Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Remembering Von Freeman, Lol Coxhill And Sean Bergin

2:00pm December 21, 2012

by Kevin Whitehead

Jazz lost many great saxophonists in 2012, including David S. Ware, John Tchicai, Byard Lancaster, Faruq Z. Bey, Hal McKusick and Red Holloway. Critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to three more of his favorites.

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Director David Chase and Executive Producer and Music Supervisor Steve Van Zandt on the set of Not Fade Away.

'Not Fade': Rock 'N' Roll, Here To Stay

12:58pm December 21, 2012

In his new film, Sopranos creator David Chase tells a coming-of-age story about Jersey boys in the 1960s who dream of riding the wave of the British invasion all the way to stardom. Chase teams up with Steven Van Zandt — of the E Street Band and The Sopranos — to make the movie's music rock.

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Joe Strummer performs with his solo project, The Latino Rockabilly War, in 1989. The Clash frontman died of heart failure in December 2002.

Music & Culture

Joe Strummer's Life After Death

11:37am December 20, 2012

by Tom Vitale

They were called "the only band that matters." In the late 1970s and early '80s, The Clash pioneered punk rock — then went on to expand its possibilities in witty songs that critiqued the world. Strummer, the group's lead singer and songwriter, died 10 years ago this week.

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Sammy Kershaw's new album of Cajun holiday songs is called A Sammy Klaus Christmas.

Music & Culture

Country Singer Sammy Kershaw's Cajun Christmas

5:44am December 20, 2012

by NPR Staff

On his newest album, the Louisiana artist plays classic holiday songs infused with the sounds of the bayou.

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Music by guitarist Fields Ward appears in the new collection Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time & End Time Music, 1923-1936.

Music & Culture

Tunes To 'Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard' To

9:32pm December 19, 2012

by Milo Miles

Critic Milo Miles says that in this new collection of music from between the world wars, "the currents of long-ago lives come through: the drudgery of the work that demanded the release of the party, which then required the penance of prayer."

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Music & Culture

Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2012

9:25pm December 19, 2012

by Ken Tucker

From the inescapable "Call Me Maybe" to Fiona Apple's intricate word puzzles to the strikingly gorgeous return of Iris DeMent, the Fresh Air critic counts down his favorite albums and musical moments of the year.

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Homeboy Sandman's fourth album is called First of a Living Breed.

Music & Culture

Homeboy Sandman: A Rapper Leaves Law Behind

5:43pm December 19, 2012

by Robert Christgau

The New York MC, whose father is a gifted boxer turned community lawyer, gave up a promising career path of his own to rap full time.

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Of "Christmas Time is Here," Kem says, "It's one of those songs that I hear and it's like, 'I wish I wrote that.' "

Music & Culture

'What Christmas Means' To Soul Singer KEM

6:07am December 18, 2012

by NPR Staff

For KEM's first holiday album, the Motown artist celebrates Christmas as a "romantic holiday" with warm and cozy jams.

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The One Voice Choir is not officially part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the ensemble is invited to perform this weekend at an LDS church-sponsored event intended to reach out to the LGBT community.

Singing Loud And Proud: Choir For LGBT Mormons Breaks Out

1:13pm December 17, 2012

by Andrea Smardon

For years, Mormons in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community say they've felt shunned from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A newly formed LGBT choir believes it's making strides in the right direction, despite troubles securing rehearsal spaces in LDS churches.

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Barry Manilow onstage during a tree lighting in Los Angeles in November.

Music & Culture

Why Barry Manilow Loves Christmas Music

10:39am December 17, 2012

by NPR Staff

With Christmas looming, the pop legend — who has recorded three albums of Christmas music and just released a compilation of them called The Classic Christmas Album — spoke with Morning Edition about the season.

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