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Soundcheck

Wednesday, May 26, 2004
  • SUBR Jazz Ensemble at the 2004 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival © Douglas Mason
    SUBR Jazz Ensemble at the 2004 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (© Douglas Mason)

    Jazz Festivals – Where’s the Jazz?

    Jazz festivals have increasingly had to battle the trend toward commercialization triggered by the very real need for economic support. Big name sponsors have often led programming away from “purist” offerings to acts with broad appeal, turning jazz festivals into stages for the latest ZZ Top reunion tour. How can festivals featuring genres with smaller, but extremely devoted, fans balance their economic needs with interesting programming? George Wein, the legendary impresario behind the Newport and New Orleans Jazz and Folk Festivals, shares his thoughts on the changing landscape of the jazz festival circuit. We’ll also speak with jazz journalist Larry Blumenfeld about the latest developments in European jazz festivals. And, correspondant Kim Greene takes us to small-town Manchester, Tennessee for the Bonnaroo Festival, a rock festival that brings Woodstock into the 21st century.

Best Live Performances of 2008

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We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.

The Year in Music and Branding

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Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.

Critics Week

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Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.

Noteworthy New York

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We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.