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Across genres and styles, women musicians are often sidelined or pigeonholed. One particularly harmful stereotype: when women are assumed to belong behind the mic or in the background — rather than being recognized as the instrumental experts and innovators they so often are. As we approach the end of Women's History Month, Alt.Latino invited a few women who have defied expectations and made a name for themselves as instrumentalists to discuss this phenomenon.
“We wanted to understand female instrumentalism in the past, the present — and the implications of its growth for both music and la cultura in the future,” explains Alt.Latino intern Anamaria Sayre.
In the episode, multi-instrumentalist Silvina Moreno discusses how her musicality is continually underestimated, and guitarist Eljuri explains a situation she often faces: showing up to a gig and dealing with a sound engineer who doesn’t believe she’s the lead guitarist in her group. Sometimes, you just have to “let your solos do the talking,” she advises (and you’ll get to hear one such marvelous solo on the podcast). Saxophonist Melissa Aldana and Galician bagpiper Cristina Pato talk about feeling indebted to the women who came before them, paving the way and making their paths easier. Plus, professor Frances Aparicio from Northwestern University joins to discuss the cultural and social history of women’s participation in Latin music — including the way certain instruments (but not others) are considered “safe” or normalized for women musicians. |
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| - Since the 1960s, tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders has created a voice on his instrument that seems to harbor cosmic secrets. His latest release is Promises, a collaboration with the British electronic artist Floating Points: a gorgeous, gemlike album that readily fits few of the descriptors often applied to either artist.
- Soprano Lise Davidsen is an emerging star whose voice has been called one-in-a-million. Though she didn’t see her first opera until she was 20, the Norwegian singer (now in her early 30s) is now turning heads in the opera world. Her second album, simply titled Beethoven, Wagner, Verdi, shows us where she's at today, but also hints at her destiny.
- For nearly two decades, billy woods and ELUCID have established themselves as cult figures in hip-hop. Their new album as Armand Hammer, Haram — produced solely by The Alchemist — showcases the duo at its most approachable, even if the rhymes are still intricate.
- This week on New Music Friday from All Songs Considered: super-catchy releases from maximalist pop group AJR and Israeli rapper Noga Erez; a commanding soul-jazz album from organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith; a sonically ambitious and emotionally intimate release from serpentwithfeet and more great new music out March 26.
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- Last month, Julien Baker put out a record of visceral, poetic rock songs — and to celebrate its release, she joined an NPR Music Listening Party. You can now listen to Baker’s conversation with WNXP’s Jewly Hight and fellow indie-rock songwriter Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres).
- The Oscar-nominated movie Soul tackles passion, purpose and the meaning of life: topics that aren't usually addressed in animated films. Co-writers and co-directors Pete Docter and Kemp Powers spoke to Fresh Air about how their movie is meant to challenge conventional notions of success and failure.
- For over 30 years, pianist and composer Myra Melford has carved out a musical identity by channeling extra-musical influences while drawing on the history of jazz piano. She’s the subject of a new radio profile from Jazz Night in America.
- This week, our friends at WXPN shared a four-song set by Kevin Morby, recorded in Joshua Tree, Calif.
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This week, the one and only Sting returned to the Tiny Desk with a new collaborator in tow. During the pandemic, Sting heard Beninese pop star Shirazee’s version of his classic "Englishman in New York" — which Shirazee had adapted into "African in New York." Sting loved it so much that he asked Shirazee to lend his voice to his Tiny Desk (home) concert (and record for his new Duets album).
Also this week: British singer-songwriter Liam Bailey performs three songs from his latest album, Ekundayo, and Buck Meek — best known as a guitarist and singer in Big Thief — performs tracks from his solo album from the back of his Toyota Land Cruiser.
Plus, comedian and actress Aparna Nancherla says she learns about a lot of new music from Tiny Desk concerts. She shared her five favorites with us in a new Tiny Desk playlist. |
| Who better to discuss The Sound Of Metal with Pop Culture Happy Hour than our very own resident Viking? |
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