A Film From Mali: The Day Before The Music Died
The Last Song Before the War presents the glorious sounds of the 2011 Festival in the Desert, held shortly before Islamic extremists took over the region and banned music.
Music & Culture
A Swiss Town, A Casino Fire And 'Smoke On The Water'
This lakeside town of Montreux just hosted talks on Iran's nuclear program. But music fans know it for its rich musical heritage, including a starring role in "Smoke On The Water."
The Seratones Rock The Tiny Desk With A Jungle Beat
NPR's Rachel Martin speaks to AJ Haynes and Adam Davis of the Louisiana rock band Seratones. The group had a entry to the recent NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest, though they didn't win the final prize.
Young Composer's Work Dropped For Nazi Melody
The New York Youth Symphony canceled its Carnegie Hall performance of a piece that it recently premiered by Estonian-American composer Jonas Tarm. At issue is his use of a Nazi theme.
Saying Goodbye To A Manhattan Classical Music Mecca
The last store in Manhattan devoted exclusively to classical sheet music is closing its doors — having been lapped by online retailers and free file sharing.
Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Focus,' Con Men And Rock And Roll
On this week's show, the state of rock and the art of the con — or at least the con-artist film.
Planet Of Sound: The Long, Unmistakable Orbit Of Aphex Twin
A flood of music — official and semi-secret, after years of silence — puts the career of the electronic musician Richard D. James, best known as Aphex Twin, into new and revealing perspective.
In LA, Clearing A Backlog Of Aging Instruments
The district has made progress, but many students are stuck with broken strings, squeaky horns and out-of-tune pianos.
A 'Girl In A Band': Kim Gordon On Life After Sonic Youth
Gordon co-founded Sonic Youth with Thurston Moore. When their marriage broke up in 2011, so did the band. Gordon talks about rebuilding her life, writing her memoir and her new band Body/Head.
Rapper Jin Tries To Stretch His '15 Minutes' Of Fame
In 2004, Jin was one of the first Asian-Americans to drop a major label rap album. One controversial song, "Learn Chinese," raised eyebrows. A decade later, he's trying to rephrase the message.