Soundcheck

The London/Atlanta band called   makes “churning, electrifying gospel-inflected rock, with singer Franklin James Fisher leading his congregation in songs that take on social injustice, racism, and government corruption” (Schaefer.) Fisher’s ferocious crooning over a whip-tight rhythm section of Ryan Mahan (bass, beat programming and synth constructions) and drummer Matt Tong (ex-Bloc Party), together with guitarist/saxophone player Lee Tesche’s sound-sleeves always leaves more to discover on every listen. The aural layering features synth constructions which drip with gospel-goth menace (“We Can’t Be Found,”) soulful testifying from the mountaintop (“Dispossessed,”) along with straight-up circle pit mosh anthems (“Void.”) The “outspoken” quartet Algiers play powerful and infectious songs from their latest,  There Is No Year , in-studio. Set list: Dispossession We Can't Be Found For your circle pit enjoyment here is a Web Extra from the in-studio session   Algiers - "Void" (streaming-only):   Algiers - "Can the Sub_Bass Speak?" (Official Visual):

Tel Aviv-born, New York-based Anat Cohen is a multiple Grammy-nominated clarinetist, composer, and bandleader whose Anat Cohen Tentet ranges from chamber-funk to large and sensuous orchestral jazz, from Brazilian music to African grooves, vintage swing to tango, boogaloo to ballads. Their latest album, Triple Helix , has been nominated for a Grammy and is built around a three part clarinet concerto, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Chicago’s Symphony Center,and written by Anat’s longtime music director Oded Lev-Ari. The title seems to refer to the three different musical elements – jazz, classical, and world music – that go into the piece. Hear the Anat Cohen Tentet play the  three-movement concerto, “Triple Helix,” in-studio.  

Berlin-based Danish singer, pianist, and composer Agnes Obel presents her ghostly, beautiful, classical chamber music-informed self-produced art-pop. Listen for luthéal  (a kind of mechanism that can make a piano sound like a harp or cimbalom), piano, viola, cello, percussion, and lots of dreamy, ethereal vocals, asking questions about trust and doubt. For the latest record, Myopia, Obel experimented with recording processing, warping and pitching down vocals, melting and twisting the chamber music instruments strings, piano, celesta and lutheal piano – until she found a feeling of home in the soundworld she’d created. Agnes Obel and her band share some of these latest songs, in-studio. - Caryn Havlik Watch the session here: Set List:  Won't You Call Me Island of Doom Broken Sleep  

San Francisco-based Ethio-American singer, composer, songwriter and bandleader Meklit Hadero, is a TED Senior Fellow, National Geographic Explorer, and co-founder of the visionary pan-African Nile Project ensemble. With a sound that merges Addis Ababa, Los Angeles, New Orleans and San Francisco, Meklit’s approach as bandleader sees two percussionists, groovy sax and bass. Singing in both English and Amharic, she delivers Ethio-roots-jazz with a heavy dose of pop and soul that makes bodies move. Meklit and her band play in-studio. - Caryn Havlik Watch the session here:  From her TED Talk, "The unexpected beauty of everyday sounds":

Les Amazones d’Afrique is a creative collective of women from West and Central Africa, formed in Mali in 2014. At their strongest, they are 16 multi-generational vocalists spanning Africa, Europe and Latin America. The music blends electronic sounds, African traditional sounds, reggae and hip-hop elements together with cool harmonies and grooves, and the Congotronix-style production of legendary producer Doctor L (aka Liam Farrell.) Members of Les Amazones d’Afrique may come from many different countries, but face similar issues in their hometowns: violence against women and young girls, genital mutilation (or “cutting”), forced marriage, and gender equality. Using the ultimate force of music, they stand together for their rights. Les Amazones d’Afrique perform in-studio. -  Caryn Havlik Watch the session here: