United States culture

John Michael Cooper

Dec 8, 20216 min read

ARE WOMEN PEOPLE?

An Important New Album from Composer Lori Laitman “Settles the Question” I’m not a reviewer – I’m just a musicologist who’s deeply,...

John Michael Cooper

Apr 24, 20217 min read

THE PROBLEM WITH PROGRAMS (Part 3)

Florence Price’s First Symphony, the 1933-34 World’s Fair, and Three Tribbles (corrected) In Part 1 of this three-part post, I suggested...

John Michael Cooper

Feb 11, 20215 min read

RACIAL JUSTICE AND AMERICAN PATRIOTISM

Resurrecting a Blacklisted Musical Affirmation of Freedom from 1976 in 2021 [Update (March 8, 2021): The June 13, 2009 revival of...

John Michael Cooper

Oct 27, 20205 min read

FLORENCE PRICE AND LANGSTON HUGHES CAST A BALLOT FOR THE WORKING CLASS

The first public performance of a song by Florence Price and Langston Hughes issues a call to action for today's working class to VOTE!

John Michael Cooper

Oct 16, 20202 min read

THE SOULS THAT TRY OUR TIMES

Lara Downes's new NPR show "AMPLIFY" interviews visionary Black musicians to offer very real hope in the American crisis of 2020.

John Michael Cooper

Sep 30, 20206 min read

A RECKONING (PART TWO)

I believe we now are facing our reckoning as a country, one which was perhaps long overdue.

John Michael Cooper

Sep 24, 20207 min read

A RECKONING

I’m a recently repatriated American.Being abroad after 2016 made me grateful that I lived away from the sickness growing in America.