Co-host @soundopinions. Former music critic at Chicago Tribune. Author of 7 books, including "I'll Take You There." Teaching music and democracy at U of C.
Chicago, Ill.
Joined March 2009
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Currently mixing up the medicine on democracy, the role of the artist & Bob Dylan at U of Chicago's Graham School (exciting classroom photo in comments). The class is sold out, but Graham is re-upping it for the winter quarter. Registration open. Details: tinyurl.com/2nndmtps
Chuck Berry's 100th anniversary -- the guy who cleared a path for rock 'n' roll. The hits flowed in the '50s, but some of his greatest work emerged after a two-year prison term in the early '60s, especially this one (more Chuck stuff in comments.)
youtube.com/watch?v=P68azZzY…
Is "Promised Land" Chuck Berry's greatest song? Here's why it gets my vote: facebook.com/share/p/1Bxs4fQ…
Matt Gold last night at a house concert. Liked his past collabs w/ Macie Stewart & Elizabeth Moen, & his omnivorous approach, reminiscent of Bill Frissell/ Richard Thompson. He touches on African & Brazilian textures, chamber pop, Spaghetti Western atmospherics, w/ jazzy nuance.
David Porter, legendary Stax songwriter, on his secret sauce for writing a soul classic: “The people don’t care about how you feel. They care about how you make them feel.” He dishes with the best of them on @soundopinions (link in comments).
In celebration of @JohnPrine's 80th, the @soundopinions convo with JP on the occasion of his final studio LP and an in-depth look at his timeless debut album with author @erinoz80, all wrapped up in one show (link in comments). How lucky can one man get?
John Prine would’ve turned 80 this week, but he slipped away in 2020, and boy, do we need his songs now. If anything, his stature has only expanded during his missing years, & the city he once called home is celebrating him big time in the next few days. Convo w/ JP linked below.
An interview with John Prine about his key years in Chicago: facebook.com/share/p/1LuG3P5…
Saw a bunch of street artists in Athens playing variations on urban styles such as rebetiko. One night we ended up at Tavern Klimataria for this co-ed quartet. Reminded me of Richard Thompson-Sandy Denny era Fairport Convention or Ireland’s Lankum, tinged with bluegrass and jazz.
Melissa Auf Der Maur, an aspiring Montreal artist, took a detour when she met Billy Corgan & Courtney Love. She ended up playing bass in 2 volatile bands – Hole & Smashing Pumpkins – and lived to write about it in “Even the Good Girls Will Cry.” @soundopinions interview below.
When 15-year-old Stevie Wonder wrote this song in the '60s, it stayed buried for years until Aretha Franklin got around to recording it. It became a huge hit, and prompted Stevie's original version to surface. I love 'em both. The @soundopinions story linked in comments.
The Stevie and Aretha connection on a classic song: tinyurl.com/bp72sanz
