Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:24:24 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Music :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/music istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/kenny-burrell-guitar-hero/85221/ Fri, 5 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Let's talk about the difference between minimal and maximal: Duke Ellington was noted for his soaring, exquisite, and gloriously idiosyncratic melodies, but once in a while the Maestro came up with songs such as "C-Jam Blues" or "Mainstem," which almost seem like exercises in building supremely catchy tunes out of the smallest possible number of notes. Lest we forget, in the opening of his Fifth Symphony (in the same key as "C-Jam Blues"), which might be called the greatest hook in history... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/50-years-and-miles-left-to-go/84958/ Tue, 2 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST When is the blues not the blues? The answer is: a lot of the time. The blues is, in fact, an inherently deceptive music. When David Rose writes a song called "Our Waltz," it has no choice but to be in 3/4 time; when Frankie Yankovic plays the "Too-Fat Polka," you know it's got to be a genuine polka. A mambo is a mambo and a march is always a march. But Harold Arlen can write "Blues in the Night," and it isn't an authentic 12-bar blues at all. Duke Ellington's simply (but deceptively) titled... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/jazz-goes-to-the-movies/84868/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST If the great songwriters of the golden age of cinema scores are less celebrated than their Broadway counterparts, they have only themselves to blame. If their goal was to create audio imagery that would be an inseparable counterpart to on-screen visuals and narrative action, they succeeded so well that it's traditionally been difficult to appreciate — and reinterpret — their work. To paraphrase André Previn, composers who worked in the movie business, even tremendous talents such as Henry... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/mccarren-park-pool-gets-watered-down/84569/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST New Yorkers love a perfect summer night under the stars, with a great live band, a steady flow of beer, and several thousand of their neighbors hanging out in a state of suspended urban bliss. That was the scene at McCarren Park Pool a couple of weeks ago when the Chicago rock group Wilco headlined the venue, a 6,000-person-capacity site in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, that has become a staple of the city's warm-weather concert season. Wilco's generous 2 1/2-hour set unfolded before a concrete and... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/ps1-warm-up-cools-down-with-jonathan-kane/84570/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST As a drummer, Jonathan Kane has worked for such demanding bandleaders as the minimalist godfather LaMonte Young, and Michael Gira of post-punk brutalists Swans. But before all that, Mr. Kane was a teenage blues addict with a fake ID who toured up and down the East Coast with his harmonica-wielding older brother Anthony, in the Kane Brothers Blues Band. It was the 1970s. The combo lasted only a few years, breaking up about the time Mr. Kane reached legal drinking age. One day, on one of his... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/charlie-parker-jazz-festival-cool-jazz-in-harlem/84500/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST There are always plenty of people to thank at free outdoor concerts such as Saturday's 16th annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival — producers, sponsors, press partners (in this case the City Parks Foundation, Bloomberg, Time Warner, and WBGO-FM). But only one entity deserves credit for the success of this year's event, and that's the Big Weather Guy in the Sky, who saw to it that the temperature in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park was bearable and the humidity was low. In fact, this was the first... BRET MCCABE http://www.nysun.com/arts/traditional-progressions-delta-spirit-and-obi-best/84563/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Delta Spirit's Matt Vasquez sings with an unabashed passion. On the barnstorming song "Trashcan," from the band's independently released 2007 album "Ode to Sunshine" — which receives a wide release today in a remastered edition from Rounder Records — Mr. Vasquez's alternating gritty howl and soulful wail ride a crest of piano, guitars, and percussion, something akin to the Band on an adrenalized night. Mr. Vasquez's vocal charisma, equal parts plainspoken troubadour and skyward-reaching... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/target-to-distribute-aguileras-greatest-hits/85126/ Thu, 4 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Christina Aguilera has become the latest musical act to release an album exclusively through one retailer. The multiplatinum singer announced Wednesday that her greatest-hits CD "Keeps Gettin' Better — A Decade of Hits" will be released only at Target. The CD, out November 11, will feature two new songs as well as rerecorded versions of two other hits, "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful." Ms. Aguilera is following a growing list of acts who have struck exclusive deals with retailers. Wal-Mart... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/glorious-sounds-from-salzburg/84759/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — The Vienna Philharmonic has no permanent conductor — instead they have an endless string of guests. But if they did have a permanent conductor, they could do worse than Mariss Jansons, the formidable Latvian-born musician. It was he who conducted them in a concert at the Salzburg Festival last weekend. Mr. Jansons has plenty of work to do — he heads two big orchestras, the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich. In earlier days... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/mozarts-magic-flute-done-right-in-his-hometown/84561/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — A few years ago, the Salzburg Festival had a production of Mozart's "Magic Flute" that was roundly disliked — disliked by the public. Even some critics risked being thought square by objecting. Then, the festival acquired a new production: by Pierre Audi, a Beirut-born British citizen. It was more like it. Like what? Like "The Magic Flute." It is whimsical, friendly, and interesting. There are goofy touches — such as the little red circus car in which Papageno rides around... FRED KIRSHNIT http://www.nysun.com/arts/wrapping-up-mostly-mozart/84493/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Never has the title of Mostly Mozart's series at the Kaplan Penthouse been more appropriate than on Thursday, when A Little Night Music presented the last great work of the 19th century: Arnold Schoenberg's string sextet "Transfigured Night." One of the most moving aspects of "Verklärte Nacht" is its remarkable ability to re-create the atmosphere of the original Richard Dehmel poem, a startling juxtaposition of the frigid attitudes of polite society and the warm glow of inner beauty. The woman... ALAN LOCKWOOD http://www.nysun.com/arts/onstage-and-on-screen-tributes-for-pavarotti/84496/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Tenor Luciano Pavarotti died on September 6, 2007, and now, almost a year after his passing, the tributes are coming. Next month, two important celebrations of the King of the High C's will bring his legacy to the public. On September 10, Thirteen/WNET will broadcast a new Great Performances special, "Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias." Directed by David Thompson, the documentary film provides a chronology of Pavarotti's career. It ranges from a 1965 performance of Rodolfo's "Che gelida manina"... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/christine-schafer-subpar-but-great-in-salzburg/84487/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — It is a privilege to sing a voice recital at the Salzburg Festival — particularly a recital of German art song. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau did it, a lot. And, last week, Christine Schäfer, the German soprano, did it. She certainly deserves the privilege. Her program was a Schwarzkopfian one: Bach, Mahler, and Wolf. And she began with five songs of Mahler, four of them from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn." As always, Ms. Schäfer was tasteful and intelligent. I... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/an-uglified-rusalka-in-the-worlds-most-beautiful/84488/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — The Cleveland Orchestra is not very often found in an opera pit: They are a symphonic band, occupying the famed Severance Hall. But there they were in the pit of the House for Mozart, here at the Salzburg Festival. They were not playing Mozart: They were playing Dvořák's "Rusalka," the opera about a water nymph who longs to be human, gets her way, and pays a heavy price. Apparently, some members of the Vienna Philharmonic grumbled about the Clevelanders' moment in the... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/ohioans-in-austria/84404/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Salzburg, Austria — The Vienna Philharmonic is king of the Salzburg Festival — the king orchestra — but other bands are let in, for a few moments in the sun. This year, the Cleveland Orchestra, Ohio's own, has more than a few: They are enjoying a full-scale residence. Of course, their music director, Franz Welser-Möst, is Austrian — a Linz boy. And in 2010, he will assume the biggest Austrian job of all (musical division): general music director of the Vienna State Opera. But he will remain... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/nico-muhly-smashes-language-barriers/84381/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Nico Muhly may not get the kind of attention that is lavished upon some of his collaborators, such as Björk or Rufus Wainwright, but the New York-based composer may be the most buzzed-about musician in the city right now. The prolific Mr. Muhly, who turns 27 on Tuesday, has had his pieces performed uptown (at Carnegie Hall) and downtown (at the Kitchen), created music that was adapted from sources as unlikely as "The Elements of Style," and worked closely for a spell with the almost painfully... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/terrell-stafford-takes-center-stage/84387/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST In 1963, DownBeat magazine began using the phrase "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in its annual jazz poll. It was a useful idea, if a bit relative. Are there any important living jazz (or even classical) musicians who don't deserve wider recognition? In contemporary American culture, it seems the only way an artist can truly become "widely recognized" is to appear on a reality television show, be chewed out by Simon Cowell, or arrange to be adopted by Madonna. In jazz, as in classical... NICHOLAS WAPSHOTT http://www.nysun.com/arts/glimmerglass-times-four-on-an-elizabethan-stage/84297/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Glimmerglass Opera has four productions on its bill this summer, and each employs a shared backdrop: an elegant facsimile of an Elizabethan theater in pale gray timber. In front of that background, the flats and scenery for each opera float in. Operagoers who attend performances to applaud lavish sets rather than the singing and staging may be disappointed by it, but the ingenious device — which is both artistically apt and economical — successfully unifies the quartet under a single theme... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/dave-matthews-bands-leroi-moore-dies/84281/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST LeRoi Moore, the versatile saxophonist whose signature staccato fused jazz and funk overtones onto the eclectic sound of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday of complications from injuries he suffered in an all-terrain vehicle accident, the band said. He was 46. Moore died at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was admitted with complications that arose weeks after the June 30 wreck, according to a statement on the band's Web site. It did not specify what led to his death, and... FRED KIRSHNIT http://www.nysun.com/arts/beethoven-vs-beethoven-at-mostly-mozart/84300/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Coinciding nicely with the new century — it was conceived in 1800 — the Piano Concerto No. 3 of Beethoven, which was given a lively reading at Avery Fisher Hall on Tuesday evening as part of the Mostly Mozart Festival, is the first piece of music to deify the creator-performer. Without this elevation of the auteur as the force majeure, there would be no piano concerti of Brahms or Schumann, Tchaikovsky or Greig, Prokofiev or Rachmaninoff. For the first time, the artist is at least the equal, if... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/don-giovanni-deep-in-the-woods/84285/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" was first performed at the Salzburg Festival in 1922, two years after the festival began. In the pit was that great Mozart lover and exponent Richard Strauss. And the stage director was a man named Hans Breuer. This year, the stage director is Claus Guth, a German. And he is undisputed boss, as directors tend to be on this continent. I will describe a little of his first act — and I do mean his, not Mozart's or that of his librettist, Da Ponte... BRET McCABE http://www.nysun.com/arts/jennifer-oconnor-sings-her-own-tune/84286/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Jennifer O'Connor has been compared with and held up against so many chanteuses of the 1990s — especially Liz Phair — that it's become a disservice to all parties involved. Surely it's possible for a woman to sing passionately and intimately about her life without having to be equated with another woman simply because of a lazy implication that female experiences are all the same. "I do find it limiting, and I get asked about this thing a lot or just compared to the same people over and over,"... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/muti-lights-otello-on-fire-in-salzburg/84299/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — Back when he was starting with the Philadelphia Orchestra, 25 years ago, Riccardo Muti was the target of a particular criticism: Everything he conducted sounded like Verdi. Whether that was true or not, this is clear: The man can well and truly conduct Verdi, as he proved in Salzburg's Great Festival Hall on Sunday afternoon when he presided over "Otello." Mr. Muti was on fire, and so was the Vienna Philharmonic, and so was Verdi's score. The opera began with a fantastic... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/rafal-blechacz-starry-young-lisztian/84111/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — Rafal Blechacz, born in 1985, is a Polish pianist and a rising star. He had the honor of a recital at the Salzburg Festival last week — in the Grosser Saal of the Mozarteum, one of the most beautiful concert venues (or venues period) in all the world. Young Mr. Blechacz studied at the Artur Rubinstein School — which is natural — and, three years ago, won the Chopin Competition, held in Warsaw. That, too, might be regarded as natural. This has been a pretty good summer in... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/music-producer-joan-hyler-in-car-wreck/84102/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Authorities say Hollywood producer and talent manager Joan Hyler was in critical condition after she was hit by a car Friday night on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. Ms. Hyler, who has represented Bob Dylan and Madonna and is a former president of the nonprofit Women in Film, was hit as she was heading to a home in the area. In a posting on the Web site of UCLA Medical Center, her family says she sustained "severe and multiple injuries." A hospital spokesman says Ms. Hyler remained in... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/shannon-mcardle-speaks-for-herself/84106/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Some artists hide behind the scrim of creative license, contending that even the bloodiest confessions are merely the fabric of fictional conceit. Names are changed to protect the guilty. Catastrophic experiences are related by imaginary characters. And everything else is coincidental. Bob Dylan, in his 2004 memoir, implied that his 1974 classic, "Blood on the Tracks," widely assumed to be about his divorce, was in fact based on Chekhov. It took less than half a pint of Belgian wheat beer to... BRUCE BENNETT http://www.nysun.com/arts/laura-cantrell-courts-the-country-goddesses/84107/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST For an increasing number of contemporary musicians romancing the American country and Western idiom, self-expression goes hand in hand with an archival zeal. There is arguably no better local example of this than the Nashville-born, Queens-residing singer, songwriter, and lapsed radio DJ Laura Cantrell. Ms. Cantrell, whose new EP of cover renditions, "Trains and Boats and Planes," draws from such varied musical sources as Canadian folkie Gordon Lightfoot, British post-punks New Order, and... BRET McCABE http://www.nysun.com/arts/hesitant-steps-into-the-future-stereolab-and/84108/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Stereolab has made the musical equivalent of 1960s European art-house cinema for nearly 20 years now. Since forming in London in 1990, the group has melded lounge pop, 1970s-style German rock (better known as "Krautrock"), and electronic music with the sort of dense intellectualism that can be found in graduate student dissertations on political theory. It all makes for a plush cocktail that evokes French New Wave stars such as Alain Delon and Delphine Seyrig, wandering aimlessly around exotic... Bloomberg News http://www.nysun.com/arts/groundbreaking-record-exec-jerry-wexler-dies/84024/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Jerry Wexler, the feisty Atlantic Records executive who coined the term "rhythm and blues" and produced some of the standout recordings by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Wilson Pickett, has died. He was 91. Wexler, who suffered from congenital heart disease, died Saturday at his home in Sarasota, Fla. Along with Sam Phillips of Sun Records, Wexler helped define the role of the modern record producer. He oversaw Charles's rollicking classic "What'd I Say" in 1959 and recorded Bob Dylan's... KATE TAYLOR http://www.nysun.com/arts/tenors-in-training-the-next-generation/84037/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Luciano Pavarotti's death last year prompted much speculation about who will eventually replace the triumvirate of Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, and José Carreras. Most of the discussion has focused on stars in their 30s, such as Juan Diego Flórez and Rolando Villazón. But what about even younger tenors whose careers are developing? In New York, at least, the demands for talented opera singers will be greater than ever in the coming years. In 2009, Gérard Mortier will arrive to take the helm at... FRED KIRSHNIT http://www.nysun.com/arts/a-moveable-finnish-feast/84038/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Mostly Mozart Festival is celebrating Finland: Two conductors, three soloists, and one composer took up residency on the Upper West Side in a moveable feast of musical events showcasing the nation currently most dedicated per capita to the cause of our beloved art form. On Saturday evening, Osmo Vänskä, who moved to Minneapolis in order to feel that he had stayed home on the Baltic, led the Festival Orchestra in an interesting program at Avery Fisher Hall. The evening featured a familiar... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/their-gig-their-glory/84041/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST SALZBURG, Austria — The Vienna Philharmonic is hard at work, as it usually is at the Salzburg Festival. This is their summer home — their gig, their glory. Late last week, they played programs of Bartók and Brahms. Those programs give us plenty to chew on. This is something of a Bartók summer here in Salzburg. About a dozen of that composer's works are sprinkled throughout the festival, including concertos, sonatas, ballets — and the composer's lone opera, "Bluebeard's Castle." There is even a... ALAN LOCKWOOD http://www.nysun.com/arts/saariahos-take-on-simone/84042/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The oratorio "La Passion de Simone," performed last week at the Rose Theater, had as its sole props a writing desk and a richly burnished, framed door. While the audience was being seated, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra filtered in among dozens of chairs and music stands, and those spare devices seemed a mite inconsequential. But director Peter Sellars hadn't left any tricks up his sleeve for the 90-minute work he and the Mostly Mozart Festival's composer in residence, Kaija... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/the-genius-of-jeff-healey/84045/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Any discussion of blind idols in the movies would probably start with the comic book hero "Daredevil," move to the fictional Frank Slade (portrayed to Oscar-winning effect by Al Pacino) in "Scent of a Woman," and arrive at the very real Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx, also an Oscar winner for the role) in "Ray." But to me, the greatest of them all was the real-life guitarist and trumpeter Jeff Healey in 1989's "Road House," because his was the only such character played by an actual sightless superman... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/from-herbie-to-herwig-and-back-again/83917/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST It's little wonder that one of Herbie Hancock's most famous tunes is called "Chameleon": Any newcomer who listens to one of his more abstract piano solos with Eric Dolphy, then to one of his complex compositions of the mid-'60s, which incorporate elements of modal jazz and free jazz, and then to "Headhunters" or another of his funky fusion works of the 1970s (including "Chameleon") will swear that he is listening to the work of two or three different and equally ingenious musicians. Mr. Hancock... ALAN LOCKWOOD http://www.nysun.com/arts/a-finnish-finish-for-mostly-mozart/83929/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Mostly Mozart Festival presents a distinctive opportunity in its final two weeks to enjoy a focus on contemporary Finnish music and musicians. Osmo Vänskä returns to conduct the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in programs at Avery Fisher Hall. Conductor Susanna Mälkki makes her festival debut, leading the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in two large-scale works by the festival's composer-in-residence, Kaija Saariaho. Ms. Saariaho's oratorio, "La Passion de Simone,"sung by soprano... FRED KIRSHNIT http://www.nysun.com/arts/new-york-grand-operas-aida-extravaganza/83930/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST If ever there were a perfect opportunity to mount a production of "Aida" featuring elephants, it was Wednesday night in Central Park. The vast, wide-open spaces could hold any and all elements of a true spectacular. Alas, the New York Grand Opera does not have a budget for a pachyderm parade, but it did mount a pretty fabulous extravaganza within the bounds of its limited resources. Many companies are afraid of "Aida." Its sheer grandeur daunts the potential director. Before the New York City... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/the-many-gifts-of-krystian-zimerman/83811/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Salzburg, Austria — Krystian Zimerman, the famed Polish pianist, has said that he will not play in America: He is angry at America and American policy. But he is perfectly happy to play in Austria, that model among nations. He played a recital on Tuesday night in the Great Festival Hall, Salzburg's premier venue. The Salzburg Festival begins in late July and continues until the end of August. People here believe that this is the world's most prestigious music festival. And they are not to be... Bloomberg News http://www.nysun.com/arts/george-steel-leaving-columbia-for-dallas-opera/83807/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Dallas Opera, a high-profile regional company that moves into a new Norman Foster-designed home next year, yesterday appointed George Steel as its new general director. One of New York's leading specialists in contemporary music, Mr. Steel, 41, will join London-born Graeme Jenkins, 49, who has been music director of the company since 1994, at a key juncture in its history. In October 2009, the 52-year-old company will inaugurate the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, in the new Dallas... Staff Reporter of the Sun http://www.nysun.com/arts/14-year-old-composer-wins-50k-award/83810/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST A 14-year-old pianist and composer, Conrad Tao, will be honored as a 2008 fellow laureate of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, an honor that includes a $50,000 prize, the organization announced today. Fellows of the program, designed to help the creative development of gifted youths from a variety of fields, receive awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Mr. Tao, a New Yorker, attends the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division. He composes and performs classical music that is... FRED KIRSHNIT http://www.nysun.com/arts/variety-vs-quality-at-mostly-mozart/83814/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra is greatly improved since the appointment of music director Louis Langrée. But it reached a plateau a few seasons ago and has not made any significant strides forward since. Tuesday evening at Avery Fisher Hall provided an illustrative case in point. Admittedly the group had little to do during the first half of the program. The guest conductor, Jiri Belohlávek, brought some music from his homeland, the Serenade No. 2 of the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/allmans-sue-record-company-for-itunes-revenue/83721/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The Allman Brothers Band has sued a record company to demand a bigger cut of recordings sold through third parties such as Apple's iTunes music service. The Southern rock band filed its lawsuit against UMG Recordings Inc. in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, saying it was the victim of "digital exploitation." The band behind such hits as "Melissa" and "Ramblin' Man" demands at least $13 million and additional royalties from the sales of newly configured compact discs and digital downloads... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/beatles-management-contract-heads-to-auction/83719/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Brian Epstein's copy of his management contract with the Beatles, a pact that proved to be worth millions, is being offered for sale in London next month. The four-page document, signed October 1, 1962, by John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Richard Starkey — Ringo Starr's real name — carries an estimated price of $480,000. The Fame Bureau auction house said Tuesday it had scheduled the sale for September 4 at the Idea Generation Gallery. The contract, also signed by Harold... Associated Press http://www.nysun.com/arts/post-springsteen-will-play-super-bowl/83723/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST A newspaper is reporting that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will rock the next Super Bowl. The New York Post says the Boss and his band will be featured at Super Bowl XLIII on February 1 in Tampa, Fla. A spokeswoman for Mr. Springsteen, Marilyn Laverty, told the Associated Press that she won't comment on the report. An NFL spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Mr. Springsteen and the band just finished a yearlong tour behind their latest album, "Magic."... Staff Reporter of the Sun http://www.nysun.com/arts/great-performers-season-to-honor-prokofiev/83635/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Lincoln Center's 2008-09 Great Performers season will honor Sergei Prokofiev with a series titled "Russian Dreams: The Music of Sergei Prokofiev," the organization announced Monday. The series will open in November with the composer's work for stage and film, conducted by Valery Gergiev and performed by the Kirov Orchestra and the chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg. In March, Mr. Gergiev will conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in performances of Prokofiev's symphonies. The... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/the-melvins-wont-go-quietly/83640/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST As strong candidates for the ultimate in rock 'n' roll longevity, bands such as R.E.M., U2, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have found ways to persevere into their third decades as working entities in part by being thoroughly embedded in pop culture's collective subconsciousness. Even an "underground" group such as Sonic Youth, which has never been a steady presence on the radio or television, can be seen as a precursor to a thriving generation of acts that exploded out of its model for moderate... STEVE DOLLAR http://www.nysun.com/arts/brotherman-the-soul-soundtrack-that-almost-wasnt/83641/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Sometimes a cliché isn't a cliché — it's stirringly profound, less for what is imparted than for the eloquence with which it is delivered. Even when a listener knows what to expect in theory from a piece of music, the merits of an offhanded artistry can be surprising. Such is the case of "Brotherman." This original soundtrack recording was destined for the background of a film with the same name, a would-be blaxploitation epic that was never made. Now, more than three decades later, the music... BRET McCABE http://www.nysun.com/arts/voices-of-authority/83642/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Johnny Whitney has a voice only a mother could love, though she is more likely to fear what has pushed her son to such extremes. Between 1997 and 2006, as one of two lead singers in the chaotic Seattle hard-core outfit the Blood Brothers, Mr. Whitney screamed and shrieked like a terrorized teenager forever trapped in a horror movie. It was an ideal sound for the Blood Brothers' corrosive worldview and discordant mayhem: Mr. Whitney seemed like a survivor witnessing the end times on the band's... WILL FRIEDWALD http://www.nysun.com/arts/where-shel-silverstein-begins/83551/ Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST As my favorite rock band, Spinal Tap, famously said, "There's a thin line between being clever and being stupid." As the Tap themselves also established, there's an equally thin line in pop culture between satire and that which is being satirized. There are those of us, for example, who feel that Mel Brooks's "Spaceballs" is one of cinema's great science fiction movies. Never mind that it's a comedy — it's a much more enjoyable extension of the "Star Wars" franchise than any of the three recent... JAY NORDLINGER http://www.nysun.com/arts/making-room-for-mikhail-pletnev/83554/ Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Mikhail Pletnev is one of the most extraordinary musicians we have. He is a pianist of the first rank, and a worthy conductor. He composes as well. I have never heard any of his music, but how bad can it be? His overall musicianship is too good to allow bad composition — or at least to allow the public airing of bad composition. He is also something of an entrepreneur or impresario — founding the Russian National Orchestra in 1990, even before the disintegration of the USSR. With this...