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Music Interviews

Chris Frantz's Memoir Explores Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club From The Inside

Chris Frantz Tina Weymouth/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tina Weymouth/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Chris Frantz's Memoir Explores Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club From The Inside

XPN

From Talking Heads' first gig opening for The Ramones at CBGB to their last at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Frantz's' book is filled with incredible stories.

Chris Frantz On World Cafe

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Tiny Desk Artist Profile: Sofia Rei

Argentine vocalist Sofia Rei was part of the Tiny Dest Meets globalFEST online music festival. Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Alt.Latino

Tiny Desk Artist Profile: Sofia Rei

The Argentine vocalist mixes tradition and various contemporary genres in her Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST performance.

Tiny Desk Artist Profile: Sofia Rei

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Dumpstaphunk Captures What Nasty, Funky Sound Is All About

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Jeff Farsai/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Dumpstaphunk Captures What Nasty, Funky Sound Is All About

XPN

Led by Ivan Neville, son of Aaron Neville, Dumpstaphunk's songs combine good times and a sweaty sensuality with social and political commentary.

Dumpstaphunk On World Cafe

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On 'Introducing...,' Aaron Frazer Contemplates Love And The Road Ahead

Introducing... is the solo debut of Aaron Frazer, best known for drumming and singing with Durand Jones & the Indications. Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist

On 'Introducing...,' Aaron Frazer Contemplates Love And The Road Ahead

Best known for drumming and singing with soul revival band Durand Jones & The Indications, Frazer charts his own course on his solo debut, produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach.

On 'Introducing...,' Aaron Frazer Contemplates Love And The Road Ahead

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The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb And Producer Dave Cobb Talk New 'Songbook'

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World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb And Producer Dave Cobb Talk New 'Songbook'

XPN

Gibb has released a new album that presents the songs of his Bee Gee brothers in a whole new way.

Barry Gibb and Dave Cobb On World Cafe

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On 'Greenfields,' Barry Gibb Takes The Bee Gees' Legacy To Nashville

Barry Gibb's new album, Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1, is a collection of Bee Gees songs reworked as duets with some of the biggest names in Nashville. Desiree Prieto/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Desiree Prieto/Courtesy of the artist

On 'Greenfields,' Barry Gibb Takes The Bee Gees' Legacy To Nashville

Though best known for his disco days, the last living Gibb brother is a lifelong country fan. His new album reimagines the Bee Gees' catalog as duets with some of Nashville's biggest stars.

On 'Greenfields,' Barry Gibb Takes The Bee Gees' Legacy To Nashville

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The Avalanches Explain Their New Album, 'We Will Always Love You'

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Grant Spanier/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

The Avalanches Explain Their New Album, 'We Will Always Love You'

XPN

The Avalanches' Robbie Chater and Tony Diblasi talk about their new approach, their love of sampling and why their new album arrived so quickly.

The Avalanches On World Cafe

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The Thistle & Shamrock: 'These Are The Hands'

Award-winning author Alexander McCall Smith penned the lyrics to These Are The Hands. Chris Watt/Courtesy of the Author hide caption

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Chris Watt/Courtesy of the Author

The Thistle & Shamrock

The Thistle & Shamrock: 'These Are The Hands'

Meet internationally-acclaimed author Alexander McCall Smith and award-winning composer James Ross, who collaborated on song cycle These Are The Hands.

The Thistle & Shamrock: 'These Are The Hands'

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On 'Remember Me Beautiful,' Brandy Clark Processes Death And Celebrates Life

Brandy Clark's new track for the Morning Edition Song Project is about processing death and celebrating a life well lived. Chris Phelps hide caption

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Chris Phelps

Morning Edition Song Project

On 'Remember Me Beautiful,' Brandy Clark Processes Death And Celebrates Life

Country singer Brandy Clark wrote her new song, "Remember Me Beautiful," for the Morning Edition Song Project after a writing session with friends who had lost relatives during the pandemic.

On 'Remember Me Beautiful,' Brandy Clark Processes Death And Celebrates Life

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Lianne La Havas' Latest Album Is All Hers

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Hollie Fernando/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Lianne La Havas' Latest Album Is All Hers

XPN

La Havas stepped into the producer's role for her new self-titled album. Hear the U.K. pop star perform four songs for World Cafe.

Lianne La Havas On World Cafe

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3 Grammy Contenders Share Outrage At All-White Category, Decline Nominations

Justin Lansing (left) and Joe Mailander of the Okee Dokee Brothers have declined their 2021 Grammy Award nomination for best children's album. The duo won the honor in 2013 for their album Can You Canoe? and have amassed five total nominations. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images hide caption

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Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

3 Grammy Contenders Share Outrage At All-White Category, Decline Nominations

The Okee Dokee Brothers, Alastair Moock and Dog on Fleas — three of five acts nominated in the best children's album category — share their equity-based rationalizations for declining the ballot.

3 Grammy Contenders Share Outrage At All-White Category, Decline Nominations

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Bluegrass Band Sister Sadie Embodies Tradition, But Bends It Too

Dale Ann Bradley (left), Tina Adair, Gena Britt and Deanie Richardson (center) of the bluegrass band Sister Sadie do their impression of the rock band Queen. Jon Roncolato/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jon Roncolato/Courtesy of the artist

Editors' Picks

Bluegrass Band Sister Sadie Embodies Tradition, But Bends It Too

This fall, the bluegrass supergroup Sister Sadie became the first all-female band ever to win the top prize at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards.

Bluegrass Band Sister Sadie Embodies Tradition, But Bends It Too

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'Brother Robert' Reveals True Story Of Growing Up With Blues Legend Robert Johnson

Annye Anderson — stepsister of Robert Johnson — published her memoir Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson in June. Ben James hide caption

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Ben James

'Brother Robert' Reveals True Story Of Growing Up With Blues Legend Robert Johnson

Annye Anderson, the stepsister of Robert Johnson, whose life became a founding myth of American music, has written a memoir about the real life behind the legend.

'Brother Robert' Reveals True Story Of Growing Up With Blues Legend Robert Johnson

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M. Ward's New Album Offers His Take On Billie Holiday's 'Lady In Satin'

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with singer-songwriter M. Ward about his new album of Billie Holiday covers, "Think of Spring." He uses an acoustic guitar to bring a folk approach to Holiday's jazz songs.

M. Ward's New Album Offers His Take On Billie Holiday's 'Lady In Satin'

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'Rompan Todo' Explores A Turbulent History Of Latin America Through Rock Music

Sergio Arau (center) poses with fellow Botellita de Jerez bandmates. They were one of the most influential groups in the '80s after rock re-emerged in Mexico following 15 years of censorship and repression. Lourdes Grobet hide caption

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Lourdes Grobet

'Rompan Todo' Explores A Turbulent History Of Latin America Through Rock Music

Rompan Todo is a new Netflix six-part documentary series that explores the socio-political history of rock music in Latin America from its genesis in the 1960s to the present.

'Rompan Todo' Explores A Turbulent History Of Latin America Through Rock Music

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Cozy Up With Andrew Bird As He Performs Holiday Songs From 'Hark!'

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Reuben Cox/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Cozy Up With Andrew Bird As He Performs Holiday Songs From 'Hark!'

XPN

Bird's holiday album is a collection of covers and originals that some might not view as Christmas material at all.

Andrew Bird On World Cafe

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The Bird And The Bee Gives Holiday Classics A Fresh Perspective

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World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

The Bird And The Bee Gives Holiday Classics A Fresh Perspective

XPN

The duo's bright electro-pop sound works perfectly for reimagined songs like "Sleigh Ride" and "Hallelujah Chorus."

The Bird and the Bee On World Cafe

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Adam Weiner's New Song, 'Christmas Makes Me Cry,' Channels Holiday Loneliness

Adam Weiner's new track for Morning Edition's Song Project is for people who feel isolated around the holidays, especially this year. Gab Bonghi/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Gab Bonghi/Courtesy of the artist

Morning Edition Song Project

Adam Weiner's New Song, 'Christmas Makes Me Cry,' Channels Holiday Loneliness

The leader of Low Cut Connie, tasked with writing a pandemic-era holiday song, thought back to a journal entry he wrote nearly 20 years ago, while working as a perfume spritzer at a local mall.

Adam Weiner's New Song, 'Christmas Makes Me Cry,' Channels Holiday Loneliness

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Billy Corgan Performs Acoustic Versions Of Smashing Pumpkins Songs, New And Old

Billy Corgan talks with Stephen Kallao in this episode. Jonathan Weiner/Courtesy of the aritst hide caption

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World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Billy Corgan Performs Acoustic Versions Of Smashing Pumpkins Songs, New And Old

XPN

If you dive into the new Smashing Pumpkins album, CYR, you might not be getting what you'd expect, and that's exactly what Billy Corgan wants. He performs solo in this session.

Billy Corgan On World Cafe

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