Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'traditional'

Mimi Fox On Piano Jazz

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:46:00 EST

Guitarist Mimi Fox is a rising star, invigorating the jazz guitar tradition. With an amazing set of chops and a crystal pure tone, Fox cooks whether playing bebop or ballads. She plays an original and tears it up on a Cole Porter tune with McPartland and bassist Gary Mazzaroppi.

Solas On Mountain Stage

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:01:00 EST

In their fourth appearance on Mountain Stage, the modern-day Irish traditionalists in Solas perform songs from their latest release, Love and Laughter. The set opens with a series of jigs and a traditional Irish love song, and later ends with a rendition of Bob Dylan's "Seven Curses."

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:39:00 EST

Even if you don't live meatlessly yourself, you might have a vegetarian or vegan at your Thanksgiving table. Offer your meat-free guests something more substantial than a cobbled-together plate of traditional vegetable side dishes.

Burmese Refugees Preserve Culture Through Music

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

After coming to the U.S., Burmese refugees try to preserve their culture and music with traditional instruments and dance. Most of these musicians have not seen their homeland in 20 years and the younger ones were born in the camps, citizens of no country.

The Cajun Swamp Fire Of Feufollet

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:21:00 EST

Feufollet is one of several young Cajun bands trying to preserve tradition, add its own sounds and reach a new generation. The group has been doing that for a decade, even though most of its members are still in college.

Shearwater: Tiny Desk Concert

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:36:00 EST

We've come up with many excuses to have artists come in and perform Tiny Desk Concerts at the workspace of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. Some are too quiet to be well-served by traditional live concerts, while others are little-known staff favorites who wouldn't ordinarily receive a large-scale webcast presentation. Usually, it's just an opportunity to bring in artists who, for one reason or another, haven't gotten as much of our attention as we'd like to give them.

Latin Grammys Showcase Best Of Latino Music

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:25:00 EST

The Latin Grammy Awards have become a showcase for some of the best music Latino culture has to offer, including pop, alternative, traditional and classical. Members of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences will announce the winners of the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards Thursday night. Latino USA's Betto Arcos offers some of his picks from this year's nominees.

Love It Or Hate It: The Fashion Sense Of Michelle Obama

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:41:00 EST

Politicians aren't known for their cutting-edge fashion sense and most First Ladies have leaned more towards traditional, conservative styles. But future First Lady Michelle Obama might just be an exception to the usual blandness of Washington fashion. Whether you love or hate her style, she's certainly making waves. Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan, hairstylist Anthony Dickey, and historian Catherine Allgor explore the style sense of the country's next leading lady.

Concha Buika's African-Inspired Flamenco

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST

Concha Buika's sultry voice and varied musical influences have earned her worldwide acclaim. Her latest album, La Nina de Fuego, fuses the musical traditions of Africa and Spain with jazz, soul and dance and has been nominated for the Latin Grammy Album of the Year.

Vernon Jordan On 'Standing Up And Speaking Out'

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:27:00 EST

Vernon Jordan, former head of the National Urban League and the United Negro College Fund, discusses the power of the African-American oral tradition and his new book Make It Plain: Standing Up and Speaking Out.

Prince Of Kunqu: Jazz Meets Chinese Opera

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:11:00 EST

Jeffrey Zhang is known for mixing the traditional Chinese opera form with pop music and kabuki dancers. But now he's begun to incorporate free-form jazz piano in a culture clash that's turning heads and winning over new fans.

Obama Wins Dixville Notch, Hart's Location, N.H.

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

Voting polls weren't even open when Dixville Notch and Hart's Location announced their results. For 60 years, the two small villages in New Hampshire have been observing a tradition of having the first Election Day ballots. In Dixville Notch, Obama defeated John McCain by a count of 15 to 6. Hart's Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain and two for write-in candidate Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns' ballots but got no votes.

Lack Of Players Fails To Slow Football In One Town

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:08:00 EST

High school football is a rite of passage for many young athletes. But what does a school do if there aren't enough players to field a team? At Meeteetse High School in rural Wyoming, the answer was to cut by nearly half the traditional 11-member squad.

Celebrating Souls On Day Of The Dead

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Saturday is the Day of the Dead in Mexico and many Spanish-speaking cultures. It is a day to celebrate and remember those who have died. Andrea Seabrook visits the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington D.C., to see the construction of a traditional Day of the Dead altar.

That's It, I'm Moving: A Musical Guide To Canada

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:38:00 EDT

The nation's blowhards have just a few days left to indulge in a time-honored quadrennial tradition: announcing that, if a certain candidate is elected president, they'll pull up stakes and move to Canada. Before jumping in the car and heading north, get to know some of the music that you'll soon call your own.

Esau Mwamwaya: Reggae-Pop From Malawi

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:14:00 EDT

Esau Mwamwaya isn't a well-known name in the music world, but if the growing hype is any indication, it may soon be. The singer and percussionist from Malawi is slowly but surely rising from obscurity with his mixture of reggae, pop and the traditional music of his homeland.

John Hammond On Mountain Stage

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:10:00 EDT

At 19, Hammond hitchhiked to Los Angeles to start his career. Now, 40 years later, he's created a repertoire that spans generations and has helped to preserve and perpetuate the blues tradition while offering a legacy of his own. On a recent visit to Mountain Stage, Hammond performed a mix of original and cover songs, including "Get Behind the Mule" by Tom Waits.

The Many Faces Of The Great Pumpkin

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:37:00 EDT

Pumpkin is an autumn staple suited for far more than its traditional Halloween and Thanksgiving roles. In soup, stew or cake, or just roasted in long slices, pumpkin is appropriate for any chilly evening, whatever you happen to be celebrating.

Zithers: Memory And Music In Davenport, Iowa

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:15:00 EDT

Davenport claims the distinction of being home to America's largest sitting zither orchestra. This homegrown music scene revolves around the city's German-American community, as well as a tradition of hausmusik its ancestors brought to this country.

David Lindley On Mountain Stage

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:27:00 EDT

The musical palette of multi-instrumentalist David Lindley is as varied and eccentric as his colorful onstage apparel. For this intimate Mountain Stage performance, Lindley played instruments as varied as a Hawaiian lap-steel guitar and a traditional Middle Eastern oud.

A Quintet Of Great Modern Piano Trios

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:25:00 EDT

In the piano trio, only three instruments are involved, so the thoughts and actions of musicians must be absolutely in sync with one another. Pianists like Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett have led legendary trios, but here are five piano-trio leaders who keep the acoustic jazz tradition alive in fresh ways.

Anat Cohen: Live At The Village Vanguard

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:10:00 EDT

Reedwoman Anat Cohen totes a clarinet and two saxophones, and plays them in modern jazz, traditional revues and every Afro-Latin hybrid imaginable. She'll do all that and more when she visits New York's most famous basement venue for a live broadcast.

One For All At The UCF Jazz Festival

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:21:00 EDT

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.

Economic Downturn Fuels Coupon Use

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EDT

The downturn in the economy is fueling a robust trade in coupons. In addition to the traditional coupons that people clip from newspapers and other printed sources, Web sites and blogs offer tips and links to coupons. Some companies are also sending out coupons as text messages.

Bringing The Banjo From 'Africa To Appalachia'

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:07:00 EDT

While typically associated with traditional bluegrass, country and even jazz, the banjo has roots that stretch all the way back to West Africa. Musician Jayme Stone made that journey in search of the ancestors of his own banjo; along the way, he met kora player Mansa Sissoko. The two have collaborated on a new album called Africa to Appalachia.