Music & Culture

The pop legend spoke to Morning Edition about the Great American Songbook, his long career and "Mandy."

In subtropical Japan, the sanshin is a ubiquitous part of life. The instrument even follows Okinawans long after they're gone — played at grave sites, when families pay respects to their ancestors.

The surf-rock band spends a day hanging out at NPR's Washington, D.C., headquarters and helping to provide All Things Considered's soundtrack. It's the first (and perhaps only) time the show has had its own in-house band playing interstitial music live.

The celebrated young American cellist walks us through her recording of this "devastating" concerto written just after the end of World War I. She collaborated with conductor Daniel Barenboim, whose late wife, Jacqueline du Pre, was the standard-bearer for this work.

The $100 Guitar Project started when two friends bought a cheap guitar on a whim. They invited some other friends to compose and record an original piece on the instrument. Nels Cline, Fred Frith and Elliott Sharp are among the 65 guitarists who recorded for the project that went viral.

The West African nation of Mali is a hotbed of blazing electric guitar players. In recent years, two of the best — Zani Diabate and Lobi Traore — died suddenly while in the prime of their creative lives. Both have posthumous releases out this year worth tracking down.

Peony Pavilion is one of China's most famous operas, but uncut performances of this romantic 16th century work can take more than 22 hours. An adapted version of the dream-like opera will take place at the Metropolitan Museum.

There might be no bluegrass music as we know it without Wade Mainer.

Ever hear the one about the cellist who walked into a bar? No joke, he and several colleagues from the Cleveland Orchestra have been playing pickup gigs at a local watering hole. It's standing room only at the Happy Dog, a neighborhood bar on Cleveland's near-west side.