Originally published on Fri March 29, 2013 2:54 pm
The narrative of jazz history often credits the music as a powerful, progressive force for racial integration in American culture. But what about gender equality? On that score, jazz in its first few decades would have to be given a less than stellar grade.
Charlie Christian, The Genius of the Electric Guitar The swing and jazz-era player helped turn the guitar into a solo-worthy instrument by plugging in. This four-CD set of Christian's recordings is packaged in a replica of his Gibson amplifier.
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Public Image Ltd, Metal Box The second album from Public Image Ltd, John Lydon's post-Sex Pistols group, was three vinyl discs packaged inside what looks like a 16mm film canister. (In the U.S., the album was released in a boring old cardboard sleeve as Second Edition.)
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Graf Orlock, Doombox Maybe the most elaborate packaging we've ever seen. Graf Orlock's six-song grindcore EP comes on both 10" vinyl record and compact disc, both of which rest within a fold-out cardboard "boom box."
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Horslips, Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part This Irish group's 1973 debut album — maybe the first Celtic rock record — came inside an amazing, perforated replica of a concertina, or button accordion (look closely and you can see the band members' faces on the buttons).
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The Strokes, Comedown Machine The Strokes are obsessed with the sounds and images of the 1970s and '80s, so it makes sense that the band's new album would look like a box of magnetic tape manufactured by RCA (conveniently, the band's label).
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The Who, Live At Leeds The cover looks like a bootleg, with the album title stamped on yellowed paper, but this is one of the best and best-sounding live recordings ever made.
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Shellac, 1000 Hurts This cover, made to look like an Ampex tape reel box, is something of an in-joke for fans of the band: guitarist Steve Albini runs the Electrical Audio recording studio in Chicago, notable for its analog-only recording practices.
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AC/DC, Backtracks The collector's edition of this 2009 rarities box set from the Australian hard rock legends was packaged in another amp. Unlike the Charlie Christian box set, this one actually works!
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System of a Down, Steal This Album! Released in 2002 after unfinished versions of the songs on the album were leaked. Once it finally made it into stores, the CD, meant to look burned-at-home, was packaged in a clear jewel case with no booklet.
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Ray Charles, Pure Genius - The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952 - 1959) A box containing eight CDs, but made to look like an old record player, complete with a molded-plastic turntable under the lid.
For Christians around the world, this week, leading up to Easter Sunday, is one of the most meaningful in the religious calendar. The dramatic story of Jesus' final days, as related in the four Gospels of the New Testament, has been meaningful for composers, too, and a rich source for many musical settings of the Passion story. J.S. Bach is still the benchmark when it comes to composing Passions. His St.
A still from the video for E-40's 1993 song "Practice Looking Hard," in which rappers like The Coup's Boots Riley (second from right) and Tupac (not pictured) also appeared.
Travel to Cape Breton, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and beyond to hear the authentic Celtic-rooted music of Canada with Leahy, Loreena McKennit, Mary Jane Lamond, Natalie MacMaster and more.
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Depeche Mode's Martin Gore (second from left), Dave Gahan (second from right) and Andy Fletcher (right) interviewed on stage at SXSW by KCRW's Jason Bentley.
It's Friday night in Bamako, and a club in the Malian capital has come alive. Guitarist and singer Baba Salah is on the floor.
His hometown of Gao, along the banks of the River Niger on the fringes of the Sahara Desert, made headlines as the first city in the north to be liberated by French-backed Malian forces in January. Gao was one of three regional centers in the north captured by rebels and jihadis a year ago. Islamists warned musicians that their tongues would be sliced out if they continued to sing and play. Speaking in French, Salah says artists left in a hurry.
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