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10:58 am
Mon August 6, 2012

Dan Auerbach Likes It Fast, Simple And Loud

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Credit James Quine
Producer Dan Auerbach achieves an ideal version of JEFF The Brotherhood and Hacienda on their respective new albums.
Credit Courtesy of the artist
Credit Courtesy of the artist
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Originally published on Mon August 6, 2012 12:23 pm

Dan Auerbach, one of two founders of The Black Keys, also maintains an active side business as a producer for other bands that share his love for blues- and country-influenced rock. Auerbach's production work can be heard on two new records: Hacienda's third album, Shakedown, and the major-label debut of JEFF The Brotherhood, titled Hypnotic Nights.

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Remembrances
10:23 am
Mon August 6, 2012

Chavela Vargas: Putting The Fight In Music

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Chavela Vargas was a hard-living, feisty singer from Costa Rica who won fame for defying gender stereotypes in the male-dominated world of Ranchero music. She died on Sunday at age 93. Host Michel Martin looks back on Vargas' life and legacy.

All Songs Considered Blog
10:02 am
Mon August 6, 2012

It's Not Easy Being Greek

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Musicians Kristi Stassinopoulou and Stathis Kalyviotis, who re-spark old Greek folk songs with a modern push.
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Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 10:02 am

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A Blog Supreme
8:42 am
Mon August 6, 2012

Highlights: The 2012 Newport Jazz Festival In Photos

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Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
David Gilmore from Rudresh Mahanthappa's Samdhi is all smiles at the Newport Jazz Festival.
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Pedrito Martinez Group performs on the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — John Ellis and Doublewide performs on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Christian McBride and Inside Straight play on the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Christian McBride and Inside Straight play on the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Jack DeJohnette Group plays the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Bill Frisell Plays John Lennon on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Dafnis Prieto Sextet plays the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Dafnis Prieto Sextet plays the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Dafnis Prieto Sextet plays the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Darcy James Argue's Secret Society performs on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Darcy James Argue's Secret Society performs on the Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Soundprints performs on the Harbor Stageat the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Soundprints performs on the Harbor Stageat the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Jack Dejohnette All Stars play an interlude with Jason Moran on the piano at the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Jack Dejohnette All Stars play an interlude with Jason Moran on the piano at the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Jack Dejohnette All Stars performs on on the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Concert goers listen music outside the Fort Stage at Fort Adams State Park at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — Concert goers, including Corliss Wise of Columbia SC (Center), listen to music outside the Fort Stage at Fort Adams State Park at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Bad Plus with Bill Frisell play on the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Bad Plus with Bill Frisell play on the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The Bad Plus with Bill Frisell play on the Quad Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The reedy convocation billed as 3 Clarinets brought Ken Peplowski on stage with Evan Christopher and Anat Cohen (both not pictured). An able supporting cast included Howard Alden on guitar and Greg Cohen on bass.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR

Before noon Saturday, the quartet led by charismatic conguero Pedrito Martinez had its audience gyrating to Afro-Cuban rhythms. Bassist Alfaro Benavides provides additional encouragement from the stage.

Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Song titles like "Three-Legged Tango In Jackson Square" and "Zydeco Clowns On The Lam" clue us into the Southern Gothic imagination of saxophonist John Ellis and his band, Double-Wide. New Orleans resident Matt Perrine played sousaphone bass during the festival's first main-stage show.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Vibraphonist Warren Wolf brought a crystalline resonance to bassist Christian McBride's band Inside Straight. His bandleader looked on approvingly.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Christian McBride was all smiles while steering his quintet, Inside Straight. Hours later, he would jam with master drummer Jack DeJohnette during an all-star performance.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Drummer Jack DeJohnette turns 70 the week following Newport 2012, and celebrated the birthday early by performing twice. His first set featured his working band, including microtonal and exotic guitar specialist Dave Fiuczynski.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Violinist Jenny Scheinman performs with guitarist Bill Frisell's John Lennon tribute project on the Fort Stage. The following day, she and Frisell would also perform as a fiddle-and-guitar duo.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Bill Frisell is known as an improviser, but at 61, he says Beatles songs were a huge part of his musical upbringing. It showed in his reinvention of classic John Lennon songs.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum also picked up the melodica during the riveting sextet set led by his colleague of many years, drummer Dafnis Prieto.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The Cuban bassist Yunior Terry was happy to perform in the band of his countryman, drummer Dafnis Prieto.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Sharply dressed for the occasion, composer Darcy James Argue led his 18-piece big band, Secret Society, at the main Fort Stage on Saturday.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society opened with a tribute to Argue's late mentor, the composer/arranger and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and gave us an extended peek at its upcoming recording Brooklyn Babylon.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Two veteran bandleaders in their own right, saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas, teamed up this summer to co-lead a band they call Soundprints. They also offered roles to younger musicians like pianist Lawrence Fields and bassist Linda Oh.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Pianist Jason Moran stepped up to the Quad Stage for a loose-limbed duet interlude with master drummer Jack DeJohnette. Moran also played later in the weekend with his own trio, the Bandwagon.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Jack DeJohnette, shown here jamming with an all-star group, has a long history with Newport: He played in the Miles Davis Quintet when it came to the festival in 1969.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Vocalists Kurt Elling (left) and Theo Bleckmann (center) were crucial to drummer John Hollenbeck's setting of the poems of Kenneth Patchen. Hollenbeck brought his unique Claudia Quintet, which was actually a sextet with the addition of a pianist.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
B.B. King's signature adorns a guitar, as seen behind the Fort Stage before the start of Sunday at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Preparations are underway on the main Fort Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival, overlooking the Pell Bridge and the pleasure craft of Narragansett Bay.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Drummer Lewis Nash performed several times at Newport as a sideman, but was also given the opportunity to lead his own quintet during the first performance on Sunday morning. His frequent associate, Peter Washington, held down the bass chair ably.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Rudresh Mahanthappa presented music from his album Samdhi with a quartet featuring bassist Rich Brown. The alto saxophonist told the audience he was inspired by doping at the 1996 Olympics ("Enhanced Performance") and the leader of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party ("breakfastlunchanddinner").
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Tabla player Dan Weiss was one of 24 musicians who appeared on stage for Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial Project. Weiss would later play both tablas and drum set with Miguel Zenón and Laurent Coq's Rayuela Quartet.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The legendary composer/arranger Gil Evans was never able to direct his own music at Newport. But Ryan Truesdell (left) has spent years researching and resurrecting lost Evans masterpieces; he presented some of his findings on the Fort Stage.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Members of the Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial Project, including David Peel on French horn and Ryan Keberle on trombone, hang out backstage at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The siblings Yuval (left), Avishai (center) and Anat Cohen play the Fort Stage. As 3 Cohens, they've already released three albums; their Newport set was filled with originals and arrangements of classics by Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The folky singer-songwriter Becca Stevens was billed as a special guest with the duo of Lionel Loueke and Gretchen Parlato.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Gretchen Parlato (right) and Lionel Loueke met in a prestigious graduate jazz program and have been performing together ever since. They've previously led their own bands at Newport, but on Sunday at the Harbor Stage, they were offered a more intimate billing.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
Kurt Elling offered twisty original lyrics and fresh re-scorings of pop songs during his set at the Quad Stage.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors feature students from around the world, including saxophonists Lihi Haruvi (left) and Matthew Halpin (center) and violinist Alex Hargreaves. Professional drummer Adam Cruz anchored their Fort Stage performance.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The husband-and-wife team of guitar hero Derek Trucks and mighty singer Susan Tedeschi perform on the Fort Stage. The 11-piece Tedeschi Trucks Band closed out Newport with a show which lasted nearly two hours.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
A large and relaxed crowd scattered about the Fort Stage plain for the closing Tedeschi Trucks Band performance.
Credit Erik Jacobs for NPR
The Tedeschi Trucks Band inspired a few dancers as blue skies turned to misty twilight on Sunday of the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival.
'8/4/12 Newport, RI. — The 3 Clarinets: Ken Peplowski, Evan Christopher and Anat Cohen play on the Harbor Stage at the Newport Jazz Festival August 4, 2012. Photo by Erik Jacobs for NPR.'
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Originally published on Tue September 18, 2012 4:13 pm

The tents have been collapsed, the fog has rolled in and the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival has come and gone — but not before photographer Erik Jacobs captured these brilliant images for us.

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Tiny Desk Concerts
7:03 am
Mon August 6, 2012

Beth Orton: Tiny Desk Concert

Credit Michael Katzif / NPR
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Originally published on Fri August 10, 2012 1:26 pm

English singer-songwriter Beth Orton is one of the best-known practitioners of a subgenre in which folk songs are set to electronic beats — it's a sound she employed to popular and powerful effect throughout the late '90s and early '00s, on hit albums such as Trailer Park, Central Reservation and Daybreaker.

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