Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead remembers Mengelberg, who died Friday, as a "musical anarchist" who taught classical counterpoint and wrote dozens of catchy melodies.
Barney Kessel is a jazz guitarist, composer, and music writer. He has worked with artists such as Fred Astaire and Bille Holliday. He continues to perform across the country. He joins the show to discuss his career and life.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz presents the second in his two-part review of conductor Otto Klemperer. This time, Lloyd plays some of Klemperer's opera recordings and recordings of Mozart. (Angel Records has begun to reissue some of Klemperer's recordings on remastered compact discs.)
After her husband's death in 1979, Sue Graham Mingus worked to keep his legacy alive, forming a repertory ensemble devoted to playing his compositions. She died Sept. 24. Originally broadcast in 2002.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz recently attended the 2010 Musikfest Berlin's two-week long tribute to 85-year-old French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Schwartz says the musical tribute was "sonically ravishing, with endlessly inventive combinations of sound and texture."
Blake's music is featured in the Broadway revival, Shuffle Along. Our tribute features live performances of his songs and interviews with pianist Dick Hyman, among others. Originally broadcast in '98.
Neidlinger, who died March 16, was a child prodigy on the cello who went on to perform in the New York Philharmonic and also as a studio and jazz musician. Originally broadcast in 1989.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of John Field's Nocturnes, performed by Irish composer and pianist John O'Conor. (on the Telarc label).
Classical Music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new compact disc of the string quartets of Charles Ives, performed by the Lydian String Quartet. Schwartz says it's one of the best quartet performances on record.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new Northeastern recording featuring flutist Fenwick Smith playing music by Aaron Copeland and Arthur Foote.
Shorter, who died March 2, was inspired by film and literature, as much as by sounds. One of the great musical minds of our time, he had a profound influence on the course of jazz.
The composer, conductor, teacher and music historian who coined the term Third Stream for his synthesis of jazz and classical music, died Sunday in Boston from complications of leukemia. He was 89.
Critic Kevin Whitehead remembers the late musician, who was known for his animated piano recitals and group improvisations, and who sometimes used his forearm to play dense clusters on the keys.
Alsop is the music director of the Colorado Symphony. One of the few woman conductors in the world, she has also served as music director of the Lond Island Philharmonic, and has been the guest conductor for many orchestras, including the St. Louis Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Her new CD "Victory Stride," features the work of the African American composer James P. Johnson.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new CD by Edward Wilkerson's group, "8 Bold Souls." It's called "Sideshow," on the Arabesque Jazz label. Wilkerson came from Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, which spawned several cutting edge icons of jazz.
Classical music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of a major Tchaikovsky opera that hasn't gotten much attention in the United States. It's called "Mazeppa."
