Will Friedwald has written about music for The Wall Street Journal and was the jazz (and cabaret) critic for The New York Sun. He is the author of nine books, including A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers; Stardust Melodies: The Biography of Twelve of America’s Most Popular Songs; Jazz Singing: America’s Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond; Sinatra! The Song Is You; and Tony Bennett: The Good Life (with Tony Bennett). He has written liner notes for nearly five hundred compact discs, for which he has received eight Grammy nominations. He has also written for Vanity Fair, The Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, American Heritage, and The New York Times, among other publications.
Will Friedwald appears in the following:
The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: Songs for Swingin' Lovers
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: Nina Simone and Piano
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: The Best of Chet Baker Sings
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: Ella Fitzgerald Live in Berlin
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: Judy at Carnegie Hall
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums: The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
When Basie Was Jazz' Greatest Dance Master
Thursday, August 21, 2014
American Icons: Anything Goes
Friday, May 16, 2014
American Icons: Anything Goes
Friday, September 13, 2013
New Hot Jazz Is Warming Up
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Lately young jazz musicians have taken a shine to music of the turn of the century -- but not this century. They're looking back to the turn of the last century, and giving it a modern twist. Will Friedwald recently wrote about this so-called "new hot jazz" for Vanity Fair in an article called "How a Swath of 20-Somethings Have Tuned In to 1920s Pop." He joins us to discuss. Plus, we hear from one of the musicians who has been tuning into that 1920s pop and making it her own: Elizabeth Bougerol of The Hot Sardines.
The first full-scale New York Hot Jazz Festival is on August 25 at Mehanata, on the Lower East Side – The Hot Sardines will play.
The Roaring 20-Somethings; Chris Thile Plays Bach On Mandolin; Remixing Country Music
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
In this episode: We hear about the “New Hot Jazz” movement: young musicians and singers playing the jazz of New Orleans and the 1920s.
Plus: Mandolin player Chris Thile goes back to Bach on his new album. He plays live.
And: There’s a new trend in country music: the remix. We listen to some of the results when traditional country adds a dancefloor beat.
Gatsby's Original Soundtrack
Monday, May 20, 2013
Director Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel "The Great Gatsby" features a Jay-Z-produced soundtrack that's packed with rap and hip hop. But, as any Fitzgerald fan could tell you, the author had some pretty specific songs in mind for his story. Wall Street Journal contributor Will Friedwald tells us about the oh-so-modern songs of the 1920s specifically referenced in Fitzgerald's works.
Empress of the Blues
Monday, August 01, 2011
The death of Amy Winehouse stirred up discussion of other tragic and fast-living female singers. Today, we take a look at one of the most popular artists of the first half of the 20th century, Bessie Smith. Joining us are actress and singer Miche Braden, who plays Smith in the new off-Broadway production “The Devil’s Music,” and music writer Will Friedwald, author of “A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers.”
Year to Remember: 1955
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
1955 was filled with landmark albums, classic songs – and the rise of rock ‘n’ roll. Will Friedwald, author of “A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers," joins us to talk about this "Year to Remember."
