Category Archives: Music & Meaning
Randy Newman: Cruel and True
No one writes songs quite like Randy Newman, and certainly not about the subjects he writes about. He celebrates L.A. in “I Love L.A.” by pointing out a bum on his knees. In “Shame” an old New Orleans rich guy … Continue reading
Blues: Tone, Form, Attitude
This short article accompanies the release of excerpts from my radio series Voices and Freedoms: A History of Jazz, based on my 1976 book of the same name. The 16-part series played across the nation for five years in the … Continue reading