Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Frank Carlberg's Big Band Takes Extended Flights On Familiar Monk Themes

1:54pm March 13, 2017

by Kevin Whitehead

Monk Dreams, Hallucinations and Nightmares, by the Finish-born pianist and composer, is a meditation on Thelonious Monk's "odd but catchy melodies," says jazz critic Kevin Whitehead.

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Music & Culture

World Cafe Nashville: Kiya Lacey

11:14am March 13, 2017

by Jewly Hight

Between Nashville and Atlanta, Lacey is developing an icy, introspective alt-R&B sound. "I feel like it's a great time for women to realize that they do have power," she says.

Red Baraat performs at Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 8, 2017. (Marian Carrasquero/NPR)

Music & Culture

Tiny Desk Special Edition: Red Baraat's Holi Celebration

9:00am March 13, 2017

by Bob Boilen

The Brooklyn bhangra band come to the Tiny Desk in celebration of Holi, the Hindu festival of color that welcomes the coming of spring.

Lorde performs "Green Light" on Saturday Night Live on March 12.

Music & Culture

Watch Lorde Perform 'Green Light' and 'Liability' On 'Saturday Night Live'

7:59am March 13, 2017

by Andrew Flanagan

It's usually enough not to embarrass yourself on Studio 8H's stage. Lorde, in fact, did a great job.

Joni Sledge, one of the original members of Sister Sledge, (second from left) posing with Rodney Jerkins (second from right), her niece Camille Sledge (left) and her cousin Amber Sledge in 2006 in Century City, Calif.

'We Are Family' Singer Joni Sledge Dies At 60

4:07pm March 12, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

Together with her sisters, she formed the group Sister Sledge, which was still touring. The band's publicist said they have not yet determined a cause of death and that she had not been ill.

A collective of musicians from Bronx, N.Y., got together in late January to film video entries to NPR's Tiny Desk Contest — the "Tiny Bronx Contest."

Music & Culture

For This Musical Community, The Tiny Desk Contest Was An Excuse To Reunite

8:14am March 12, 2017

by Rachel Horn

Songwriter Alex Bondarev came up through a local musicians' network called the Bronx Underground. In preparing to enter NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest, he decided to get the gang back together.

James Mercer is the lead singer and songwriter of The Shins; the band's latest album is called Heartworms.

Music & Culture

James Mercer Says The Shins' New Songs Reflect Changes In Rock — And Himself

7:33pm March 11, 2017

by Lakshmi Singh

Heartworms is the band's first album in five years. Mercer says that in the two decades since the band formed, his outlook and that of the dominant music culture have swapped places.

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An original pressing of the album, from Satlof's collection.

Music & Culture

800 Copies: Meet The World's Most Obsessive Fan Of 'The Velvet Underground and Nico'

6:11pm March 11, 2017

by Jem Aswad

The Velvet Underground and Nico changed music history — and Mark Satlof has over 800 copies of its original pressing.

Frank Ocean at the White House in October 2016.

Music & Culture

Frank Ocean Drops Gauzy New Work, 'Chanel'

11:45am March 11, 2017

by Andrew Flanagan

Ocean unveils his first new music since the release of Blonde.

Japandroids is drummer David Prowse (left) and guitarist Brian King. The duo's latest album is Near to the Wild Heart of Life.

Music & Culture

Just What Is 'The Wild Heart Of Life'? Japandroids' Album Title, Explained

5:21am March 11, 2017

After hearing the phrase "near to the wild heart of life" years ago, the singer/guitarist discovered it had a literary origin that perfectly suited the spirit of Japandroids' music.