UK documentary exploring roots of Cuban rumba screens at Lula Lounge, Thursday

Charlie Inman's film, Rumba Sessions: La Clave, screens at Lula Lounge for free on February 4 at 9 pm.

Happy 80th Birthday Lester Sterling!

Celebrating the birthday of original Skatalites saxophonist Lester Sterling with a couple of classic recordings. 

The Stoneage Hearts vs. The Plimsouls

The Stoneage Hearts cover of The Plimsouls' A Million Miles Away is off their new 7" single available at Circus.

Happy Birthday Steve Reid

Remembering master percussionist Steve Reid with a short film and a couple of stellar performances. 

Happy 75th Birthday Cash McCall

Celebrating the birthday of Windy City R&B great Cash McCall with a couple of classics.

John Oswald's plunderphoniCinema @ Array Space, Friday

plunderphoniCinema 

John Oswald, a Canadian thinker/artist/philosopher/musician who twists and sculpts and re-invents media and composition through photography, video and music will talk about his work and screen videos at the Array Space (155 Walnut Ave) on Friday (January 29) starting at 8 pm.


http://www.arraymusic.com/plunderphonicinema/
http://pfony.com
http://www.plunderphonics.com

Happy Birthday Bobby Bland

Remembering the late great Bobby Bland with a couple of early Duke label classics. 

The Ramrods vs. It's All Meat

Buffalo garage bashers The Ramrods (left) took a crack at "Feel It" by Toronto's It's All Meat back in '86.

Hologram Party w/ Pusha T, OBGMs, Sean Leon, DJ Dopey @ The Great Hall, Thursday

Pusha T discusses making music with Pharrell, time with The Clipse and subsequent break-up.

Watch Lee Hazlewood's "Requiem For An Almost Lady" short film

Here's Lee Hazlewood's concept film shot by Torbjörn Axelman for Swedish television in 1971.

Happy Birthday Ann Cole!

Remembering Ann Cole with her original version of a tune popularized by Muddy Waters.

One For The Weekend: Nat Birchall

Here's "Song To The Divine Mother" off Nat Birchall's latest album Invocations on Jazzman Records. 

Whaddya mean you don't know the Blue Sky Boys

Watch legendary collector Joe Bussard spin the Blue Sky Boys' original "Turn Your Radio On" 78 below.

Madlib vs. Delia Derbyshire

Delia Derbyshire's brilliant "Pot Au Feu" from 1968 was flipped by Madlib for his Freddie Gibbs collabo "Real".

Happy 70th Birthday Dolly Parton!

Celebrating Dolly Parton's 70th birthday with a classic clip from the Porter Wagoner Show from 1969. 

RIP Kevin Junior of the Chamber Strings

Kevin's amazing Chamber Strings albums Gospel Morning and Month of Sundays deserve much wider recognition.   

Toronto's Choir! Choir! Choir! salutes David Bowie

Watch the 500+ voices of Choir! Choir! Choir! sing Space Oddity at the Art Gallery of Ontario on Saturday.

RIP Clarence "Blowfly" Reid, 1939-2016

Clarence Reid aka Blowfly was the king of the Miami Sound whose beats and breaks helped build hip hop.

Happy Birthday Françoise Hardy!

Cheers to the ever fabulous Françoise Hardy on her day!

Happy Birthday John Carpenter!

Celebrating filmmaker John Carpenter's 68th birthday with his creepy cool Assault on Precinct 13 theme.

Watch the making of Jimmy Fallon's Last Waltz-style parody of Drake's Hotline Bling

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how Jimmy Fallon's inspired Hotline Bling parody came together.

One For The Weekend: Phil & Dave Alvin

Congrats to Dave & Phil Alvin on their nomination for the 37th Annual Blues Music Awards.

The Pow Wows @ The Bovine, Friday

The Pow Wows are playing their first-ever show at the Bovine... and it's free! Here's a rippin' Equals cover. 

Your Friend shares Paris-filmed video for Come Back From It

Taryn Miller's new album Gumption is out January 29. Your Friend hits the Horseshoe on April 11.

TOUR DATES (w/ Porches & Alex G)
Wed. Mar. 9 - Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Thu. Mar. 10 - Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
Fri. Mar. 11 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle - Backroom
Sat. Mar. 12 - Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover Festival
Sun. Mar. 13 - Orlando, FL @ Backbooth
Mon. Mar. 14 - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
Sat. Mar. 19 - Dallas, TX @ Spillover Music Fest
Mon. Mar. 21 - Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
Tue. Mar. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Wed. Mar. 23 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
Thu. Mar. 24 - Portland, OR @ Analog Cafe
Fri. Mar. 25 - Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
Sat. Mar. 26 - Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
Mon. Mar. 28 - San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Tue. Mar. 29 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
Thu. Mar. 31 - Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory - Constellation Room
Fri. Apr. 1 - San Diego, CA @ Che Cafe
Sat. Apr. 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
Sun. Apr. 3 - Albuquerque, NM @ The Co-Op
Tue. Apr. 5 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Wed. Apr. 6 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry
Thu. Apr. 7 - Madison, WI @ UW Student Union
Fri. Apr. 8 - Grinnell, IA @ Grinnell College - Gardner Lounge
Sat. Apr. 9 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Sun. Apr. 10 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Cafe
Mon. Apr. 11 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Tue. Apr. 12 - Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
Wed. Apr. 13 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Thu. Apr. 14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Fri. Apr. 15 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

Watch James Corden's Carpool Karaoke with Adele

Late Late Show host James Corden has found the perfect vehicle to get celebs like Adele to let down their guard.

Mavis Staples' Livin' On A High Note out Feb 19, Mavis! documentary screens on HBO Feb 26

Producer M Ward enlisted Nick Cave and other contemporary artists to write songs for Mavis Staples' new album. 

Mavis Staples is an alchemist of American music, and has continuously crossed genre lines like no musician since Ray Charles. Weaving herself into the very fabric of gospel, soul, folk, pop, R&B, blues, rock, and even hip hop over the better part of the last 60 years, the iconic singer has seen and sung through so many changes, always rising up to meet every road unwaveringly.

Along the way, she has learned from, worked with, and schooled countless legends from all arenas, and has brought her own timeless talent to each and every performance. Who else can claim to have answered the call time and time again, to become a leading voice of not just a generation, but of multiple eras and in myriad manifestations? Who else was there to sell a million gospel records, walk beside Dr. Martin Luther King, to help lead the ‘70s soul-power movement, to sing under the spotlight during The Last Waltz, to serve as muse to both Bob Dylan and Prince, and to win over 21st-century fans with a trio of deeply spiritual albums: 2007’s We’ll Never Turn Back 2010’s You Are Not Alone and 2013’s One True Vine.

With the release of her new album Livin’ On A High Note, she continues to gain momentum.  Referencing and drawing from her past while taking the music to fresh places, Mavis and her team recruited a unique dozen of today’s heralded and up-and-coming artists to write songs for the record including Nick Cave, Ben Harper, Tune-Yards, Benjamin Booker, Neko Case, Justin Vernon, Son Little, M. Ward—with Ward also tapped to produce the album in full. Conspicuously absent from the list of contributing writers is Jeff Tweedy who produced her last two albums.

“I’ve been singing my freedom songs and I wanted to stretch out and sing some songs that were new,” says Mavis. “I told the writers I was looking for some joyful songs. I want to leave something to lift people up; I’m so busy making people cry, not from sadness, but I’m always telling a part of history that brought us down and I’m trying to bring us back up. These songwriters gave me a challenge. They gave me that feeling of, ‘Hey, I can hang! I can still do this!’ There’s a variety, and it makes me feel refreshed and brand new. Just like Benjamin Booker wrote on the opening track (Take Us Back), ‘I got friends and I got love around me, I got people, the people who love me.’ I’m living on a high note, I’m above the clouds. I’m just so grateful. I must be the happiest old girl in the world. Yes, indeed.”

Listen to the title track High Note composed by talented Memphis singer/songwriter Valerie June followed by the trailer for Jessica Edwards' feature-length documentary Mavis!




Livin’ On A High Note (Anti-) 
Take Us Back (Benjamin Booker)
Love And Trust (Ben Harper)
If It’s A Light (The Head & The Heart)
Action (Tune-Yards)
High Note (Valerie June)
Don’t Cry (M. Ward)
Tomorrow (Aloe Blacc/John Batiste)
Dedicated (Justin Vernon/M. Ward)
History Now (Neko Case)
One Love (Son Little)
Jesus Lay Down Beside Me (Nick Cave)
MLK Song (M Ward/ Martin Luther King)

Happy 70th Birthday Eero Koivistoinen!

Celebrating saxophonist/composer Eero Koivistoinen's birthday with a couple of overlooked gems.

Happy Birthday Roland Alphonso

Remembering the late saxophone great Roland Alphonso with his 1968 classic Dreamland.

Arcade Fire's Sarah Neufeld & Jeremy Gara collaborate on The Ridge

You can pre-order The Ridge LP (out February 26) right here. Sarah Neufeld plays the Rivoli April 9. 

Midweek Mixdown: Son Zoo's Ethio Selection

Here's an entrancing 38-minute Ethiopian mix courtesy of Radio Afrique's Sonny Abegaze aka DJ Son Zoo.

RIP David Bowie, 1947-2016

Remembering David Bowie with his 1967 demo of C'est La Vie and a charming response to fan letter from Sandra. 

Watch Main Source on Electric Circus in 1991

Here's a live performance of Looking at the Front Door followed by a chat with an oddly styled George Lagogianes.

RIP Otis Clay, 1942-2016

Sadly, Windy City soul great Otis Clay passed away on Friday. He was 73. 

Happy Birthday Jimmy Page!

Here's a rare Yardbirds interview clip from Let's Go on July 7, 1967 and a performance in France from June 27, 1966. 

Happy Birthday Ron Sexsmith!

If not for Harry Nilsson and Ron Sexsmith, Feist may never have learned what a Brandy Alexander was. 

One For The Weekend: MF Doom & Busta Rhymes

The track "In The Streets" feat. MF Doom is off the new Busta Rhymes mixtape The Return Of The Dragon. 

Take a trip to Voodoo Land with Kevin Clark & Alex Pangman @ Hugh's Room, tonight

Alex & Kevin are joined by Ross Wooldridge, Steve Butterworth, Peter Hill, Chris Lamont & Chris Banks.

Happy 70th Birthday Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett is remembered by his Pink Floyd bandmates below. 

Celebrating National Bird Day with Catherine MacLellan and Elizabeth Simcoe

That's Elizabeth Simcoe's snow bird above and Gene MacLellan's Snowbird sung by daughter Catherine below. 

Happy Birthday Iris DeMent!

Cheers to Iowa City's amazing Iris DeMent on her day. Here are a couple of typically stellar performances.

Whaddya mean you don't know Manohari Singh

Bollywood legend Manohari Singh enjoyed the use of saxophone in this Dev Anand bit from 1974's Amir Garib. 

Happy 100th Birthday-o-roonie Slim Gaillard

Toasting the hepcat's hepcat Slim Gaillard on what would've been his 100th birthday.

Mike Johnson vs. The Saints

Mike Johnson's update of The Saints' "A Minor Aversion" benefits from a tasteful Brent Arnold string arrangement.

Out Demons, Out! @ The Embassy, tonight

Expect to hear some dark 'n' creepy classics from DJs Christian Hamilton & Sean Kennedy like this Lemmy gem. 

Happy 80th Birthday Sonny Greenwich!

Cheers to Hamilton's legendary guitarist Sonny Greenwich who lit up Hank Mobley's Third Season in 1967.

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar get down at Rosie The Rebel

"When You Walk Away" is off Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar's latest Send The Nightingale available here.