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Singing Through the Horn: A Conversation with Billy Harper (Part Two)

We continue our conversation with the great Billy Harper by discussing the beginning of his professional career in New York, his work with Lee Morgan and Gil Evans, the representation of Black artists in popular culture, and his compositional process. You can check out part one of the interview here. PostGenre: A little earlier, you […]

Singing Through the Horn: A Conversation with Billy Harper (Part One)

The lineage of jazz has long drawn upon ideas from gospel music, whether Louis Armstrong’s presentation of spirituals or Duke Ellington’s or Mary Lou Williams’ sacred music compositions. However, to some, the connection between faith-based songs and contemporary improvised music seems more tenuous. Artists are more likely to find a space between jazz and hip […]

Narrative Freedom: A Conversation with Anthony Davis (Part Two)

In the second part of our conversation with composer Anthony Davis, we do a deeper dive into his work, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. Part one of our discussion can be found here. PostGenre: X was first presented in 1986. What was behind your decision to revisit the work over thirty years later? Anthony […]

Narrative Freedom: A Conversation with Anthony Davis (Part One)

When one looks beyond the jokes about “the fat lady” singing or baseless accusations of the form being boring, one can find operas sharing some of the most intriguing stories ever told. These tales present the full range of human emotion, from devastating loss to insuppressible joy. Often overlooked, however, are these works’ political overtones. […]

Roots to Infinity: A Conversation with Donald Harrison, Jr. (Part Two)

We continue our conversation with NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison, Jr. (read part one here) by digging into Mardi Gras Indians, Dr. John, Miles Davis, The Notorious BIG, and more. PostGenre: Keeping with the topic of New Orleans tribal culture, one of your prior albums, Indian Blues (BMG, 1992), digs deep into the music of […]

Roots to Infinity: A Conversation with Donald Harrison, Jr. (Part One)

While the history of improvised music is replete with works of artistic brilliance, such recordings seldom reach outside the confines of their usual audiences. It is not merely difficult but near impossible for improvisation-laced instrumental music to resonate with the larger popular culture. But there are always exceptions. One of these rare recordings is Herbie […]

Stranger Than Fiction: A Conversation with Trevor Dunn

There is much in this world that we do not understand. Phenomena not easily understood by science or human reason. Unexplained mysteries are impossible to distinguish as either shocking reality or mental delusion. As bassist Trevor Dunn writes in the liner notes to Séances (Pyroclastic, 2022), his group Trio-Convulsant’s first release since 2004, “[w]e are […]

All Singing Together: A Conversation with William Parker (Part Two)

We continue our conversation with William Parker by further discussing his philosophy on music, Universal Tonality (Centering/AUM Fidelity, 2022) and lessons learned from Cecil Taylor. You can read part one here. PostGenre: You have also indicated that music is played for the earth and not for people. Does that relate to your earlier statement that […]

All Singing Together: A Conversation with William Parker (Part One)

Some recordings are fun listening experiences. Things you can put on, enjoy the groove, and go about your day. William Parker’s Universal Tonality (Centering/AUM Fidelity, 2022)  is not one of these albums. Do not misconstrue that statement. The album is enjoyable and enlightening. But those looking for something short and jaunty best look elsewhere. Instead, […]

Vibrational Miracle: A Conversation with Adam Rudolph (Part Two)

We continue our conversation with Adam Rudolph with a deeper dive into his new book, Sonic Elements: Matrices, Cosmograms, and Ostinatos of Circularity (Meta, 2022). Sonic Elements builds upon the lessons Rudolph has learned throughout his career (which you can read more on in part one) to present two primary types of tools which can […]