Music

Music & Culture

Angélique Kidjo Celebrates Celia Cruz: 'Everything About Celia Is Self-Determination'

4:38pm September 19, 2019

Celia Cruz always embraced salsa's African roots — and West African musician Angélique Kidjo embraced her right back. Kidjo recently sat down with Alt.Latino to talk about Cruz's influence on her.

Constructing Jazz Inside Fine Art, And Vice-Versa

3:16pm September 19, 2019

by Nate Chinen

The jazz pianist has pulled the curtain off his polymathic abilities, bringing his fine art exhibition — which includes video, installations and performance — home to New York.

Keren Ann performs live for a World Cafe's Sense Of Place, Paris session.

Music & Culture

A Sense Of Place Visit To Montmartre, Paris With Keren Ann

1:06pm September 19, 2019

Born in Israel and raised the Netherlands, Keren Ann now calls Paris home.

Music & Culture

Soccer Mommy Leans Into Darkness With 'Lucy'

12:15pm September 19, 2019

by Zoë Jones

On the band's new single, "Lucy," singer Sophie Allison wrestles with the curse of temptation.

Celia Cruz, performing in Chicago in 1997.

Music & Culture

What She Brought With Her

10:17am September 19, 2019

by Alexandra T. Vazquez

It can be tempting to encapsulate Celia Cruz's life with a single phrase: "The Queen of Salsa." But she carried with her a deeper musical history from Cuba than that phrase can encompass.

"It's not a bad thing to be old fashioned, but, you know, not everything old fashioned was great either. This kind of meets in the middle," Jon Pardi says of his new album.

Music & Culture

Jon Pardi's Hyperactive Honky-Tonk Brings The Past Into The Present

10:01am September 19, 2019

by Jewly Hight

Heartache Medication favors muscled-up guitars and booming drums, but reserves a place of honor for gutsy, tunefully expressive fiddle and steel solos.

Linda May Han Oh performs at NPR's Studio One in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2019.

Music & Culture

Watch Bassist Linda May Han Oh Perform Her Dynamic New Project, 'Aventurine'

7:31am September 19, 2019

by Nate Chinen

Jazz Night in America teamed up with CapitalBop's Traveling Loft Series to present a performance of Linda May Han Oh's Aventurine at NPR's Studio One in Washington, D.C.

Ric Ocasek, photographed in New York in June, 1995 — the same year a young Matthew Caws handed him a demo recording of his band, Nada Surf. Shortly thereafter, Ocasek was producing the group's debut album, High/Low.

Music & Culture

The Time Ric Ocasek Helped My Band Make Its First Record

3:29pm September 18, 2019

by Matthew Caws

Matthew Caws' band Nada Surf had "no immediate prospects" when Caws passed Ocasek a demo tape at a show — and before he knew it, they were all in the studio together, recording the band's debut.

Jenny and the Mexicats are featured in a feast of new music this week.

Music & Culture

Alt.Latino Playlist: Bronx Urbano, Spanish Swing And Brazilian Psych-Rock

3:27pm September 18, 2019

Fat Joe teams with Cardi B, a multicultural band plays Spanish swing and members of two Brazilian psych-rock bands unite.

Delgres performs live in Paris for World Cafe: Sense of Place

Music & Culture

Delgres Combines Guadeloupean Heritage With New Orleans Creole And Blues

3:07pm September 18, 2019

Pascal Danaë shed light on the historic and musical connection between Africa, the French West Indies and Louisiana.