Well before we were all social distancing, Vagabon stopped by KEXP in Seattle on December 12, 2019, to perform a few songs live in the studio with her band. She spoke with host Troy Nelson and performed three songs from her self-titled Nonesuch debut album—"Secret Medicine," "Water Me Down," and "In A Bind"—as well as "Cold Apartment," from her previous album, Infinite Worlds. While her spring tour has been postponed, you can watch the KEXP live session here.

Sam Gendel released his Nonesuch debut album to critical acclaim last week, with the Los Angeles Times calling it "a woozy, blissfully twisted album," and the Guardian saying: "The avant-garde trailblazer pushes the boat out to glorious extremes ... a searing new language for sax." The album is a sonic construction / deconstruction of jazz standards, including songs by Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and Duke Ellington. Gendel has shared a track-by-track breakdown of all the songs on the album, which you can read here while you listen.

Live from Here, the public radio show hosted by Chris Thile, has launched #LiveFromHome, a digital space for people to continue to make and experience art while social distancing due to COVID-19 keeps us apart physically. To kick things off, Chris Thile covered Wilco's "Radio Cure" from his brother and sister-in-law's closet, and invited artist friends to record and share their own. Rachael Price, of Lake Street Dive and Rachael & Vilray, did just that, performing Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" from home with her husband Taylor Ashton. You can watch both here.

Sam Gendel's Nonesuch debut album, Satin Doll, is out now. On this futuristic homage to historical jazz, three musicians—Gendel on saxophone, Gabe Noel on electric bass, and Philippe Melanson on electronic percussion—engage in simultaneous synchronized sonic construction / deconstruction of jazz standards, including songs by Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and Duke Ellington. "A woozy, blissfully twisted album," says the Los Angeles Times. "The avant-garde trailblazer pushes the boat out to glorious extremes," says the Guardian. "A searing new language for sax." Gendel has released a new video for the track "Glide Mode," which you can watch here.

Early James's debut album, Singing for My Supper, is out now on Easy Eye Sound and Nonesuch Records. The album spans hard-charging blues, wistful folk, and ages-old pop crooning, anchored by the singer's voice that oscillates from gravel-gruff shout to a honey-smooth whisper. Early James "dazzles on his luminous debut," says Mojo, "this astonishingly assured album."

Vagabon (aka Lætitia Tamko) has released two alternate versions of songs from her self-titled album: "In A Bind (Strings Version)" and "Wits About You (Saxophone Version)." A video for the former, directed by Maegan Houang, also debuts today and can be seen here. She leads a headline tour then joins Brittany Howard on tour this spring.

Rachael & Vilray were musical guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night. The duo was joined by Jon Batiste and Stay Human to perform "At Your Mother's House" from their self-titled debut album. They also gave a web-exclusive performance of the album track "Do Friends Fall in Love?" with Batiste, who performs on the album as well. You can watch both here.

David Byrne will deliver the address at the 160th Commencement ceremony of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, on Saturday, May 23, 2020. He will also receive an honorary doctorate degree at the ceremony, along with Laurie Anderson and others.

Chris Thile, Michael Daves, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan will perform at New York Plays & Sings Nashville, a benefit concert to support those affected by the tornado that hit Nashville and Middle Tennessee last week. The concert will take place at The Bell House in Brooklyn on Friday, March 27. All proceeds will be donated to the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund as administered by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. 

Dan Auerbach and Yola are among the many artists who will perform at To Nashville, With Love, a benefit concert to support those affected by the tornado that hit Nashville and Middle Tennessee this week. The concert, presented by Lightning 100, will take place at Marathon Music Works in Nashville this Monday, March 9, and also include performances from Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Sheryl Crow, among others, and opening remarks from Mike "Grimey" Grimes of Grimey's Records.

The Black Keys will release a new limited-edition, 45-RPM version of their album "Let’s Rock" on Record Store Day, the annual celebration of independent record stores, on Saturday, April 18. Pressed on two 180-gram vinyl discs, the Record Store Day edition comes in a deluxe holographic gatefold jacket, individually numbered. The set is limited to 7,500 pieces worldwide. Take a look inside here.

"What happens when a jazz virtuoso sets his sights on a cinematic sound?" ask All Things Considered host Audie Cornish. "Pat Metheny has done just that on his new album, evoking the plush and soaring landscapes of film scores. Reviewer Tom Moon says it's among the most ambitious projects of Metheny's long career." "He's pushing forward, seeking breathtaking and profoundly new vistas," says Moon. "It's got the epic journeys of the Pat Metheny Group and the fiery improvisational exchanges of his more recent jazz sessions. It's also a stretch beyond those horizons into textures and atmospheres not often heard in jazz." Hear the All Things Considered piece here.