Laurie Anderson was the guest on WNYC's New Sounds last night. She spoke with host John Schaefer about her new film, Heart of a Dog, and shared several excerpts from its soundtrack. The show also touches on her recent Park Avenue Armory piece Habeas Corpus. "Similar themes run through both works," says WNYC, "in that Anderson ponders how stories are spun, and how language is used, along with ideas about what time ('Living Life Backwards'), identity ('How to Feel Sad Without Being Sad'), and freedom might mean in a surveillance and algorithmic culture." Hear the conversation here.

Punch Brothers were the guests on an encore broadcast of NPR's World Cafe yesterday. The show first aired in February, following the release of the group's T Bone Burnett–produced album The Phosphorescent Blues. The band spoke with host David Dye about the album, which Dye says "sounds great," and performs three tracks: "I Blew It Off," "Magnet," and "Boll Weevil." You can hear the session here.

The Arcs were the guests on NPR's World Cafe on Friday. Dan Auerbach spoke with host David Dye about the band's debut album, Yours, Dreamily, and the group was joined by Mariachi Flor de Toloache to perform four songs off the album: "Outta My Mind," "Put a Flower in My Pocket," "Pistol Made of Bones," and "Stay in My Corner." You can hear the session here. The Arcs kick off a two-week tour of Europe in November 5 and begin a US tour on December 1.

The complete soundtrack recording of Laurie Anderson's film Heart of a Dog, is out now, comprising the full audio recording of the film, including all music and spoken text. Heart of a Dog, which has opened theatrically at Film Forum in NYC, invites viewers to spend "75 enthralling minutes with the endlessly associative contents of Anderson's head and heart," says NPR. The New York Times calls it "dreamy, drifty and altogether lovely." New York says it's "one of the most moving and provocative films you’ll see this year."

The Bad Plus Joshua Redman wraps up first leg of US fall tour in Northeast ... Laurie Anderson answers questions at Heart of a Dog screenings in NYC … Jeremy Denk performs solo in Northeast … Lianne La Havas tours South … Audra McDonald goes to Tacoma … Brad Mehldau joins Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in NYC … Randy Newman completes Netherlands tour … Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club plays Atlanta … Rokia Traoré performs Desdemona in Sydney ...

Brad Mehldau's new 8-LP box set 10 Years Solo Live "contains some of the most impressive pianism Mr. Mehldau has captured on record," exclaims the New York Times' Nate Chinen. It "also confirms that his pristine technique and prismatic elaboration are distinctive traits unto themselves," closing with a performance that is "an astonishment even by his lofty standards." Jazzwise, in a five-star review, calls it "a monumental achievement, and one of the most rewarding solo piano collections of the 21st century so far." The BBC Music Magazine five-star review says it's "a powerful picture of a renaissance artist at the height of his powers."

Laurie Anderson's new film, Heart of a Dog, has been nominated for a Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Documentary. The Gotham Awards, presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project, will be handed out in a ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in NYC on November 30. The Heart of a Dog soundtrack recording, including all music and spoken text, is due out tomorrow on Nonesuch Records.

Rhiannon Giddens will take part in "Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America" on Friday, November 20, at 8 PM ET/PT. The concert will be recorded at The Shrine Auditorium in LA on Wednesday, November 18. The two-hour special event will air across A+E Networks and iHeartRadio music stations across the US. Giddens will join artists including Zac Brown Band, Eric Church, Jamie Foxx, Tori Kelly, John Legend, Miguel, Pink, Jill Scott, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and Pharrell Williams for the event, including a once-in-a-lifetime series of duets, focused on creating reconciliation and positive change in local communities.

Lianne La Havas was the guest on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic earlier this week. She spoke with host Jason Bentley and performed six songs from her new album, Blood, and one from her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?. You can watch the complete 40-minute session here. La Havas's US tour concludes with shows in Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, and Nashville.

Laurie Anderson's new film, Heart of a Dog—which has been shown at numerous film festivals to critical praise—begins its theatrical run at the Film Forum in NYC tonight and continues there through November 3. Anderson attends screenings tonight and each day this weekend. Following the Film Forum run, Heart of a Dog will be shown in theaters across the US. It also will air on HBO in early 2016. The New York Times calls it a "dreamy, drifty and altogether lovely movie." New York calls it "one of the most moving and provocative films you'll see this year." Nonesuch Records releases the Heart of a Dog soundtrack this Friday, October 23.

Recorded during the T Bone Burnett–produced sessions for Rhiannon Giddens's highly acclaimed solo debut, Tomorrow Is My Turn, her five-song vinyl EP Factory Girl is due on Black Friday Record Store Day, November 27, 2015; a digital version is due December 11. The EP includes songs written or made famous by musical heroes Ethel Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharp; a song co-written by Giddens; a traditional Gaelic mouth music tune; and the title track, a traditional Irish song for which she wrote additional lyrics. Giddens resumes her tour on November 6, with new international tour dates announced for early 2016, including several as part of Transatlantic Sessions.

The line-up for the 2016 Big Ears Festival has been announced, and featured among the performers are several artists familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal: Laurie Anderson and Philip Glass, Olivia Chaney, Sam Amidon, Nico Muhly, and Bombino. Big Ears will be held at venues throughout downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, March 31–April 2, 2016. Weekend passes and daily tickets for the 2016 Big Ears Festival will go on sale this Friday, October 23, at 12 PM ET.