Folk singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright returned to LA, where he made his 1998 debut, to make his new record. He says the title comes from the idea of reexamining the world to make your own decisions.
Host Christian McBride and trumpeter/composer Wynton Marsalis reflect on Marsalis' studio recordings that address injustices and speak about the role music plays in speaking truth to power.
Rasanbleman (Red Moon) is Haitian creole for "a large gathering." It refers to the group of nearly 30 musicians and artists who got together for the album's recording sessions in Jacmel, Haiti.
"For some people, the spirit of outlaw still is being an outsider," the country artist says,. From divorce, coming out and coping with addiction, being an outsider informs the music of Neon Bible.
Amy Helm, an acclaimed Americana singer and the daughter of famed drummer and singer Levon Helm of The Band, has decided during the lockdown to do a kind of curbside delivery of her own — songs.
Ari Shapiro speaks with Blake about playing virtual concerts for thousands of fans, and finding his voice early on by studying the music of British producer Mala.
Singers Sam Craft and Alexis Marceaux describe their very different experiences with COVID-19. Plus hear the uniquely New Orleanian story of how the band celebrated the release of its new album.
NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Jonah Yano about his debut album Souvenir which captures his feelings of growing up in Vancouver and his estranged relationship with his father back in Japan.
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Teyana Taylor about The Album, her anticipated follow-up to the Kanye West-produced K.T.S.E. that features guests like Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and Erykah Badu.
Giddens' Freedom Highway is an exploration of African American experiences, accompanied by an instrument with its own uniquely African American story: the banjo. Originally broadcast May 11, 2017.
In the 1960s, Reagon was a founding member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee's Freedom Singers. In 1988, she spoke to Fresh Air about the songs she sang as an activist.
Over time, the sound and lineup of U.S. Girls has evolved from just Meg Remy. On the group's latest record, Heavy Light, up to 20 musicians recorded in the studio at the same time.
The LA singer-songwriter talks about her second solo album, which includes guest appearances from peers like Conor Oberst, copying ideas from her heroes and the way lyrical specificity mimics poetry.
Hear the cellist talk about the purpose of music in the face of racial tension and health crises, plus his new album, Not Our First Goat Rodeo, which reunites him with old bluegrass buddies.
The singer-songwriter canceled tour dates for her debut album when an illness incapacitated her singing voice. On Mia Gargaret, she overcomes the creative challenge with a stunning ambient album.
The Library of Congress is debuting 10 works of new music about the COVID-19 pandemic. The project takes inspiration from Giovanni Boccaccio, a writer who collected stories about the Black Death.
George Floyd, whose death sparked nationwide protests, was a rapper in Houston earlier in his life. NPR's David Greene speaks with Floyd's former collaborators about his musical past.
