Cultural Shorts

Author Jason Bailey's latest work "Gandolfini: Jim, Tony and the Life of a Legend" is a biography of the late actor James Gandolfini, who became synonymous with his character on the hit TV show "The Sopranos."

Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik was initially disappointed when his songs stopped becoming Top 40 hits but he says that he soon discovered that there was more than chart success.

April May Webb won the 2024 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in part based on her performance of a notoriously difficult John Coltrane composition.

Jazz musician Peter Erskine has seen a number of changes in the genre since he began playing professionally in the late 1960s when, he says, he was aware of a changing of the musical guard that drew a line between him and one of his musical mentors.

Guitarist Mike Baggetta says his band MSSV doesn't always fit into neat categories, which may be a hazard in the music industry.

Andy McKee has won broad acclaim for his finger style guitar playing but he says that despite his passion for music, his career has required a lot of hard work.

Yasmin Nur recently released the album "Slaughter." She says that throughout her life she's been told that she's too sensitive and wants to push back on that notion through her music.

Benmont Tench was a founding member of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and has spent decades as a session musician and writing songs for other artists.

Topeka-based percussionist and composer Von Hansen is presenting an evening of his works in Wichita this Saturday. He says that if his parents had had just a little more money, his musical path may have been different.

Jim Henson’s “Labyrinth”: In Concert allows fans of the 1986 cult classic film starring David Bowie to experience the story with a live band performing the music, including the original Bowie songs featured in the film.