Natalie Merchant launches her first UK tour in eight years with a sold-out show in London on Saturday. She is featured on NPR's World Cafe, discussing and performing songs from her new album, Leave Your Sleep, which host David Dye calls "extraordinary." Billboard says it "soars with gorgeous folk arrangements and Merchant's daring creativity." In the Times of London, Alain de Botton says: "It’s poignant and tuneful and the voice is, as always, sheer genius."

Pat Metheny brings Orchestrion home to NYC ... The Kennedy Center's Perspectives: John Adams comes to a close ... Carolina Chocolate Drops play festivals in Indiana, Utah ... Bill Frisell, Kronos Quartet, Youssou N'Dour have shows in Germany ... Philip Glass Ensemble celebrates its 40th in Rome ... k.d. lang sings for San Francisco Symphony ... Natalie Merchant launches UK tour ... Punch Brothers open for Josh Ritter, play with Dierks Bentley ... Allen Toussaint Gulf Aid concert airs on Fuse ... Sara Watkins plays her hometown ... Wilco tours Scandinavia ... and more ...

The Black Keys rocked out at New York's Housing Works Bookstore Café for the lucky few fans in attendance; a few thousand more get to see the band open for Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden tonight. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney talk about their new album, Brothers, and perform on the latest New York Times Music Popcast and NPR's World Cafe. Carney spoke with Akron's BuzzBin about the album, about which PopMatters says: "That the Black Keys are still exploring new territories with enthusiasm is cause for celebration, and Brothers is the reason why."

Timothy Andres performed the music of his new album, Shy and Mighty, in New York City on Monday. He performs again in New York today in two concerts with the Metropolis Ensemble: a free mid-day event at Trinity Wall Street and a ticketed show at the Angel Orensanz Center, featuring the world premiere of Andres's Paraphrase on Themes of Brian Eno and the New York premiere of his Home Stretch, plus works by Anna Clyne and Mozart.

k.d. lang and Tony Bennett reunite on stage this Saturday at Davies Symphony Hall for the San Francisco Symphony’s 2010 Black & White Ball benefit concert. Bennett tells the Oakland Tribune: "k.d. has a gift ... I can't ask for a more pleasant thing to listen to than to listen to k.d. sing." For her part, lang says: "To be mentored by Tony, it's the kind of thing that is irreplaceable."

Kronos Quartet has just announced its summer tour dates, which will bring the group to venues in Europe, the United States, and Taiwan. Summer being festival season, Kronos will take part in some of the best, including Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Edinburgh International, Monterey Jazz, and Cabrillo. The group will also perform with Wu Man, Alim & Fargana Qasimov, and with Philip Glass, performing his score to Dracula, and will help celebrate Terry Riley's 75th birthday.

Brad Mehldau will soon return to London's Wigmore Hall in a continuation the Jazz Series he is curating there; he performed the last of the series' concerts for the season in June. Wigmore Hall has just announced the line-up for the second half of his residency, to take place during the 2010/11 season, including duo concerts with Chris Thile and with Joe Henry.

Pat Metheny's US Orchestrion tour comes to a close this week with concerts along the Northeast. The Philadelphia Daily News says "the now meditative, now bluesy, now bopping or dramatically soaring music sounds very fine and 'in the pocket.'" Philadelphia Weekly calls it "dizzyingly advanced, but warm and full of heart." The Boston Phoenix says the album "reveals new depths at every turn"; the Boston Globe calls it "a soaring five-movement suite featuring some of the most intricate music he's ever created."

The Kennedy Center celebrates John Adams ... Laurie Anderson, John Zorn improvise in Lublin ... The Black Keys play free show in NYC ... Carolina Chocolate Drops play close to home ... Bill Frisell concludes Village Vanguard residency ... Kronos Quartet's in Copenhagen ... Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman close out duo tour ... Natalie Merchant tours Germany ... Pat Metheny's Orchestrion US tour hits final week ... Randy Newman, in Europe, featured on BBC Scotland ... Allen Toussaint performs at New Orleans Gulf Aid benefit ... Dawn Upshaw makes Edmonton Symphony debut ... and more ...

Punch Brothers had already been planning a full spring and summer tour across the US, in support of their forthcoming album, Antifogmatic, including a supporting slot with Josh Ritter in Boston next week and sets at the Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass, Caramoor, and Newport Folk festivals. Now comes word that the band will open for comedian, actor, author, and Grammy-winning banjo player Steve Martin for several dates in June, July, and August.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops have been nominated for the Americana Music Award for Duo or Group of the Year, the Americana Music Association announced today. The award show will be held in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium September 9. The band's Nonesuch debut, Genuine Negro Jig, is due out on vinyl June 29 and is now up for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store.

Brad Mehldau and Joshua Redman's duo tour of Europe continues with music from their respective solo work and from Mehldau's recent release, Highway Rider, on which Redman performs. All About Jazz calls the album a "showcase of Mehldau's growth as both a composer and musician ... one of those rare and potent reminders that jazz not only thrives but continues to evolve in the hands of truly creative artists."