Rhiannon Giddens, the Guest Curator of the 2018 Cambridge Folk Festival, has selected the performers she has invited to Cherry Hinton Hall this August 2–5: Peggy Seeger, Kaia Kater, Birds of Chicago, Amythyst Kiah, and Yola Carter will be introduced by Giddens before each takes the stage. Giddens will also perform at the Festival. She will give the keynote address at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville this Saturday.

Brad Mehldau Trio's Seymour Reads the Constitution! is due May 18, 2018, on Nonesuch. The pianist and his longtime trio perform three Mehldau originals plus interpretations of pop songs (Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson), jazz tunes (Elmo Hope, Sam Rivers), and one work from the American songbook (Frederick Loewe's "Almost Like Being in Love"). Pre-order to download the album track "Spiral" now.

Rostam, who resumes his US Half-Light tour at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville on Sunday, announced two new headline shows: at Brooklyn Steel in NYC on May 24 and the Fonda Theatre in LA on September 14. The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh has released a video of Rostam with a string quartet performing "Gwan," from Half-Light, and a cover of Nick Drake's "Pink Moon," made as part of The Warhol's Silver Studio Sessions series. You can watch it here.

Congratulations to Brad Mehldau, whose new solo album, After Bach, debuted simultaneously at No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, his highest career position on that chart, and at No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart! Another career high: the album debuted at No. 2 on the UK Jazz/Blues chart too. Mehldau's previous release, the 2017 self-titled duo album with mandolinist and label mate Chris Thile, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart.

Congratulations to David Byrne, whose album American Utopia debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200, the highest of his career. The album also topped both the Rock and Alternative Album Charts. American Utopia has also debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian Album and Alternative charts, another career high. There are more career chart highs across Europe, where the album premiered in the Top 20 in the UK and Ireland, and Top 40 in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Netherlands.

Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet's new album Landfall was reviewed on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Fans can hear Kronos "explode their range" on the new album, says reviewer Milo Miles. He also notes "the unprecedented mixture of strings and electronics guided by Anderson's unmistakable voice." The album results "from years of practicing, performing, refining and tweaking the collaborations," Miles concludes. "You can hear how the time and care have paid off." You can listen to the complete review here.

David Byrne presents American Utopia: Detroit, a video for "Everybody's Coming To My House" from his new album, American Utopia, featuring a performance of the song by Detroit School of Arts (DSA) Vocal Jazz Ensemble students. The video, which includes personal perspectives and interpretations from the students, was filmed in part by their classmates from the school's Radio & Television Department. You can see it here, along with Byrne's conversation about the video and more with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show. Byrne has also added new US shows with special guest Tune-Yards on his world tour.

Robert Plant kicked off a new season of The Big Interview with Dan Rather on AXS TV on Tuesday. The hour-long episode covers Plant's life and career from Led Zeppelin to his latest solo album, Carry Fire. Fans in the US can watch the complete episode here.

Joshua Redman is joined by drummer Brian Blade, bassist Scott Colley, and trumpeter Ron Miles for Still Dreaming—an album inspired by his father Dewey Redman's 1976–1987 band, Old and New Dreams—due May 25. That band featured an all-star lineup of Ornette Coleman collaborators: Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell. Still Dreaming features six new compositions by the new band plus one tune by Haden and one by Coleman. The album is available to preorder with an instant download of the album track "Unanimity."

Fleet Foxes have added new dates to their North American tour this spring and summer, including a headline slot at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago and a Shaky Knees side performance at Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. Newly announced headline stops include Cincinnati's Taft Theatre, Cleveland's Agora Theatre, and Montreal's Corona Theatre.

David Byrne celebrated the release of his new album, American Utopia, with an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He joined Colbert for a conversation about the new album, why Jared Kushner might make for a good musical theater subject, reasons to be cheerful, and more. Byrne and his band then performed "Everybody's Coming To My House" from the new album, with an assist from Colbert. You can watch them here, as well as a web-exclusive bonus well worth a watch.

David Byrne's new solo record, American Utopia, is out now. "American Utopia is an album full of pulsating beats and rich textures," says Stereogum. "The new album isn't a throwback; it feels like it could only exist right now." UPROXX says: "Byrne has put together an album that not only sounds fresh, but concerns itself with the world as it exists in this moment, right now." "The minute you put American Utopia on, it grabs you," says the Mail on Sunday. Clash calls it "a whimsical, weird and totally wonderful set of songs. Go explore." And Q exclaims: "Byrne remains as playful and brilliant as ever."