'Beauty' On Orrin Evans' Block
Evans can be a heavy hitter at the keyboard, but on his new album, he reins himself in a bit.
Music
'Looking For The Next One' Reveals An Underappreciated Sax Trio
A new double set of unreleased S.O.S. tunes, Looking for the Next One on the Cuneiform label, was recorded in concert and in the studio in the mid-1970s. John Surman, Mike Osborne and Alan Skidmore could sound timeless, of and ahead of their time.
20 Years Ago, Tupac Broke Through
In January of 1993, Tupac Shakur was 21 years old. He was about to drop his contradictory second album, which would launch him to superstardom.
How To Win That Music Competition? Send A Video
A new study shows that judges base musical performances more on sight than on sound.
Vince Gill And Paul Franklin Break Down The Bakersfield Sound
Last year, country superstar Vince Gill left his record label, MCA, after more than 20 years. But he's leaving with one last album — a love letter, really — dedicated to the classic country songs of his youth. Titled Bakersfield, it finds Gill working with pedal-steel master Paul Franklin.
A Year After Its Debut, The Song 'Cups' Becomes A Hit
Anna Kendrick's version of the song "Cups" is the number six song in the country right now, even though the movie the song was originally featured in came out last year. So just how did the song become such a phenomenon? Weekends on All Things Considered guest host Don Gonyea and Vulture's Amanda Dobbins help explain the evolution of the song.
William Tyler Speaks 'Truth' Through His Guitar
After years spent working as a Nashville sideman, the 33-year-old guitarist is making his name as an instrumental soloist. While his songs lack lyrics, they're not short on backstory.
Sufi Mystics Get A Modern Soundtrack
The ancient spiritual practice of Sufism incorporates all kinds of activities, including music, to achieve a state in which the practitioner loses the ego. Riad Abdel-Gawad creates new Sufi music by translating sacred chants to the violin.
Irene Diaz: Crafting Songs In Dreamy Black And White
A standout performer at this year's Latin Alternative Music Conference, the 26-year-old singer discusses her noirish debut EP, I Love You Madly.
A Forgotten Quartet, Reissued And Reevaluated
Recently reissued Brahms and Mozart recordings by the Stuyvesant Quartet convey natural refinement, balance and a kind of inward grace. Fresh Air critic Lloyd Schwartz says they take their place among the most luminous chamber-music performances on record.