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.
Review
Jazz Album Review: Kemp Harris’s “Live at The Bird SF” — An Infectious Hybrid
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.
Television Review: “It’s a Sin” — Poignant Remembrance of the AIDS Era
Despite its inevitable darkness, It’s a Sin never loses sight of the joys of existence.
Book Review: “Second Time Around: From Art House to DVD”
The book’s conceit is that D.A. Miller watches films he’s seen earlier in life with enhanced perception because of the possibilities offered him through the DVD lens.
Rap Album Review: slowthai’s “Tyron” — A Rapper of Two Minds
This is a sophomore album that showcases an artist’s desire to grow beyond his initial success.
Film Review: “Billie” — A Fascinating Spotlight on a Jazz Legend
Billie is a stunning new documentary about Billie Holiday, one of the greatest jazz vocalists of the 20th century.
Theater Review: “Solitaire Suite” — Strange Things Flashing in the Night
The show is made all the more powerful by the fact that we’ve now spent 12 months enduring Covid and four years of science denial and “alternative facts.”
Concert Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band — Fiery “Fireside Sessions”
With the “Fireside Sessions,” Tedeschi and Trucks have found the perfect online format for showcasing their attention to detail, nuance, and craft.
Jazz Album Review: Two Trios — Featuring Harold Mabern and Yoko Miwa
One disc pays expert homage to the late pianist Harold Mabern; pianist Yoko Miwa’s latest album supplies much appreciated exuberance.
Classical CD Review: Vienna Philharmonic’s 2021 New Year’s Concert
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.