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  • Tuesday, April 6, 2010

    Pat Metheny begins the North American leg of his world Orchestrion tour today, just as the album releases on vinyl. The Wall Street Journal's Ashley Kahn takes a look at the orchestrion in action, calling the performance "surprisingly fluid and nuanced," with "Metheny's trademark guitar sound: fluid, with a clear melodic sense, flitting between a bright, pop approach and a more moody effect." The album, says Kahn, contains "as beautiful a melody as any Mr. Metheny has written since his Question and Answer session."

    Journal Topics: Album Release, On Tour
  • Monday, April 5, 2010

    David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's Here Lies Love is out now. The Financial Times calls it "both intelligent and highly entertaining." The Times (UK) gives it four stars, saying, "The pair's navigation of the narrative is impeccable." The Boston Globe calls it "a sumptuous two-disc feast of harmony, melody, and Latin-accented grooves." The Washington Post's Express Night Out cites "its considerable impact and surprising emotional resonance." The Star-Ledger calls it "instantly enjoyable." The Huffington Post proclaims: "The talent gathered here was spot-on."

    Journal Topics: Album Release, Reviews
  • Monday, April 5, 2010

    Tomorrow marks the release of the new Broadway cast recording of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A Little Night Music. To mark the occasion, Sondheim and the cast of A Little Night Music, including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury, and Alexander Hanson, will sign copies of the album at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Tonight, Sondheim presents the O'Neill's Monte Cristo Award to director/producer Hal Prince. Next week, Lansbury will receive the Signature Theatre's Stephen Sondheim Award.

    Journal Topics: Album Release, Artist News
  • Monday, April 5, 2010

    Wilco's current tour, An Evening with Wilco, may be fully sold-out, but that doesn't mean you'll have to go without. Tune in to the band site for live webcasts of Tuesday's show from Boston and Wednesday's show from Concord, New Hampshire. Relix described the tour opener as "a spirited rock-and-roll blowout." You can also enjoy Wilco live via the forthcoming vinyl release of Kicking Television: Live in Chicago.

    Journal Topics: On Tour, Reviews, Web
  • Monday, April 5, 2010

    Louis Andriessen is set to preside over several concerts he has curated as holder of Carnegie Hall's Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair, starting Friday. The New York Times recognizes Andriessen's "gift for embracing conflicting values, musical and otherwise, and making it seem as if they fit together naturally." Among the participants in these events are John Adams, Dawn Upshaw, Iva Bittová, Alan Pierson, and Nonesuch President Robert Hurwitz.

    Journal Topics: On Tour, Artist News
  • Monday, April 5, 2010

    Tony Allen—best known for his work as drummer and musical director for Fela Kuti—makes his World Circuit / Nonesuch debut with next week's North American release of Secret Agent, on April 13. Now comes confirmation of Allen's North American tour this summer, with stops in Toronto, Madison, Chicago, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Seattle, and Northern California.

    Journal Topics: Album Release, On Tour
  • Friday, April 2, 2010

    After a pre-sale brought fans of The Black Keys early access to tickets for the band's summer tour and their forthcoming album, Brothers, tickets are now available direct from the venues, and the album is available for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store. Fans who got in on early tickets were able to download "Tighten Up," the first single off of Brothers. Now everyone can catch the video for the song and its undeniably charismatic star.

    Journal Topics: Video
  • Friday, April 2, 2010

    Wilco tour heads up the East Coast as Blogotheque posts its "Take-Away Show" ... Carolina Chocolate Drops stop off at The Showroom in Spartanburg, South Carolina ... Bill Frisell makes Savannah Music Festival debut on double bill with ngoni virtuoso Bassekou Kouyate ... Phillip Glass plays the Pacific Northwest ... The Low Anthem has shows in Salt Lake City, Boulder, and Omaha ... Brad Mehldau Trio sets up for a weekend at Yoshi's ... and more ...

    Journal Topics: On Tour, Weekend Events
  • Friday, April 2, 2010

    The Brad Mehldau Trio began a four-night residency at Yoshi's in Oakland last night. Mehldau recently returned to the US after an extensive European tour and kicked things off with a solo show at Largo in LA. The Los Angeles Times says any solo set from Mehldau "promises to be an adventurous treat" and finds the pianist to be "at the peak of his powers," calling his latest album, Highway Rider, "one of the most striking jazz releases of the year."

    Journal Topics: On Tour, Reviews
  • Friday, April 2, 2010

    Ali and Toumani, the second and final collaboration between the late Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré and kora master Toumani Diabaté, was released earlier this year to critical acclaim and has now made its way to the top of the World Music Charts in Europe. The Mail & Guardian calls it "a masterpiece." The New Zealand Herald gives it five stars, calling it "stunning" as does Jambase. Sonic Boomers finds it to be "an achievement of brilliance."

    Journal Topics: Artist News, Reviews
  • Thursday, April 1, 2010

    David Byrne's Here Lies Love—a collaboration with Fatboy Slim and nearly two dozen vocalists—is out now. Earlier this year, Byrne spoke with CNN about his craft while at the TED Conference, in a just-published video. The Daily Telegraph gives Here Lies Love four stars, calling it "inspired ... a headily atmospheric and inspired combination of humid, late-Seventies, early-Eighties Latin-tilted beats and lyrics you actually want to think about."

    Journal Topics: Reviews, Video
  • Thursday, April 1, 2010

    The Carolina Chocolate Drops have been on a roll on their current tour of the US, playing sold-out sets along the way, including one tonight at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina. Tune in to North Carolina Public Radio's The State of Things live at 12 PM ET to hear a chat with the band. The Raleigh News & Observer says "the best thing the Chocolate Drops have going for them is freshness, an ability to make old music sound and feel relevant."

    Journal Topics: On Tour, Radio