Needle Drops
A Glaswegian songwriter bids farewell through sound, ambient artists welcome autumn's embrace, and the Greyboy Allstars dig into their vault in this week's selection of essential new releases.
Every Sound Has a Season — Anders Koppel at the Keys
Through progressive rock (with '69 Newport veterans The Savage Rose), jazz, and classical composition, the Danish musician has built a musical legacy that spans generations. Now in his seventies, he's still discovering new sounds on his beloved Hammond B-3.
Needle Drops
A weekly exploration of essential new music, featuring immigrant stories, ECM piano meditations, and a thirteen-minute psych-rock opus from the heartland.
How Christian McBride Keeps the Jazz Engine Running
From his early days with Ray Brown to leading Newport Jazz Festival, the master bassist reflects on jazz education, the power of mentorship, and why being uncomfortable might be the best way to learn.
Needle Drops
The Tonearm's editors recommend under-the-radar new releases to zoom out of your speakers. Today's most intriguing albums reveal the global scope of contemporary music, from mountain-inspired ambient works to revolutionary jazz interpretations.
How Outlaw Artists Led Erik Davis to America's Hidden History
A masterful investigation of blotter art weaves together tales of DEA agents, underground artists, and Grateful Dead shows. Davis's 'Blotter' examines how a simple delivery method evolved into a democratic art form that continues to elude mainstream acceptance.
Imagination is the Instrument — A Conversation with Josh Johnson
The acclaimed saxophonist discusses genre fluidity, Wayne Shorter's wisdom, and why limitations can unlock creativity on his adventurous new album 'Unusual Object.'
Blake Leyh Unlocks the Imagined Domain of the Gravikord
A seasoned film and television composer discovers creative liberation in a 24-string electronic instrument that bridges ancient African tradition with space-age design. The result is 'New Modern Strings.'
Shawn Mativetsky Grasps the Infinite Art of Tabla with Temporal Waves
Tabla virtuoso Shawn Mativetsky discusses the instrument's complexity, the guru-disciple tradition, and his latest album 'Temporal Waves,' which marries classical Indian percussion with synthesizer soundscapes.
25 Years Later, Smoke Jazz Club Still Burns Bright
Co-owner Paul Stache reflects on Smoke's journey from intimate club to record label, balancing tradition with innovation while nurturing both jazz legends and rising stars.
Andy McCluskey: kicking down fascist art with OMD
The Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark frontman chats with Spotlight On producer and guest host Michael Donaldson about art movements, political treachery, Kraftwerk's impact, and the brilliant album Bauhaus Staircase.
David J: unearthing tracks from the attic
The Bauhaus and Love and Rockets bassist chats with guest host Michael Donaldson about lighting candles, the magic(k) muse, touring with Jane's Addiction, and the album collecting his early demos, Tracks From The Attic.