With a crazy-quilt mixture of rock, techno, classic jazz, soul, blues and classical, The Disco Biscuits' members have maintained a strong presence on the jam-band circuit for the past 14 years. While the band hasn't given up its signature trance-fusion sound, its latest album, Planet Anthem, seeks to weave in a few more patches.
Welsman is a dynamic singer, pianist and arranger who's a won a closetful of awards in her native Canada. She swings on Latin grooves and her own arrangements, singing in Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese with flawless pronunciation. She joins guest host Jon Weber for a set that features the Peggy Lee tune "I Like Men," as well as "One Note Samba."
Here's a rare treat: a solo performance from six-time Grammy-winning vibraphonist Gary Burton. He's mastered the technique of using four mallets when playing the vibes, rather than just two, which was the standard when Burton first took up the instrument.
The Clientele has always evoked autumnal romps through the English countryside. Led by Alasdair MacLean's warm voice, and now aided by the backing vocals and multi-instrumental skills of Mel Draisey, The Clientele performs its perfectly precise chamber-pop on World Cafe.
On Lionel Loueke's newest record, Mwaliko, he and drummer Marcus Gilmore get together to jam on Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti." When he played for NPR Music, he called the tune again. Here is the audio from that performance.
With her pin-up hair, vintage style and overall charm, V.V. Brown is an up-and-coming artist with a commanding stage presence. She combines the inspiration of musical greats such as Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones for a dramatic jumble of rock, pop, doo-wop and soul.
KEXP hosts more than 400 in-studio performances a year. When a band comes in multiple times with new set lists and more miles and experience under its belt, it can be an amazing experience. Yeasayer recently returned for its second KEXP session on the eve of Odd Blood's release.
An expert at blending musical genres, Citizen Cope (a.k.a. Clarence Greenwood) tells stories with music while incorporating hip-hop beats, quiet piano melodies, a hint of pop and more than a hint of blues. Hear Greenwood's brand of self-styled "urban poetry" in a session from WXPN.
Hiromi Uehara is a brilliant young pianist from Japan, by way of the Berklee College of Music. Her exciting mixture of musical genres and high-energy playing are made even more thrilling by her impressive technique and complex ideas. Hear her in an interview and performance on Piano Jazz.
Cayamo Cruise Week continues on World Cafe, with performances by Harris and Miller. Host David Dye got together with the musicians for a chat during the cruise, and also replays some of their live performances from the trip.
