Adam Guettel, Big Ears, Black Keys, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Staves, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Piano Day News and More
'Days of Wine and Roses' CD * Big Ears recap * The Black Keys in Billboard * Hurray for the Riff Raff in Vulture, on KCRW * The Staves in Monocle * Cécile McLorin Salvant live videos * and more
Available to Pre-Order
Adam Guettel: Days of Wine and Roses [CD]
Available May 17
The original cast album of Adam Guettel's Broadway musical Days of Wine and Roses, with a book by Craig Lucas, starring Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James, will be released on CD in May following its recent digital release. "Repeated listenings compound the amazement," the New York Times says of Guettel's work, which "has always offered that kind of challenge—initially leaving a feeling of: Beautiful, but wait, I need to hear it again—and those up for it have a way of coming away shining like Moses down from the Mount. The new score has the same effect."
News from the Nonesuch Journal
Big Ears Festival
What a weekend! Thanks to everyone at Big Ears Festival in Knoxville and to all the Nonesuch artists past, present, and future who were there for the incredible music, conversation, and more: Sam Amidon, Laurie Anderson, Darcy James Argue, Tyondai Braxton, Rhiannon Giddens, Mary Halvorson, Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Kronos Quartet, Brad Mehldau, Ringdown, Davóne Tines, and Yasmin Williams. Watch a quick recap of it all.
Listen: The Black Keys on Billboard's Behind the Setlist
The Black Keys are on Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast to talk about their new album, Ohio Players—a title honoring the legendary Dayton, Ohio, funk band of the same name—out next Friday. They discuss how they were inspired by the rock, R&B, and funk 7" singles they've spun during their Record Hang DJ sets around the world, working with Noel Gallagher, and more.
Hurray for the Riff Raff in Vulture
"The Troubadour: How Alynda Segarra, a former train-hopping punk from the Bronx, became one of America’s best songwriters," titles an extensive profile in New York magazine's Vulture on Segarra, aka Hurray for the Riff Raff, and their new album, The Past Is Still Alive, written by Jenn Pelly.
Listen: The Staves on Monocle on Culture
"The Staves' songs are sweet and melancholic, often belying the depth of emotion and subtleness of their lyrics," says Monocle on Culture host Robert Bound. "Their music manages to be both gentle and punchy, driven home by their perfect, perfect harmonies." The duo is on the podcast to discuss their new album, All Now, which Bound describes as "sonically rich, full of moments of euphoria," and perform live on the show.
Watch: Cécile McLorin Salvant Performs from Mélusine
Cécile McLorin Salvant's acclaimed 2023 album, Mélusine, was released one year ago this week. To mark the occasion, we've shared live performances of four songs from the album made at Oberlin College and Conservatory with Sullivan Fortner on piano and Weedie Braimah on djembe.
Listen: Hurray for the Riff Raff on KCRW's Press Play
"The beauty of song is you can spread information, you can make people feel not alone. And you can also create a time capsule for people in the future to know what we're dealing with now," Hurray for the Riff Raff (aka Alynda Segarra) tells KCRW's Press Play. "The more we are faced with really big challenges as a country and big challenges as a planet, the more I feel really grounded … I want to use this time intentionally."
The Staves Talk with Atwood Magazine
"Their first record as a duo is one of the strongest releases of the band's career," Atwood Magazine's Mitch Mosk writes of The Staves' new album, All Now, ahead of an interview with the band. "A product of passion and perseverance, soul-searching and self-knowing, All Now is an emboldened, cathartic release that sees The Staves basking in beautiful folk rock pastures as they take on the world ... utterly enchanting—a catchy, cohesive, and many-sided listening experience with endless returns."
Listen: Piano Day Playlist
For yesterday’s Piano Day, we’ve got a playlist of Nonesuch piano recordings from across the decades by Brad Mehldau, Timo Andres, Richard Goode, Randy Newman, Tigran Hamasyan, Robin Holcomb, Allen Toussaint, Fred Hersch, John Adams, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and more.
Nonesuch Events for the Weekend
This Easter Weekend, Sam Amidon celebrates the tenth anniversary of his album Lily-O in NYC with Bill Frisell, Shahzad Ismaily, and Chris Vatalaro, then heads to Cambridge. Ambrose Akinmusire is in NYC to lead his sextet at Harlem Stage. Laurie Anderson brings her Let X=X show to Portland and Seattle, where Hurray for the Riff Raff performs from The Past Is Still Alive. Jeremy Denk joins Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Brad Mehldau is in Boulder. Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion play from Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part in Tucson.
Bill Frisell's Before We Were Born at 35
It was 35 years ago this week: Bill Frisell made his Nonesuch debut with the release of Before We Were Born. He’s joined on the album by Julius Hemphill, Arto Lindsay, Peter Scherer, Joey Baron, Hank Roberts, Kermit Driscoll, Billy Drewes, and Doug Wieselman. The New York Times declared: "By following through on the implications of his unfettered sounds, Mr. Frisell has made his best album."