Jazz & Blues

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Cécile McLorin Salvant: Making Old Songs New Again
June 18, 2013 | NPR · The 23-year-old jazz phenom’s debut album showcases her takes on vintage jazz and blues numbers by Bessie Smith, Fats Waller and others. You can trace some of her effects back to jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln.
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Terence Blanchard Turns A Tragic Champion Into An Opera Hero
June 15, 2013 | NPR · The jazz composer’s latest project is an opera based on the life of Emile Griffith, a gay boxer who became a world champion in the 1960s — at a price.
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Two Generations Of Jazz Guitar Tune Up For Father’s Day
June 15, 2013 | NPR · Bucky Pizzarelli and his son, John, have been collaborating since John was a kid. They perform live in NPR’s studios.
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NPR
NO BS! Brass Band: Tiny Desk Concert
June 15, 2013 | NPR · When a studio engineer and drummer from New Orleans met one of the best trombone players in Richmond, Va., a funky, danceable, street-style brass band was born. Watch 11 musicians squeeze behind NPR Music’s Tiny Desk, turn up the funk and fly the “RVA” flag high.
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Johnny Smith, Revered Guitar Player, Has Died
June 14, 2013 | NPR · Though mainly a jazz player, wrote the surf guitar anthem “Walk, Don’t Run,” which became a Top 10 hit for The Ventures on two occasions.
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Christian McBride: Music Is About People, Not Grammys
June 6, 2013 | NPR · The bassist has made the rounds with some of the best jazz musicians in the world, including Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock. But for McBride, staying in the swing of things means reaching audiences. Guest host Celeste Headlee speaks with McBride about his new album, People Music.
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Authentic Early Jazz, From A 23-Year-Old ‘WomanChild’
June 3, 2013 | NPR · Vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant and pianist Aaron Diehl, both in their 20s, have already racked up major industry prizes. They took radically different paths to get there, but on Salvant’s new album, they find ways to honor old traditions as young people.
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Keith Jarrett: ‘I Want The Imperfections To Remain’
May 27, 2013 | NPR · Four years after it was recorded live in Lucerne, Switzerland, an album of six standards called Somewhere is finally getting a proper release.
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Pat Metheny And John Zorn: A Vivid Sound World
May 21, 2013 | NPR · The two artists are known opposites in the world of instrumental music. On Metheny’s latest, the jazz guitarist wrings an unexpectedly visual listening experience from Zorn’s knotty compositions.
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Sarah Vaughan: A New Box Set Revels In Glorious Imperfections
May 20, 2013 | NPR · Divine: The Jazz Albums, 1954-1958 packs four CDs with Vaughan’s music, recorded live or in the studio with bands big and small. Two live albums from Chicago nightclubs are standouts, partly when a performance threatens to slide off the rails.
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News

Book News: Alice Munro, Author Of Pensive Short Stories, May Retire
June 20, 2013 | NPR · Also: The Apple ebook trial wraps up; the unique horror of Kafka’s stories; James Salter’s woman troubles.
 

A Plaque And A Flag: U.S. Tries To Revive Taliban Peace Talks
June 20, 2013 | NPR · U.S. officials promised to remove a nameplate and flag from the Taliban office in Qatar. But the Afghan government remained furious and committed to staying out of the talks.
 

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SCOTUS Watch: High Court Could Decide Four Major Cases
June 20, 2013 | NPR · With little time left on the 2012 term, cases on affirmative action, gay marriage and the Voting Rights Act are still outstanding. The court could rule on any of these as early as today.
 

Arts & Life

Charles Moore’s ‘Margaret Thatcher’ Is A Softer Iron Lady
June 20, 2013 | NPR · The author was handpicked by Margaret Thatcher to write her authorized biography. Though he clearly admires Thatcher, reviewer Annalisa Quinn says that the book is no hagiography — it is staggeringly thorough, and the storytelling is vivid and interesting.
 

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When Love Is ‘In The House’
June 20, 2013 | NPR · More adult fairy tale than conventional novel, In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods follows an unnamed husband and wife who leave their home to start a new life in the wilderness. Reviewer Michael Schaub says this debut from author Matt Bell is a joy to read.
 

In Salter’s Novels, The Ladies ARE Lunch
June 20, 2013 | NPR · James Salter has been acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest writers of his generation. He’s been compared to Updike and Roth — but NPR’s Lidia Jean Kott says Salter has trouble writing fully realized female characters, depicting them instead as meals to be devoured by the men.
 

Music

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The-Dream On Why We All Need R&B
June 19, 2013 | NPR · Terius Nash, better known as The-Dream, has written some of the most memorable recent pop hits, from Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” But when he writes songs for himself, he makes R&B.
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Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell Get The Old Band Together Again
June 19, 2013 | WXPN · The country legends discuss how Nashville has changed over the years and play songs from their latest collaborative album, Old Yellow Moon.
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Viking’s Choice: True Widow Wants To Make Your Summer A Bummer
June 19, 2013 | NPR · True Widow’s stoner-rock and shoegaze mix trudges with back-breaking heft. Turn it up on a good pair of speakers or headphones, and “Four Teeth” rattles like a heavier bummer jam from Neil Young’s Zuma, complete with one-string guitar solos.
 

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