New Orleans punk band Special Interest have been blowing wigs back since 2018, when they dropped their debut record, Spiraling, a chaotic romp through hard-hitting social themes and wildly divergent musical directions. On “Young, Gifted, Black, in Leather” the sentiment is self-explanatory, yet the mighty wails of vocalist Alli Logout peel back new layers of […]
Tag: Nina Simone
Posted inArts & Culture
Black joy ‘Is where it’s at!’
When artist Adeshola Makinde thinks about the work in his current exhibition, it’s a giant, larger-than-life canvas image of the legendary Louis Armstrong—Makinde’s largest-scale piece he’s done to date—that rises to the top of his favorites list. “To me, [Armstrong] represented unrelenting optimism, amidst what I could imagine was pretty, pretty unbearable things that he […]
Posted inFilm
The revolution is finally televised with Summer of Soul
The documentary is a window into the Harlem Culture Festival and discussions of Black history, community, and identity in the 60s.
Posted inFilm
Movie Tuesday: Jazz on film
Both highly collaborative art forms often play on improvisation and the music of chance.
Posted inMusic
Drummer Kahil El’Zabar elevates groove to a transcendent plane
The leader of the Ritual Trio and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is also a teacher, a connector, and an ambassador for Afrocentric jazz.
Posted inArts & Culture
Nina Simone: Four Women could use a lot more of her songs
Christina Ham’s play can’t decide whether it’s a jukebox musical revue or a dramatic stage bio.
Posted inMusic
Experimental musician Brett Naucke loses an album to hard-drive theft, starts making a new one
Experimental musician Brett Naucke loses an album to hard-drive theft, 80s thrashers Life Sentence reissue their debut LP, and more.
Posted inMusic
The jazz doesn’t stop when the park goes dark
This year’s Jazz Festival aftershows include Mako Sica with Hamid Drake, Dee Alexander performing Nina Simone, and the traditional engagements by Ira Sullivan and Edward “Kidd” Jordan.
Posted inBlogs
Chicago-born Muslim Indian soul singer Zeshan B calls for black and brown unity
This week Zeshan B celebrates his debut solo album, Vetted, which blends Indo-Pakistani music and American soul.
Posted inBlogs
Andrew Bujaski gets Results, plus more new reviews and notable screenings
Inside Out This week we take a look at Results, the latest comedy from indie stalwart Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation, Computer Chess), and Inside Out, the latest Pixar animation. Guess which one is going to make a yawning ass-load of money this weekend? From Mayerling to Sarajevo Check out the new issue […]
Posted inMusic
In Rotation: Cousin Dud’s Dan Schuld on Nina Simone covering Leonard Cohen
Current musical obsessions of Cousin Dud bandmates Dan Schuld and Matt Carmichael
Posted inBlogs
The black power Burzum: A Gchat about Kanye West’s Yeezus
Two Reader music critics dissect the rapper-producer’s new album.
Posted inMusic
Here comes Mae Ya Carter Ryan
Eleven-year-old Mae Ya Carter Ryan has a voice that sounds decades older than she is. People are starting to listen.
Posted inBlogs
My playlist of political soul
Nine of my favorite soul tracks that push for a better world
Posted inBlogs
Yahdina U-Deen as Nina Simone
Yahdina U-Deen channels Nina Simone in Between the Keys.