The pianist and composer talks about his passion for chillies, teas and saucepans, and cooking for his dad’s remarkable literary dinner parties I live in Torino [Turin] , a town where I grew up , where I was born. There’s a famous dish...
Islington Assembly Hall, London The twentysomething singer-songwriter brings classic Motown rhythms with a touch of hip-hop to a resounding set of anti-anxiety anthems Joy Crookes is only 26, but the south Londoner’s music already feels...
Spanning deep soul, disco and beyond, McCrae – who has died aged 81 – didn’t get the recognition she deserved for a discography charged with pain and wonder Rockin’ Chair, 90% of Me Is You, All This Love That I’m Givin’, Keep the Fire...
Robert Browning Associates, in partnership with Lotus Music & Dance and Roulette, are set to present an exciting lineup of world music and dance performances… The post A Spring 2025 Celebration of World Music & Dance in NYC...
This weekend, a symphony of Singers (not that kind) will lead an experimental performance that stitches together feminism and fashion – and offers the audience free repairs Stepping into the studio of the Brazilian-born artist and...
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest single, “Ceylan”, released via Big Crown Records, offers a fresh interpretation of the Neşet Ertaş classic, originally written by… The post Deerly Beloved: Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek...
Rapper is a vocal supporter of Palestine but has received criticism over restaurant’s links to Israeli military Stormzy has denied that he “compromised beliefs for commercial gain”, after his advertising partnership with McDonald’s was...
Singer and songwriter who had a longstanding partnership with Curtis Mayfield earned the nickname ‘Iceman’ for his cool demeanour Jerry Butler, the US singer and songwriter who had a string of 1960s pop and soul hits before a long career...
Exclusive: Analysis by the Guardian shows a third of major arts leaders were educated privately Analysis: Who is ‘working class’ and why does it matter in the arts? Interviews: Nine working-class creatives on class in the arts – and how...
Composed in 1933 and quickly suppressed, “Soldados de pantano” (Soldiers of the Swamp) was a song that articulately addressed the evils of fascism and the… The post Learning From the Past first appeared on World Music Central .
(Polydor) The North Shields singer-songwriter wrestles with how far life has propelled him away from his roots on his musically adventurous third album Over two albums, Sam Fender has cast an increasingly astute eye over the...
Sons of Membertou – Wapna’kik: The People of the Dawn (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings 2025) Folk music, at its most profound, serves as a bridge—between past… The post Dawning Again: Sons of Membertou’s Wapna’kik...
Symphony Hall, Birmingham They may not have created any true rock touchstones, but they still have the powerhouse vocals and guitar skills to get the audience on their feet Formed in London in 1969, progressive heavy rock institution...
(Polydor) On his third album, produced by the War on Drugs, the North Shields singer-songwriter shows just how gifted he is at pairing stadium choruses with sharp, bleak vignettes Sam Fender’s third album ends with a track called...
(headline image: Gena Britt. Photo by Laci Mack) Gena Britt, a renowned bluegrass musician, grew up in Star, North Carolina, where she was introduced to… The post Gena Britt’s Journey from Clogging to Banjo Stardom first appeared...
(headline image: Alexander Abreu – photo by Nathadread Pictures – Nathanael Mergui) “Pasaporte” is a music video by Cuban salsa giants Alexander Abreu and Havana… The post Cuban Salsa Fire: Alexander Abreu’s “Pasaporte” Music...
Gerardo Frisina and Toco, featuring Luzia Dvorek – Deixa Passar / Ilê (Schema Records, 2025) Five years after Frisina Meets Toco, Gerardo Frisina (Italy) and… The post Gerardo Frisina & Toco Return with ‘Deixa Passar and Ilê’...
On Friday, May 30, 2025, legendary sarod virtuoso Amjad Ali Khan will take the stage at NYU Skirball Center, joined by his sons, Amaan Ali… The post Ancient Lute Legacy: Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan and Sons Unite in NYC first...
Flook – Sanju (Flatfish Records, 2025) Flook has entered its fourth decade with Sanju, an album that reaffirms their distinct, deeply-grounded, engaging and dazzling flute-driven… The post Flute Expectations: Flook’s Timeless...
Unspoken Tradition revisits a regional classic with their rendition of “Katie and Burl,” originally written by Acoustic Syndicate’s Steve McMurry. The song holds personal significance… The post Full Circle: Unspoken...
The soul singer is releasing his first album in nearly 20 years and looks back on a career full of major highs and devastating lows For more than 60 years, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers has made his living singing blue-eyed soul....
The musician, along with band members Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton, had many hits in the 1970s and 1980s, including four UK No 1s Rick Buckler, the drummer of the rock group The Jam, has died aged 69 after a short illness. In a...
He has influenced everyone from Beck to De La Soul to Arctic Monkeys. As the great musical ‘disruptor’ unveils his new murder-and-mandolins epic, he looks back on his most famous collaboration Ask a set designer to create a bohemian...
O2 Academy, Leeds The Stargazing streaming sensation gives his young fans what they want, but there’s evidently more to him than earworm singalongs At 26 years of age, Luton singer-songwriter Myles Smith is a seemingly overnight...
The comedian gets a nostalgic rush from the Smiths and would have the Beatles soundtracking his funeral, but which Welsh indie classic can he no longer bear? The first song I fell in love with The Boy in the Bubble when I was six or...
RAC Arena, Perth The first stop on Kylie’s biggest tour in two decades reminds us that Australia’s queen of pop has always been a genius at reinvention It is hard to believe anyone was ever a snob about Kylie. To stand in the screaming...
(No Format!) This nightingale-inspired collaboration is a perfect fit for the singer-songwriter and the kora virtuoso Malian kora master Ballaké Sissoko and British Italian songwriter Piers Faccini are both inveterate collaborators (and...
(4AD) With producer-to-the-stars Jack Antonoff on board, the anarchic American rocker offers glimpses of inspiration but fails to follow through Chaos, nihilism, rulebreaking – all best avoided when governing a country , yet prized in...
(Domino) From allotment highs to Holly and Phil, the Newcastle singer-songwriter mines life’s daily stresses and joys as only he can No stranger to big concepts – his last album, The Ruby Cord , was built around a 41-minute opener, and...
(Night Time Stories) Her fourth album sees Ahmed collaborate with singers including Natacha Atlas to play jazz-influenced songs best when they are fast and free Since the release of her 2011 debut album, Finding My Way Home , British...
(Matador) With Cate Le Bon as producer, the Chicago indie trio’s second album is a quantum leap, full of poignant restraint and lyrical clarity On Horsegirl’s 2022 debut, Versions of Modern Performance , three Chicagoan gen Z musicians...
Two years after the death of Trugoy, the remaining duo are still feeling raw. They relive the daisy age they built together – and explain how their late bandmate inspires them In early 2023, De La Soul – Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, Dave...
With Daft Punk Is Playing at My House turning 20 and a new album being worked on, we select the dance-rock musos’ finest tracks The most recent LCD Soundsystem single sounded remarkably like a callback to their earliest releases: a...
(Young) She frames herself as an alien visitor, and sure enough, this ideas-packed album at the edges of rap doesn’t sound like anyone else right now – you’ll be repeating it again and again You could easily read Steady As I Am, from...
Ex-tabloid reporter shares how an encounter with Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan led to his acclaimed film about an Irish-language rap trio He first came to national attention blowing the whistle on his own dubious practices at the Daily...
New Century Hall, Manchester Also channelling Elvis and Scott Walker, the charismatic singer’s character softens as he moves from bold songs from latest album A Firmer Hand to older tracks On new album A Firmer Hand, Hamish Hawk traded...
The producer, who has died following a period of ill health, made thrillingly imaginative beats, but just as impressive was his ability to draw together the British bass scene • News: Acclaimed British grime producer Terror Danjah has...
Co-op Live, Manchester There’s still no-one else like the 71-year-old star: she gives rambling speeches and accidentally hits someone with a recorder, but her voice punches through the chaos Within 10 minutes of appearing on stage, Cyndi...
From a career-detonating collaboration with the Rolling Stones in 1969 to a hypnotic experiment with 13-era Blur, Marianne Faithfull’s career was one of reinvention – yet always underpinned by her wrenching, affecting vocals • News:...
As Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag turns 60, we rate the prolific funk/soul powerhouse’s finest studio, live and soundtrack albums If you want a roll call of James Brown’s formative influences, just check the covers on this album: Hank...
Whitesnake’s David Coverdale and Slash of Guns N’ Roses pay tribute to musician described as an ‘exceptional talent’ John Sykes, a guitarist with the rock bands Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, has died aged 65. A statement said his death...
He found global fame as a film-maker, but Lynch’s passion for music was life-long and resulted in work every bit as surreal as his movies David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive director, dies aged 78 David Lynch: the great American...
From singing about a smoke break to an unusual tribute to John Grant, Guardian writers pick the greatest songs of the year with the smallest of followings “Strumming in opposition to the towers” is how the Bhutan-born, US-based guitarist...
From Jordana’s sprightly soft rock to Pataka Boys’ collagist UK-Punjabi hip-hop, our writers pick their must-listen gems from 2024 • More on the best music of 2024 • More on the best culture of 2024 Who could read the description “truck...