Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Artist Benny Carter Dies

Doug Levine Grammy Award-winning jazz composer, saxophonist and bandleader Benny Carter died Saturday, July 12 in Los Angeles, California at age 95. He had been hospitalized for two weeks with bronchi

Jazz Artists Revel in Year's Successes

Doug Levine This story is part of VOA's 2003 in Review series. Thanks to some fine vocal albums, well-publicized reunions and anniversaries, and record-breaking attendance at outdoor festivals, jazz e

John Pizzarelli Trio Releases Double-CD for 10th Anniversary

Doug Levine Forty-three-year-old jazz vocalist John Pizzarelli is one of today's top interpreters of the Great American Songbook. He's also a gifted composer and guitarist. This year John is celebrati

Joshua Bell Chooses Favorite Melodies for

Doug Levine Renowned classical violinist Joshua Bell was only 14 years old in 1982, when he appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Three years later, he made his Carnegie Hall debut wi

Balalaika Orchestra Conductor

Oksana Dragan The United States boasts at least several dozen balalaika orchestras - ensembles that feature the triangular, three-stringed lute-like Russian folk instrument. Today on new American Voic

Dolly Parton Sings for God and Country

Mary Morningstar Dolly Parton's career spans five decades. During that time, she has recorded more than 60 Country and bluegrass albums. Dolly's also composed thousands of songs, many drawn from her o

Billy Ray Cyrus Releases New CD, Time Flies

Mary Morningstar It's been 11 years since Billy Ray Cyrus earned worldwide attention with his breakthrough single, Achy Breaky Heart. Since 1992, the 41-year-old country singer has recorded six albums

Actor Jim Carrey Takes On Less Humorous Role in Eternal Suns

Alan Silverman Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet co-star in a bittersweet romance from the fertile imagination of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, whose previous films include Being John Malkovich and Adaptati

Larry Carlton Goes All Blues on Sapphire Blue

Doug Levine Electric guitarist Larry Carlton has had a distinguished career in music. His resume includes a list of recordings with some of the best and brightest in pop, soul, jazz and country. Now,

Disc Jockey Dariush

Oksana Dragan A music disc jockey who honed his skills in fundamentalist Iran is now a fixture of the Washington D.C. music scene, particularly among the 28 thousand or so Iranians living in the Unite

After 5-Year Break, Clint Black Releases

Mary Morningstar Country star Clint Black launched his recording career in 1989 with RCA Records. During his 12 years with the label, Clint charted 27 Top 5 singles, including 13 Number Ones. He enjoy

Gerald Albright's New CD, Kickin It Up Goes Beyond Smooth Ja

Doug Levine Saxophonist Gerald Albright has been a leading force in smooth jazz for years. He's recorded a string of best-selling albums and is a top draw at concerts and festivals around the world. I

Ethiopian Jewish Musician

Oksana Dragan America is rightly known as a diverse nation, a place where millions of individuals with far-ranging backgrounds and unique talents contribute to a colorful American mosaic. Today on New

New Teen Comedy Mean Girls Seeks to Amuse, Empower Young Wom

Alan Silverman A youth counselor's real-life experience with teenagers and high school social circles forms the basis of a wickedly witty new comedy film starring Lindsay Lohan and written by Tina Fey

Brad Pitt Gives Classic Greek Story

Alan Silverman The Iliad, the classic work by the ancient Greek poet Homer, gets the Hollywood treatment in an epic film starring Brad Pitt and Eric Bana. Alan Silverman has a look at Troy. It is not

All-Star Cast, Advances in Computer Animation Make Shrek 2 a

Alan Silverman The rotund green ogre and his fairy tale character sidekicks are back for another comical computer-animated adventure: a sequel to the Oscar-winning 2001 box office champion. Alan Silve

Cross Canadian Ragweed Blends Country

Mary Morningstar Cross Canadian Ragweed formed in 1994, and spent the next eight years building a regional fan base in the southwestern U.S. The Oklahoma-based band released four albums on its own lab

Jazz Producer Paul Brown Steps Out from

Doug Levine For years, jazz producer Paul Brown has been making hit records for everyone from Al Jarreau and Rick Braun to Boney James and George Benson. In 1992, Paul Brown won a Grammy Award for his

Interesting Mix of Artists among Grammy

Mary Morningstar The 46th annual Grammy Awards will be handed out on February 8 in Los Angeles. This year's Country nominees include some of today's most popular performers, but also many artists who

Connecting With Young Indonesians

Oksana Dragan The diverse men and women who work as international radio broadcasters at the Voice of America represent a broad range of backgrounds and interests. Today on New American Voices you'll m