A Vintage Photography Flash Lamp In Action Jacob Riis, a writer and photographer who exposed poverty in late 19th century New York City, used crude tools to light up his subjects. He ignited magnesium powder with a pistol, and later a frying pan. A vintage photography hobbyist demonstrates a flash lamp similar to Riis'.
Comic Cheech Marin Champions Chicano Art The iconic funnyman rose to fame as one half of the pothead duo Cheech and Chong. Over the years, he has acquired one of the largest collections of Chicano art in the world. By sharing his favorite works with the public, he hopes to help people see that Mexican-American art is mainstream.
Musicians Turn Down the Volume to Protect Art Scientists working at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg say that the vibrations from rock concerts in nearby Winter Square may be damaging their collection. Research shows that vibration from 10 concerts above 82 decibels ages the artwork by a year.
Obama's Foreign Policy Aide Weighs In on Iraq Denis McDonough is Sen. Barack Obama's foreign policy adviser. He says Obama wants to start withdrawing troops immediately at the pace of one to two combat brigades per month. At this pace, the remaining U.S. troops can leave Iraq in 16 months.
An Art Star Creates a Splash in New York New Yorkers woke up this morning to new landmarks in the city's harbor and along the East River: four waterfalls. They're actually a public art project, courtesy of artist Olafur Eliasson.
The Celtic Journeys of Loreena McKennitt McKennitt fell in love with Celtic music many years ago, but a late-'90s visit to Venice gave her a new appreciation for the wide reach of Celtic culture. Her new album is a concert recording from an unlikely Celtic outpost: Spain. She visits NPR for an interview and in-studio performance.
Macaco: Spanish Pop 'Fusion Without Confusion' His pop songcraft mixes the international rhythms and polyglot languages of his native Barcelona. For Dani Carbonell, the voice and songwriting talent behind the band Macaco, musical fusion comes naturally.
U.S. Bands Jam Sounds of Eastern Europe The sounds of Eastern European music is spreading abroad. The group Man Man, from the eastern U.S. city of Philadelphia, is one band getting its influence from the countries of the former communist bloc.
Macedonian Singer's Death Saddens Balkans Music fans across the Balkans are mourning Tose Proeski, a Macedonian entertainer whose pop ballads, sung in many different languages, bridged political divides. Proeski, 26, died in a recent car crash.
Luciana Souza: Revising Pop by Way of Bossa Nova On The New Bossa Nova, Brazilian singer Luciana Souza makes a daring move, infusing pop classics by the likes of Joni Mitchell and The Beach Boys with the sultry, shifting rhythms of bossa nova.
'Chicha' Music Expands out of Peru Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru is the first album of Chicha music released outside of Peru. The unique music style grew out of the booming cities of the Peruvian Amazon in 1970 and incorporates surf guitars, synthesizers and distinctive melodies.
Death of the 'Balkan Elvis' Tose Proeski, one of the most popular musicians in the Balkans, has died, and people all over the former Yugoslavia are mourning him. Born in Macedonia in 1981, Proeski represented his country in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.
Japanese Tribute Band Parrots The Beatles The Parrots are the Japanese version of The Beatles, and almost everything about them references the band, including their clothes, the venue they play, and their accents.
'Spam Allstars' Groove to Diverse Rhythms The Spam Allstars are generating a buzz in the music business for their rhythmic mixtures of electronica, Latin, funk, hip-hop and dub. And the band members are just as diverse as the music they groove to. The Spam Allstars share their music as well as their inspiration.
Penn Masala Mixes A Cappella from East and West At the University of Pennsylvania, a cappella singing can be as serious as the academics. The 15-man group Penn Masala has been a campus standout, spreading its a cappella fusion of Eastern and Western music well beyond campus borders.
Opera Star Remembered for Musical Versatility Opera star Luciano Pavarotti is dead, but he leaves behind a legacy of beautiful music. He was the most famous opera singer in the world, but he also enjoyed collaborating with rock and R&B stars such as Bono, James Brown and Sting.
Modiba Records Blends Music, Aid Modiba Records is a small record company that raises and distributes funds to the areas their recording artists are from. Their first album, ASAP: The Afrobeat Sudan Aid Project, has raised over $140,000 to fund humanitarian groups working on the ground in Darfur. Members of the company talk about their approach to fundraising, and about their latest album by Vieux Farka Toure.
Learning by 'Broz-mosis' On Lumiere, Bob Brozman is the orchestra. He plays the National Tricone, charango, ukulele, baritone guitar and, well, everything else. Brozman has spent decades traveling and collaborating with musicians all over, which he synthesizes into his own music.
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