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.

Laurie Anderson's film Heart of a Dog was released in cinemas across the US last year and in Ireland and the UK earlier this year to critical acclaim, will have its Italian cinematic release next week. Anderson—currently a juror at the Venice Film Festival—will preview the film in two screenings in Milan this Sunday, at which she will also perform; dogs are welcome. Anderson has dubbed the film into the Italian herself. The soundtrack, which is the full audio recording of the film, including all spoken text in Italian, is out now on Nonesuch. You can watch the Italian film trailer here.

Steve Reich’s 80th birthday is celebrated by San Francisco Symphony, Kronos Quartet … Laurie Anderson hosts advance screenings of the Italian-language version of Heart of a Dog in Milan … Jeremy Denk joins Lansing Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven; performs Bach, Beatles at Bard … Lianne La Havas tours with Leon Bridges ... Pat Metheny opens SFJAZZ season … Chris Thile plays two nights with banjoist Béla Fleck … Rokia Traoré performs in Paris … and more …

Pat Metheny begins a US tour with drummer Antonio Sánchez, pianist Gwilym Simcock, and bassist Linda Oh with Opening Night/Week concerts of SFJAZZ Center's 2016–17 concert season, tonight and through the weekend. They perform five more shows in California, including a concert at UCLA's Royce Hall and a set at the Monterey Jazz Festival; two in Colorado; a stop in Kansas; and two in Metheny's home state of Missouri. The musicians will tour the East Coast in early 2017.

Lianne La Havas kicks off her US fall tour with a headline show at Webster Hall in NYC tonight. It's one of four headline shows she will play this fall—also including LA, New Orleans, and Atlanta—while in the US for an 18-concert tour as special guest of R&B artist and singer, songwriter Leon Bridges. Their first show together is this Thursday at the Flynn Center in Burlington, VT, followed by shows throughout the country in the month ahead.

Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Shawn Colvin, and Billy Bragg are among the artists who will perform at the 15th annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, taking place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. NPR.org will present a live video stream from the ceremony. A live audio simulcast of the Honors & Awards show will also be available via SiriusXM's Outlaw Country. The PBS series Austin City Limits will broadcast a special featuring performance highlights from the event on November 19. Shawn Colvin and Billy Bragg will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards; Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are up for Duo/Group of the Year, as are Lake Street Dive.

Brazilian samba singer Teresa Cristina's album and DVD Canta Cartola is out now. Recorded live in concert at Theatro Net in Rio de Janeiro with guitarist Carlinhos Sete Cordas, it captures their acoustic performance of songs by Brazil's beloved samba-ist Angenor de Oliveira ("Cartola"). "Canta Cartola feels fully embodied," says the New York Times, "as if Ms. Cristina had written the songs herself." Today also marks the start of her eight-city world tour with Caetano Veloso, who exclaims: "Teresa develops every melody, every word, every second. It's magical."

John Adams leads Swiss premiere of Scheherazade.2 in Geneva with violinist Leila Josefowicz … Devendra Banhart plays two European festival sets … Emmylou Harris plays free set in Nashville ... Lake Street Dive join Dave Matthews Band in Washington State … Brad Mehldau, Mark Guiliana, John Scofield play Detroit Jazz Festival … Pat Metheny, Christian McBride lead Tokyo residency … Steve Reich is focus of BBC Proms … Caetano Veloso, Teresa Cristina launch tour in Paris … and more …

Sam Amidon will return to Australia in February 2017 for an eleven-concert tour with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) and Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto. On the program, titled Murder & Redemption, the ACO will perform Janáček's Kreutzer Sonata and John Adams's Shaker Loops. Interweaved throughout will be arrangements of traditional folk songs—murder ballads and songs of salvation—that Amidon has re-written and will sing; Pekka and the ACO will perform arrangements Nico Muhly has written to accompany the songs. The concerts follow Amidon's October US tour with Richard Thompson.