The usual excitement around this year's Academy Awards included a groundswell of interest in the film "Slumdog Millionnaire" after the film, shot in Mumbai, India, received a total of ten nominations--second only to the thirteen nominations for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." As it turned out, the latter film received only three Oscars, while "Slumdog" emerged as a winner in eight fields, including not only Best Picture and Best Director, but in the musical categories--thanks to the prodigious talents of A. R. Rehman--Best Soundtrack and Best Song. Listen to Anjana Pasricha's report from Delhi, and watch Penelope Poulou's report and video feature from Washington.
You can also listen to Marsha James' radio story in the American Life series on how a passion for music was the major motivating force in bringing Chilean Marjorie Garces to the U.S. to study at Dillard University.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
More recent VOA programs on music
Sarah Hickman is a singer-songwriter from Austin Texas, whose life involves more than making music. Watch, or listen to Greg Flakus' feature, part of the VOA series "Making A Difference", on how she and her family are active in a variety of charities helping other people.
You can also hear Greg Flakus' radio report on how, in the year marking the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of composer Felix Mendelssohn, one diligent music professor at Texas' Southwestern University tracked down the original manuscript, somewhat fragmented, at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. The piece will be performed this Saturday for the first time in more than 175 years by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Flakus notes that only 160 of the composer's more than 400 works exist in published form, partly due to the influences of anti-Semitism following the composer's death in 1847; performance of his works were banned altogether under the Nazi regime.
And listen to Henok Semaegzer Fente's radio feature on young Ethiopan-American Wayna Wondwossen, a nominee for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in the recent Grammy Award competition. Born in Ethiopia, she had immigrated to the U.S. at the age of three; she graduated from the University of Maryland, and subsequently worked as a writer-researcher for the administration of former President Bill Clinton, but later turned to music. She has her own Website, where you can hear her music and watch one of her videos. (See also www.VOAWorldMusic.com for more postings on the international dimensions of the Grammy Awards.)
You can also hear Greg Flakus' radio report on how, in the year marking the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of composer Felix Mendelssohn, one diligent music professor at Texas' Southwestern University tracked down the original manuscript, somewhat fragmented, at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. The piece will be performed this Saturday for the first time in more than 175 years by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Flakus notes that only 160 of the composer's more than 400 works exist in published form, partly due to the influences of anti-Semitism following the composer's death in 1847; performance of his works were banned altogether under the Nazi regime.
And listen to Henok Semaegzer Fente's radio feature on young Ethiopan-American Wayna Wondwossen, a nominee for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in the recent Grammy Award competition. Born in Ethiopia, she had immigrated to the U.S. at the age of three; she graduated from the University of Maryland, and subsequently worked as a writer-researcher for the administration of former President Bill Clinton, but later turned to music. She has her own Website, where you can hear her music and watch one of her videos. (See also www.VOAWorldMusic.com for more postings on the international dimensions of the Grammy Awards.)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Music news notes from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to more details on the following musical updates:
Superstar Madonna emerged at the head of Billboard's Moneymakers of 2008, with $242.2 million in sales in various formats.
Denver-based rock group The Fray debuts at Number One on the Billboard 200 this week with its second album.
Advertisers have pulled Chris Brown spots, and radio stations have stopped playing his music after his alleged assault on Rihanna just prior to the Grammy Awards, in which the duo were scheduled to perform.
Following the previous week's record of 335,000, set by Rihanna and T.I., a new record of 418,00 digital downloads in one week has been set by Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent's single "Crack A Bottle," which shot from 77th place to Number One on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Rap artist Lil' Kim, and pop singers Belinda Carlisle and Jewel will be competing in upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 17;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
Superstar Madonna emerged at the head of Billboard's Moneymakers of 2008, with $242.2 million in sales in various formats.
Denver-based rock group The Fray debuts at Number One on the Billboard 200 this week with its second album.
Advertisers have pulled Chris Brown spots, and radio stations have stopped playing his music after his alleged assault on Rihanna just prior to the Grammy Awards, in which the duo were scheduled to perform.
Following the previous week's record of 335,000, set by Rihanna and T.I., a new record of 418,00 digital downloads in one week has been set by Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent's single "Crack A Bottle," which shot from 77th place to Number One on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Rap artist Lil' Kim, and pop singers Belinda Carlisle and Jewel will be competing in upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 17;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Recent VOA programs on music
Liyana is a remarkable band of seven disabled Zimbabwean musicians who capture audiences with their inspired, and inspiring performances. Listen to Lonny Shavelson's moving radio report from Palo Alto, California, and see videos demopnstrating the group's extraordinary spirit and musicianship. (You can hear further examples of their music on their Website.)
Faiza Elmasry has done a fascinating radio feature on "The Soloist", a new film starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., and based on the true story of the discovery by Los Angeles Times newspaper columnist Steve Lopez of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless African-American street musician who had developed schizophrenia when he was studying at the prestigious Julliard School in New York.
And finally, you can hear Doug Levine's story on prominent blues singer and composer Taj Mahal, who celebrates his 40th anniversary as an award-winning recording artist with the release "Maestro, a new CD in which he performs with some well-known collaborators in a mix of American roots, blues and world music.
Faiza Elmasry has done a fascinating radio feature on "The Soloist", a new film starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., and based on the true story of the discovery by Los Angeles Times newspaper columnist Steve Lopez of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless African-American street musician who had developed schizophrenia when he was studying at the prestigious Julliard School in New York.
And finally, you can hear Doug Levine's story on prominent blues singer and composer Taj Mahal, who celebrates his 40th anniversary as an award-winning recording artist with the release "Maestro, a new CD in which he performs with some well-known collaborators in a mix of American roots, blues and world music.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Music news notes from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to see more details on the following musical updates:
Bruce Springsteen makes a Number One debut on the Billboard 200 chart this week with his new album, "Working on a Dream."
John Rich, of the Country duo Big & Rich, enters the Country Singles chart at Number 34.
Jennifer Hudson's Super Bowl XLIII performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is now available on the iTunes Website.
Elton John will close his Las Vegas show, "The Red Piano," which has been running since 2004, on 22 April.
The Country Music Hall of Fame has announced its 2009 inductees: Charlie McCoy, Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 10;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
Bruce Springsteen makes a Number One debut on the Billboard 200 chart this week with his new album, "Working on a Dream."
John Rich, of the Country duo Big & Rich, enters the Country Singles chart at Number 34.
Jennifer Hudson's Super Bowl XLIII performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is now available on the iTunes Website.
Elton John will close his Las Vegas show, "The Red Piano," which has been running since 2004, on 22 April.
The Country Music Hall of Fame has announced its 2009 inductees: Charlie McCoy, Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 10;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Grammy roundup from VOA's Mike O'Sullivan in Los Angeles and Ray MacDonald in Washington
Friday, February 6, 2009
World Music contenders for the 2009 Grammy Awards
For a comprehensive rundown of this year's contenders in the World Music categories, click here.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Superstar Kevin Costner breaks into the music field
See Larry London's television interview of two-time Academy Award winning actor Kevin Kostner, who recently released his first western music CD, "Untold Truths", with his band, Modern West.
Other VOA programs on music
Listen to Doug Levine's report on the new CD released by the husband and wife duo, guitarist Tuck Andress and singer Patti Cathcart, who have been collaborating for nearly thirty years.
You can hear Kari Jensen's fascinating radio feature from Hong Kong on an innovative program that brings brings disabled individuals into the mainstream of arts expression, under the sponsorship of the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth and Arts with the Disabled Association, Hong Kong. Her report focuses on collaborations between wheel-chair-bound individuals and "abled" dancers who perform, in a compelling celebration of differential abilities, a range of dance styles: Chinese, ballet, jazz, social dance, the cha-cha, rumba, jive and Latin. Some of the dancers are slated to perform next month in Beijing.
February 3 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic airplane crash in a small Iowa cornfield which claimed the lives of early rock pioneers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, known as "The Big Bopper". Greg Flakus reports from Lubbock, Texas--Buddy Holly's home town--on commemorative activities at the Buddy Holly Center, including interviews of both fans and friends, as well as the Director of the Center. Holly was only 22 when he died, but his influence on American popular music was enormous. The 1978 Academy Award-winning film on his life, "The Buddy Holly Story", remains one of the most successful and popular cinema biographies of any American musician. Holly's iconic status, moreover, was reinforced by singer Don McLean's chart-topping elegiac tribute, "American Pie", with the haunting refrain, "the day the music died".
The Nashville-based band Old Crow Medicine Show has a repertoire that defies easy categorization, ranging from Bluegrass to Punk. Katherine Cole introduces us to the versatile group's latest CD, "Tennessee Pusher."
And finally, listen to Jim Stevenson's radio report from Tampa (written before the now-past cliff-hanger football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers), on the appearance during halftime of the Superbowl by Rock mega-star Bruce Springsteen--an occasion much anticipated by most of his fans but criticized by others (see the Washington Post Magazine article by Liz Clark.)
You can hear Kari Jensen's fascinating radio feature from Hong Kong on an innovative program that brings brings disabled individuals into the mainstream of arts expression, under the sponsorship of the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth and Arts with the Disabled Association, Hong Kong. Her report focuses on collaborations between wheel-chair-bound individuals and "abled" dancers who perform, in a compelling celebration of differential abilities, a range of dance styles: Chinese, ballet, jazz, social dance, the cha-cha, rumba, jive and Latin. Some of the dancers are slated to perform next month in Beijing.
February 3 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic airplane crash in a small Iowa cornfield which claimed the lives of early rock pioneers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, known as "The Big Bopper". Greg Flakus reports from Lubbock, Texas--Buddy Holly's home town--on commemorative activities at the Buddy Holly Center, including interviews of both fans and friends, as well as the Director of the Center. Holly was only 22 when he died, but his influence on American popular music was enormous. The 1978 Academy Award-winning film on his life, "The Buddy Holly Story", remains one of the most successful and popular cinema biographies of any American musician. Holly's iconic status, moreover, was reinforced by singer Don McLean's chart-topping elegiac tribute, "American Pie", with the haunting refrain, "the day the music died".
The Nashville-based band Old Crow Medicine Show has a repertoire that defies easy categorization, ranging from Bluegrass to Punk. Katherine Cole introduces us to the versatile group's latest CD, "Tennessee Pusher."
And finally, listen to Jim Stevenson's radio report from Tampa (written before the now-past cliff-hanger football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers), on the appearance during halftime of the Superbowl by Rock mega-star Bruce Springsteen--an occasion much anticipated by most of his fans but criticized by others (see the Washington Post Magazine article by Liz Clark.)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
VOA's previews of the Grammy Awards
The forthcoming 51st annual Grammy Awards ceremony for excellence in musical achievement, which will take place on Sunday, February 8, dominated the past week's music coverage by VOA.
The term "American roots music" is used to identify such uniquely indigenous musical styles as bluegrass and the blues. While the Grammys have no single inclusive slot for this umbrella category, Katherine Cole's comprehensive radio report cites the nomination of numerous American roots musicians, not only in the traditional roots sub-categories of folk and gospel, but also in such mainstream fields as Album of the Year; the contenders for 2009 include Alison Krauss, Robert Plant, Dr. John, Solomon Burke, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, Joan Baez, and Emmylou Harris, among others.
Mary Morningstar devotes an entire report to George Strait, who after more than thirty years in the country music field has never won an award, but has again been nominated this year.
In his radio feature, Ray MacDonald highlights nominees in the pop, rock, and Rhythm-and-Blues/Hip-hop categories. Leading contenders include rapper Lil Wayne, singer-songwriter Leona Lewis, the British rock quartet Coldplay, and teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers.
Finally, Doug Levine runs down some of the competitors in the jazz niches: Cassandra Wilson for the Best Jazz Vocal, guitarist Pat Metheney for the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, and the Yellowjackets for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Stay tuned to this blog for the results in these varied Grammy Award categories!
The term "American roots music" is used to identify such uniquely indigenous musical styles as bluegrass and the blues. While the Grammys have no single inclusive slot for this umbrella category, Katherine Cole's comprehensive radio report cites the nomination of numerous American roots musicians, not only in the traditional roots sub-categories of folk and gospel, but also in such mainstream fields as Album of the Year; the contenders for 2009 include Alison Krauss, Robert Plant, Dr. John, Solomon Burke, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, Joan Baez, and Emmylou Harris, among others.
Mary Morningstar devotes an entire report to George Strait, who after more than thirty years in the country music field has never won an award, but has again been nominated this year.
In his radio feature, Ray MacDonald highlights nominees in the pop, rock, and Rhythm-and-Blues/Hip-hop categories. Leading contenders include rapper Lil Wayne, singer-songwriter Leona Lewis, the British rock quartet Coldplay, and teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers.
Finally, Doug Levine runs down some of the competitors in the jazz niches: Cassandra Wilson for the Best Jazz Vocal, guitarist Pat Metheney for the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, and the Yellowjackets for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Stay tuned to this blog for the results in these varied Grammy Award categories!
Music news from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to see more details on the following musical updates:
Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," jumped via 280,000 Internet downloads from Number 97 to Number One on the Hot 100 chart for the week ending February 7, setting a new record for the largest one-week leap in the chart's 50-year history.
Former Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died of an apparent heart attack at his Florida home on January 28, at the age of 56.
John Landis, the co-writer and director of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video, has sued the artist following reports that a Broadway musical would be made with the song as its basis, claiming that Jackson lacks the rights for such a sale.
American Idol's fifth season runner-up Katharine McPhee recently signed a new recording deal with Verve Records.
Triple Grammy nominee Jennifer Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew in Chicago last October, singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. She is also slated to sing at the upcoming Grammy Awards.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 3;
Notable musical events, festivals, and benefits;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," jumped via 280,000 Internet downloads from Number 97 to Number One on the Hot 100 chart for the week ending February 7, setting a new record for the largest one-week leap in the chart's 50-year history.
Former Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died of an apparent heart attack at his Florida home on January 28, at the age of 56.
John Landis, the co-writer and director of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video, has sued the artist following reports that a Broadway musical would be made with the song as its basis, claiming that Jackson lacks the rights for such a sale.
American Idol's fifth season runner-up Katharine McPhee recently signed a new recording deal with Verve Records.
Triple Grammy nominee Jennifer Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew in Chicago last October, singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. She is also slated to sing at the upcoming Grammy Awards.
Also see:
Selected new album releases as of February 3;
Notable musical events, festivals, and benefits;
Awards presentations and winners; and
Who is going on tour.
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