Music in the 1980s largely involved hearing with one’s eyes as much as ears, all due to a waterfall of on-screen pop stars like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Culture Club, Milli Vanilli, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, and Cyndi Lauper. The decade’s MTV and VH1 music videos also featured the sounds of synthesizers, electronic drums, programming, overproduction, and … [Read more...]
Jazz bass titan McBride brings Ursa Major band to Arts Garage
One of my first experiences as a journalist with bassist Christian McBride (www.christianmcbride.com) wasn’t an interview with him, but rather one that partially turned out to be about him for Jazziz magazine in 2002. Keyboardist/vocalist George Duke (1946-2013) had recently released his 26th studio album, Face the Music (Big Piano Music). Duke’s lengthy solo career had … [Read more...]
Jazz pianist Miwa spreads the musical wealth at sold-out Arts Garage show
For the past five years, Japanese jazz pianist Yoko Miwa (www.yokomiwa.com) has led her trio on annual trips to South Florida to perform at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach, gaining a growing following there in the process. Feb. 21 was Miwa’s latest installment, as the 55-year-old, classically trained pianist entertained a sold-out crowd during a two-hour show with … [Read more...]
Folkie MacDonald’s novel mixes romance with our fraught politics
Best-known as a prominent 1970s-1990s figure in the Greenwich Village folk music scene, with 14 album releases under his name, Delray Beach-based singer/songwriter Rod MacDonald also has many other career tentacles. Now 77 years old, he has degrees in history from the University of Virginia and law from Columbia University; currently lectures on music history in the … [Read more...]
Jazz star Yoko Miwa will return to Arts Garage
Touring performers never forget the first time they get booked at one of their favorite venues. Especially when it turns out that they can’t work there. Such was the case in March of 2020, when jazz pianist and composer Yoko Miwa (www.yokomiwa.com) was set to play at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach. COVID-19 intervened, like it did through much of life during that year, … [Read more...]
Author Wald explores roots of American music in South Florida appearances
Even if the name of author, musical artist and historian Elijah Wald (elijahwald.com) doesn’t necessarily ring a bell, chances are that you’ve experienced or at least heard of something he’s associated with. A recent example is the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (Searchlight Pictures), which starred Timothée Chalamet and was directed by James Mangold. The film was … [Read more...]
Folk Radio Hall of Fame inducts longtime WLRN host Stock
A list of the things that have changed in the South Florida music scene since the Reagan administration’s first presidential term constitutes a scroll, with practically all being for the worse. Yet something that hasn’t changed during that time frame is WLRN (www.wlrn.org) deejay Michael Stock’s Folk & Acoustic Music radio program, which streams and airs Sundays from 3-5 … [Read more...]
Appreciation: Remembering Palm Beach County folk scene star Marie Nofsinger
Singer, guitarist and songwriter Marie Nofsinger came onto my radar more than 25 years ago, as I was walking along Lake Avenue while she was performing live on the sidewalk stage in front of the Coffee Gallery in downtown Lake Worth. This was back when Palm Beach County had a thriving original music scene — even if I purposely only heard some of its many such performers in … [Read more...]
Boynton performer featured in Harry Chapin documentary
Art imitates life, as the accurate saying goes, and vice versa. A new documentary by Jason Chapin, S.A. Baron and Rick Korn, Harry Chapin — Cat’s in the Cradle: The Song That Changed Our Lives (Greenwich Entertainment), is now a case in point in both directions on major streaming services. And not just regarding the late American singer/songwriter and humanitarian who … [Read more...]
The power of three: King’s X carves out its own uncompromising path
There’s a veteran rock act that emerged from Houston, one with style and staying power that’s literally both little and old. Just don’t confuse it with “that little ol’ band from Texas.” Because while ZZ Top was a force through the 1970s after coming out of the southeastern Lone Star State hub, that trio fell prey to 1980s video trappings and has become a caricature tribute … [Read more...]