Meet New York's Newly Crowned Subway Busker
Talking with the winner of the Bryant Park Project's NYC Subway Busker Poll, Balla Tounkara, a kora player from Mali and one of the city's newest official underground musicians.
NKOTB Helps an Awkward Dude Grow Up Bryant Park Project Producer Ian Chillag explains why "Please Don't Go Girl" by the New Kids on the Block is the best song in the world today.
Rachel Taylor Brown: 'Mette in Madagascar'
It's been a strange ride for singer Rachel Taylor Brown: a nervous breakdown, eight years of solitude as a hermit, an endless struggle with both loving and hating humanity. It's the kind of fear and anguish that can drive someone deep into their own mind. But Brown looked outward at a troubling world and discovered some the haunting, humorous and ultimately beautiful songs that appear on her latest CD, Half Hours With the Lower Creatures.
Esperanza Spalding: Voice of the Bass
There are many gifted jazz singers, and there's no shortage of accomplished acoustic bass players. But 23-year-old Esperanza Spalding's new album features both her soaring, flexible vocals and the low-end thump of her double bass.
After Apple Records: Musician-Run Labels
When The Beatles' members started Apple Records 40 years ago, they still depended on larger companies for the basics. Independent labels, including some run by musicians, have come a long way since. A small but growing number of musicians are taking the idea of the independent label even further.
Richard Julian: Stealth Soul Singer
Julian is cleverly disguised as a sensitive singer-songwriter: He's a white guy with an acoustic guitar. In fact, he's a true soul singer and an astonishing storyteller in the vein of Randy Newman or Paul Simon. Hear an interview and performance from WFUV.
Live: Black Kids and Does It Offend You, Yeah?
Two curiously named recipients of fervent online buzz converge on a single stage Friday: Black Kids and Does It Offend You, Yeah? perform at WXPN and World Café Live, with the latter opening the show at noon ET.
Santogold: Kaleidoscopic Pop
Santogold knows a thing or two about pop music. The artist born Santi White worked as a talent scout for a major record label while writing songs for pop artists on the side. Now solo, she performs the instantly catchy "L.E.S. Artistes" and more in an interview and performance from WXPN.
Guest DJ T-Bone Burnett
T-Bone Burnett is a remarkable producer. He's been the creative force behind some of the most memorable recordings by artists like Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris. Many know Burnett for his work on the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack in 2000. Most recently he produced Raising Sand, a stunning collaboration between Alison Krauss and Robert Plant. On this edition of All Songs Considered T-Bone Burnett shares some of his favorite songs and talks about his new solo release, Tooth of Crime.
North Sea Jazz Celebrates Bob Brookmeyer
The annual North Sea Jazz Festival is a universe of U.S. and European jazz and world music. With Radio Netherlands, JazzSet presents music by a prize-winning band from the U.K., a duo from the U.S., and a German orchestra devoted to American composer Bob Brookmeyer.
