Nonesuch

On this two-disc set, Frisell re-assembles material he composed for the theatre piece Mysterio Sympatico and NPR's Stories from the Heart of the Land. Performing with an octet, Frisell "plays electric guitar with serene assurance" (New York Times).

N’Dour, backed by his legendary Super Étoile band and guest vocalist Neneh Cherry, delves further into Senegalese musical traditions and the “give and take” across cultures. The sound, says the Washington Post, is “intricate, indigenous, and characteristically exhilarating.”

Singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré—whose work Time has lauded as "mesmerizing, casting its spell with virtuoso vocals, rich textures and startling diversity"—combines electric guitar with traditional instrumentation on nine self-penned tunes plus the Gershwin classic "The Man I Love." The Guardian gives fives stars to this "intriguing, sophisticated and often intimate set that is quite unlike any of the other great music Mali has produced."

This 10-disc compilation surveys 40 years of the iconic artist's work: groundbreaking early solo pieces, the revolutionary Einstein on the Beach, film scores, etudes, symphonies, and much more. The elegantly designed "interim report," as critic Tim Page writes in his liner note, traces the evolution of "the first composer to win a wide, multi-generational audience in the opera house, the concert hall, the dance world, in film and in popular music—simultaneously."

Director Sam Mendes' film version of the classic, 1961 Richard Yates novel, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, features a beautifully evocative score by Thomas Newman, along with three timeless tunes from the era by The Ravens, The Orioles, and The Ink Spots.

Redman calls this album of original tunes "a further exploration of the trio format ... an expansion on, and an extension of, Back East," his acclaimed 2007 trio session. With a ready-for-anything lineup—bassists Larry Grenadier and Reuben Rogers and drummers Brian Blade and Gregory Hutchinson—he stretches the shape of the trio setting, on the most audacious of these tracks, performing with the entire lineup in a double-trio configuration. Exclusive Nonesuch Store bonus download: "Alef Ituk."

This new, two-disc compilation is both companion to Adams's memoir of the same name and an exploration of his Nonesuch catalog. The composer, declares The New Yorker, "has addressed life as it is lived now, and he has found a language that makes sense to a wide audience."

These 15 MP3s contain the complete music—over three hours—from all three Friday-night sets of the Trio's October 2006 residency at the Village Vanguard featured on their two-disc Live album, including tunes by Thelonious Monk, Benny Goodman, Paul Simon, and Radiohead.

In one of the most eagerly awaited collaborations in alt-rock, The Black Keys are joined by producer and creative co-conspirator Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley), adding more instrumentation and effects to the band’s sound but preserving their inherent soulfulness, groove, and raw energy.

Double-bassist Meyer and Punch Brothers mandolin player Thile, both Grammy Award–winning virtuosos, incorporate bluegrass, folk, country, and classical elements into this musical tête-à-tête. It has the pedigree of a superstar session but feels like a conversation between friends. Deluxe edition includes DVD with performances, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes interviews with the duo.

Complete music—all 20 songs—from the Tim Burton–directed film (2008 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture) of the Stephen Sondheim musical starring Johnny Depp in a performance the New York Times called "stunning in every dimension." Includes an 80-page bound booklet with an introductory note by the director, lyrics, and full-color photos.