Henry Taylor’s portraits are sacred objects that lovingly center black subjects and black interiority.
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‘I Spent Two Years Researching Before I Wrote a Single Line’: Geeking Out With Marlon James
Man Booker winner Marlon James immersed himself in African myths and history, so he could use that world as a springboard for a new fantasy series.
The Night Charlie Parker Soared in South Central L.A.
Despite fire, gentrification, and time erasing Los Angeles’ rich jazz history, stories help protect it. One historic event occurred in 1947, when the saxophonist genius named Bird jammed after-hours at Jack’s Basket Room, rejuvinated from a six month sober stay at Camarillo State Hospital. Some say it was Bird’s greatest performance. We’ll have to believe […]
Funk Lessons in Sonic Solitude
“Joi’s recorded performances embodied all the funkiness my little soul had been waiting for.”
William S. Burroughs and the Cult of Rock ‘n’ Roll
From Bob Dylan to David Bowie to The Beatles, the legendary Beat writer’s influence reached beyond literature into music in surprising ways.
Reimagining Harper Lee’s Lost True Crime Novel: An Interview with Casey Cep
“Somewhere along the way it became very clear to me that I was writing the book she never would.”
The Proving Grounds: Charley Crockett and the Story of Deep Ellum
Generations of musicians got their start busking the streets of the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. After a decade of ‘hobo-ing’ around cities like New Orleans, Paris, and New York, Charley Crockett discovered it was his turn.
This Week in Books: Anarchist Ice Cream and Other Dairies
Or, the newsletter in which I conclude that time is a flat circle.
A Lover’s Blues: The Unforgettable Voice of Margie Hendrix
Remembering the woman who outsang Ray Charles.
Behind a $13 Shirt, a $6-an-Hour Worker
An expose on sweatshops in Los Angeles that exploit mostly undocumented workers, paying them less than minimum wage to work in slave-like conditions, and the loop-holes protecting retailers that use these sweatshops for their house brands — including Forever 21, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
