Music & Culture

Nicola Berlinsky (left), Lisa Pimentel (middle) and Joanie Pimentel (right) make up the rock band No Small Children.

Music & Culture

For These Three Teachers, School And Rock Go Hand In Hand

8:41am January 01, 2017

by NPR Staff

By day, Nicola Berlinsky and sisters Lisa Pimentel and Joanie Pimentel are colleagues at an elementary school. By night, they're bandmates — in a group they ironically named No Small Children.

Cultural critic Wesley Morris says George Michael's music video for the song "Faith" was boundary-pushing. "You are allowed to look at this body in a way that you weren't allowed to look at Elvis' when he danced," Morris says.

Music & Culture

On The Men Who Rattled Pop's Gender Rules — And What It Means To Lose Them Now

10:21am December 31, 2016

by NPR Staff

New York Times cultural critic Wesley Morris joins Ari Shapiro to discuss how three departed stars — David Bowie, Prince and George Michael — helped change the meaning of manliness in pop culture.

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Music & Culture

Ben Johnston Hears The Notes Between The Notes

7:41am December 31, 2016

by Maureen McCollum

The composer's string quartets are known for their use of microtones — and their extreme technical difficulty. Just in time for his 90th birthday, The Kepler Quartet has finally recorded them all.

Music & Culture

Across the Blue Ridge #53 - Breaking Up Christmas

3:00pm December 30, 2016

by Paul Brown

Two decades after the first broadcast of Paul Brown's Breaking Up Christmas: A Blue Ridge Mountain Holiday on NPR member stations in late 1996, we return to the award-winning music documen

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Music & Culture

'Shakespeare In Music & Words' Marks 400 Years Since The Bard's Death

1:27pm December 30, 2016

by Lloyd Schwartz

A new two-CD set features music inspired by Shakespeare as well as actors reading his work. Critic Lloyd Schwartz says any excuse to honor the master playwright is a good one.

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Music & Culture

Loston Harris On Piano Jazz

11:45am December 30, 2016

The singer and pianist performs "Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me" with host Marian McPartland.

Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau perform at Blue Note Tokyo on Oct. 13, 2016.

Music & Culture

Toast Of The Nation 2017

11:25am December 30, 2016

by Suraya Mohamed

Celebrate the New Year from Blue Note venues around the world. The lineup includes The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Joshua Redman and Brad Meldau, Fred Hersch, Ron Carter, Buika and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Sarah Louise, VDSQ Solo Acoustic Vol. 12

Music & Culture

The Top 10 Solo Guitar Records Of 2016

9:00am December 30, 2016

by Lars Gotrich

Across ambient, jazz, psychedelic and American Primitive styles, this year proved that the possibilities of the guitar continue to flourish.

Music & Culture

Songs We Love: Silver Torches, 'Woman In Rust'

8:02am December 30, 2016

by Stephen Thompson

Erik Walters' song builds and builds, piling on pleasing ingredients (churning guitars here, a nice little piano melody there) en route to one grand chorus.

Willie Nelson performs with Kris Kristofferson.

Music & Culture

Watch Willie Nelson Perform 'Me And Bobby McGee'

3:28pm December 29, 2016

The legend helps honor Kris Kristofferson as part of the Austin City Limits New Year's Eve celebration.