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The question, “what should music do?” seems to always be in the air. And artists, critics, theorists and music lovers constantly provide new answers. Music should comfort. Music should challenge the powerful. Music should be beautiful. Music should bring people...
Folk songs written by West Virginians born in the 1920s. Progressive, utopian even, they are visions of an American future. George Crumb, pioneer of sound and music, has become a prolific setter of American folk songs in the last few decades. From the songs he has set...
The path “We Shall Overcome” took from a Philadelphia minister’s hymnal in 1900 to become a universally recognizable anthem of our hopes for a more just society, led us to the Highlander Center, the behind the scenes hub of US social movements, their strategists and...
So, how do we get from the austere and atonal grandeur of Ruth Crawford’s lament “Sacco and Vanzetti,” to the uplifting hymn tune and civil rights anthem of “We Shall Overcome.” First, shout-out to composer Nate May for making the connection. In 1932 Ruth Crawford...
The process of making music with Steve Blier and NYFOS is always an exploration that demands equal parts intellectual and emotional integrity. I've been back in the studio with Steve this month as we gear up for the upcoming Protest concert at Merkin Hall, bridging...