RECENT ARTICLES

In the span of about six decades, the famed Brazilian composer and performer, Sérgio Mendes, has worked with Cannonball Adderly, Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, Quincy Jones, John Legend, Will.i.am, and many others. In each collaboration, Mendes brings his lighthearted, though thoughtful spirit to the music he produces. Indeed, this is the theme of the new documentary on the musician, Sérgio Mendes & Friends: A Celebration, which will air this month on PBS.

We caught up with the Brazilian-born Mendes to ask him about how he first found music, what it was like to grow up in Brazil, what it’s like for the 80-year-old to look back on his life in the new movie, and how he deals with doubt.

When HBO first partnered with now-world-famous show-runner, Issa Rae, for her television show, Insecure, the sky was the limit. Today, with Insecure headed into its fifth and final season, having made its way into the hearts of many adoring fans, Rae’s footprint on HBO remains large. Thankfully. In her own way, she has helped to usher in more diversity to the channel and a keener eye for more so in the future.

One of the shows Rae has helped bring to HBO is A Black Lady Sketch Show, which stars the quartet of Robin These, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis, and Quina Brunson. This season, the show added Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend. The show features sketches, recurring characters, and a flare for the surreal that equates to an important new series.

We caught up with Black and Dennis to talk about how they got into entertainment, what it was like to build the show from scratch, what it was like heading into the show’s second season and much more. The season finale of A Black Lady Sketch Show appears tonight, May 28, on HBO.

As soon as the bouncy guitar riff from Violent Femmes’ enduring pop hit, “Blister in the Sun,” comes on the stereo, likely you’re immediately boosted into a good mood. Then the childlike snare drums clap and the helium-like singing voice of the band’s frontman, Gordon Gano, comes in and the melody-induced grin on your face is complete. But how did that song come about? Why did Gano first write it?

That question is answered below, along with a handful of others. We caught up with Gano to talk to him about the origins of his music career, the beginnings of Violent Femmes, and of their popular 1983 single. Gano talked with us to help celebrate and spread the word about the band’s new reissue of its LP, Add It Up. The 23-track album, which features hits and never before released songs, came out last Friday. The band was formed in 1981 by Gano (vocals, guitar), Brian Ritchie (bass), and Victor DeLorenzo (percussion).

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, Leon Bridges, has one of the best voices on the planet. But it’s not one that he throws out bombastically or haphazardly. Rather, Bridges is often reserved, measured, composed. In fact, one might want to hear him belt out a vocal run more so than the crooner seems willing. But, deep down, Bridges is a low-key fellow. To him, often an uneventful day is the best kind. Yet, when you’re one of the best singers on earth, few days are uneventful.

Bridges, who will release his forthcoming LP, Gold-Diggers Sound, on July 23 via Columbia, released the record’s first single, “Motorbike,” and corresponding music video today. The video for the romantic track was directed by the famed artist and musician, Anderson .Paak. It’s a stunner. We caught up with Bridges to ask him about the genesis of the single, video and LP. We also talked the repercussions of fame and working in the restaurant industry.

When seen in one light, actor and musician Matt Berry could be thought of as a Shakespearean performer. His big, booming British-accented voice could easily fit atop the dialogue in Macbeth or Othello. Yet, Berry doesn’t limit himself to these traditionally prestigious roles. He is a comedian, at heart, able to give monologues that both compel and bust your sides. But even more than that, Berry is also a musician of great facility, capable of writing a stripped-down folk song as much as he is performing acid jazz.

Berry currently stars as vampire Laszlo Cravensworth in FX’s acclaimed mockumentary horror comedy What We Do in the Shadows, based on the 2014 New Zealand film of the same name. Before that he was a fixture of quirky British comedy shows, such as Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd, and Toast of London. But his music career goes back even further, with Berry’s debut album, Jackpot, being self-released in 1995.

Berry’s newest LP, The Blue Elephant, is out this Friday on Acid Jazz. The record is the sounds of the day drunk sun shining its swiveling golden rays down on a grinning Berry, shades atop his knowing eyes. We caught up with Berry to ask him about his relationship to music, what he loves about it most, and how his acting career connects to his love of song.

Joshua Karpeh—better known by his stage name, Cautious Clay—has the voice of an angel. His music is blissful, caring. It’s not concerned with flash and frivolity. Rather, it’s personal and exists independently, outside trend (though admittedly it is rather popular and likely only going to become more so). In recent years, the artist has worked with some of music’s biggest names, writing for Taylor Swift and John Legend and playing live on stage with artist like John Mayer.

Cautious Clay will release his newest solo LP, Deadpan Love, on June 25. In the meantime, the crooner will drop a few singles like sonic morsels along the way. We caught up with the smooth singer to ask him how he transitioned to becoming a professional musician after working in real estate, his experience playing the flute from seven years old, and what he loves most about his job.

Sarah Jarosz is one of the few people who is as successful as she is talented. While the two don’t often come hand-in-hand, unfortunately, Jarosz boasts both in spades. The nine-time Grammy nominated artist, who has won the award four times, has released five records, all of which imbue prowess in technical ability and artful intuition. Whether Jarosz is strumming her mandolin covering Prince or playing her own original music, she is compelling for both her stature and composure.

Jarosz, who will release her next LP, Blue Heron Suite, on Friday, wrote the album about four years ago, inspired by family vacations and family hardship. She was commissioned by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and FreshGrass music festival to write the LP, on which the already-accomplished artist says she used new writing techniques.

We caught up with Jarosz to ask her about her early years writing music, what it’s been like to be so well recognized for her songs, her new album, and much more.