong albums from trios led by pianists Edward Simon and Alfredo Rodríguez.
This a superb album, smartly programmed and brilliantly played.
Javon Jackson’s homage to Bob Dylan is well thought out and beautifully rendered.
The jam-rock vibes and gnarly blues licks that Scofield showcased in many of his projects over the years weren’t evident in Saturday’s laid-back final set of his trio’s two-night stand.
By Aaron Keebaugh The Last Savage delivered good tunes, a delightfully twisted story, and all-around cheer. As a librettist, Gian Carlo Menotti held a critical mirror up to society, often probing the psychological fault lines of his operatic targets. Yet, though he would often question what he saw around him, his works, no matter how…
Music Commentary: Brian Wilson’s Legacy Thrives — 2026 Reissues Reviewed
Though Brian Wilson has left us, his enormous musical legacy lives on through a growing series of posthumous CD and vinyl reissues and books.
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