The Staves have released a stripped down, alternate version of "Failure," a song from their new album, Good Woman; it is the third in their Be Kind series of special singles. "We went into the studio with the wonderfully talented Marcus Hamblett (our bandmate and long-time collaborator) with the intention of revisiting some of the songs from Good Woman, to explore some of the more soft and tender parts that are there," the band says. The Staves will tour North America in early 2022. 

Joshua Redman and Cécile McLorin Salvant are among the artists to contribute tracks to Relief, a compilation of previously unreleased music to benefit Jazz Foundation of America, out today. Redman's track, "Facts," is from the sessions for his 2018 Nonesuch album Still Dreaming, with cornetist Ron Miles, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade; Salvant performs "Easy Come, Easy Go Blues." Both can be heard here. All net proceeds from Relief will go to JFA's Musicians’ Emergency Fund, which provides direct financial support to musicians in need.

Vagabon will launch a four-city tour of the US Northeast with a concert at DC9 in Washington, DC, next Wednesday, November 17, followed by shows at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia, Brooklyn Made in NYC, and The Sinclair in Cambridge, all with special guest Angélica Garcia.

Ben LaMar Gay has shared a new single and music video for “Aunt Lola and the Quail,” a new song off his upcoming album, Open Arms to Open Us, out November 19 on International Anthem / Nonesuch. You can watch the video, by Chris Strong, here. Gay will give a special album release performance at Public Records in Brooklyn on January 18 as part of NYC Winter Jazzfest.

The Black Keys' special tenth anniversary edition of their landmark seventh studio album El Camino is out now on Nonesuch Records. El Camino (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is available in a Super Deluxe edition of five vinyl LPs—a remastered version of the original album; a previously unreleased Live in Portland, ME concert recording; a BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe session from 2012; a 2011 Electro-Vox session; an extensive photo book; a limited-edition poster and lithograph; and a “new car scent” air freshener—digitally, and in a three-LP edition, which includes the remastered album and the live recording. A four-CD version of the Super Deluxe is due December 3. The Black Keys are hosting a watch party for the BBC session through Sunday.

Singer/songwriter Cécile McLorin Salvant makes her Nonesuch Records debut with the release of Ghost Song on March 4, 2022. The new album features a diverse mix of seven originals and five interpretations on the themes of ghosts, nostalgia, and yearning. Salvant says, “It’s unlike anything I’ve done before—it’s getting closer to reflecting my personality as an eclectic curator. I’m embracing my weirdness!” A video for the album track “Ghost Song,” written by Salvant, can be seen here. Nonesuch Store pre-orders of the album include an exclusive, limited edition signed artwork by Salvant while they last. Cécile McLorin Salvant is on tour in Europe now and will play four shows at SFJAZZ in February and two nights featuring the music of Ghost Song at Jazz at Lincoln Center in May

David Byrne was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night to discuss David Byrne's American Utopia on Broadway, share some of his drawings, and teach Colbert a few low-impact dance moves. Byrne was then joined by his fellow cast members to perform the Talking Heads tune "I Zimbra" from the show. You can watch both here.

Lake Street Dive continues its annual Halloween tradition of costumed cover-song videos with a performance of Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams (Come True)." You can watch it here.

LIFE ON EARTH, the Nonesuch debut of Hurray for the Riff Raff (aka Alynda Segarra), due February 18, is a departure for the Bronx-born, New Orleans-based singer/songwriter. Its eleven new "nature punk" tracks on the theme of survival are music for a world in flux—songs about thriving, not just surviving, while disaster is happening. The album was recorded during the pandemic with producer Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver, Kevin Morby). While making it, Segarra drew inspiration from The Clash, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Bad Bunny, and the author of Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown. "A major step forward for one of today's most vital artists," exclaims Uncut. "The first great album of 2022." Pre-order to download the track "RHODODENDRON" now—you can watch the video here—and get a limited-edition print autographed by Segarra, while they last. Hurray for the Riff Raff tours North America this spring; international dates coming soon.

Devendra Banhart was the special surprise guest on the Halloween Spooktacular episode of Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker. Once the Halloween costume comes off, they discuss some recent and favorite concert-going experiences, and Banhart—whom Heidecker calls "a genuine legend of the new millennium"—closes out the hour with a performance of "Weatherman," a song by Heidecker's group Heidecker & Wood. You can watch it here.

The Staves' Camilla and Jessica Staveley-Taylor were the musical guest on WNYC's Get Lit with All of It, the book club series with All of It host Alison Stewart, via a virtual gathering from The Greene Space. The featured author on the episode is Lauren Groff, who discusses her latest novel, MATRIX. The Staves performed songs from and spoke with Stewart about their new album, Good Woman; you can watch it here. The Staves will tour North America in early 2022. 

The Magnetic Fields’ City Winery residency, originally scheduled for spring 2020 to celebrate their new album Quickies, begins in their hometown of Boston this weekend. The band will perform songs spanning their 30+ year career, including Quickies and 69 Love Songs, at intimate City Winery venues in seven cities—Boston, New York, Philadelphia, DC, Atlanta, Nashville, and Chicago.