In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday earlier this week, renowned pianist and cultural visionary Lara Downes has released a live recording of "I Believe in the Prince of Peace, Credo No. 5" on the Rising Sun label. This powerful work, which is the fifth movement of Margaret Bonds’ monumental Credo, is inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois’ 1904 prose poem, and it resonates, in this present moment of intense global conflict,  as a profound call for peace, unity, and hope.

Today, South African cellist, composer, improviser, and vocalist Abel Selaocoe (pronounced Se-lau-chwe) unveils a new preview of his forthcoming album Hymns of Bantu (February 21 / Warner Classics). "L.B Files: Igiul” is Selaocoe’s interpretation of the Sicilian cellist Giovanni Sollima’s own cello concerto, L.B. Files. Selaocoe greatly admires Sollima’s open-ended exploration of the instrument, and as such, his recording shines a spotlight on the cello.

LOLLAPALOOZA: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival (St. Martin’s Press; March 25, 2025) sees New York Times bestselling authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour (Nothin’ But A Good Time) telling the no-holds-barred history of the iconic music festival.

Passim has announced the inaugural recipients of the Brian O’Donovan Legacy Fund. The new artist grant fund, established by Brian O’Donovan’s family, honors the longtime host of GBH’s radio show A Celtic Sojourn for his significant contributions to Passim and the New England Celtic Music community. Each of the six recipients will receive a $2,500 grant to support upcoming tours in New England. Grant recipients include Rakish, Eight Feet Tall, Reverie Road, San Miguel Fraser, Brenda Castles, and Kavaz.

Now, gather 'round, friends of Grateful Web, and let me spin you a sweet little tale ‘bout a woman whose voice rang out like a midnight train thundering through a sleepy Texas town. We’re talkin’ Janis Joplin, born on this very day back in 1943, down in Port Arthur, Texas. She was a soul on fire—like a blazing meteor streaking through the music sky—only the heavens never quite got over the brightness she brought.

Guster has unveiled Ooh La Luxe, an expanded edition of 2024’s critically acclaimed Ooh La La, available digitally via their own Ocho Mule Records on Friday, January 24.

New Orleans’ one and only Galactic has joined forces with the legendary Soul Queen of New Orleans, GRAMMY® Award-winning singer Irma Thomas, for an all-new collaborative album. Audience With The Queen arrives Friday, April 11 on Galactic’s own Tchuop-Zilla Records. Pre-orders are available now.

Today, Candid Records and Chick Corea Productions announce Trilogy 3, a new double live album. In 2020, Chick Corea—27-time GRAMMY® winner, National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, and one of the most iconic figures in jazz—hit the road with his powerhouse trio of Christian McBride and Brian Blade, embarking on what would be Corea’s final tour.

Legendary vocalist Chris Thompson, renowned for his unforgettable performances with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, is set to release his final live album, The Final Round. Recorded during The Final Round Tour 2022 in Germany, this album marks the culmination of Thompson’s illustrious live career and serves as a heartfelt farewell to fans worldwide.

McCarter Theatre Center is thrilled to announce that tickets are now on sale for the all-star trio of Béla Fleck, Antonio Sánchez, and Edmar Castañeda, performing on May 13. This is a WXPN Welcomes event.