Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'genre'

Blitzen Trapper: Ramshackle Roots-Rock

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:19:00 EST

A genre-bending indie-rock band with a bluesy twang and country-fried riffs, Blitzen Trapper wears its influences proudly. The group's latest album, Furr, has been a favorite of critics, who've placed it on many "Best of 2008" lists.

Jake Shimabukuro: Solo Ukulele In Concert

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:38:00 EST

Jake Shimabukuro is a genre-demolishing artist who plays jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock. It's all with the mission of showing everyone that the ukulele is capable of much more than just traditional Hawaiian music. He performs a concert from San Francisco.

Bela Fleck Gives Christmas A Flecktone Fervor

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:14:00 EST

On Jingle All the Way, Bela Fleck and his band The Flecktones breathe new life into the Christmas canon, approaching classics like "What Child Is This" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" with their distinctive, genre-bending fervor. Hear the session from WXPN.

The Best Merry Scary Christmas Movies

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

It's not all fresh snow and lollipops. The Christmas movie genre has a darker side. We explore holiday horror classics such as Black Christmas and the so-bad-it's-good Magic Christmas Tree.

WNYC's Genre Mix: Top 10 Albums Of 2008

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:09:00 EST

This is a list for the Age of the iPod Shuffle, as more people listen to more types of music than ever before. WNYC's John Schaefer mixes up his favorite CD picks for 2008, offering a wide-reaching smorgasbord of classical, pop, folk and world music.

Folk Alley's Favorite CDs Of 2008

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:55:00 EST

This year proved once again that folk music is alive and thriving in all its forms: Americana, bluegrass, Celtic, country, blues, world and so on. Our top picks for 2008 not only illustrate the rich mix of folk music heard every day at FolkAlley.com, but also showcase the genre's ongoing diversity and vitality.

Joker's Daughter: 'Worm's Head'

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:02:00 EST

Team Love Records describes Joker's Daughter as "folk pop," but the truth is that the collaboration between vocalist and songwriter Helena Costas and famed producer Danger Mouse is hardly typical of that genre. A full-length debut album won't be unveiled until February 2009, but a single, "Worm's Head," has been released as part of a three song EP and offers a glimpse into the eclectic nature of the project.

Best Graphic Novels Of 2008

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:02:00 EST

No longer only for kids, geeks, nerds and aging baby boomers longing for a second childhood, graphic novels are showing themselves a medium of startling breadth and grace. Don't call them a genre anymore; cutting-edge graphic novels exist for everyone.

Taj Mahal: 'Maestro' Of The Blues

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:05:00 EST

Taj Mahal's new album, Maestro, celebrates an illustrious career, mingling original work with genre classics and songs written by some of the many artists he's influenced, including Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley and Los Lobos. Hear a session from WXPN.

The Year In Music For Kids (And Moms, And Dads)

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:02:00 EST

One of the best years for kids' music in recent memory includes releases from artists with feet firmly in both kid-friendly and adult-oriented worlds. Old favorites went in new directions, while emerging artists gave a glimpse of the future of a genre as diverse and unpredictable as kids themselves.

Django's World: Hot Club Jazz

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:44:00 EST

Manouche Jazz, commonly known as "Gypsy Jazz," is a blend of traditional Roma music and swing jazz. Originating in Paris in the early 1930s, it was first popularized by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist StÃ©phane Grappelli. Hear five songs from the genre's founders and modern jazz musicians.

Feeling The Vibes: The Short History Of A Long Instrument

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:16:00 EST

Jazz is the only genre of music that uses the vibes as a lead or improvisational instrument. It's been a process in helping to save this beautiful-sounding and versatile instrument from extinction. Leading off with Lionel Hampton, here are five examples of that beauty and versatility.

Patty Loveless On Mountain Stage

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:49:00 EST

Loveless has built a 20-year career by choosing great songs to complement her charming twang. On her fourth visit to Mountain Stage, she performs music from her latest release, for which she dipped into the classic country songbook and recorded some of the genre's most enduring and endearing songs.

The Postmarks: 'One Note Samba'

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:40:00 EST

By-the Numbers, the latest from Miami trio The Postmarks, is a collection of 12 cover songs originally by artists as diverse as David Bowie, Bob Marley and The Ventures. Despite the eclectic mix of genres in the originals, The Postmarks have transformed them all into innocent and lovely pop gems.

Jayme Stone On Mountain Stage

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:22:00 EST

A chance meeting in California with Indian musician Ali Akbar Khan launched the endless musical education of banjo player Jayme Stone. He's taken inspiration from many musical styles, languages and cultures all over the world, and his genre-bending music recognizes no borders. Stone and kora player Mansa Sissoko recently visited Mountain Stage and performed music from their album, From Africa to Appalachia.

Jerry Douglas On Mountain Stage

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:06:00 EST

The Dobro master has appeared on countless recordings and collaborated with the upper echelon of country and bluegrass musicians. But his taste and talent don't exist only in the realm of those genres, as Douglas has played and recorded with the likes of Ray Charles, Paul Simon and Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton.

Small Sur: 'Everyone'

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:44:00 EDT

On its MySpace page, Small Sur facetiously claims its style of music falls into the reggaeton genre. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, as this Baltimore-based group instead creates strikingly peaceful folk that feels as if it has sprung from the Pacific coasts of California rather than the East Coast.

Tony Hillerman: A Pioneering Tribal Mystery Writer

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:27:00 EDT

Set on Indian reservations in the Southwest, the author's 18 novels were evocative of a place and culture that had largely been ignored, and helped establish what is now known as the "tribal mystery" genre. Hillerman died Oct. 26 in New Mexico. He was 83 years old.

'Let the Right One In': Lyrical, If Well-Chewed

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT

In his Swedish vampire fable, director Tomas Alfredson constructs a biting narrative without going overboard on the blood. For all its finesse, though, the movie's still essentially a genre exercise.

Koushik: Fluent In Multiple Genres

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:07:00 EDT

Canadian producer, singer and songwriter Koushik Ghosh is 100 percent do-it-yourself. Koushik's genre-bending sound stretches across psychedelia, pop, soul, and hip hop. He talks about his new album Out My Window, being a math nerd, and how he keeps his head clear.

Urban Desi: A Genre On The Rise

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:16:00 EDT

Urban Desi is a fast growing genre that blends South Asian pop culture and American hip-hop. Rapper Snoop Dogg's latest release, a collaboration with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, is the most recent example. Beginning in the UK, the style of music is spreading in both the U.S. and India.

Love In October: 'Petrula The Destroyer'

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:35:00 EDT

Swedish-born brothers Erik and Kent Widman formed Love in October in 2006, after moving to Minneapolis, Minn. The following year, the band released its Words of Sound EP before following it up with the full-length Pontus, the Devil, and Me at the start of 2008. Rounded out by Nik Pfeifer on guitar and Brian Boesen on drums, Love in October is the sort of group that fans of Top 40 pop-punk have longed for. Pontus, the Devil, and Me features the spirited energy, rocking guitars and irresistible hooks of the genre, but with more thoughtful execution and clever songwriting.

Chiwoniso Plays Zimbabwean 'Rebel' Music

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:07:00 EDT

On her new album, Rebel Woman, Chiwoniso shows off an assertive style that no other female singer in Zimbabwe can match. In her songs, she stands up for her country's children and poor. One of the most compelling voices in African music today, she confidently borrows from other genres — especially American ones.

Carrie Rodriguez On Mountain Stage

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:11:00 EDT

Rodriguez is a classically trained violinist-turned-fiddler with an eccentric, genre-bending style. She performs music from her latest album on Mountain Stage, with a guest appearance from Crooked Still's Aoife O'Donovan.

Joan Osborne: The 'Little Wild One' Returns

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:14:00 EDT

On her latest effort, Little Wild One, Joan Osborne reunites with the all-star writer-producer team that shaped her Grammy-winning debut, Relish. Well-versed across genres, she easily navigates between roots-rock, gospel, and country on a collection that pays tribute to her New York City home.