Music

Book Interview: Tracy Fessenden, author of “Religion Around Billie Holiday”

May 14, 2018
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“It seemed worthwhile to me to think about how the spiritual currents Billie Holiday navigated might have shaped her life and her sound and what she and others made of them.”

Jazz Review: A Trio of Superb Trio Albums

May 12, 2018
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Good things come in threes.

Concert Review: Pharoah Sanders Quartet at Blackman Auditorium

May 11, 2018
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Sometimes Pharoah Sanders came back and played like a primordial saxophone deity, cutting into the rhythm section like an act of penetration.

Jazz CD Review: “Seraphic Light” [Live At Tufts University]

May 10, 2018
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The players are striking out into the unknown: you may find the journey inspiring and you may sometimes find yourself lost in the woods.

Concert Review: Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra at Sanders Theater

May 8, 2018
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Rarely in my experience has Ives’s visionary score sounded so fired with purpose.

Music Review: Anthony Coleman’s “Streams” at Jordan Hall

May 7, 2018
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Composer/pianist Anthony Coleman’s meticulous crafting made every second worthwhile.

Pop Rock CD Review: Sloan’s “12” — By Jove, they’ve done it again!

May 6, 2018
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Sloan is a brand that stands for high-quality, retro-flavored pop that is rarely hackneyed or derivative.

Music Review: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2018

May 4, 2018
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Mostly the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival ends up being about the multiplicity and infinite variety of cultures and traditions, including generic funk.

Opera Review: The Comic Ravings of a “Madman” — Opera As Political Pastiche

May 3, 2018
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The performance’s excellent musicianship and many amusing moments were at the service of a relevant evening of commentary on the lighter side of the current news cycle.

Classical CD Reviews: Michael Brown’s Piano Works, Ferdinand Ries Piano Concertos, and Andris Nelsons’ Bruckner Symphony no. 4

May 1, 2018
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Variations and fugues are the overriding themes of pianist/composer Michael Brown’s captivating new album. If you’re an Andris Nelsons fan, this Deutsche Grammophon album won’t disappoint, and a disc that features three pieces by composer Ferdinand Ries, who was friendly with Beethoven, is worth hearing.

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