James Lapine’s name has come up frequently as Stephen Sondheim’s collaborator, writing the book and directing Tony Award winners Passion and Into the Woods, and earning a Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park with George (which inspired Lapine’s recent book, Putting It Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created Sunday in the Park with George).
Read MoreAs I’ve been processing the death of Stephen Sondheim, there is so much of his music at my disposal to appreciate, from soundtrack albums such as Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park with George to revues like Sondheim on Sondheim to tribute albums by the likes of Judy Collins, Melissa Errico and Crylle Aimee. But the one I’m drawn to the most is A Pretty Little Death by Eleri Ward, which suits the bittersweet moment.
Read MoreIf you check out Bruce Sudano on All Music, it lists his genres as Pop/Rock, Country, and Rap. You’d think those would be mutually exclusive, but they’re an indication of his range as a songwriter.
Read MoreAlthough she had four well-regarded albums previously, it was The Firewatcher’s Daughter that really drew attention to Brandi Carlile, followed by the half-dozen Grammy nominations for 2018’s By the Way, I Forgive You that propelled Brandi’s career to a whole different level. This fueled expectations for her latest, In These Silent Days, and evidenced by her success on Billboard (entering at #1 on the Rock and Americana/Folk charts), Brandi doesn’t disappoint. More to the point, there’s no letdown in the musical quality.
Read MoreAlmost two years ago to the day, I had the good fortune to witness David Byrne’s American Utopia at the Hudson Theatre. David laced selections from Talking Heads and his solo career between wry stage patter, and the music and movement of the multi-cultural ensemble just blew me away. Despite getting packed houses, it had to close in February, 2020, but promised a new run that September. The pandemic changed those plans, but thankfully the show is back on Broadway and once again not to be missed.
Read MoreThere are no dramatic departures in Dar Williams’ 13th album, I’ll Meet You Here. It’s simply filled with the kind of superbly crafted songs you’d expect, enhanced by the tasteful production of Stewart Lerman, known for his work with The Roches, Elvis Costello, Neko Case, and countless others. After a six-year hiatus from recording (save the limited release of a superb live Cry Cry Cry album), this is a welcome comeback.
Read MoreOver the course of more than a dozen albums, Brooklyn's Ana Egge has been one of folk's most consistently satisfying songwriters.
Read MoreRecent photos of Jackson Browne have caught some fans by surprise. The guy who always looked eternally youthful now looks all of his nearly 73 years – still handsome but just a little grizzled. His new album, Downhill from Everywhere, is the work of an artist comfortable with his age, but with great vitality, mixing both the personal and the topical.
Read MoreMusic fans were heartbroken when they heard that a singer-songwriter with a pure voice and great empathy, Nanci Griffith, had passed away in Nashville. I had a conversation with her in 1998 at Atlantic Recording Studios in NYC.
Read MoreAs a young artist raised in New York Diana Jones leaned heavily into rock, but after learning that her birth family was from Appalachia, she discovered her voice as a songwriter and singer. The flowering of that was My Remembrance of You in 2006, which led to critical acclaim and five subsequent albums. Her newest, Song to a Refugee, is her strongest yet for the clarity of her vision and the depth of her writing.
Read MoreFour years ago, Paula Cole, who made her name as a protégé of Peter Gabriel and a Grammy winner for Best New Artist in 1998, released an astonishing album, Ballads…This spring she’s topped herself with American Quilt, which she describes as “a patchwork of heritage, a stitched-together history of culture, both painful and beautiful.” It’s an easy choice to be the Spotlight Album for June.
Read MoreWhen I heard Allison Russell’s voice on the first Birds of Chicago album in 2012, I knew she had a special voice…Now, though, Allison, a woman of mixed race and complicated background, has truly found her voice in her first solo album, Outside Child. It has taken her artistically and personally to a whole new place and made me how realize how much more I had yet to discover.
Read MoreChristine Lavin has released a video that will make you want to break out the sunscreen. It’s an exercise in nostalgia about Martha’s Vineyard called “The Best Summer,” and I think it’s one of her best songs. The New Folk Initiative is excited to offer this exclusive premiere.
Read MoreReggie Harris has been dubbed an “Ambassador of Joy, Hope, and Freedom,” and his new album, On Solid Ground, captures all of those qualities.
Read MoreAaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt have achieved a fruitful long-distance partnership. Guitarist Nathans hails from the Philadelphia area, while cellist Ronstadt (part of the extended musical Ronstadt family, which includes his brother, his late father, and his aunt Linda) is based in Cincinnati.
Read MoreWhen Nora Guthrie recruited Billy Bragg and Wilco to add music to some of Woody Guthrie’s unpublished lyrics, the result was the landmark album, Mermaid Avenue. Now, Nora’s son – and Woody’s grandson – Cole Quest Rotante has covered one of the songs from that album in his forthcoming EP, Self [En]Titled (due April 16).
Read MoreFor 10 years or more, I’ve spent a week in February convening with the folk community (artists, managers, agents, presenters, even DJs). We’ve met in hotels in Memphis, Kansas City, Toronto, Montreal, and last year, New Orleans (where it was moved to January to avoid Mardi Gras, back when that happened!). This year, when the thought of cramming several thousand people into hotel hallways was a non-starter, the Folk Alliance International conference went online, and the results were surprisingly good.
Read MoreRecording an album of covers requires a certain chutzpah. You either have to reimagine them or pay tribute to the originals with stellar versions. A. J. Croce combines both approaches on his new album, By Request, which is this month’s Spotlight Album.
Read MoreWhen Reggie Harris sings, his voice rings out with honesty and conviction…Now, in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and the second impeachment of Donald Trump, he’s released a stirring call to action, “It’s Who We Are.” The New Folk Initiative is honored to present the exclusive premiere of the video for the song.
Read MoreIt’s well known that I’m a fan of married musical couples. Justin Poindexter and Sasha Papernik come from different worlds – Justin a guitar-playing North Carolina native and Sasha a classically-trained first generation Russian-American – but they’ve found a sweet spot as the duo Our Band. The New Folk Initiative is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of their new video, "Hazel."
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