Blog — Riffs, Beats, & Codas

Riffs, Beats, & Codas

Cautionary rock tales on film: A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody

Vincent StephensNovember 18, 2018A star is born, Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, biopics, celebrity, Queen, Rami Malek, Freddie Mercury

Aretha’s Rainbow: Notes on Aretha Franklin’s music beyond ‘soul’

Vincent StephensSeptember 2, 2018Aretha Franklin, soul music, R&B, vocal jazz, cabaret music, gospel

The stories behind the art: Notes on Pose

Vincent StephensAugust 6, 2018transgender, African-Americans, Latinx, drag ball, Pose, 80's R&B, queer people of color

Me, you and Mariah: A re-introduction of sorts

Vincent StephensMay 29, 2018Mariah Carey, pop divas, R&B, hip-hop soul, rockism

Johnny Mathis (Easy) Listening party! An appreciation in three parts (Part 3)

Vincent StephensApril 11, 2018Johnny Mathis, crooning, Christmas music

Johnny Mathis (Easy) Listening party! An appreciation in three parts (Part 2)

Vincent StephensApril 11, 2018Johnny Mathis, crooning

Johnny Mathis (Easy) Listening party! An appreciation in three parts (Part 1)

Vincent StephensApril 11, 2018Johnny Mathis, crooning

Syllabus: Music in the United States: The American Rock Music Canon since 1955

Vincent StephensFebruary 4, 2018rock 'n' roll, rock, rock history, rock canon

Raves & Faves: The Best of 2017

Vincent StephensDecember 2, 2017Best Music of 2017, Best Books of 2017, Best Music Books of 2017, Musician deaths in 2017

LOUD WOMEN: Portraits of disruptive women in American pop (Part 2)

Vincent StephensNovember 5, 2017pop divas, laura nyro, jennifer holliday, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey

LOUD WOMEN: Portraits of disruptive women in American pop (Part 1)

Vincent StephensOctober 8, 2017

Hands off our music! Notes on authenticity, belonging, and cultural appropriation in music of the digital age

Vincent StephensSeptember 3, 2017

Essential Voices: 150 Best Albums by Female Artists: A personal list (1993-2017, Part 3) + (2017-2021, Part 4)

Vincent StephensAugust 4, 2017women's music, women and music

Essential Voices: 150 Best Albums by Female Artists: A personal list (1974-1992, Part 2)

Vincent StephensAugust 4, 2017women's music, women and music

Essential Voices: 150 Best Albums by Female Artists: A personal list (1950-1973, Part 1)

Vincent StephensAugust 4, 2017women's music, women and music

The story behind the rhythm: Notes on a Brazilian Love Affair, Part 2: Bossa and Beyond

Vincent StephensJuly 6, 2017Brazilian pop music, bossa nova, MPB, Tropicalia, Axe, Samba reggae, Samba, AfroReggae, Olodum, Brazilian hip-hop, Brazilian funk

The story behind the rhythm: Notes on a Brazilian love affair, Part 1: Samba

Vincent StephensApril 30, 2017Samba, Brazilian pop music, Carmen Miranda, Ary Barroso, Pixinguinha, pagode, Sinho, Zeca, Clara Nunes

She writes the songs: Recognizing the art of female songwriting

Vincent StephensMarch 26, 2017

Ear adjustment: Exploring the untold history of Black Music

Vincent StephensFebruary 5, 2017black music, classical music, folk music, country music, cabaret music, black history

Whose history? Re-evaluating the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Vincent StephensDecember 31, 2016Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Joan Baez, ELO, Tupac Shakur, Journey, Yes