Louder: Celebrating 100 Years of Charlie Parker

Plus: Katy Perry, Bettye LaVette, Justin Townes Earle and More

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 28, 2020 By Caryn Ganz Pop Music Editor A century ago on Saturday, Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City, Kan. Thirty-four short years later, he was gone, but his impact on jazz has never waned. If you’re wondering what to read, listen to or watch to celebrate, Alan Scherstuhl has done the work for you: just check out his guide here. David Peisner spoke to the very quotable Bettye LaVette about “Blackbird” — which features tracks originally popularized by Black female singers, including Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington — and its inspiration, a Beatles tune she’d never heard before preparing for a 2010 tribute concert. And with a new doc called “Mr. Soul!” out today, Jim Farber tells the story of the pioneering TV show “Soul!,” which brought Black culture to the small screen starting in 1968. Our critics had a very busy week: Lindsay Zoladz reviewed Katy Perry’s “Smile,” Dwight Garner wrote on two new books about Odetta, and Jon Caramanica looked at the panic over the raunchy Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion song “WAP” — a brouhaha made all the more comical by the fact that on TikTok, the song is “a drop in a very large bucket of playful lasciviousness,” which often involves families giggling about lyrics (and performing dances) together. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Underwood & Underwood/Corbis, via VCG, via Getty Images   Charlie Parker at 100: What to Read, Watch and Dig How to celebrate the groundbreaking saxophonist — who died at 34 in 1955 — via books, albums, tributes and more. By Alan Scherstuhl THE CRITICS & POPCAST critic’s notebook ‘WAP’ Is Good, Raunchy Fun. On TikTok, It’s at Home. Men rap and sing about sex in preposterous and sometimes awkward detail all the time. It’s beyond time that the same courtesy is extended to women like Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and ppcocaine. By Jon Caramanica album review On ‘Smile,’ Katy Perry Finds Purpose (and Pitfalls) in the Past The singer and songwriter is no longer at the gravitational center of American pop music. But on her sixth album, she tries to add brightness to a dark moment. By Lindsay Zoladz the playlist Blackpink and Selena Gomez’s Summery Treat, and 11 More New Songs Hear tracks by Cam’ron, Jyoti, Kelly Lee Owens and others. By Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica and Giovanni Russonello Remembering Odetta, Whose Powerful Voice Met a Profound Moment Ian Zack’s “Odetta” and Matthew Frye Jacobson’s “One Grain of Sand” assess the legacy of the singer, whose career intertwined with the civil rights movement. By Dwight Garner ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music’ Review: Be Adequate to Each Other Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter travel through time to save reality and redeem the honor of Generation X. By A.O. Scott How Merchandise Bundles Undid the Album Chart For today’s biggest artists, an album release isn’t just about the music. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT PROFILE Gioncarlo Valentine for The New York Times   Bettye LaVette Didn’t Know the Beatles’ ‘Blackbird.’ Then It Helped Her Fly. Ten years ago, the Fab Four’s song about civil rights gave the soul singer a creative spark. Now she’s releasing an album of tracks originally popularized by Black women. By David Peisner TV ‘Soul!’ Brought Black Culture to TV in 1968. A New Doc Tells Its Story. “Mr. Soul!” spotlights Ellis Haizlip, the host of a show that gave Stevie Wonder, Wilson Pickett and James Baldwin a platform. By Jim Farber Farah Al Qasimi for The New York Times   How ‘MTV Cribs’ Rewired My Brain, and Maybe Yours Too The show gave us a giddy peek at the nouveau riche celebrities of the 2000s. It also made “fake it until you make it” the Millennial ethos. By Talmon Joseph Smith FROM THE MAGAZINE screenland The Racial Anxiety Lurking Behind Reaction Videos The internet loves watching young Black YouTubers pour out blessings on Boomer favorites — an enthusiasm that says a lot about the nation today. By Jody Rosen NEWS Gordon Welters for The New York Times   To Test Spread of Coronavirus, These Scientists Put on a Concert In Germany, volunteers gathered in an arena for an experiment that could help create safety measures for live events around the world. By Thomas Rogers HBO   Hot 97 Fires Rap Radio Veteran for Ties to Yusuf Hawkins Killing Employees of the radio station said they were shocked to see a colleague known as Paddy Duke in a new HBO documentary about the racist murder of a Brooklyn teenager in 1989. By Joe Coscarelli Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Britney Spears Conservatorship to Remain As Is Until 2021 The singer has called for changes to the legal arrangement that controls her life and finances, but the guardianship was extended through Feb. 1. By Joe Coscarelli 11-Year-Old Scores Viral Rap Hit but Trips on Gaza Politics Abdel Rahman al-Shantti became a Palestinian rap star when his video went viral. His trouble began when he advocated “love between us and Israel.” By Adam Rasgon and Iyad Abuheweila the charts Taylor Swift Spends a Fourth Week at No. 1 Thanks to Full Album Sales “Folklore” has now sold the equivalent of 1.2 million copies, taking into account sales and streams. By Ben Sisario OBITUARIES Justin Townes Earle, Singer-Songwriter in Father’s Footsteps, Dies at 38 He released eight alt-country albums as a solo artist, seeking to emerge from the long shadow of the outlaw country star Steve Earle. By Ben Sisario Joe Segal, Impresario of Live Jazz for 70 Years, Dies at 94 His Jazz Showcase was a staple in Chicago since 1947, presenting a who’s who of artists, from Charlie Parker to Dee Dee Bridgewater. To the N.E.A., he was a Jazz Master. By Steven Kurutz Walter Lure, Guitarist for a ‘Mythical’ Punk Band, Dies at 71 With the Heartbreakers, a shooting star in New York’s punk rock scene, he was a more proficient guitarist than many of his peers. Then came a very unpunk second act. By Steven Kurutz Make a friend’s day: Forward this email! Get this from a friend? Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter @nytimesmusic. Send your feedback on Louder at theplaylist@nytimes.com. Check out our full range of newsletters. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Louder from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. 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