The Sopranos when he heard Morphine’s song “Buena,” from the trio’s 1993 album
Cure for Pain.
Ortega, who was 28 years old at the time, had never heard the band before, but took a deep dive into Morphine’s music. He was particularly drawn to frontman Mark Sandman’s two-string slide bass, and became so obsessed that he had local luthier Scott Lofquist build him two basses, one of which is a left-hand replica of the instrument played by Sandman, who died from a heart attack during a concert in Italy in 1999.
When Ortega, who plays in a duo called the Two-String Project, heard about ArtHyve’s Record to Record, a series of online panel discussions via Zoom that combine the intellectual atmosphere of a book club with the world of music, he asked the group s founders, Jessie de la Cruz and Sigri Strand, who Ortega says are huge Morphine fans, about doing a discussion on the album as part of the series.
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Arlo Parks
British R&B singer and songwriter Arlo Parks creates songs filled with warmth, empathy and attention to literary detail. It s easy to hear why Parks was shortlisted as a breakthrough act for the BBC s Sound of 2020. Her star will continue to rise on the strength of her magical debut album,
Collapsed in Sunbeams, set to be released later this year. Parks songs welcome you into a charming world of beauty. She has a stunning musical maturity for someone so young, not to mention a singular voice.
Bruce Warren,
Bakar
Do a quick google search of Bakar and you ll see his music labeled as everything from experimental indie rock to hip-hop to soul. Give his music a listen and you ll realize that all of these descriptions are equally accurate. Genre aside, his music (especially the vocals) is sonically raw, which is not to say he doesn t sound polished. Bakar sounds like a real human performing well-crafted songs that haven t been over-produced using studio tricks and tru
Bakar
Do a quick google search of Bakar and you ll see his music labeled as everything from experimental indie rock to hip-hop to soul. Give his music a listen and you ll realize that all of these descriptions are equally accurate. Genre aside, his music (especially the vocals) is sonically raw, which is not to say he doesn t sound polished. Bakar sounds like a real human performing well-crafted songs that haven t been over-produced using studio tricks and trust me, these songs don t need any extra touches to stand out. The British artist had a No. 1 radio hit in 2020 with the song Hell N Back; the song surpassed Kings Of Leon s record for longest climb to the top, confirming radio s adoration of and commitment to the longevity of an artist with only a handful of songs. The new single 1st Time contains one of his most memorable hooks yet, further establishing Bakar as one of the most exciting artists to watch this year.
Monica Schipper / Getty Images for Panorama
Originally published on December 16, 2020 2:42 pm
It was a tough year for live music, but NPR s Member stations across the country managed to produce some great radio sessions before and during the pandemic. Here are the best of the bunch, featuring studio performances, home recordings and socially-distanced outdoor sets. For more live sessions from your favorite public radio stations, visit our Live Sessions section.
Alsarah & the Nubatones, Soukura
Alsarah & The Nubatones are a Brooklyn-based band with roots in East Africa. Lead singer Alsarah describes their style as East African retro-pop.
Adam Harris,
Anjimile, Baby No More