Nonesuch Journal

Pat Metheny, John Zorn Talk to New York Times About New Album; Featured on BBC Radio 6

nonesuch — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:54:55 +0000

Pat Metheny’s recording of John Zorn’s Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 from Zorn’s Masada Book Two is out this week. Metheny and Zorn spoke with the New York Times about this, their first collaboration. "An impressive feat of imagination, and a strikingly clear distillation of both artists’ distinctive languages," writes the Times' Nate Chinen, "the album strongly suggests an artistic dialogue." Metheny and Zorn appeared on BBC Radio 6 Music for Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone in the UK, where the album earns four stars from the Daily Telegraph, the Scotsman, the Times, and the Independent, which concludes: "It's all dazzlingly virtuosic and evocative."

Audra McDonald Featured on NPR's "Weekend Edition," Associated Press

nonesuch — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:29:39 +0000

Audra McDonald, whose new album, Go Back Home, is out tomorrow, was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday. She spoke with NPR's Jeff Lunden about her personal connection to the songs on the album, which is noted as well in an Associated Press feature. Both the new album and this Friday's broadcast of her concert on PBS's Live From Lincoln Center "pull back the curtain on one of the most decorated women on Broadway," says the AP. "The CD's title taken from the stunning Kander and Ebb song from The Scottsboro Boys musical is a hint that this is McDonald's most personal album to date." New York recommends both, exclaiming: "It's entirely possible that Audra McDonald is the greatest singer alive."

Dr. John and Allen Toussaint Awarded Honorary Degrees from Tulane University Along with Dalai Lama

nonesuch — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:29:14 +0000

Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, two favorite sons of New Orleans, received honorary degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans at its 2013 Commencement held at the Superdome on Saturday. Both Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees received honorary doctor of fine arts degrees and performed together in a short set. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who delivered the keynote address at the event, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Natasha Trethewey, the US poet laureate and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, was awarded a doctor of humane letters.

Nonesuch Events for the Weekend of May 17–19

nonesuch — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:16 +0000

Iron and Wine closes out East Coast tour in Boston, Portland, and upstate New York ... Sam Amidon launches Europe tour with two Dutch festivals ... Devendra Banhart is in Santa Cruz ... The Black Keys headline KROQ Weenie Roast ... Bombino closes out European tour in Portugal ... Carolina Chocolate Drops join Dave Matthews Band in Texas ... Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter play Mountain Stage ... Nataly Dawn tours UK with Lord Huron ... Dawn Upshaw gives NY premiere of Donnacha Dennehy's That the Night Come at Carnegie Hall ... Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell tour Netherlands ... Audra McDonald makes New Orleans debut ... HBO airs Randy Newman's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ... Joshua Redman is in France ... Sara Watkins concludes West Coast tour ... and more ...

Sam Amidon Featured on NPR's "Morning Edition" and NBC New York

nonesuch — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:39:20 +0000

Sam Amidon celebrated the release of his new album, Bright Sunny South, with a performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City last night. This morning, he was featured on NPR's Morning Edition, discussing what host Steve Inskeep calls "a new spin on very traditional American folk music," including the album track "Weeping Mary," which his parents had recorded with the Word of Mouth Chorus for Nonesuch in 1977. Amidon also spoke with NBC 4 New York about two sides of folk music that can be heard in his music. Listen to the Morning Edition segment and watch the NBC piece here.

Randy Newman Wins Ivor Novello Award; HBO to Broadcast Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony

nonesuch — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:45:20 +0000

Congratulations to Randy Newman, winner of the PRS for Music Special International Award at the 58th Ivor Novello Awards in London last night. The awards, which honor excellence in music writing, are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and judged by the writing community. Peter Gabriel presented Newman with his award at the ceremony. The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, at which Newman was inducted into the Hall of Fame last month, will be presented on HBO this Saturday night.

Watch: Sam Amidon Unveils Video for "As I Roved Out" on NPR; NYC Concert to Stream Live

nonesuch — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:23:12 +0000

Sam Amidon has unveiled the official video for "As I Roved Out," off his just-released Nonesuch debut album, Bright Sunny South. The video, directed by John Hardwick, premiered on NPR Music. MusicOMH says it "is arguably the most striking track on the album." Sam Amidon will perform at (Le) Poisson Rouge in NYC tonight; the show will streaming live via Livestream. He performed and discussed the new album on WNYC's Soundcheck; listen to the episode here.

Bombino Talks to BBC Africa

nonesuch — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:59:16 +0000

Bombino, who closes out the current leg of his European tour in Portugal this weekend before heading to the States on tour, is the subject of a piece on BBC Africa. "What I like about rock and blues music is that I can transmit emotions through this type of music to my fans, and that's really important to me," he tells the BBC. "Rock music is similar to the traditional Tende music; it is very popular in Niger. Nomads enjoy rock because they love dancing like crazy to it."

Sam Amidon's Nonesuch Records Debut, "Bright Sunny South," Out Now

nonesuch — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:37:30 +0000

Sam Amidon makes his Nonesuch Records debut with today's release of his new album, Bright Sunny South. The album receives four stars from the Guardian, Mojo, Q, Blurt, and musicOMH, which notes "his wonderfully rich, expressive voice." Drowned in Sound calls it his "most emotionally and tonally complex LP to date ... Amidon has taken a huge step forward as a folk artist, creating arrangements which preserve his musicianship, while deepening the maturity of his interpretive skills." Scripps Howard Newsire says the "transcendent" opening track "sets the tone."

Nonesuch Releases "Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle" June 25; Proceeds to Benefit Sarcoma Research

nonesuch — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:07:00 +0000

On June 25, Nonesuch Records releases Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle, which features highlights from three concerts in honor of the late singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle, held in London, Toronto, and New York following Kate's death. The double-disc set was produced by Joe Boyd, who curated the concerts, and features performances by Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Anna McGarrigle, Emmylou Harris, Antony, Norah Jones, Teddy Thompson, and others. Net proceeds go to the Kate McGarrigle Foundation for sarcoma research. Nonesuch Store pre-orders include instant downloads of the album tracks “Kiss and Say Goodbye” and “I Am a Diamond.”