What to do instead You’ve probably heard of traditional “rules of thumb” in finance that are supposed to make retirement planning simple. After all, if they’ve worked for decades, isn’t that the safest bet? Unfortunately, some of these have outworn their usefulness. The 60/40 portfolio is one of them. Even though it is still widely used in financial planning, it may endanger your future. That’s because it doesn’t consider one of the most significant issues today: longevity risk. Let’s look at the rules, the risks it presents, and what you can do to help protect your long-term finances. What is […]
Goodnight and Good Luck
An interview with Nicole Atkins Already considered to be one of the best albums of 2017, Goodnight Rhonda Lee (Single Lock), the fourth full-length disc by Nicole Atkins, deserves all of the praise being heaped upon it. The 11 stellar tunes further Atkins’s singular exploration of vintage pop in the most exhilarating way, as you can hear on the title track, “Sleepwalking,” “A Little Crazy,” “If I Could,” “Listen Up,” and “Brokedown Luck.” Also of note is the way that the album addresses the singer/songwriter’s newfound sobriety, on songs including the aforementioned titular number. I had the pleasure of interviewing […]
BSO ‘Carnival of the Animals’
Timpani solos. Hip hop narration. These are two phrases that do not fit into the common perception of “classical” music. Most people think of strings and operatic singing. In the start of the second half of their 2017-2018 season, Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra aim to alter that perception with their performances of Philip Glass’s “Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists” and Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals” on January 11th and 14th.
Big Blasts from the Past
Depending on your generational perspective, the late soul goddess Minnie Riperton is either the mother of actress / singer / SNL alum Maya Rudolph or the singer with the five-octave vocal range best known for the timeless 1975 hit single “Lovin’ You,” co-written by Riperton and her husband Richard Rudolph. You can hear Riperton, who died of cancer in 1979 at 31, paying a “lovin’” homage to her daughter Maya at the end of “Lovin’ You.” The double-disc deluxe edition expanded reissue of Perfect Angel (Capitol / UMe), Riperton’s second album and the one on which “Lovin’ You” can be […]
‘Le Mis’ at National Theatre Ups the Emotional Gravity
Victor Hugo classic brought to stage with a painterly sense of cinema When Les Misérables debuted in London in 1985, the show was met with mixed reviews. Today, the show widely known as Les Mis is one of the longest-running shows on stage and is beloved by audiences around the world. Fans of the musical will be able to experience the drama, romance and revolution from December 20th to January 7th at the National Theatre in Washington, DC.
‘Le Mis’ at National Theatre Ups the Emotional Gravity
Victor Hugo classic brought to stage with a painterly sense of cinema When Les Misérables debuted in London in 1985, the show was met with mixed reviews. Today, the show widely known as Les Mis is one of the longest-running shows on stage and is beloved by audiences around the world. Fans of the musical will be able to experience the drama, romance and revolution from December 20th to January 7th at the National Theatre in Washington, DC.
Magic Michael
An interview with The Carbonaro Effect’s Michael Carbonaro With his mesmerizing and hilarious hidden camera and practical joke series The Carbonaro Effect, now in its third season on truTV, out actor and illusionist Michael Carbonaro keeps viewers (and his unwitting subjects) guessing. A whiz of a wizard, if ever there was, Carbonaro first crossed our gaydar as sex-obsessed Andy in the 2006 rom-com Another Gay Movie. But his greatest success and exposure has occurred through his longtime love of the magical arts on The Carbonaro Effect. Carbonaro is currently on a cross-country live performance tour bringing his effect to your […]
Tinsel Tunes 2017
Leave it to a nice Jewish (bisexual) girl such as Rachael Sage to come up with one of the most delightful holiday recordings of the year. Her five-song EP Joy! (MPress) opens with a reading of “Joy to the World” that is pure Sage, right down to her distinctive phrasing and vocals. A radio mix of the songs also closes the EP. In between, it’s a festival of lights and light pop. The originals, including the lighthearted “Tchatchkes & Latkes” and the beautiful “Hanukkah in the Village,” are among Sage’s most appealing compositions. The disc’s centerpiece, in which Sage sings […]
BSO Brings Holiday Jingle to New Heights
Putting the scintillating in seasonal Take a break from frantic shopping and stressful travel prep to enjoy the sounds of the season from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Their holiday programming lineup will give you a shot of the holiday spirit and transform the way you hear those classic tunes.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Remember in the 1980s when Sting wanted to be a movie star, appearing in films such as Brimstone & Treacle, Dune, The Bride, and even alongside Meryl Streep in Plenty? Heck, even Melanie Griffith wanted to be an actress in the 80s.