David Littlejohn, who taught journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, for 35 years, died at his home in Kensington, California, on June 4. He was 78. Littlejohn published some 400 works—reviews, profiles and critical essays—and 14 books in his lifetime. He also worked on the arts program Critic at Large, which aired on PBS stations across the United States. Nonesuch Records President Bob Hurwitz, who was a student of Littlejohn’s at Berkeley in 1971, offers this remembrance.

The Staves' Nonesuch Records debut album, If I Was, has been named to Stereogum's list of the 50 Best Albums of 2015 So Far. "Some albums demand gushing, so here goes: Once I got past thinking of the Staveley-Taylor sisters as Justin Vernon's pet project or the English folk-rock Haim and immersed myself in If I Was, I scoffed at past-me for ever seeing them as anything but the Staves, one of the greatest bands in the universe," exclaims Stereogum's Chris DeVille. "These 12 elegies for a failed romance are brutally honest and unimaginably beautiful."

Rhiannon Giddens's debut solo album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, has been named to Rolling Stone's list of the 45 Best Albums of 2015 So Far. "Over the past two years, Rhiannon Giddens has become one of the most promising voices in American roots music," exclaims Rolling Stone. On the album, she gives classic songs made famous by Nina Simone, Dolly Parton, Odetta, and more "a freshness and vitality that feel right at home in 2015." Also on the list is the debut album from Congolese band Mbongwana Star, From Kinshasa. The album, a World Circuit release distributed in North America by Nonesuch, is a "heady and high-energy Afrofuturist collaboration," says Rolling Stone.

Guitarist Ry Cooder, singer Sharon White, and country/bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs kick off the "Cooder-White-Skaggs" tour, their maiden voyage as a musical trio, in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, followed by stops in Denver, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, New York City, and more in the months ahead. "You are going to hear four-part singing from the heart," says Cooder, "the finest and best instrumental activity in the land, songs you know and love and to top it off, the indomitable Buck White on piano who will turn your money green. Now who's happy? That's the way we're gonna stay so knock on wood!"

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee sees sets from Rhiannon Giddens, Robert Plant, Punch Brothers ... Sam Amidon performs outside Boston ... The Bad Plus Joshua Redman performs in DC and Philadelphia ... Devendra Banhart DJs in LA ... The Black Keys headline Isle of Wight Festival ... Olivia Chaney tours Midwest ... Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell inaugurate Atlanta Botanical Garden amphitheater ... Audra McDonald sings in Saratoga, CA ... and more ...

Mbongwana Star, whose debut full-length album, From Kinshasa, was released last month via World Circuit, is featured on PRI's The World. "The music from the Congolese band Mbongwana Star sounds like nothing else," says host Marco Werman. You can hear why in his interview with the album's Irish-born Parisian producer, Doctor L, here.

Punch Brothers kick off the summer leg of their tour with music from their latest album, The Phosphorescent Blues, at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee on Sunday. The tour continues with a return to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado next weekend, followed by stops at festivals across the US, including Celebrate Brooklyn!, as well as several shows with Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn over the next month. The band heads to the UK and Europe at the end of July, then resumes its US tour in mid-August, with dates through September with special guest Gabriel Kahane.

The Staves recently stopped by the WFUV studios in New York City to perform a live session of songs from their new album, If I Was, and talk with host Russ Borris about their music. You can watch their performances of "Steady" and "Black & White" here and listen to the complete session on WFUV. "The sisters are incredible performers with unmatched harmonies," Borris exclaims. "The trio’s new album, If I Was, produced by Justin Vernon, is a stunning piece of work ... The Staves brought those incredible harmonies to Studio A for an amazing session." He concludes: "Hands down, this is one of my favorite sessions of the year."

Olivia Chaney, who is currently touring North America with music from her debut album, The Longest River, will return to the States this September for a few dates as special guest of The Decemberists: Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville, Murat Theatre at Old National Centre in Indianapolis, and Overture Hall in Madison. Tickets are on sale now. The current tour continues with stops in Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison and more in the coming days, culminating at Joe's Pub in New York City on June 25. She performs at the Glastonbury Festival on June 28.

The Staves have unveiled the official music video for "Teeth White," a song off their Nonesuch debut album, If I Was. The video, which was filmed in Paris by the team at La Blogothèque, premiered via Q magazine, where it's Track of the Day. You can watch it here. The group performs at Justin Vernon's Eaux Claires Music Festival in Wisconsin in July.

Devendra Banhart has released a collection of drawings, paintings, and mixed media pieces entitled I Left My Noodle on Ramen Street. The book, published by Prestel, features a cross-section of his work from the last decade along with Banhart’s own commentary and musings as well as photographs and other ephemera; texts by Beck, art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, and curator Diego Cortez; and a conversation with Adam Green. Banhart celebrates the publication of the book with events at the Strand in New York City on Thursday, June 25, and at LACMA in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28.

The Arcs' debut album, Yours, Dreamily, will be released Friday, September 4, on Nonesuch Records and is available for pre-order now with an instant download of the album track "Stay in My Corner." The Arcs are Dan Auerbach, Leon Michels, Richard Swift, Homer Steinweiss, and Nick Movshon. Also on the album are Kenny Vaughan and Mariachi Flor de Toloache. In anticipation of the release, "Stay in My Corner" premiered today via NPR Music. The Arcs will be touring in support of the album; details will be announced soon.