The Buffalo News: Music

Music

Colin Hay is still a man at work: By David Hiltbrand - McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
Updated: 05/08/08 6:32 AM; Growing up in Scotland, and after he moved to Australia with his family as a teenager, Colin Hay was always a keen observer and admirer of American culture.

From disparate halves, a thrilling whole: By Mary Kunz Goldman - NEWS CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC
Updated: 05/08/08 9:20 AM; Gabriela Montero is reckless. She began her concert Wednesday night with the Busoni arrangement of Bach’s mighty Chaconne for solo violin, from the D minor Violin Partita. She just threw herself right into it.

Unplugged Bryan Adams loses electricity: By Joe Sweeney - NEWS CONTRIBUTING REVIEWER
Updated: 05/08/08 9:13 AM; Some things should never be stripped down — like the Louvre or “The Lord of the Rings.”

Lithuanians offer Baltimore a Zappa bust: By Ben Nuckols - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 05/08/08 6:32 AM; BALTIMORE — Frank Zappa, who sang about “Plastic People,” has been cast in bronze. Again.

These days, it’s good to be Josh Groban: By Nekesa Mumbi Moody - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 05/08/08 6:32 AM; NEW YORK — Josh Groban has been teased by family and friends about landing on People magazine’s “most beautiful” list — but he doesn’t mind.

Police to play finale in N. Y. City: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 05/07/08 6:40 AM; NEW YORK — The Police will cap their world reunion tour with a final concert this summer in New York City, where they started out 30 years ago in Manhattan’s tiniest rock venues.

Sean Combs is living the dream: By Ryan Pearson - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 05/06/08 9:08 AM; BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — When the one-man, publicity-generating whirlwind that is Diddy met the well-oiled hype machine of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, sparks were bound to fly.

Chicago Symphony names new music director: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 05/06/08 6:36 AM; CHICAGO — The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association named maestro Riccardo Muti on Monday as the next music director of the CSO, the 10th conductor to hold the prestigious post.

McKay’s playful personality belies her over-the-top talent: By Jon Bream - McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
Updated: 05/05/08 6:37 AM; New York singer/songwriter Nellie McKay is absolutely brilliant and bloody confounding.

BPO and Chorus offer a devastating Holocaust tribute: By Mary Kunz GoldmanNEWS CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC
Updated: 05/05/08 9:18 AM; Sunday, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus presented “Defiant Requiem,“ which was the saddest and most moving memorial to the Holocaust I have ever seen.

Iglesias lives up to legend; banter ruins it: By Joe Sweeney NEWS CONTRIBUTING REVIEWER
Updated: 05/05/08 6:37 AM; It’s been about a decad e since America’s last infatuation with radio-friendly, Latintinged pop songs. And as the stars of that era — Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, etc. — continue to fade from mainstream musical consciousness, the more obvious it becomes that they don’t have the talent or staying power of Latin pop’s reigning legend, Julio Iglesias.

On the Radio /Highlights of the week’s programs: Updated: 05/04/08 6:47 AM; AM Stations

Listening Post /Brief reviews of select releases: Updated: 05/04/08 6:47 AM; Rock

Buffalo show reveals The Police still have what it takes: By Jeff Miers NEWS POP MUSIC CRITIC
Updated: 05/04/08 7:05 AM; Nostalgia is one thing. Rediscovering something from your distant past in real-time is another.

Mambo Kings rule Latin rhythms: By Garaud MacTaggart NEWS CONTRIBUTING REVIEWER
Updated: 05/04/08 6:46 AM; Cinco de Mayo came early to Kleinhans Music Hall as conductor Robert Franz and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra joined forces with the Rochester- based Mambo Kings for a pops program with a Latin jazz flair. Except for the opening work and the initial post-intermission piece, it was a Mambo Kings concert with the orchestra occasionally playing arrangements that placed it in a backup role.