Lianne La Havas spoke with NPR's All Things Considered about her new album, Blood. "At 25, British singer Lianne La Havas has established herself as a musical triple threat: she's a guitarist, songwriter, and a soulful vocalist," says host Audie Cornish. "La Havas draws on her heritage for inspiration: Her father is Greek, her mother Jamaican, and it was a trip to Jamaica after her first tour that got her thinking about music in a new way." Hear their conversation here.

Randy Newman, Emmylou Harris, and Rodney Crowell will take part in two intimate evenings of music in truly special settings as only New Orleans could offer. As part of the tenth-anniversary commemoration of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nonesuch Records, Warner Bros. Records, and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) will present an evening with Newman on August 24 and an evening with Harris and Crowell on August 26 to help NOAHH build homes for and with those who need them. Each event will offer music in a spectacular private residence, memorable food and good company. 

Rhiannon Giddens and Punch Brothers' double bill at the Southern Fried Festival in Perth, Scotland, on Friday was featured on a two-hour show of festival highlights on BBC Radio Scotland's Another Country with Ricky Ross. The first hour is devoted to Giddens, the second hour to Punch Brothers. You can hear it at bbc.co.uk. The concert earned perfect five star reviews from both the Scotsman and the Herald Scotland, which calls Giddens' set "sensational" and Punch Brothers' "breath-taking."

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced Laurie Anderson as the artist behind the design for the 53rd New York Film Festival poster. She joins a lineup of artists to have commissioned their work for the festival that includes Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman, and, Laurie Simmons. "The NYFF is such an eclectic and ecstatically wild mix of films, and I wanted to try to capture some of the variety of subjects and styles," says Laurie Anderson. "I made this painting two years ago when I was feeling especially inspired by the scale of projected film and the possibilities of abrupt jump cuts. I’m so happy it’s the poster for this year’s festival."

Rhiannon Giddens, Punch Brothers, and Olivia Chaney all performed at the Cambridge Folk Festival this weekend, and judging by the Guardian review, all went well, to say the least. "Giddens was a revelation" and "Chaney showed how it should be sung," says the Guardian's Robin Denselow of their Saturday sets, and "the finest performance of the night came from one of the most inventive acoustic bands on the planet," says Denselow of Punch Brothers' "magnificent" Sunday set. Giddens and Chaney also performed for BBC Radio 2's coverage from Cambridge, which can be heard at bbc.co.uk.

Songlines magazine has posted its list of 50 Great Moments in World Music and included on the list are memorable moments from several artists familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal: Kronos Quartet, Buena Vista Social Club, Taraf de Haïdouks, Gipsy Kings, Ali Farka Touré, Orchestra Baobab, Youssou N'Dour, Caetano Veloso, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, and more.

The UK summer festival season is in full swing, as Rhiannon Giddens, Punch Brothers play Southern Fried Fest and Cambridge Folk Fest, where Olivia Chaney performs as well ... Sam Amidon plays Pickathon near Portland, OR ... The Black Keys close out Osheaga Fest in Montreal ... Jeremy Denk joins Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center ... Audra McDonald sings at Sun Valley, ID, gala ... Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell play Pacific Northwest ... Robert Plant performs at Notodden Blues Fest in Norway ... and more ...

Lianne La Havas's new album, Blood, is out now. "The album demands, and rewards, all the attention you can give it," raves Rolling Stone. "[W]hat comes across first is the sheer grace of her voice," says the New York Times. "La Havas remains confident and strong to the core in her new music," says NPR, "a powerhouse with a full heart, creating music that's sweeping, inspiring and downright fun." "Blood cuts straight to the heart," says The Daily Beast, "a seductive blend of poetic lyricism, sultry vocals, and strong yet understated musicianship." Pitchfork calls it "an almost seamless album." It's "nearly flawless," raves PopMatters. "The steps forward here are borderline transcendent."

Newly formed Congolese seven-piece band Mbongwana Star's debut full-length album, From Kinshasa, released in May via World Circuit, distributed in North America by Nonesuch Records, is now available on vinyl. The LP edition is pressed on 140-gram, audiophile vinyl and includes a download of the complete album. It's a "wonderful kind of collaboration," says NPR. "The sound is out of this world." Chicago Reader says the "album is a blast ... stunning." Says Noisey: "It's time to press play and immerse yourself in another world."

Audra McDonald, a board member of Covenant House International, has embarked on a campaign to raise $25,000 or more for the organization in its 2015 Broadway Sleep Out fundraising campaign to serve homeless young people in need. She is offering an array of one-of-a-kind prizes in exchange for donations made between now and Wednesday, August 5, including personalized Tweets, signed CDs, singing telegrams, video messages, and a chance to join her for hot chocolate at Sardi's.

Lianne La Havas's song "What You Don't Do," from her new album, Blood, and The Staves' "Black and White," from their new album, If I Was, have made NPR's Heavy Rotation, the monthly list of Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing. La Havas is "glowing, her voice as rich as ever," says KCRW's Anne Litt. "There's no doubt that Lianne La Havas is a powerhouse with a full heart, creating music that's sweeping, inspiring and downright fun." The Staves "are incredible performers with unmatched harmonies," says WFUV's Russ Borris. The album "is a stunning piece of work with a beauty that connects and cuts at the same time," with this song "exemplifying what makes this band unique and impressive."

Lianne La Havas's new album, Blood, is out this Friday, July 31. But you don't need to wait till then to hear it: the album is streaming in full all this week in the US as an NPR First Listen. Her 2012 debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?, was "wonderfully refreshing," says NPR's Tom Moon. And on the new album, she's created songs like the single "What You Don't Do," which features "the kind of stunning, kinetic performance we rarely hear on the radio these days." Blood showcases an eclectic range of songs and moods, and it's "unusual to hear a singer so confident in her ability to bring the extremes (particularly the quiet ones) across so vividly."