Words you might not have expected from Anthony Tommasini: “‘Eleanor Rigby,’ I’d argue, is just as profound as Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony.”
Tag: 07.30.17
Top Posts From AJBlogs For The Weekend Of 07.30.17
Brubeck And Desmond: Can’t You Hear Them Calling?
I am running soon for a plane headed to Sweden. But first: I must tell you about a discovery by blogger, Rifftides reader and tune-detective-first-class Tarik Townsend. Mr. Townsend (pictured) writes that … read more
AJBlog: RiffTidesPublished 2017-07-28
The Jazz & Blues Art Box — instant collection, rare data trove
Two hundred and thirty dvds of concerts and 96 interviews from the International Jazzfestival Bern (Switzerland), 1983 to 2002, 20 yearbooks plus a 344-page large format graphics-rich volume, in a cabinet on wheels standing almost 4 … read more
AJBlog: Jazz Beyond JazzPublished 2017-07-28
Jonathan Lethem and Rock Criticism
SINCE I was a teenager, I’ve been fascinated by the lions of music journalism and rock criticism — Greil Marcus, Robert Christgau, Ellen Willis, and others, especially from the field’s 1970s heyday. The novelist … read more
AJBlog: CultureCrashPublished 2017-07-28
Tackling an inequitable arts funding system: A response to the report, Not Just Money
Helicon Collaborative, with a grant from the Surdna Foundation, has recently published a second report, Not Just Money, examining where US arts philanthropic dollars go. Some may recall that when the first report was published … read more
AJBlog: JumperPublished 2017-07-28
This Is How You Make Sure Kids Get Books, And Get Fed, In The Summer
Simple, right? Kids who get free lunches in the school year often don’t eat in the summers. So a bunch of libraries are trying to fix that problem. “Librarians used to forbid any food or drink to avoid staining books and attracting pests. People who tried to sneak snacks in the stacks would be reprimanded. But in recent years, a growing number of libraries have had a major shift in policy: They are the ones putting food on the table.”
The Music Business Simply Has To Get On Board With Gender Equality
Indeed: “Why hasn’t the digital revolution, which has transformed the music industry, extended to creating a 21st-century working culture, which allows for equal opportunities for all? Why isn’t this creative industry leading the way in creating diverse teams of people who will think differently, challenge the status quo and create a vibrant and dynamic business? Why does today’s music industry remain pretty much run by the same coterie as it was back in the days of Elvis?”
Is Life A Quirk Of Biology … Or Physics?
Give a bunch of atoms more and more energy, and they’ll create a planet where a bipedal mammal with a certain size of brain will hunt other large animals into extinction or near-extinction, but also make art. That is to say, at least sometimes, a chemical soup can evolve into something more.
The Story Of A Songwriter Who Kept Some Songs For Herself
Julia Michaels, who has written hit songs for Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, and Selena Gomez, says it was time for her to sing one of her own songs. “Shelly Peiken, who’s a really incredible songwriter, used to say ‘dare to suck.’ You never know what people’s reactions are going to be, so you’ve got to take chances.”