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Maria Schneider

The 2020 Jazz Critics Poll: It's After The End Of The World

Pedal steel player Susan Alcorn, whose album with her quintet, Pedernal, was the pick for the best album of the year by Francis Davis, who runs the annual NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll. David Lobato/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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David Lobato/Courtesy of the artist

Best Music Of 2020

The 2020 Jazz Critics Poll: It's After The End Of The World

2020 was an annus horribilis if there ever was one, writes Francis Davis, the founder of NPR Music's Jazz Critics poll, and much of the year's best jazz carried post-apocalyptic feelings within it.

NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of July

Top row, left to right: Madeline Kenney, Christian Sands, Gabriel Garzon Montano; Bottom row, left to right: Taylor Swift, Maria Schneider, Nubya Garcia Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of July

The musical tastes of the NPR Music crew are a delightful jumble. On this edition of All Songs Considered, we pick our favorite music from July 2020, featuring Madeline Kenney, Nubya Garcia and Taylor Swift.

NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of July

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New Music Friday: The Top 10 Albums Out July 24

Taylor Swift. Her surprise new album, Folklore tops our picks for the best new albums out on July 24. Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 10 Albums Out July 24

Taylor Swift's surprise new album, Folklore tops our list of the week's best releases, along with new ones from Lupe Fiasco, a 50th anniversary edition of Roberta Flack's debut album and more.

New Music Friday: The Top 10 Albums Out July 24

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The Hills Are Alive: Maria Schneider Lets Memory Guide The Music

Maria Schneider's latest album is The Thompson Fields. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

The Hills Are Alive: Maria Schneider Lets Memory Guide The Music

The jazz artist's latest album gets its tone not from her current life in New York, but from a childhood spent surrounded by Minnesota farmland.

The Hills Are Alive: Maria Schneider Lets Memory Guide The Music

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New Music Shines at Classical Grammy Awards

Composer and bandleader Maria Schneider accepts her Grammy Award. Her album Winter Morning Walks earned three awards yesterday at the pre-telecast Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles. Michael Buckner/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Deceptive Cadence

New Music Shines at Classical Grammy Awards

In this year's Grammy Awards, the classical music was as new as the pop. A jazz composer and a soprano captured multiple prizes, while the Academy recognized a performances by an adventurous American orchestra and a compelling young vocal group. See the full list of classical winners.

Vespers, Habaneras And Early Morning Walks: New Classical Albums

The Attacca String Quartet's latest album celebrates John Adams. Lisa-Marie Mazzucco hide caption

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Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Deceptive Cadence

Vespers, Habaneras And Early Morning Walks: New Classical Albums

From the radiant voices of a Latvian choir to a fresh young string quartet and a seasoned symphony, NPR's Tom Huizenga and host Jacki Lyden spin an eclectic mix of new classical releases.

Vespers, Habaneras And Early Morning Walks: New Classical Albums

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Singing The Praises Of Pre-Dawn Walks

Jazz composer Maria Schneider (left) and soprano Dawn Upshaw collaborated on the new album Winter Morning Walks. Jimmy & Dena Katz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jimmy & Dena Katz/Courtesy of the artist

Deceptive Cadence

Singing The Praises Of Pre-Dawn Walks

Winter Morning Walks, an album featuring jazz composer Maria Schneider and soprano Dawn Upshaw, revolves around meditations on nature and beauty by former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. All three artists have had battles with cancer — when, Schneider says, "everything in life becomes heightened."

Singing The Praises Of Pre-Dawn Walks

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Maria Schneider Orchestra On JazzSet

Maria Schneider conducts at the 2009 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. Also pictured: Kenny Rampton (trumpet). Margot Schulman hide caption

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Margot Schulman

Concerts

Maria Schneider Orchestra On JazzSet

WBGO

It all began on Monday nights at the Visiones club in Greenwich Village, where a newcomer from Minnesota was leading a handsome band. Here, the Maria Schneider Orchestra spans 15 years of original, paradigm-shifting music at the 2009 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center.

Maria Schneider Orchestra On JazzSet

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It's A Woman's World: Six Jazz Trailblazers

The Kennedy Center honors Mary Lou Williams every year with the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, which showcases today's brightest female jazz artists. William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress via flickr.com hide caption

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William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress via flickr.com

Take Five: By Theme

It's A Woman's World: Six Jazz Trailblazers

WESA

Because March 8 is International Women's Day, this week's Take Five celebrates six important women in jazz. Three exemplify classic artists who paved the way for women's work in a jazz world once dominated by men, while three are modern innovators.

Music Interviews

After Apple Records: Musician-Run Labels

When The Beatles' members started Apple Records 40 years ago, they still depended on larger companies for the basics. Independent labels, including some run by musicians, have come a long way since. A small but growing number of musicians are taking the idea of the independent label even further.

After Apple Records: Musician-Run Labels

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Best Music of 2007

CD Gift Guide for 2007

Weekend Edition Sunday music director Ned Wharton is back with his annual gift guide. He's surveyed the 2007 releases, and offers these suggestions for the jazz, rock, classical and world music fans on your shopping list.

CD Gift Guide for 2007

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Music

Playing Jazz, And Making a Living

Frank Foster is among many jazz musicians who spent the 1940s and '50s playing jazz and thinking more about getting girls then getting paid. But Foster never planned to live this long. We discuss making a living in jazz.

Playing Jazz, And Making a Living

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