Journal
- Friday, November 1, 2024
The Black Keys have released a new song, “I’m With The Band,” written with and featuring Beck, from the upcoming Ohio Players (Trophy Edition). It's the third song from that expanded version of the band's latest album on which Beck sings and which he co-wrote with The Black Keys, including the original Ohio Players tracks “Paper Crown,” featuring Juicy J, and “Beautiful People (Stay High).” The Black Keys have added new tour dates at festival in Monterrey, Mexico, and Tempe, AZ, in early 2025.
Journal Topics: Artist News
- Monday, April 27, 2020
Stephen Sondheim, who turned 90 on March 22, was given a birthday celebration to remember when scores of artists came together, virtually, to perform his songs on Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration last night. The two-plus-hour event, a benefit for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), was hosted by Raúl Esparza and includes performances and birthday wishes from Esparza, Mandy Patinkin, Audra McDonald, Meryl Streep, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Benanti, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Donna Murphy, Alexander Gemignani, and so many more. You can watch it here.
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoMonday, April 27, 2020Brad Mehldau brought his Three Pieces After Bach program to the Philharmonie de Paris back in April 2018. As with his album After Bach, released on Nonesuch in March of that year, the solo program pairs pieces from J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier with Mehldau's own works inspired by Bach. The concert, which was broadcast live from the hall via ARTE, is now being made available again as a series. All five segments are available here now.
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoSaturday, April 25, 2020Devendra Banhart curated a series of workshops for children titled Imaginary Universes, for Fondazione Prada's Accademia dei bambini in Milan in 2018. Now, the foundation has made the first workshop, "The Astonishing Adventures of a Celestial Archaeologist," available online as a resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers. It is part of the foundation's Accademia Aperta initiative to share materials during its temporary closure and the wider coronavirus quarantine. You can watch it here, along with the animated film shown at the workshop set to Banhart's song "Celebration."
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoFriday, April 24, 2020Chris Thile performed "This Is the Song (Good Luck)"—from Punch Brothers' 2010 album, Antifogmatic—with the band of his public radio show Live From Here, each in their respective homes, for a special #LiveFromHome broadcast on April 11. You can watch it here, as well as Thile's solo performance, and Punch Brothers' own 2010 performance of the song.
Journal Topics: Artist News, Radio, VideoThursday, April 23, 2020Lake Street Dive, whose Lounge Around Sounds tour was due to be taking place now, brought some of the joy and silliness of the planned tour from their own homes to those of fans around the world last night with the online Lounge Around Sounds Variety Hour of music, story-telling, jokes, games, and one very special guest. It was an hour of pay-what-you-can fun—pajamas encouraged—with a portion of the proceeds going to Off Their Plate, an organization helping feed frontline healthcare workers. You can watch it all here.
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoThursday, April 23, 2020Yola performed on the inaugural episode of The Bluegrass Situation's Whiskey Sour Happy Hour, hosted by Ed Helms, to benefit MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund and Direct Relief. "She put out one of the most exciting albums of the year last year with the production and co-writer guidance of Dan Auerbach," says Helms. The show's "house band" is Punch Brothers' Gabe Witcher, whom Helms calls an "unbelievably annoyingly talented musician." You can watch it here. New episodes of the show will air April 29, May 6, and May 13, with guests including Chris Thile, Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi, and Rodney Crowell.
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoWednesday, April 22, 2020Congratulations to Dave Malloy and to the cast and creative team of Octet, which has been nominated for eight Drama Desk Awards—Outstanding Musical; Malloy for Outstanding Music, Lyrics, and Book of a Musical, and, with Or Matias, for Orchestrations; Annie Tippe for Outstanding Director of a Musical; Amy Rubin and Brittany Vasta for Outstanding Scenic Design for a Musical; and Hidenori Nakajo for Outstanding Sound Design for a Musical—and has earned a special Ensemble Award. The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards ceremony will take place digitally on May 31.
Journal Topics: Artist NewsTuesday, April 21, 2020David Byrne is on 3 Girls, 1 Keith, Amy Schumer's Spotify podcast with Bridget Everett, Rachel Feinstein, and Keith Robinson. They discuss his show American Utopia on Broadway, his life in music, and more. "We have a living legend on the show today," says Schumer. "This is big. This is finally it." Of American Utopia, she says: "I went bananas for it ... American Utopia is a show that will change your life ... The album is so good." You can listen to the conversation here.
Journal Topics: Artist NewsTuesday, April 21, 2020Sonos launches Sonos Radio, a free, ad-supported streaming radio service, available to Sonos customers today. The new service brings together more than 60,000 stations from multiple streaming partners alongside original programming from Sonos. In addition to genre-based stations, the service includes ad-free artist stations, including one coming soon from David Byrne, and Sonos Sound System, an ad-free station hosted by the Sonos team with guest-hosted radio hours from artists including Vagabon and Jeff Parker to come.
Journal Topics: Artist News, RadioMonday, April 20, 2020"Randy Newman is an Oscar-winning singer-songwriter whose music never fails to capture the spirit of the times," says CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley in her introduction to Newman's appearance on the show. He and his wife Gretchen spoke with correspondent John Blackstone about life under quarantine and his new song, "Stay Away," a call to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the show calls "a love song of sorts, perfect for a time of isolation." You can watch the piece here.
Journal Topics: Artist News, Television, VideoMonday, April 20, 2020Composer and conductor John Adams spoke with France Musique for a thirty-minute tête-à-tête in English during a trip to conduct Orchestre Symphonique de Radio France in concert earlier this year. The conversation covers his music, musical influences, current events, current social trends, Kendrick Lamar, and some of his favorite pieces by Debussy, Stravinsky, and more. You can watch it here.
Journal Topics: Artist News, VideoSaturday, April 18, 2020Record Store Day may have been delayed a bit, but now is a great time to show how we Love Record Stores by shopping online at local independent record stores. Find yours in the US at recordstoreday.com and around the world at recordstores.love.
Journal Topics: News