Stereothematica
Welcome to Stereothematica, a podcast where two women geek out over music.
When Christina moved from LA to Texas, Christine suggested a weekly challenge to stay in touch: pick a song that fits a chosen theme. This game opened them to new perspectives on each other while deepening their own understanding of the music that shapes their lives. Each week Christina and Christine recreate the magic of their song exchange on a broader scale, deconstructing their thematic picks, providing personal anecdotes and historical insights, and sharing transformative tracks rarely spotlighted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Stereothematica
Time Machine
What if time travel was about chasing the music you wish you could’ve felt in real time? In this episode we daydream our way into those moments, hearing first notes and electric performances as if they were happening now. It’s complicated, it’s joyful, and it’s all about how music lets us bend time, and, of course, as always, our minds!
VIDEOS
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (1927 Recording)
James Brown: The Payback (1974 Live in Zaire)
EXTRAS
Leonard Bernstein, Rhapsody in Blue (1976)
James P. Johnson's Yamekraw, A Negro Rhapsody
A century on from Rhapsody in Blue, debates about cultural ‘theft’ rage still
1984 Olympic Opening Ceremony - Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue at 100 Library of Congress
Rhapsody In Blue, by George Gershwin, performed for first time
Rhapsody in Blue: After a century, Gershwin's musical melting pot still resonates
James Brown performing “The Payback” at Zaire 74
James Brown live at the Boston Garden 1964 (full performance)
James Brown speech at the Boston Garden performance
Zaire ’74: politicising the sound event
Soul Power (2008)
Danny Ray’s Obit in NYT - The Original Hype Man
Connect with us on Instagram (to share your song picks or troll us), Spotify (for our ever-growing playlist), and Stereothematica.com (for extra fun)!
If you like what you’re hearing, please subscribe, and if you love it, a five-star rating and review would send us into the exosphere of excitement.
And email us at stereothematica@gmail.com! We will write back!