September 25, 2016
Playing Defense Listening Post 66. A doomsday joke: Hearing that the earth will be submerged by rising seas in 72 hours, clergymen counsel prayer and repentance. But a lone scientist goes on global TV and issues a challenge: “We have three days to learn how to breathe...
September 19, 2016
With Respect to Samba Listening Post 65. It’s no surprise that samba featured prominently at the Rio Olympics. But in the 100 years of Brazil’s iconic music form —the first song was registered in November 1916—samba has often struggled for respect. The...
September 11, 2016
The Power of Song Listening Post 64. In the 1980’s, before he had released a single record, Jaromír Nohavica was named one of the top 10 Czech artists in a national poll, but the Communist regime panned his lyrics and prevented him from performing at a festival. He...
September 5, 2016
Tracks to an Island Home Listening Post 63. Cape Verde has a diverse musical palette, but the international renown of the late Cesária Évora skewed the island nation’s reputation toward the melancholy morna style. Lura idolized Évora, with whom she performed, but she...
