Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau embark on a two-month world tour in support of their new album, Nearness. The duo tour starts in the US this week, making stops in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, NYC, and LA, before a four-night run at SFJAZZ with an orchestra performing Mehldau's album Highway Rider. The international leg of the duo tour begins in Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai, then heads to Australia for shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and to Europe for dates in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands, and the UK.

Composer Nico Muhly and singer/songwriter Teitur have released a second song off their forthcoming album, Confessions, due October 21: "Don't I Know You from Somewhere." The track is available to download now with pre-orders of the album, along with the previously released album opener, "Describe You." The album's lyrics were inspired by video the pair found on YouTube. In 2009, Muhly, Teitur, and Holland Baroque toured the Netherlands, performing Confessions with the videos that inspired it, such as the one seen here for "Don't I Know You from Somewhere," projected behind the players.

Lake Street Dive was a guest on NPR's Mountain Stage, performing four songs from its Nonesuch Records debut album, Side Pony—"Godawful Things," "I Don't Care About You," "Side Pony," and "Call Off Your Dogs—and more. "The deal with Lake Street Dive is pretty simple: The band's four members can all flat-out play, sing and write," says the show. "Lake Street Dive is jazz-schooled and DIY-motivated, taking its penchant for Beatles-inspired pop and stretching the boundaries to a sophisticated style of acoustic, groove-driven soul." The band is touring the US and will join Chris Thile for his season-opening show as the new host of A Prairie Home Companion on October 15.

Chris Thile was on NPR's quiz show Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! last weekend. He discussed his new role as host of A Prairie Home Companion, which begins October 15 with special guests Lake Street Dive and Jack White. Thile, a co-founder of the band Nickel Creek, also answers questions about the similarly named band Nickelback in the segment "Not My Job," which host Peter Sagal describes as "the game where people who are geniuses at what they do prove how good they can be doing something else entirely." You can hear how well Thile did here. 

John Adams turns 70 on February 15, 2017, and performances are in place around the world to celebrate this landmark anniversary throughout the 2016–2017 season, beginning with the German premiere of Scheherazade.2, in which he leads the Berliner Philharmoniker and violinist Leila Josefowicz this weekend, and culminating with the world premiere of his Girls of the Golden West staged by San Francisco Opera in November 2017. Here are some of the highlights.

Laurie Anderson's 2015 film Heart of a Dog will receive its Criterion Collection release on Blu-Ray and DVD on December 6, 2016. Features on the special-edition release include a high-definition digital master, a new conversation between Anderson and coproducer Jake Perlin, and footage of her 2016 Concert for Dogs, plus an essay by film critic Glenn Kenny. The soundtrack, which contains the full audio recording of the film, including all music and spoken text, is out on Nonesuch.

Congratulations to Audra McDonald and Philip Glass, who are among this year's National Medal of Arts recipients. President Barack Obama will present the awards in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday, September 22, 2016. "The National Medal of Arts recipients have helped to define our nation's cultural legacy through the artistic excellence of their creative traditions," says NEA Chairman Jane Chu, "and I join the President in congratulating and thanking them for their contributions." You can watch the ceremony here.

Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau released their debut duo album, Nearness, on Nonesuch last week to critical acclaim. "Few records released this year better define what jazz sounds like today," exclaims the Wall Street Journal. The review notes the "stellar intuitive interplay between the musicians" and sums up the album as "an impressive work that showcases two active minds smartly updating classics." Redman and Mehldau spoke with writer Michael Hill about the album and their long friendship and history of working together. You can read what they had to say here.

Congratulations to violinist Gidon Kremer, who has been named the 2016 Praemium Imperiale Laureate in Music. The award is presented by the Japan Art Association in Tokyo to honor artists who have contributed significantly to the development of international arts and culture. The 2016 laureates in other fields are Cindy Sherman, Annette Messager, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, and Martin Scorsese. Past music laureates include Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and Leonard Bernstein. Each laureate receives 15 million yen ($146,000); a medal will be presented by Prince Hitachi in a ceremony held in Tokyo on October 18, 2016.

Congratulations to Rhiannon Giddens, the recipient of the seventh-annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. "Rhiannon has made a rare contribution to American music," said Steve Martin. "She—along with the Carolina Chocolate Drops—has resurrected and revitalized an important part of banjo history." Created to bring recognition to an individual or group for outstanding accomplishment in the field of five-string banjo or bluegrass music, the prize highlights the extraordinary musicianship of these artists and bluegrass music worldwide. The award is given to a person or group who has given the board a fresh appreciation of this music, either through artistry, composition, innovation or preservation, and is deserving of a wider audience. Its first winner was Noam Pikelny of Punch Brothers.

Longtime friends and collaborators Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau's first duo album, Nearness, recorded live during their recent European tour, is out now. "Magic always seems to happen when saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau play together," exclaims Mojo. "They create a special telepathic musical synergy in each other’s company." BBC Music magazine gives the album a perfect five stars, saying: "The pair are so well matched. Both are extraordinary, scintillating improvisers bursting with energy, yet they have great ears for one another." Redman and Mehldau perform in select US cities in September and October, then head to Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Portuguese singer Mariza's newest album, Mundo, is out now in the US on Nonesuch Records. Mundo earned her the Songlines Best Artist of the Year award following its international release in 2015. The album features both new material and classics by Amália Rodrigues, Carlos Gardel, and more. "Mundo was an unalloyed triumph," says Songlinges, "her artistry hitting dynamic new heights and her voice expressing every emotional nuance." Mariza returns to North America this fall, with dates in Boston, NYC, San Francisco, and more.