By Eileen Abbott Bradley Kipp recently noticed evidence of a nighttime intruder in the tranquil, wooded Bellair neighborhood west of town where he lives. A resourceful problem solver, Kipp decided to use bungee cords to thwart the thief. He created makeshift “locks” to tightly seal his trash bins, which were being regularly rummaged through, apparently […]
When word came out in early 2015 that Harper Lee was set to publish a sequel to the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird, author Casey Cep was one of a number of reporters who traveled to Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, to cover the book’s release. Despite Lee’s enormous popularity, Go Set a […]
Jazz age: At 60, jazz pianist Matthew Shipp is still innovating, even while contemplating a career slowdown. Known for his slick improvisations, the veteran is joined by peers from New York City’s modern jazz scene on a tour to celebrate the new release, Signature, by the Matthew Shipp Trio. Downbeat Magazine calls Shipp “the connection […]
Muggles music: Music director Benjamin Rous leads the Charlottesville Symphony through compositions by John Williams, Alexandre Desplat, Nicholas Hooper, and Patrick Doyle in a showcase of magical moments from world’s most idolized boy wizard in Pops at The Paramount—The Harry Potter Concert. While the performance does not feature film clips, the audience is invited to […]
Fierce forward: A hiking accident at the age of 20 shattered Jade Jackson’s body as well as the aspiring singer-songwriter’s career dreams. The long recovery pushed her into depression and dependency on prescription painkillers, and she says she didn’t believe in music anymore. Miraculously, Jackson quit the meds cold turkey and made her way back […]
Turning the tables: What you see is what you get with the Winstons, a Brooklyn-based garage blues duo that is indie without pretense and relies on performances to get its point across. The former Charlottesville residents recently celebrated six years of live gigs and “turning down just about nothing” with a debut LP—giving a nod […]
Presidential address Following a brief introduction by UVA President Jim Ryan—where Ryan mentioned he’d gotten food poisoning from the White House the first time he met Bill Clinton—the former leader of the free world then took the lectern in Old Cabell Hall to close out the Miller Center of Public Affairs’ first-ever PrezFest, aka Presidential […]
There are few details surrounding the conflict between Italian composer and violinist Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi and murdered castrato Giovanni Marquett, but historians suspect Pandolfi in this 17th-century whodunit. Intrigued by the story, David McCormick of the Early Music Access Project, and Matthew Davies, associate professor of Shakespeare and performance at Mary Baldwin University, combine forces […]
It was through busking that Brooklyn native Hubby Jenkins developed his own style, workshopping country blues, ragtime, fiddle and banjo, and traditional jazz in public places throughout New York City. Jenkins took to the road, making a life as a street musician, and in 2010 he was invited to join the Carolina Chocolate Drops, taking […]
Sally Rose leads her trio Shagwüf in Sweet Freakshow, an anniversary performance to celebrate five years of stirring up crowds with the group’s psychedelic, retro swagger. “The most punk thing you can do in divisive times is to write music and try and bring bodies together, to sweat and celebrate being alive and compassionate,” says […]