Kronos Quartet's latest album, Floodplain, is out today. On the album, the Quartet explores vintage pop from Egypt, folk from Azerbaijan, electronica from a Palestinian music collective, and an ambitious piece from Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov. The Independent (UK) gives it four stars, calling it "a one-world project handled with suitably welcoming passion and respect." The Oregonian says the evocative metaphor of the album's title is apt for this adventurous group. "Think of Floodplain as creative fertility, as only Kronos can do ... It feels unusually current, even politically current, with music from parts of the world we often only read about. That's what we love about this string quartet: playing that is exploratory, fearless and full of intent."

Allen Toussaint and his Bright Mississippi Band, featuring most of the players from his recently released Nonesuch album, begin a week's residency at New York's Village Vanguard tonight. NPR member station WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM will broadcast Wednesday night's early set live from the Vanguard on air and online at npr.org, where there will be a live video feed as well. "On The Bright Mississippi," says the New York Times, "his sharp and spirited new album, Mr. Toussaint—an eminent New Orleans pianist and songwriter, but not, strictly speaking, a jazz man—takes a crack at some old-time jazz standards, with refreshing results."

John Adams led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in two performances, the orchestra's first, of his most recent opera, 2006's A Flowering Tree, at LA's Walt Disney Hall this past weekend. The Los Angeles Times says A Flowering Tree "is a miracle opera based upon an ancient folk tale from India. Magic pervades the work’s atmosphere, and a blissfully beautiful two-hour score enchants from first bar to last ... The sounds are magical." In the LA performances, "the singing was exceptional" and the Los Angeles Master Chorale "nailed everything."

Adams conducts Adams in LA Phil performances of A Flowering Tree ... Carolina Chocolate Drops do Seattle's Giant Magnet festival ... Bill Frisell Trio concludes Village Vanguard residency ... Glass goes solo at Manchester's Futuresonic Festival ... Brad Mehldau does duo and solo sets at SFJAZZ ... The Low Anthem bring the music to Brighton's Great Escape Festival ... Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone conclude two-week run in Cleveland ... Dawn Upshaw performs Golijov in Glasgow ... Sara Watkins winds her way up the Western states ... and more ...

Richard Goode's first-ever recording of the complete Beethoven concertos was released on Nonesuch last week. The Times (UK) gives the set a perfect five stars, describing Goode as "the pianist revered even by pianists," one whose "special gift has always been his selfless artistry: his penetrating intellect, warm heart and nimble fingers are entirely placed at the composers’ service." The review states, "Being Beethoven, Beethoven often makes contrary demands, but Goode knows just how to balance and weigh conflicting elements: argument and repose, dark and light, struggle and wit ... Throughout, the recording is warm and natural. Buy with confidence."

Amadou & Mariam are the subject of a feature profile in this week's Village Voice, as the focal point of the paper's picks for this summer's live music highlights. In a look at the couple's career and their latest Nonesuch release, Welcome to Mali, the Voice dismisses the normally narrow notion of "world music" but says the Malian duo's eclectic style is well suited to a truer understanding of the phrase: "[I]f anyone truly makes world music, it's Amadou & Mariam ... Through their constant curiosity and a romantic ear, the married couple invokes more than the sounds of their West African roots; they seem to be the epicenter of many cultures."

Wilco (the album) is set for a June 30 release from Nonesuch Records, on CD and a vinyl LP, and is now available for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store. The LP is pressed on audiophile-quality, 180-gram vinyl and includes the full album on CD as well. For a sneak peek, visit the band's site, wilcoworld.net, where the complete album is now streaming. American Songwriter says it's well worth checking out: "[W]e’ve heard the record, and we can tell you it’s worth listening to over a pay phone submerged underwater. It’s that good."

Bill Frisell begins a five-night residency at New York's Village Vanguard with his trio, featuring bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen tonight. It was at the Vanguard that the trio recorded the "East" half of Frisell's 2005 double disc, East/West. Frisell was a central figure in the recent Melbourne International Jazz Festival, playing an "unforgettable" festival closer with the Trio, says The Age. "[I]t was a thrill to see such an influential, genre-defying artist on stage. Frisell has one of the most distinctive guitar sounds: a sound that radiates warmth and optimism, no matter how woozily dissonant or distorted it may become."

Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love premieres at BAM's Muslim Voices festival in June. "He lives so successfully by his convictions, and shows us a very different Islam than what we see in the media," the film's director tells New York. "And his voice is extraordinary. If you watch his band Super Etoile perform, you’ll follow them to the edge of the earth." Robert Cole, who is retiring from Cal Performances after 20-plus years at its helm, says: "Of the artists we've had relationships with, certainly Youssou N'Dour is one of the greatest." At a recent UN-led World Malaria Day event, N'Dour and Malaria No More launched a campaign to encourage the use of mosquito nets in Senegal and help prevent the spread of the disease.

Allen Toussaint was in Las Vegas this past weekend performing at the city's free Jazz in the Park series and performs a week's residency at New York's Village Vanguard next week, joined by most of the musicians off his recently released solo Nonesuch debut, The Bright Mississippi. "Allen Toussaint's new album couldn't sound more like New Orleans," says the Boston Globe. The pianist "revisits jazz classics ... and takes them for a stroll through Preservation Hall, imbuing his own funky brand of pop-song charisma." Throughout, "Toussaint's musical soul guides all, making the classics sound like his own." The St. Petersburg Times gives it an A; the Lexington Herald Leader calls it "sublime."

John Adams is in Los Angeles this week to conduct a series of concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. On tap are two performances, the orchestra's first, of Adams's latest opera, A Flowering Tree, with its original cast of singers, this Friday and Sunday, plus a concert Tuesday, pairing his Son of Chamber Symphony with works by two young composer/performers. The LAist chooses the performances for its Classical Pick of the Week.

Last Sunday, k.d. lang was featured among the performers celebrating and being celebrated as Women in the Arts at the Kennedy Center's 2009 Spring Gala. This past Sunday, k.d. contributed an article to The Guardian and Observer Guides to Performing. "My voice and the styles and genres I sing all express my appreciation for what I hear," k.d. writes. "I've learned very slowly and very experientially. I find something and I just listen and experience it and eventually it starts coming out of me ... There needn't be a distinction between your life and your music."