Arts

Before Dylan, Dave Ray's Blues Rocked Minneapolis

7:19pm January 06, 2015

by Jim Bickal

When Bob Dylan moved to Minneapolis in 1959, he was overshadowed by a singer and guitar player named Dave Ray of the blues trio Koerner, Ray and Glover. A new box set traces the singer's evolution.

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Books
Arts

Book Review: 'Descent' By Tim Johnson

6:36pm January 06, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Alan Cheuse reviews Descent by Tim Johnson.

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With so many craft breweries now in operation, just about every beer name you can imagine is taken. That's making it harder for newcomers to name that brew without risking a legal fight.

Craft Brewers Are Running Out Of Names, And Into Legal Spats

4:49pm January 06, 2015

by Alastair Bland

One consequence of the thousands of breweries that have sprung up? Just about all the beer names you can imagine have been snapped up. That's making it harder for newcomers to name that brew.

Abebe, the owner of Abyssinia, a popular Ethiopian eatery in Nairobi, Kenya, shows some of the foods permitted during the pre-Christmas fast. Orthodox Ethiopians typically eat just one vegan meal per day for 40 days before the Christmas feast on Jan. 7.

A 40-Day Vegan Fast, Then, At Last, A January Christmas Feast

4:48pm January 06, 2015

by Gregory Warner

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church observes Christmas on Jan. 7, and the 40 days prior are observed as a vegan fast. That means no dairy and no meat until the traditional dish of doro wat on Christmas Day.

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George Pelecanos is a crime novelist who was a writer and producer for the HBO series The Wire and Treme.

Books
Arts

D.C. Author George Pelecanos Writes What He Knows In 'The Martini Shot'

3:46pm January 06, 2015

In his new collection of short stories and a novella, Pelecanos explores crime, adoption and writing from an African-American point of view. He says he's "aware of the responsibility" to get it right.

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Actors Jermaine Crawford, Maestro Harrell, Tristan Wilds and Julito McCullum portray Baltimore students in the show's fourth season.

Rewatching 'The Wire': Classic Crime Drama Seems Written For Today

3:36pm January 06, 2015

by Eric Deggans

As HBO releases the high-definition version of The Wire, NPR's Eric Deggans says that binge-watching the show feels more like reading today's headlines — especially on issues of race and class.

Carly tries a song to charm The Bachelor, Chris Soules, on the premiere of ... well, The Bachelor, obviously. This really happened, see? We weren't lying.

Arts

Small Batch: 'The Bachelor' Farms Iowa For Fresh Meat

1:48pm January 06, 2015

by Linda Holmes

A short edition of Pop Culture Happy Hour takes a look — somehow both rueful and gleeful — at the opening episode of a new season of the silliest dating show we can't believe we watch.

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Arts

Ethnomusicologist Andrew Raffo Dewar is Changing the Way We Think About Musical Compositions

8:18am January 06, 2015

by David Ford

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Books
Arts

'Descent' Is A Twisty Thriller-Plus

7:03am January 06, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Tim Johnston's suspenseful novel follows a family that begins to come apart after their teenage daughter is abducted during a mountain vacation. Critic Alan Cheuse says his heart is still pounding.

The British theater company 1927 performs its latest play, Golem, based on the character from ancient Jewish folklore. The troupe's trademark is vintage style combined with distinctive animation.

The Theater Company Is 1927; The Technology Is Cutting Edge

7:40pm January 05, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

The British troupe 1927 has used vintage style and distinctive animation to make a name for itself in London and beyond. Its latest play is Golem.

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