Category Archives: Music

Ugasanie’s Border of Worlds

Ugansie is the name under which Russian musician Pavel Malyshkin creates his art, which is called dark polar ambient. Border of Worlds is his fourth release since he started making this kind of music in 2010. This one is focused … Continue reading

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Jeffrey Martin’s One Go Around

I’m not a bad man, I’m a poor man I’m not a bad man, I’m a poor man I’m not a bad man, I’m a poor man Sinkin’ “Poor Man,” by Jeffrey Martin Jeffrey Martin immersed himself in the literature … Continue reading

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John Lawless’ Five & Dime

I was shocked when, after listening to Five & Dime a couple of times, I discovered that it’s banjo player John Lawless’ first recording. It’s that good. Lawless, an editor at Bluegrass Today, has been playing regionally out of Roanoak, … Continue reading

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Jackie Shane’s Any Other Way

I don’t feel too bad about not knowing who Jackie Shane is, because she’s mostly unknown outside of Toronto, where she had a brief career as a soul singer in the 1960s. But I do feel bad that I never … Continue reading

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TRADarrr’s Cautionary Tales; Further Tales of Love! Death! And Treachery!

Let me sum it up: TRADarrr’s debut album is one of the best first albums I have ever heard from anyone. But is it really a debut album? Three of the five members on that album (PJ Wright on guitars, … Continue reading

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Dori Freeman’s Letters Never Read

The first single and opening track on Dori Freeman’s delightful sophomore album is a sunny, optimistic and warm portrait of love called “If I Could Make You My Own.” It’s a sweetly swinging tune full of professions of all the … Continue reading

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Anouar Brahem’s Blue Maqams

There’s a moment a couple of minutes in to the title track of Anouar Brahem’s exquisite new album Blue Maqams that is the kind of moment I long for, like a thirsty person in the desert longs for a cool … Continue reading

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Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach

Robert Wilson, Philip Glass’ collaborator on Einstein on the Beach, noted that until that work hit the boards, theater was bound by literature. Thinking on it, he’s pretty much right: stage plays, opera, even film were constrained by a narrative … Continue reading

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Philip Glass’ Akhnaten

Akhnaten is the third of Philip Glass’ “portrait” operas, the three works based on historical figures who transformed the thinking of their times through their vision and ideas. Akhnaten’s claim to fame is that he introduced the idea of “god” … Continue reading

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Philip Glass’ Itaipu/The Canyon

Program music has a fairly long history, going back at least to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons (which was actually composed as separate concertos, but let’s not be picky). Among contemporary composers, perhaps the most notable for writing program music is … Continue reading

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