Oct 19th, 2008 · When asked about Swedish pop music, one might pick out names like the sweetly whimsical Jens Lekman or the playful chamber pop outfit I'm From Barcelona. But on Na Na Ni, the debut album from experimental sextet Fredrik, the band from Malmo, Sweden shows that its country's musical output is capable of offering up even more.
Oct 16th, 2008 · Named for Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' last record, One for All is a jazz sextet in that drum-driven tradition. Featuring saxophonist Eric Alexander and trumpeter Jim Rotundi, the group inaugurates the first UCF Jazz Festival.
Nov 8th, 2007 · The Princeton Laptop Orchestra is a six-person ensemble that performs music via computers. The performers sit on the floor with computers on their laps, with six-sided speakers next to them. They play original compositions written for the laptop.
Oct 1st, 2007 · Fresh Air's jazz critic reviews a remastering of trumpeter Lee Morgan's 1956 Lee Morgan, Volume 2: Sextet.
Aug 16th, 2006 · Scottish sextet Camera Obscura crafts delicate, shimmering indie-pop that rewards repeated listens. Featuring the airy vocals and literate lyrics of Tracyanne Campbell, the songs convey a deceptive simplicity that belies their poignancy.
Jun 21st, 2006 · "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken," from the Glasgow chamber-pop sextet Camera Obscura's recent album Let's Get Out of This Country, serves as a gloriously bubbly answer to Lloyd Cole's "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken," one of the all-time great breakup songs.
Jun 5th, 2006 · Scottish sextet Camera Obscura crafts delicate, shimmering indie-pop that rewards repeated listens. Featuring the airy vocals and literate lyrics of Tracyanne Campbell, the songs convey a deceptive simplicity that belies their poignancy.
Sep 2nd, 2005 · Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove, is the drummer for the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Roots. The sextet melds musical styles: rock 'n' roll, jazz fusion, funk, poetry, shout-outs to hip-hop pioneers, black nationalism and groove-laden neo-soul musings. (This interview originally aired Feb. 6, 2003.)