Issue Articles — Features
Samantha Fish: Slash and Burn
To see Samantha Fish perform live is to not forget her — it takes just once for her electrified live set to set off fire in your brain. Her slash-and-burn approach to her instrument is thrilling, as is the rollercoaster-emotional ride her setlist takes from beginning to end.
Woodenhead: Celebrating 50 Years
Back in 2003 Woodenhead released a CD called Perseverance—a title that celebrated their playing proudly non-commercial music, out of love and against the odds. And here’s the kicker: They chose that title less than halfway through what’s now a 50-year career.
Were You in the Audience When…
There’s just something special about a musical walk down memory lane especially at this time of the year. Taking time to look back and recall certain fond memories do a heart and mind good. For me, it heightens the anticipation of catching both old and soon to be my new favorite performers, sometimes even coming together on stage spontaneously to share their brilliance.
Trombone Shorty: Pays It Forward and Back
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is a rock star of rhythm and as solid a person you could meet. No less than the legendary Juvenile praised, “I have a lot of love and respect for him. When I did [NPR’s] Tiny Desk, the whole band thing came from him. He helped me with it.
Bill Frisell: Guitar Hero
To some, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell is known for tastefulness and restraint.
Louis Armstrong Tribute: A conversation with Armstrong House Museum’s Ricky Riccardi
In 1925, Louis Armstrong made his recording debut as a bandleader and vocalist with his first Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five release. Previously an uncredited sideman on recordings, the Hot Five records introduced listeners to the musical brilliance and charismatic personality that made Armstrong an international star.
Snappy: The Tin Men could only be from New Orleans
The epigram “this band could only be from New Orleans,” though applicable to bands as varied as the Meters to Egg Yolk Jubilee to the Shake ’Em Up Jazz Band, still has value when assessing a band’s music and performance.
The King of Zydeco: Clifton Chenier Centennial
December 1987 still brings grief to zydeco musicians and fans. On December 12, Clifton Chenier, the beloved King of Zydeco, died at the age of 62.
Chloé Marie: Shiny As Gold
Chloé Marie is a singer and songwriter to behold, with her beautifully somber tone and soaring phrasing. She also has quite a range of performance styles. As we chatted at The Bean Gallery, with the occasional streetcar easing on past, it became clear that her layers were more plentiful than expected.
Bonsoir, Catin: A conversation with Christine Balfa
Joe and Cleoma Falcon, a husband-and-wife duo, recorded “Allons à Lafayette,” Cajun music’s first commercial hit, in 1928. Ever since, women have had an ironic relationship with the genre.
