Oct 28th, 2004 · Zap Mama's CD Ancestry in Progress charts a path from African a capella to a global vision of soul. Leader Marie Daulne says her new songs weave vocal styles from Africa and the East with technologies and music of the West. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne.
Oct 28th, 2004 · Downloading popular songs to use as personal cell phone ring tones has turned into a $3 billion global industry. A growing revenue stream for songwriters and publishers, ring tones are now outselling digital downloads of music. NPR's Michele Norris talks to Geoff Mayfield, the director of charts for Billboard Magazine, which has just launched a "Hot Ringtones" chart.
Oct 26th, 2004 · During pop singer Ashlee Simpson's recent appearance on 'Saturday Night Live,' it was revealed that she was lip-syncing when the wrong song was cued. The singer has blamed a sore throat for her need to have a backing track. The show's former bandleader, GE Smith, says he is surprised that lip-syncing is allowed on what is billed as a live show.
Oct 25th, 2004 · Musician Lenny Kaye is perhaps best known as Patti Smith's guitarist. But he's also a music writer, whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and Creem. His new book, You Call it Madness: The Sensuous Song of the Croon, chronicles the male singers of the 1930s known for their suave, sophisticated and romantic interpretations of song: Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee and Russ Columbo.
Oct 25th, 2004 · NPR's Noah Adams joins NPR's Alex Chadwick in an interview with jazz pianist Brad Mehldau. They talk about Mehldau's rendition of "River Man" on his new solo CD, Live in Tokyo. The song was originally written by the late British pop songwriter Nick Drake.
Oct 24th, 2004 · Independent producers Hal Cannon and Taki Telonidis of the Western Folklife Center offer the latest in their periodic series, What's in a Song. This week they follow the story of "Don't Laugh at Me," a tune that has spawned a movement.
Oct 22nd, 2004 · Presidential campaigns mean a busy time for politicos and journalists -- and also for satirists. The Washington, D.C.-based comedy troupe the Capitol Steps has been in the thick of it, writing songs and skits that bring out the silly side of the campaign trail.
Oct 22nd, 2004 · Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano has written songs for artists such as P Diddy, Usher and Janet Jackson. The New York native says shaping his own singing career has been difficult, but now he has a new CD: Nobody's Fool. He speaks with NPR's Teshima Walker.