The London Philharmonic Orchestra Tackle Ravi Shankar’s Groundbreaking Opera
Among the innumerable paradigm shifts Ravi Shankar introduced to the Indian raga tradition, one lesser-known achievement is his opera Sukanya. It’s a love story from ancient Indian mythology; the...
View ArticleTwo Gorgeous, Rare Accordion Concertos to Celebrate an Icon
In celebration of the Astor PIazzolla centenary, classical accordionist Jovica Ivanović and the Ukrainian Chamber Orchestra have released a whole album of two of the rarest pieces in the symphonic...
View ArticleGet Lost in Southeast of Rain’s Magical Soundscapes
Back in the spring of 2017, singer Lemon Guo opened an outdoor festival along the Hudson River sponsored by Columbia University. Her calmly hypnotic yet gently playful electroacoustic set, a blend of...
View ArticleHaunting, Intense, Politically Potent Pan-Asian Inspired New Sounds From Jen...
Jen Shyu’s music is hypnotic, frequently nocturnal, incantatory and informed by ancient myths and traditions spanning across Asia. Inspired by those traditions, Shyu hardly limits herself to the kind...
View ArticleA Symphonic Malian Mashup
Of all the strange and beguiling orchestral cross-pollinations of recent years, kora player Toumani Diabaté’s live album Korolen with the London Symphony Orchestra under Clark Rundell is at the top of...
View ArticleA Paradigm-Shifting Mashup of Mesmerizing Haitian Drumming and Jazz on Ches...
Every nation from the Caribbean and points further south with a diasporic African population has a vibrant tradition of communal drumming. Of all those countries, it’s arguably Haiti which has the most...
View ArticleMatt Darriau Brings One of His Edgy, Slinky Projects to a Bed-Stuy Gig
One New York artist who was ubiquitous before the lockdown, and whose presence was conspicuously absent during the last fifteen months, is eclectically edgy multi-reedman Matt Darriau. The Klezmatics...
View ArticleThe WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble Reinvent Fascinating, Famous Themes From...
The WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble are famous on their own turf and deserve to be vastly better known around the world. 2020 was as hellish a year for them as it was for everybody other than the likes of...
View ArticleMagos Herrera Brings Her Elegant, Genre-Defying, Poignant Songcraft to a...
Singer Magos Herrera‘s music spans the worlds of jazz, film themes, contemporary classical and many styles from her native Mexico. This blog has witnessed her in a rapturous, intimate duo performance...
View ArticleNew Bojaira Bring Flamenco Jazz Drama and Mystery to Alphabet City
In Spain, a bojaira is an irrigation canal which originated in Moorish antiquity. New Bojaira play a kinetic, distinctively Spanish style of music which draws equally on flamenco and American jazz,...
View Article
