Sounds Out of Time

Jazz drummer Adam Nussbaum tells the story of two albums from his parents' record collection that inspired him to develop the Lead Belly Project.

Singer-songwriter Sunny War talks about "The Origin of Love," from "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Sunny will be performing at the Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on Sunday, September 18. See hopewelltheater.com for tix and more info. Sign up at soundsoutoftime.substack.com for transcripts, playlists, and recommended listening.

Singer-songwriter Sunny War talks about "The Origin of Love," from the original motion picture soundtrack of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Sunny will be performing at the Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on Sunday, September 18. See hopewelltheater.com for tix and more info. Sign up at soundsoutoftime.substack.com for transcripts, playlists, and recommended listening.

On the 50th anniversary of Elvin Jones's recording of "Live at the Lighthouse," bassist Gene Perla recalls what it was like to play with the legendary jazz drummer. Gene will be performing this music with the Lighthouse Project on June 30, 2022 at Nublu in NY, NY, and later this summer at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

Rex Fowler and Dodie Pettit of Aztec Two-Step 2.0 discuss songs by Paul Simon and the origins of their show "The Simon and Garfunkel Songbook." Aztec Two-Step 2.0 will be performing at the Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on May 22. See hopewelltheater.com for tickets and more about the show. Playlists and transcripts for all episodes are available at soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

Singer-songwriter David Wilcox discusses Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill." He said that the process of writing a song with great care "changes your heart and mind. It rewires how you see the world.” David will be performing at the Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on May 1. See hopewelltheater.com for tickets and more about the show and davidwilcox.com for more about his work. Playlists and transcripts for all episodes are available at soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

Madeleine Peyroux talks about Marian Anderson's "Trampin'." Madeleine will be performing at the Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on April 29 and 30. Tickets and more information are available at hopewelltheater.com. Transcripts and playlists for all episodes are available at soundsoutoftime.substack.com. (photo: Yann Orhan)

Scott Metzger returns to talk about his new album, Too Close to Reason, and a classic Lester Young solo, which he plays at the end of the episode. Scott has upcoming solo shows at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, March 30; City Winery NYC March 31; City Winery DC April 1; and City Winery Philadelphia April 2. See scottmetzger.com for more dates and details. Playlists and transcripts for all episodes are available at https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

This episode showcases Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke's composition "Tezeta," which translates roughly as "nostalgia."

Susan Hellauer, a founding member of Anonymous 4, talks about "Peperit Virgo," a song from the Middle Ages that the group brought to life on its 1993 album "On Yoolis Night."

Singer-songwriter Ana Egge talks about the timeless perfection of Elizabeth Cotten's "Freight Train." We went deep on this one. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

Composer eden ahbez is best known for "Nature Boy," a #1 hit for Nat King Cole in 1948 that was subsequently covered by artists ranging from Miles Davis to Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. That song was just the tip of the iceberg for an artist whose best work was still ahead of him. Historian, archivist, and filmmaker Brian Chidester has spent a quarter-century exploring the music and life of eden ahbez. He's the co-producer of Dharmaland, a 2020 album by Ìxtahuele of previously unrecorded songs by ahbez. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

Patty Larkin discusses how she was influenced as a young songwriter by Joni Mitchell's "The Priest," from the album Ladies of the Canyon. Patty will be performing at the Hopewell Theater (hopewelltheater.com) in Hopewell, NJ, on October 16, 2021. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

Time for Three, a trio featuring two violins and double bass, defies easy categories. They're classically trained musicians who are as comfortable singing three-part harmony as they are shredding on commissioned works by award-winning contemporary composers. As individuals, they were shaped by early influences ranging from Brahms and Mussorgsky to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Time for Three will be performing at Hopewell Theater in Hopewell, NJ on October 1, 2021. Check out hopewelltheater.com for tickets and more information. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

This is the second in a short series on unconventional trios, and it features Sonny Rollins, who pioneered a piano-less saxophone trio on his 1957 album Way Out West. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

This episode kicks off a short series on unconventional trios, beginning with the Jimmy Guiffre 3, which had no drummer. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com.

This episode showcases pianist Mary Lou Williams's "Zodiac Suite," a concept piece that was ahead of its time in 1945. "Zodiac Suite" has been reinterpreted in recent years by performers ranging from pianist Geri Allen to the New York Philharmonic. Sounds Out of Time playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

April 24 marked the 45th anniversary of the debut of composer Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians," which remains one of his seminal works. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

This final episode in a series on 20th-century Spanish and Catalan composers who were recorded by guitarist Andres Segovia features the music of Gaspar Cassadó and Óscar Esplá. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

This interview with classical guitarist Michael Boyd explores the music of Spanish composer Federico Moreno Torroba. Michael recorded an album of Torroba's works for solo guitar in 2008. This is the second in a series of episodes on 20th-century composers whose music was recorded by guitarist Andres Segovia. Playlists and edited transcripts are available at: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

The episode kicks off a series on 20th-century composers from Spain and Catalonia who were recorded by guitarist Andres Segovia. If you like Claude Debussy or Erik Satie, you should know this music. And if you go for moody late-'50s Miles, Bill Evans, Jim Hall, Keith Jarrett, or Gary Burton, you'll find plenty to like too. This episode feature the music of Catalan composer Federico Mompou. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

This holiday episode features the music of guitarist John Fahey, who drew on country blues, folk, classical, and religious music and warped them into something that was completely his own. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

This Live Cuts episode explores the energy of a solo artist performing without a net. Keith Jarrett's 1975 "Köln Concert" album was completely improvised under less-than-perfect conditions. The result was an album that literally sold millions of copies. There's also a preview of a track from "Wiseacre," the new album by Eric Slick (Episode 2), which features his wife Natalie Prass on vocals.

This Live Cuts episode features Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio from the 1965 album Smokin' at the Half Note. There's also a preview of a new recording by Blanc Du Blanc that spotlights Dana Colley of Morphine, who spoke to Sounds Out of Time in Episode 4. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

If you're hankering for the thrill of live music, Ella Fitzgerald's performance of "Air Mail Special" at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival remains positively electric. You can find a playlist of the songs featured and an edited transcript of recent episodes here: https://soundsoutoftime.substack.com/

This is the second of two episodes dedicated to the music of Charlie Parker in celebration of his 100th birthday. Parker's compositions reveal his mastery as a melody maker.

This is the first of two episodes dedicated to the music of Charlie Parker as his 100th birthday approaches this month. This episode features snapshots of Bird as a master improviser who exploded the boundaries of harmony in jazz.

Gabor Szabo influenced musicians ranging from Bill Frisell to Carlos Santana, who recorded Szabo's tune "Gypsy Queen" in a medley with Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman." This episode also pays tribute to Green, who died on July 25, 2020.

This Summer Listening session features cuts from Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi years, including "Fat Mama" from the album "Fat Albert Rotunda" and "Ostinato" from the album titled "Mwandishi."

Charles Mingus's 1963 recording "The Black Saint and the SInner Lady" is a concept album, a fully realized artistic expression from the first note to the last.

Charles Mingus's "Original Faubus Fables" is an American protest song for the ages that's just right for this moment.

This Deep Listening Session focuses on Joaquín Rodrigo's 1939 composition "Concierto de Aranjuez," including interpretations by Paco de Lucia, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and Jim Hall.

The Deep Listening session features the Bill Evans composition "Turn Out the Stars."

This Deep Listening session digs into Thelonius Monk's ballad "Pannonica," including the surprising story behind the song title.

This Deep Listening session features bop-era piano legend Bud Powell’s composition 'Un Poco Loco.’

McCoy Tyner’s “Passion Dance” is the focus of this tribute to the late master pianist.

Art Tatum and Earl “Fatha” Hines were master pianists of the swing era, and their styles couldn’t have been more different.

We've got a lush new deep listening session out for you today, featuring Billy Strayhorn's 1963 classic "Lush Life".

This Deep Listening session focuses on the Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington recording of Billy Strayhorn's "Passion Flower."

João Gilberto's 1959 album "Chega de Saudade" put bossa nova on the map.

Django Reinhardt's 1940 composition "Nuages" is the focus of this Deep Listening session.

The fifth and final in our series of deep dives into classic compositions from 1959 features Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo a la Turk, from the album Time Out.

This Deep Listening session features Charles Mingus's "Goodbye Porkpie Hat," from the album Mingus Ah Um.

In episode 8's Deep Listening session we dig into Ornette Coleman's haunting composition, "Lonely Woman", off his 1959 release, The Shape of Jazz to Come.

This is the second in a series of episodes that take a deep dive into a single composition from a classic jazz album released in 1959. In this episode we unpack John Coltrane’s love ballad “Naima” off the groundbreaking album, “Giant Steps”.

Sounds Out of Time podcast is back and unveiling a new concept for episode 6! "Deep Listening" segments will focus on one piece of music rather than one specific artist — taking a deep dive and delving into various aspects of a composition. For our inaugural segment we're breaking down Miles Davis' "Blue in Green", one of two ballads off Davis' pivotal 1959 album "Kind of Blue".

Violist, composer, and multimedia performer Christen Lien talks about the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7(Allegretto), Philip Glass's piece Escape! from the original soundtrack of the movie "The Hours," and her 2017 concept album Elpis.

Morphine saxophonist Dana Colley talks about Paul Gonsalves's tenor sax solo at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival that changed the world in 27 choruses.

Bassist/producer Andrew Weiss talks about the 1941 Duke Ellington composition "Blue Serge."

Drummer Eric Slick of Dr. Dog talks about a composition that taught him "that music could be everything that I wanted it to be in one singular moment.”

In this episode Brooklyn-based guitarist Scott Metzger discusses his fascination with a 1977 recording of Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3. This version features piano soloist Martha Argerich playing with the London Symphony conducted by Andre Previn.