Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’: a landmark expression of Black joy

Beyoncé's 'Renaissance': a landmark expression of Black joy

Consider the wiggle released. When Beyoncé told fans about her seventh solo studio album, “Renaissance” — and let’s just say right here that as far as seventh albums go, this one feels like as big […]

Kora player Sona Jobarteh: ‘I didn’t want to be told: you are good, for a woman’ | Music

Sona Jobarteh with her griot father Sanjally at Førde festival.

In west Africa’s griot tradition, it’s men who play instruments while women sing. But Sona Jobarteh was determined to change that and asked her father to teach her to play: today she is the first […]

Abel Selaocoe: ‘As an African cellist, I’ve always been looking for a home’ | Classical music

Abel Selaocoe.

Abel Selaocoe walks into a bar in King’s Cross, London, with a small suitcase and a large, curvaceous silver case. “I’m sorry, sir, but you’re going to have to put that in the cloakroom,” the […]

‘We hear things no one else notices’: Proms composers on their extraordinary new music | Proms 2022

Mark-Anthony Turnage.

‘Apocalyptic nightmares fuel my music’Mark-Anthony Turnage Tell us about your Proms piece … I wrote Time Flies three years ago, in what seems a more innocent era. It was a reaction to getting older. Having […]

Akusmi: Fleeting Future review – minimalism meets rave pentatonics | Experimental music

Akusmi: Fleeting Future album cover

Pascal Bideau is a French composer based in London who has written and arranged music for dozens of films and documentaries. He has studied Indonesian gamelan, and in his alter ego of Akusmi he explores […]

The Story Behind the Song Podcast

The Story Behind the Song Podcast

Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RSS “The Glamorous Life” proved to be a major solo breakout for Sheila E. in 1984. The classic pop track was one of her man collaborations with the legendary Prince, […]

LA Dance Project: Be Here Now review – at close quarters with Millepied’s magnetic movers | Dance

Be Here Now

Dancing to music is one thing; music making you move is another. This abstract hour by Benjamin Millepied, in the 10th anniversary year of his LA Dance Project, subtly explores the difference between the two. […]

George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Dopapod and Blue Eye Extinction Land The Mothership at Relix Studio

George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Dopapod and Blue Eye Extinction Land The Mothership at Relix Studio

Photos by Kaitlyn Owings Yesterday, June 14, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Dopapod and Blue Eye Extinction stopped by the Relix Studio in New York City. The intimate performance took place and was livestreamed from the […]

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell pay tribute to Astro at Hampton Court Palace Festival – Music News

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell pay tribute to Astro at Hampton Court Palace Festival - Music News

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell paid tribute to late band member Astro as they performed at Hampton Court Palace Festival 2022 in London on Thursday night (09.06.22). The legendary reggae group kicked off the festival in […]

‘It drove New York crazy’ – Arthur Baker and Freeez on making club classic IOU | Music

Gargling whisky … John Rocca in the studio.

John Rocca, vocals, percussion We were a DIY band who had a jazz-funk hit with Southern Freeez, but we broke up because I kept having arguments with the bass-player. When we got back together a […]