fb-pixel

Guitar ace Eric Johnson connects past and present on his ‘Classics’ tour

Ahead of two Boston-area dates, the guitarist riffs on his Austin roots, his key influences, and how the Ventures got him started.

Unplugged, the Robinson brothers conjure the soul of the Black Crowes

The personal paths of the Robinson brothers led them to take the stage together at Brighton Music Hall on Wednesday night.

Jazz trumpeter Jason Palmer’s disparate inspirations: stolen paintings and stolen lives

His two Boston-centric projects — about the victims of gun violence on one hand, and the Gardner Museum thefts on the other — have nothing in common, except for Palmer himself.

‘It’s our 1963’: Kamasi Washington talks jazz, experimentation, and living in the moment

Kamasi Washington, who comes to Big Night Live this Monday, spoke by phone about his sprawling, eclectic jazz and the globalized state of popular music.

A protest playlist for these times
Here are 10 songs from artists who are speaking directly about America — and in some cases, directly to the president.

MUSIC
The Drive-By Truckers are the house band for the resistance
With songs like "Babies in Cages" and "Thoughts and Prayers," the band is taking a stand in the age of Trump.

Latest Headlines in Music

CLASSICAL NOTES

Jennifer Walshe on her strange, wonderful music projects: ‘I’m trying to say, this is what it’s like being alive’

The composer's work is the subject of a residency at Boston University Center for New Music.

Rapper Pop Smoke killed in Los Angeles home invasion, record label says

Pop Smoke, a Brooklyn-raised rapper who rose to fame with hit songs like “Dior” and “Welcome to the Party,” died after he was shot in a home invasion early Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, his record label said.

Boston Lyric Opera leader envisions a new venue to welcome larger audiences

None of Boston’s existing venues fit the company’s needs. After 12 years of leadership, Esther Nelson wants to build the company’s dream home.

MUSIC

A spirited career-spanning set from Raphael Saadiq at Big Night Live

Saadiq took the long view of his career, packing songs from his early days and from his latest album, "Jimmy Lee."

MUSIC

Handel and Haydn celebrates Beethoven’s 250th with Kristian Bezuidenhout in directorial debut

Buckle up for a very Beethovenian 2020, as music organizations everywhere cash in on his 250th jubilee.

CRASHFEST brings the world to House of Blues

The "Music Knows No Borders” showcase features 10 bands, from Afrobeat to klezmer, spread across three stages, as well as three dance acts.

The Black Crowes are brothers in arms once again

Rich Robinson discusses his reunion with brother Chris, their plans for an extensive band tour, and the acoustic shows they'll performing as a duo, including one in Boston.

Raphael Saadiq has a different kind of story to tell, and it’s personal

His latest album, “Jimmy Lee,” is an introspective song cycle that explores his older brother’s life and death from a heroin overdose.