Art and Culture

This month on Conversations With Creative Waco, host Rae Jefferson interviews artistic director Brooke Schlecte and music director Chris Sies of the Gobsmacked: An Evening of Dance and Music with Food and Wine event from Out On A Limb Dance Company. 

Jefferson also interview Luann Jennings who leads professional development at Creative Waco.

This week on Act Locally Waco, host Ashley Thornton gives us events to get outside and enjoy the start of spring. Events include different shows around town, a half marathon hosted by the Baylor Student Foundation and the start of Deep In The Heart Film Festival. 

Chilling story of the horror resulting from the migration of refugees from South America.

Everyone in a city has a part to play in helping its art scene thrive.

What does a city need in order to have a successful arts scene?  Do we have one here?  And if not, what do we need to do if we want one: one that really invigorates the city with music, visual arts, public art, and drama?  It’s a tough question and a lot of thoughtful people around here have been thinking about it.  In the past couple of weeks I’ve gone out and heard live jazz on Austin Avenue and seen a really good exhibit by the Art Guild of Central Texas.  One gets the feeling that perhaps there are some of the pieces in place.

The multi-talented Elder Nick Hightower founded the House of God Saints in Christ Churches denomination, was the father of the fabulous Hightower Brothers gospel group, and recorded the excellent It's a Long, Long Way LP with vocalist Sister Massey. 

This week on Act Locally Waco, host Ashley Thornton tells us about two big weekend events happening downtown - Spring at The Silos and The Texas Food Truck Showdown. She also highlights some events to avoid the expected Downtown mania - and also lets us know what's happening in Waco next week. 

The complete collection of the greatest master of the Haiku

In some forms of music, human emotion can be the central element - and when it is, great art is sometimes the result. 

1, 4, 5, 12:  If you’re a musician or a fan of a particular style of music, those numbers will mean a lot to you.  Together they sketch out the form of one of the most enduring and deeply rooted genres of American music, the blues.

Some of the best recordings in the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project are those by absolutely unknown artists. As far as we know, this 45 is the only copy of the Messiah Gospel Singers performing “Lord, I Need You.” And yet this ragged, emotional performance strikes a chord that only real, raw gospel music can reach.

An examination of some early theories about the Trojan War.

On Wednesday, a painting that connects two of the most important figures in the last half century of the art world comes up for auction. It might even set a record. David Smith discusses the artist David Hockney on this week's episode of David and Art. 

One of the Brooklyn Allstars dozen of LPs is this easy-going gem from 1972, Too Close to Heaven. Recorded for the Nashboro label, one of my favorite tracks features lead vocals by gospel and Broadway legend, Professor Alex Bradford -- "A Man's a Man."

Wonderful story of a teacher who operates a bit off the beaten path.

As the United States became an urban nation, those artists who chose to portray city life realistically pioneered a new style of art. David Smith discusses paintings of medical procedures and photographs of homeless children in this week's edition of David and Art. 

During World War II, Leonard De Paur created the De Paur Infantry Chorus, which would bring extraordinary music into the lives of soldiers in both the European and Pacific theaters. After the war, the chorus stayed together and recorded some remarkable albums of spirituals and sacred classical music. This is their rendition of "Deep River."