Ahead of the long-awaited world premiere of Omar, the opera composed by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC, next Friday, Giddens has released her own recording of the song “Julie’s Aria” from the opera. The recording was made by Giddens with guitarist Bill Frisell and her frequent collaborator Francesco Turrisi. Omar is based on the life and autobiography of enslaved Muslim scholar Omar Ibn Said, who was forcefully brought to Charleston from Africa in 1807. “My work as a whole is about excavating and shining a light on pieces of history that not only need to be seen and heard," Giddens says, "but that can also add to the conversation about what’s going on now. This is a story that hasn’t been represented in the operatic world—or in any world.” Omar will also be performed by LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Boston Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

The Black Keys joined Apple Music's Zane Lowe to talk about their new album, Dropout Boogie, which Lowe describes as the "Mount Olympus" of Black Keys albums. The Black Keys also discuss lessons learned from over twenty years of making music together, the history of albums like Brothers and Turn Blue, and their journey to a number one album. You can watch the conversation here.

Two new items of Nonesuch-logo merch are now in the Nonesuch Store: a heather-gray pullover hoodie and t-shirt! Keep cozy while enjoying your favorite albums indoors and on the go in the new heather-gray heavyweight hoodie with a front pocket and fleece interior, made by Lane Seven. And show your love of fine music in style and comfort while sporting the slim-fit, light-weight heather-gray tee made from 100% cotton by Next Level Apparel. These new items join other Nonesuch-logo merch in black: a t-shirt, zip-up hoodie, tote bag, hat, mug, slipmat, and buttons. Orders also include a free Nonesuch sticker to boot. 

Hurray for the Riff Raff (aka Alynda Segarra) stopped by Amoeba Music in Hollywood to share what they've been listening to and reading lately, including music by Bessie Smith, The Weather Station, Toots & the Maytals, Bad Bunny, Nina Simone, and more. You can take a look inside here. Hurray for the Riff Raff heads out on tour as special guest of Bright Eyes starting Thursday.

The Black Keys’ eleventh studio album, Dropout Boogie, is out now. “Some of the stickiest alt-boogie of their career,” says Rolling Stone. “Still raw, fast and loose,” adds the Associated Press. Classic Rock magazine exclaims: “Rock'n'roll in 2022 doesn't get any better than this.” The band was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform the tracks “It Ain’t Over” and “Wild Child"; you can watch both here. The Black Keys will tour North America for the first time in three years starting in July. The band will take part in an iHeart Radio album release party tonight.

Guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson makes her Nonesuch debut with two albums, Amaryllis and Belladonna, out now. The two suites come in a two-LP vinyl set or as two separate CDs and digital albums, produced and mixed by John Dieterich. "These are new landmarks in Halvorson’s already inimitable discography," exclaims the Guardian in a five-star, Jazz Album of the Month review. Amaryllis is a six-song suite performed by a newly formed sextet of master improvisers; the Mivos string quartet joins for three of the songs, making this the largest ensemble for which Halvorson has written to date; you can watch a new video for the title track here. Belladonna is a set of five compositions written for Halvorson on guitar plus the Mivos Quartet, whose parts are through-composed and augmented by Halvorson’s guitar improvisations. They celebrate the albums’ release with performances of the two suites in Brooklyn, New Hampshire, and Quebec next week.

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway’s new album, Crooked Tree, is now on vinyl, following its recent release on CD and digital. The album, recorded live in Nashville, was produced by Tuttle and Jerry Douglas and features collaborations with Sierra Hull, Old Crow Medicine Show, Margo Price, Billy Strings, Dan Tyminski, and Gillian Welch. The tracks, all written or co-written by Tuttle, explore her lifelong love of bluegrass. "Molly Tuttle's fingers move so quickly, she could pick your pocket without breaking stride," says the New York Times. NPR calls it "dashingly virtuosic." It "feels like the album Molly Tuttle was destined to make," says Uncut. You can watch the new video for the album track "Flatland Girl," featuring Margo Price, and get tickets for Tuttle and the band's tour here.

Cécile McLorin Salvant has released a video of her performing Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, and Herbert Stothart's "Optimistic Voices" and Gregory Porter's "No Love Dying," from her Nonesuch debut album, Ghost Song, with Sullivan Fortner on piano, Marvin Sewell on guitar, Alexa Tarantino on flute, and Keita Ogawa on percussion. You can watch it below. Salvant and the band will give the New York premiere performance of Ghost Song in two shows at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater tonight and on Friday. Tonight's performance will also stream live and will be available on demand through May 18. 

A three-LP/CD box set of albums from the great Argentine composer, bandleader, and bandoneón player Astor Piazzolla originally released by American Clavé Records in the 1980s later reissued by Nonesuch is out now. Astor Piazzolla: The American Clavé Recordings marks the first time this landmark trio of albums—Tango: Zero Hour, La Camorra, and The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night (Tango Apasionado)—is available as a set, now remastered, and the first time the albums have been available on vinyl since their initial American Clavé release. The set features original and new notes by the albums' producer and American Clavé founder Kip Hanrahan and an essay from journalist Fernando González. Uncut exclaims: "On its own, each album makes a fine introduction to Piazzolla's music, but together, they comprise a monumental contribution to world music."

Brad Mehldau has recorded a podcast episode about his new album, Jacob’s Ladder. He talks about some of his personal experiences over the last two years while working on the music he's made during these turbulent times. You can hear it here. Additional episodes are expected to come.

The Black Keys have announced two high-profile events to celebrate their new album, Dropout Boogie, out next week. On May 11, the duo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney will perform at Los Angeles’ famed Troubadour and offer a global livestream of the intimate show in this 500-capacity venue exclusively via Flymachine. Livestream tickets are on sale now; in-person tickets go on sale on May 9. The band will also participate in an album release party with iHeart stations across the country at 7pm PT on May 13.

Congratulations to Cécile McLorin Salvant and Mary Halvorson, who have won the Jazz Journalists Association's 2022 JJA Jazz Awards: Salvant as Female Vocalist of the Year and Halvorson as Guitarist of the Year. Kudos also to Christian McBride, who has been named Bassist of the Year.