To my surprise and pleasure, last year’s Music Quiz for World AIDS Day is one of the most visited posts on this site.  So here’s another round. Match the artist on the left with his (or her!) album/song/ensemble/venue on the right.  Answers follow. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Buzz it up Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Tweet about it Tell a friend

Steven Blier on “Manning the Cannon,” an upcoming program with the New York Festival of Song: “This is a program I’ve been longing to do for about two decades. It explores two centuries of gay composers and gay-themed songs, and presents a wide variety of characters: experienced guys on the prowl for a good time; sensitive men grappling with their sexuality; hyper-males and drag queens; ecstatic lovers and those just awakening to their erotic nature. The composers come from seven countries and span 190 years, but they have one thing in common: they are all masters of words and music,...

It’s about love and sentiments across distances. It was filmed on cell phones and webcams while the San Francisco-based Chanticleer was on tour.  The music are lyrics are by Erika Lloyd, arrangement  by Vince Peterson. For beautiful voices and beautiful men, we give thanks. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Buzz it up Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Tweet about it Tell a friend

“Gay culture feels more allegiance toward Lady Gaga than Lady Day. As someone who frequents gay bars with almost the same regularity as jazz clubs, I often sense a great divide between the two worlds… It would seem that there’d be more overlap between the jazz and gay communities in relationship to mainstream society. After all, both foster communities that cut many strata, including those dealing with race, ethnicity, gender, economic status and age; both have been historically scrutinized; both advocate collective and individual freedom; and both are constantly fighting for greater...

Don’t be fooled by the pictures of Lara St. John, the violinist who’s giving a recital Sunday afternoon at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in a presentation by the Troy Chromatics.  With shoulder-length hair and a fresh open face, she appears to be about 17 years old. In fact, she’s just one year shy of turning 40. Middle age may be encroaching but a disarming spontaneity and playful sense of humor came through in our recent conversation. “I do look weirdly young and I still get carded for god’s sake,” says St. John. “And since I don’t drive I just have a passport and bartenders...

As one of the world’s leading opera directors Francesca Zambello’s career has taken her around the globe, jetting to such illustrious houses as La Scala, Covenant Garden and the Metropolitan Opera.  But as the new artistic director of Glimmerglass Opera, she’s been spending much of the fall driving herself around the Northeast, talking up the company with potential patrons and friends, from the Finger Lakes in New York to the central portions of Massachusetts. During her visit to the Capital Region last month we shared lunch at Jack’s Oyster House in downtown Albany.  I thought the conversation...

“I’m a so-called ‘multi-media artist’ but I have no idea what that means,” says Laurie Anderson, who brings her latest show, “Delusion” to EMPAC on Friday and Saturday nights. For those unaware of Anderson’s mix of music, stories, and visuals, the other jargony term commonly applied to her is probably no-less helpful:  performance artist. Maybe it’s better to focus on what she actually produces. In addition to her touring shows, Anderson has been recording albums, exhibiting works in galleries and museums, and publishing art books at a regular pace since she was a break-out star...

In today’s Arts & Leisure section of the New York Times, Vivien Schweitzer writes about Jeremy Denk, his new recording of the Ives sonatas (amazingly his first solo disc), his obsession with Proust, and addiction to chili peppers. She also mentions “his boyfriend, Patrick Posey, a saxophonist and the director of orchestral activities and planning at Juilliard.” Scanning the web, this is the only reference I can find to Denk’s sexuality.  There is, however, this snippet of an interview with Stephen Marc Beaudoin for the Porland Mercury in July, 2009: SMB: One of the...

“We’re a strange pair,” says pianist Garrick Ohlsson of his long association with Frederic Chopin.  “He was rather short, some what frail and very elegant.  I’m not a fashion plate and weigh 260 pounds and have enjoyed good health my whole life.” Music would seem to unite Ohlsson and Chopin across the centuries. But even there, Ohlsson points out a contrast: “I love playing concerts. He hated playing concerts.” Ohlsson will be playing another concert – all Chopin – this Thursday night at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, in honor of the Polish composer’s bicentennial year....

There’s a lot more to music and culture in Minnesota than “A Prairie Home Companion.” Just ask pianist Matthew McCright, who lives in Minneapolis and teaches at Carlton College. But better yet, listen to one of his recordings or go hear him in concert. McCright will be performing an all-Minnesota program at Merkin Concert Hall in New York on Saturday September 25.  Every one of the six pieces on the program comes from a Minnesota composer and represents a New York premiere.  Here’s the full line-up: James Marentic: “Rothko” Justin Rubin “Waltz through...