Jazz Arranger Gerald Wilson Dies At 96
Bandleader, composer and arranger Gerald Wilson died Monday at his home in Los Angeles. Wilson's career stretched from the swing era of the 1930s into the 21st century.
Music & Culture
All Together Now: The Beatles Are (Back) In Mono
The latest reissue project in the never-ending celebration of the most famous catalog in rock 'n' roll goes back to the beginning. Does listening to The Beatles in mono make sense in 2014?
How The Four Seasons Clashed, Dealt With The Mob And Made Lasting Hits
Bob Gaudio wrote most of The Four Seasons' hits, some of which are compiled in a new anthology. He tells Fresh Air about the band's history, including why its songs had some "anger" in them.
Manliness In Music: The XY Hits The Hi-Fi
There's no shortage of songs about what it means to be a man. But what makes some music sound "manly" — and what attracts men to play and listen to certain genres of music? The answers are changing.
In Tenor Saxophonist Mark Turner's New Album, The Music Unfolds Like A Narrative
Turner's new quartet album Lathe of Heaven gets its name from Ursula K. LeGuin's novel. A lot of action happens at thoughtful medium tempos, and there's beautiful dissonance in the two-horn harmonies.
The New Pornographers Return With A 'Celebration Record' That's Fun To Figure Out
Brill Bruisers is a collection of lushly arranged and harmonized pop. While Neko Case, Dan Bejar and A.C. Newman make moody music individually, there's a brightness when they come together.
On Final Recording, Joe Beck Exposes Possibilities Of The Guitar
Guitarist Joe Beck said he thought of the guitar as a six-piece band. Music reviewer Tom Moon says that's exactly how Beck's music sounds: layers of overlapping ideas. He reviews Beck's posthumous release, "Get Me Joe Beck."
Dom Flemons Holds On To Those Old-Time Roots
Prospect Hill is Flemons' first album since leaving the band Carolina Chocolate Drops. By coincidence, the multi-instrumentalist recorded it the day Pete Seeger died. Originally broadcast July 30.
The Story Of Little Feat's Fame, Destruction And Revival
The archetypal '70s band had a charismatic frontman and wonderful songs, but they also had drug problems and kept breaking up. Their Warner Bros. recordings are in a new box set called Rad Gumbo.
The Other Rock History
What makes an essential rock song? Music journalist Greil Marcus argues that it's not the stature of the performer, but the degree to which a song tells the story of rock 'n' roll itself.