Multi-instrumentalist Wendy Eisenberg plays in lots of different settings, but no matter what they’re doing, their music always carries a tinge of no-wave. It’s perhaps easier to hear in their rock-centered projects, Birthing Hips and Editrix, but a dash of off-kilter flair seeps into even the low-key ensemble affair of Eisenberg’s 2019 record Auto. With […]
Tag: banjo
Posted inMusic
Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn bring China and Appalachia together
Trump hates China in order to better hate the United States; by blaming the Chinese for the virus, he can pretend he’s not at fault for our own dead and our own misery. In that poisoned atmosphere, the new self-titled album by Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn isn’t just a relief but a call to […]
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Rhiannon Giddens honors the African and Arabic influences in American roots music on There Is No Other
Classically trained vocalist and masterful banjo and fiddle player Rhiannon Giddens is celebrated as one of the leading proponents of what’s variously called Americana or roots music. Though her aesthetic has wide appeal, she toughens it with her uncompromising determination to bear witness to the ongoing (and too often neglected) Africanist voice and history in […]
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Folk polymath Rhiannon Giddens honors the musical cultures of the oppressed
Carolina Chocolate Drops cofounder Rihannon Giddens sings fables of struggle from a diversity of peoples and eras.
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Chicago’s most popular young metal guitarist plays on YouTube, not onstage
Chicago guitarist Rob Scallon almost never plays live, but his frequently goofy YouTube videos have earned him an audience of millions.
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Al Scorch plays roots music with unlikely roots
Chicago banjo fiend Al Scorch talks about his inspirations—including freak bikes, DIY hardcore, and Kelly Hogan.
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Wire’s gooey-sweet Change Becomes Us and 15 more record reviews
Reviews of 16 fresh releases from all over the map: Wire, Aosoth, Julia Kent, DJ Koze, Pedrito Martinez, Sax G, and lots more
Posted inBlogs
Banjoist Abigail Washburn Expands Her Sound (Again)
Banjo virtuoso Abigail Washburn, who plays Saturday at Schubas, pushes her music toward acoustic pop on the superb new City of Refuge.
Posted inBlogs
The Rustic Avant-Garde of Uncle Woody Sullender
Former Chicagoan and banjo experimenter Uncle Woody Sullender duets with English harmonica player Seamus Cater on Saturday night at Heaven Gallery.
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Steve Martin: Play “Ramblin’ Man”!
Once you’ve made the banjo a part of the world’s greatest comedy act, it’s tough to sell yourself as just another musician.