Music & Culture

Alt.Latino talks to a bandleader with deep roots in Cuban music and a role in current events. O'Farrill just released a new album called Cuba: The Conversation Continues.

Musicians in Kenya want a law forcing radio stations to play 70 percent local music. Nigeria and South Africa have similar rules. But this kind of protectionism could backfire.

Members of a Syrian indie rock band escaped their country's bloodshed and have become a mainstay of Beirut's music scene. "In spite of all the deaths," the band sings, "you are still alive."

Ever wanted to see Jason Isbell, Shovels & Rope or Billy Joe Shaver 333 feet underground? You'll have to take a hike.

Composer Maria Schneider draws on her rural Minnesota roots in her new album. Critic Kevin Whitehead says that while Schneider can do grandeur, "once in awhile, the majesty gets a little too purple."

The original members of N.W.A produced the film, which opens nationwide Friday. Like the group's story, the making of Straight Outta Compton — which took 11 years — is filled with drama.

"When you play it, you can really feel it because you're sitting close to the pipes. It's almost as if you're becoming a part of the instrument."