Rhiannon Giddens's solo debut album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, has made NPR Music's list of its 50 Favorite Albums of 2015. "The joy inherent in the [album] isn't just her impeccable taste in cover material," writes NPR's Katie Presley. "It's also the palpable delight Giddens takes in covering it ... Tomorrow Is My Turn runs on an engine of irrepressible enthusiasm and a degree of sheer talent that, when encountered at full strength, is, fittingly, downright giddy-making." It's also on the Sunday Times of London's list of the 100 Best Records of the Year. "Singer of the year, the leader of the Carolina Chocolate Drops turns in a tour de force on her solo debut," writes the Times' Clive Davis. 

Congolese seven-piece band Mbongwana Star's debut full-length album, From Kinshasa, a World Circuit release, has landed on year's best lists from the New York Times, NPR Music, SPIN, Mojo, Uncut, and Q. The album's "ambition extends to the astral plane, absorbing post-punk, funk and techno along the way," says NPR. "The journey feels nothing short of a new world order. Don't hesitate to hitch your wagon to Mbongwana Star." SPIN says: "Let's celebrate how this indescribable seven-piece resists pigeonholing from even the most burnt Burning Man guest as anything but the future."

The Arcs take their inaugural North American tour to Columbus and Detroit … Sam Amidon tours North America with San Fermin … The Bad Plus Joshua Redman goes west … Tyondai Braxton plays solo shows in Brazil … Emmylou Harris celebrates a Wainwright Noël in Montréal … Brad Mehldau Trio wraps up its tour in Italy … Punch Brothers hit the road for a two-week US tour … and more …

Brad Mehldau's 10 Years Solo Live, released to critical acclaim earlier this fall, continues to earn praise from around the world, including Chicago Reader ("rhapsodic"), Buffalo News ("stupendous"), Mojo ("some of the most beautiful piano playing you’ll ever hear"), Scotsman ("revelatory"), Financial Times ("rich and rewarding"), Paris Match ("stunning grace"), Jazz News ("essential"), L’Humanité ("magic"), Tastenwelt ("candidate for CD of the year"), Jazzthethik ("a tremendous showcase"), Generel Anzeiger ("a phenomenon"), NRC (five stars), De Standard ("virtuosity with lyrical inspiration"), Dag Og Tid ("monumental ... a masterpiece"), and more.

The Bad Plus Joshua Redman kicked off the final leg of its 2015 tour in Boulder last night, with stops in Arizona, New Mexico, and California in the coming week, culminating with a four-night residency at the SFJAZZ Center. The quartet's eponymous debut album has been named the No. 1 Best Jazz Album of 2015 by PopMatters. "Together," says the site, "the band is particularly wonderful."

The Staves have unveiled the official video for "Make It Holy," off their album If I Was. "We're excited to share a new video for 'Make It Holy,' put together by the gifted Lauren Josephine using Dan Huitings' footage from when we recorded the album at April Base Studios, in Wisconsin," says the trio of producer Justin Vernon's studio. "It brings back such happy memories for us and we hope you enjoy it, too." Watch it here.

Rolling Stone has published its list of the 50 Best Albums of 2015, and among them are two Nonesuch Records releases: The Arcs' debut album, Yours, Dreamily, which the magazine calls "a riveting extension of the Black Keys' progressive-blues aesthetic," and Tomorrow Is My Turn, the solo debut album from Rhiannon Giddens, whom Rolling Stone calls "a rare voice bound for glory."

Stereogum has published its list of the 50 Best Albums of 2015, and among them is The Staves' new album, If I Was. "There is so much tender beauty in this album," says Stereogum's Chris DeVille. "It’s one of the greatest albums of its kind ... this music just about made my year by virtue of its exquisite beauty."

The Arcs kick off their first-ever North American tour with a sold-out show at First Ave in Minneapolis tonight, with special guests Mariachi Flor de Toloache. The three-week tour continues with shows in Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Akron, New York, Toronto, Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Charlotte, culminating at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on December 20. 

Punch Brothers begin a three-week US tour at Overture Hall in Madison, Wisconsin, tonight. The shows feature songs from the band's latest album, The Phosphorescent Blues, and new EP, The Wireless, sung around a single mic. The tour stops in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina, culminating with two nights at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. Chris Thile closes out the year in duo shows with label mate Brad Mehldau in NYC and upstate New York.

Happy Cyber Monday! The savings continue as the Nonesuch Store anniversary sale, which began last week, rolls into Cyber Monday and beyond, with all currently available CDs, LPs, DVDs, MP3s, and FLAC here at nonesuch.com (pre-orders excluded) 15% off the everyday low prices listed on the site; the sale discount will be show at checkout.

Kronos Quartet will make its first tour of the UK in many years, starting with the group's return to the Barbican in May 2016. The program includes Terry Riley’s One Earth, One People, One Love; the world premiere of a new piece by Martin Green of Lau; works by Laurie Anderson and Komitas; and arrangements including The Who’s Baba O’Riley. The evening also features three UK premieres of works by Fodé Lassana Diabaté from Trio da Kali, Aleksandra Vrebalov, and Garth Knoxas part of the Kronos Fifty for the Future commissioning project.