Music & Culture

Music & Culture

A Look Back At How Virtuoso Jimmy Blanton Changed The Bass Forever

2:11pm October 05, 2018

by Kevin Whitehead

On what would have been Blanton's 100 birthday, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead recounts the ways in which the bassist revolutionized his instrument during his brief time on the music scene.

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"There's so much pain that people carry and try to avoid," Cat Power says. "That's why music is so incredible."

Music & Culture

'Life Is A Lesson, And Sometimes It's Difficult To Learn': Cat Power Steps Forward

1:15pm October 05, 2018

Six years since her last album, Cat Power has returned. The singer-songwriter talks about motherhood, memories and her latest album 'Wanderer.'

McCrary Sisters perform live at WXPN's Gospel Roots Of Rock And Soul Concert in Philadelphia.

Music & Culture

Watch The McCrary Sisters Gospel Roots Of Rock And Soul Concert

12:55pm October 05, 2018

by Bruce Warren

Ann, Deborah, Regina and Alfreda dazzled a packed house at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Jeff Daniels and his son, Ben Daniels, perform on Mountain Stage.

Music & Culture

Jeff Daniels And The Ben Daniels Band On Mountain Stage

12:23pm October 05, 2018

by Adam Harris

The Emmy-winning actor is also a prolific recording artist, guitarist and songwriter. Daniels' latest album, Acoustic Sittin' Tour 2018, features his family band.

HAERTS inside the World Cafe Performance Studio

Music & Culture

HAERTS On World Cafe

11:54am October 05, 2018

by Talia Schlanger

Listening to HAERTS' album 'New Compassion' feels like you're hearing a couple work through their relationship from both sides in real time.

Carly Rae Jepsen performs in Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2018.

Music & Culture

Carly Rae Jepsen Is The 21st Century's Queen Of A Million Kingdoms

11:33am October 05, 2018

by Lyndsey McKenna

Though "Call Me Maybe" has been a defining moment of her career, it's the aftermath of her 2015 album that's come to define who Jepsen is on social media: the subject of a bottomless well of memes.

Cat Power's Wanderer is on our shortlist of essential releases for Oct. 5.

Music & Culture

New Music Friday For Oct. 5: Cat Power And 7 Other Albums You Should Hear Now

11:30am October 05, 2018

by Stephen Thompson

Explore the versatile country of Eric Church, the spiky pop-rock of Swearin', the rugged metal of High on Fire and other albums due out this week.

The death of Mike Panico, co-founder of Relative Pitch Records, shocked friends and colleagues throughout the avant-garde jazz scene this week.

Music & Culture

Behind A Death In Queens, A Major Loss For The Avant-Garde Jazz Community

10:40am October 05, 2018

by Nate Chinen

Headlines this week have highlighted the macabre circumstances surrounding the death of Michael Panico, but overlooked his notable contributions to a music community jolted by the news.

Cory Henry performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Sept. 7, 2018 (Claire Harbage/NPR).

Music & Culture

Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles: Tiny Desk Concert

10:30am October 05, 2018

by Felix Contreras

Henry and his band would have sounded right at home on Stax Records in the '70s — no small accomplishment. Watch them perform three funky, soulful jams.

See that big world out there? Sometimes you just need to make it go away.

Music & Culture

Thinkin' Songs: Drown Out The World With A Concentration-Friendly Megamix

5:00am October 05, 2018

by Stephen Thompson

We all have distractions in our lives that keep us from working, studying, concentrating or otherwise attempting to unlock something in our own brains. This two-hour playlist is engineered to help.