The first studio recording of Tyondai Braxton's Telekinesis—an eighty-seven-piece work for electric guitars, orchestra, choir and electronics—is out now on New Amsterdam / Nonesuch Records. The album features the Metropolis Ensemble conducted by Andrew Cyr, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus conducted by Dianne Berkun Menaker, and chamber choir The Crossing conducted by Donald Nally performing what the Guardian calls "a superpower-themed symphony … a titanic composition." Braxton cites the Japanese manga classic Akira as a thematic guide, with its story of a young boy's discovery of his telekinetic powers and his inability to control it, leading to his own destruction. The Times exclaims: "It's remarkable."

Cécile McLorin Salvant performs her new theatrical piece Ogresse at the Kennedy Center. Timo Andres celebrates Ingram Marshall at Yale. The Black Keys take part in VetsAid 2022 in Columbus. Rhiannon Giddens joins LA Phil for Julia Bullock–curated festival. Tigran Hamasyan plays in Bentonville and Los Angeles. Hurray for the Riff Raff joins Bright Eyes in Providence and Brooklyn. Kronos Quartet leads online master class. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade are in Zurich and Groningen. Caroline Shaw, Sō Percussion perform in Oregon, broadcast live. Chris Thile, Sam Amidon tour London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Molly Tuttle is in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Laurie Anderson was the musical guest on the latest edition WNYC's Get Lit with All of It, the book club series with All of It host Alison Stewart. She joined Stewart at the New York Public Library last month, along with a friend, author A.M. Homes, who spoke about her new book, The Unfolding. Anderson performed an improvised piece based on the book and spoke with Stewart about her own work. For her second performance, Anderson incorporated a recording of her late husband Lou Reed, the ninth anniversary of whose death coincided with the event. You can hear the performances and conversation and watch the complete event here.

Kronos Quartet will tour Australia for the final time in March 2023, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The KRONOS Five Decades Tour—the eighth Australian tour for the ensemble produced by Arts Projects Australia—will take in Perth Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne, Tasmania’s Ten Days On The Island, WOMADelaide, and Adelaide Festival, culminating at the Sydney Opera House on March 14. Kronos will perform music spanning brand new works and signature pieces from composers around the world.

Chris Thile stopped by the BBC Radio 4 studios to perform some Bach and music from his 2021 solo album, Laysongs, on Front Row and talk with presenter Luke Jones about the album and more. You can hear their conversation here. Thile kicks off a tour of the UK and Ireland with Sam Amidon on Wednesday, with shows in Bristol, Coventry, London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Dublin.

Gabriel Kahane, who heads to Europe and the UK this month for a London Jazz Festival set at the Southbank Centre and two nights in Copenhagen with the Danish String Quartet, has just announced a return to the Continent next March. The tour begins at the Philharmonie de Luxembourg on March 2, followed by a night at the Elbphilhrmonie in Hamburg and shows in Cologne, Lyon, Paris, Cenon, and Chateauroux. 

Tigran Hamasyan kicks off a North American tour with music from his new album of American standards, StandArt, at The Opera House in Brooklyn on Wednesday, followed by shows in Bentonville, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Ottawa, and Toronto. "Out of all the so-called jazz standard repertoire, there are a number of compositions that really have a special place in my heart,” he says in a new video about the making of the album. "It was a true blessing to record this project with Matt Brewer with Justin Brown as the trio and have guest appearances of Ambrose Akinmusire, Mark Turner, and Joshua Redman."

Hurray for the Riff Raff, who is currently touring North America as special guest of Bright Eyes, will join First Aid Kit on their West Coast tour in May 2023. The shows kick off at the Fox Theater in Oakland on May 15, followed by the Hollywood Palladium and stops in Phoenix, Denver, Salt Lake City, Portland, and Vancouver, culminating at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on May 24.

Rhiannon Giddens is on the latest episode of BBC World Service’s Music Life with fellow musicians Alela Diane, Mariee Siou, and Uwade. They discuss the spark that goes off when songwriting goes well, how moments of personal growth and transition affect their music, thinking of taxes while performing, and more. You can hear their conversation here.

Voices of Bishara, the new album from drummer, composer, and producer Tom Skinner (The Smile, Sons of Kemet) and the first recording under his own name, is out now via Brownswood / International Anthem / Nonesuch. "Voices of Bishara is one of the top three jazz albums of 2022 so far and it would take the second comings of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Horace Silver and Lee Morgan to threaten to dislodge it," exclaims All About Jazz in a five-star review. "Voices of Bishara is a terrific affirmation of what makes Skinner so interesting as both a drummer and now a composer," says Treble. "It’s a thrilling, lively record and one of the best jazz releases this year."

Makaya McCraven has released a Hi-Res live EP, International Anthem @ Public Records (Volume 3), available exclusively on Qobuz. The set was recorded live at Brooklyn's Public Records on September 19, 2022, for which McCraven assembled a unique ensemble with a string quartet to perform special arrangements of songs from his new album, In These Times. "It was really fun doing pared down versions of these songs in such an intimate space," McCraven says, "especially with so many close friends and family in the house." You can watch a live video of "Dream Another" from the set here.

Rhiannon Giddens joins Our Native Daughters at Carnegie Hall, Charlotte Symphony in North Carolina, and Ojai Music Festival for a virtual talk. Sam Amidon, Sam Gendel perform at Frue Festival in Japan. Jeremy Denk plays Bach at Caramoor. Hurray for the Riff Raff joins Bright Eyes in Illinois. Gabriel Kahane joins Oregon Symphony to premiere his new piece in Oregon. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Brian Blade are in Vienna. Caroline Shaw, Sō Percussion are in Wisconsin. Chris Thile tours Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium. Molly Tuttle, Golden Highway are in Utah.