Summer Listening 2026
05/25: The Offspring- Why Don’t You Get a Job? (Clean) A track from one of the bands that led that mid-1990s punk revival
06/01: Joan Baez- De Colores- A beautiful take on a folk song by one of the greatest American singer-songwriters of all time.
06/15: Diane Reeves- Softly As in a Morning Sunrise A great cover of a Broadway standard by one of the most accomplished Chicago-born musicians.
06/22: Voices of Music- Vivaldi Concerto for 4 violins in b minor II. Largo- A wonderful period instrument recording of this Baroque concerto.
06/29: Voices of Ascension- Canticle of the Sun An advertisement for a diverse and eclectic program, featuring an oft overlooked work by Sofia Gubaidulina.
07/06: Mary Lou Williams-It Ain’t Necessarily So A fantastic cover of Sportin’ Life’s aria from the Gershwin brother’s opera, “Porgy and Bess”.
07/13: Rosie Betts- Come Away- A track from the up and coming artist from Ireland.
07/20: William Dawson- Symphony No. 1- This piece received rave reviews at it’s premier at Carnegie Hall, but unfortunately fell out of the standard canon until recently.
07/27: Jamie Cullum- I Could have Danced All Night- The British vocalist and pianist covering a classic originally from “My Fair Lady”.
08/03: Elgar Concerto- Shekku Kanneh-Mason - A fantastic performance at the Proms
08/10: Strange Fruit- Nina Simone
Summer Listening 2025
A funky and tasteful cover of the NSYNC hit from the turn of the century.
A highly dramatic moment from Purcell’s King Arthur, in which supernatural forces are at work.
A live version of the quintet’s opening track from their album, “Earfood”. This rendering is musically delicious.
Week of 06/09: Couch- Late Night Talking
An original take on the Harry Styles hit.
Harry Styles covering the Joni Mitchell.
Week of 06/23: Ravi Shankar
An excerpt from the incredible sitar players’ “10th Decade in Concert” performance.
A fantastic take on the Alan Menken song from “Aladdin”.
A heartfelt and despairingly beautiful Scottish Folk Song.
Week of 07/14: I’m Not That Girl- Lizzy McAlpine
Stephen Schwartz was inspired by the song from the previous week while writing this one.
This bands’ career spans more than four decades.
Week of 07/28: Anderson. Paak- Celebrate
One of the closing tracks of his beautiful concept album, “Malibu”.
Speaks for itself.
Summer Listening 2024
Week of:
05/20:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doKGd9_Ux-g – A wonderful reimagining of the Stephen Schwartz song. The pocket is so real, and the reharmonizations are well timed and clever.
05/27:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN2MYU67Q7s- "The Color Purple" co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Joaquina Kalukango perform the Hip Hop Trio Fugees’ funky rendition of "Killing Me Softly." The global hit steeped in unrequited love is told by two friends, whose friendship can be felt throughout the performance.
06/03:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClugMhMbrRg- Writer, guitarist, singer-songwriter and actor Jason Isbell tells deep and heartfelt stories.
06/10:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkrjsCdJguw- A fantastic take on the original made famous by Marvin Gaye, and Tammi Terrell
06/17:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BMvf7KpTBQ- One of today’s most creative and imaginative keyboardists, Cory Henry was first introduced as a member of Snarky Puppy. His career and creativity continue to thrive.
06/24:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIktb9bGO1w- This show is incredibly unique in that all of the cast members play their respective instruments onstage in this post-WWII drama.
07/01:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZqq6OeV3qk- Anna Amalia was an early modern German composer and music curator who served as princess-abbess of Quedlinburg. She was virtuosic on keyboard instruments, viols, and winds as illustrated in this incredible work.
07/08:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG5ft6-qzsY- Mingus covering a chart by the Duke.
07/15:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06_uCl_Bovs- Another Duke cover; Petrucciani could neither fully extend his fingers or make a fist; however, he is able to transcend those obstacles into some beautiful art.
07/22:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9542BuRJq6k- I love the vamp that Batiste uses; it is so simple and effective, moving from I to the bittersweet iv chord.
07/29:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEp7QrOBxyQ- A stylistically diverse collection of musicians from around the world collaborate on this Motown hit.
08/03:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhn8koaW-vQ- Nothing to add.
Summer Listening 2023
Week of:
05/08: Anoushka Shankar ft. Alev Lenz- Bright Eyes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNzPqFYcuKY
Shankar combines elements of Indian Classical Music and Western pop idioms.
05/15: Sebastian Yatra ft. John Legend- Tacones Rojos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsjVHBvh1HQ
The Pop/reggaton singer Yatra teams up with John Legend in this sweet love song.
05/22: Kali Uchis ft. Tyler, The Creator and Bootsy Collins- After the Storm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VwC2P_gYGg
A fascinating combination of generations and influences in this cut.
05/29: Lawrence ft. Allen Stone and Jon Lampley- Kiss the Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74rRhMYhNWE
What an eclectic team to take on this Disney hit!
06/05: Arr. Florence Price Orch. William Henry Curry- My Soul Been Anchored in the Lord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8euWkHx3uU
20th century master composer Florence Price harmonized this Spiritual; Maestro William Henry
Curry spreads the wealth to each section in this FANTASTIC ORCHESTRATION.
06/12: Victor Wooten- freely improvising as one does ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-eH8tkIs9s
One of the greatest virtuosos of our time allows this moment to unfold.
06/19: Jacob Collier ft. Mahalia and Ty Dolla $ign- All I Need
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAwkGI-_adI
Does anyone remember Bandlab? ;)
06/26: Ignacio Berroa and Gonzalo Rubalcaba- Caravan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLgsh0Q6kg
Duke Ellington’s composition oscillates between a tumbao feel for the A sections and a swing
feel for the bridge.
07/03: St. Vincent- Pay Your Way in Pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFxx35Up8F8
This song is a study in how to change harmonic rhythm and vocabulary; the chorus is minimalist
in a sense, while the verses have more intricate changes.
07/10: Hildegard von Blingin’ and Whitney Avalon- Holding Out for a Hero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx-x_1lIXh4
A 12th century inspired spoof of a song from the movie “Footloose”.
07/17: Charley Pride- Kiss an Angel Good Morning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRIRTQ_k-Sg
Clever lyrics, great rhythm section pocket.
07/24: James Taylor/King’s Singers- That Lonesome Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGnuNP9dJQ
Simon Carrington beautifully arranges Taylor’s reflective rock folk ballad for choir.
07/31: Clara Schumann- Piano Concerto in a minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsPEMVP13AI
An excerpt from the first movement of this incredible piece; Schumann was one of the greatest
pianists of the 19th (definitely one of GOATS of ALL TIME). This piece demonstrates her
amazing facility and musical intuition.
08/07: Nina Simone- Strange Fruit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnuEMdUUrZQ
08/14: Jeff Buckley- Strange Fruit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhn8koaW-vQ