“Hip Hop”, as we know it today, was officially born in the Bronx, NYC, in September of 1973. As we approach the 50-year anniversary of the world’s most dominant cultural asset, the influence of hip-hop has spread into virtually every aspect of American life. That is just as true right here in Northeast Florida, which has nurtured its own dense …
Go | The best concerts in Jax this week
Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series kicks off in St. Johns County
The much-anticipated Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series kicks off this Friday. From the 18-piece swing of the Count Basie Orchestra on Friday, the powerful roots music of Amythyst Kiah on Saturday, to Downtown Jax’s celebration of hip-hop on Sunday, here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new songs we really like
Lucy Dacus, Evan J Cartwright and Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to concoct the tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are three new songs …
Ian McDonald, founding member of King Crimson and Foreigner, has died
The English multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald died Wednesday at age 75. He was a founding member of prog-rock titans King Crimson and the hugely popular Foreigner. His son Maxwell announced his death on social media, saying that his father had been battling cancer. McDonald first came to renown as an original member of King Crimson, which was founded in January 1969. …
Betty Davis, funk pioneer and fashion icon, dies at 77
The incandescent, influential funk musician Betty Davis, who made a string of albums in the mid-1970s that helped to shape stylish, Afrofuturist strains of funk and hip-hop, died on Wednesday in Homestead, Penn., where she had lived since childhood, according to a statement from her record label. Danielle Maggio, a friend of Davis and a producer of Betty Davis: They …
Sound & Vision | Jax visual artist Sheila Goloborotko shares the music that fuels her practice
Jax multimedia artist shares a playlist of Brazilian pop, Argentinian rock and Billie Eilish
Sound & Vision is a semi-regular feature that examines how music influences Northeast Florida artists. Accompanying playlists for each Sound & Vision feature can be found on JME’s spotify channel. Creativity, activism, community and a surrender to the Other converge in the work of Sheila Goloborotko. The Brazilian visual artist and educator makes multimedia pieces that she describes, in part, “as a …
I thought Encanto’s songs were forgettable. So I went back to see what I was missing
Back in November, I hosted an episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour about the Disney movie Encanto, which I found to be visually lovely and charming but ultimately somewhat minor. Worse, in what would prove to be an absolutely massive time-release self-burn, I declared the songs to be “forgettable” and groaned about the ubiquity of Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose contributions had …
Just Announced | The Lumineers at Daily’s Place
Ho Hey! The Lumineers will bring their folk-rock stomp to Jacksonville in May
Indie-folk darlings The Lumineers have announced a four-dozen-plus-date North American tour, kicking off at Daily’s Place amphitheater in Jacksonville in May. Founded by vocalist-guitarist Wesley Schultz and multi-instrumentalist Jeremiah Fraites, the Denver-based band emerged from the coffee shops, storming the pop-music charts with their GRAMMY nominated 2013 self-titled offering, which featured “Submarine” and the anthemic “Ho Hey,” both of which …
San Francisco’s Hunx and his Punx Added to Winterland IV Lineup
The indie supergroup steps in for La Luz after singer-guitarist Shana Cleveland's breast cancer diagnosis
San Francisco indie-rock supergroup Hunx and his Punx has been added to the lineup of Winterland IV, the locally founded music festival taking place on February 26 and 27 at Riverfront Plaza in Downtown Jacksonville. The announcement comes after indie rock group La Luz revealed that singer and guitarist Shana Cleveland was diagnosed with breast cancer, and cancelled their winter/spring …
Mitski’s ‘Laurel Hell’ confronts the wild complexity of feeling
All over the world, every day, people are losing it. It happened to me just last Tuesday, driving onto I-40 on my way back from Trader Joe’s. Phoebe Snow’s 1974 seduction “Poetry Man” turned up on my playlist and suddenly I was sobbing so aggressively I nearly had to pull over on the freeway on-ramp. That song’s a masterpiece of …
10 Jacksonville Artists to Watch in 2022
These Northeast Florida artists are poised for a breakthrough
So, The Beatles are the most talked-about band in the world. Vinyl records are the most popular way to consume music. People are talking about Limp Bizkit. Taylor Swift’s Red, originally released in 2012, sits near the top of the charts. Kanye, Drake, J Cole, Adele and Tyler, The Creator have new music out. Oh, and Bob Dylan may have …
Go | The can’t miss concerts of the week in Jax
Citizen Cope, rickoLus and Angel Garcia, Symphony in 60 and the first stop of the JME Showcase Series.
There’s lots of great live music on this week’s concert calendar. From enduring songwriter Citizen Cope at the Florida Theatre to the Jacksonville Music Experience’s showcase of local talent at Blue Jay Listening Room, here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors …
Local Spotlight | Listen to 3 new tracks from Jax artists out now
Fresh new tunes from locals John Aloszka, LRK Chronicle feat. Mr. Al Pete and BeBe Deluxe
We’re always keeping our ear to the ground in order to put the spotlight on the beautiful noise emerging from Northeast Florida and reverberating across the globe. This week, Jacksonville Music Experience contributors share three great new tracks by local artists out right now. Let’s dive in. “Simple As That” by LRK Chronicle (feat. Mr. Al Pete) With laid-back flow …
Ultra Music Festival Returns to Miami in March
The world will again descend on Miami for the premier electronic music festival
Miami’s Ultra Music Festival is back after a two-year hiatus. And the lineup looks about what one would expect from an event that bills itself as the “world’s premier electronic music festival.” This year’s Ultra line-up reads like a veritable who’s who of EDM artists. The world’s number-one DJ (according to DJ Mag’s 2021 Top 100 DJs Poll) David Guetta, …
Intuition Ale Works to host Soccer Mommy, Reverend Horton Heat, Luna Luna and more
The winter/spring live-music calendar is filling up at Intuition Ale Works
Among Jacksonville’s many topnotch venues, Intuition Ale Works’ winter/spring concert calendar might offer the most exciting indie-focussed lineup of all. Notable acts visiting the Bier Hall inside Intuition’s downtown taproom include Nashville singer-songwriter Sophia Regina Allison’s project Soccer Mommy, the godfather of modern psychobilly Reverend Horton Heat and Latinx indie pop quartet Luna Luna. In recent weeks, GRAMMY-nominated all-female string …
Listen | A warm mix of Electro Lounge chill
A new mix of ultra-chill cuts from Frou Frou, Bonobo, Nicola Conte, Sia, Curtis Harding, Club Des Belugas and more.
With a chill in the air, the Electro Lounge is the place to stay warm. Culled from the current rotation on Electro Lounge Radio (89.9 HD4), our latest playlist offers ultra-chill cuts from British electronic-duo Frou Frou, multi-instrumentalist Bonobo, Italian producer Nicola Conte, Australian avant-garde pop artist Sia, slop ‘n’ soul songwriter Curtis Harding and Nu jazz lounge act Club …
Crosby, Stills, Nash follow Young in removing music from Spotify
CSNY reunites in spat with popular streaming platform
David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash have joined on-and-off collaborator Neil Young in removing their music from Spotify over the music streaming giant’s refusal to remove podcast host Joe Rogan’s program from the platform. The comedian and actor, whose podcast is one of Spotify’s most popular, has been criticized for spreading coronavirus misinformation. Young made headlines when he issued …
Just Announced | Jax River Jams returns to Downtown Jacksonville
Spin Doctors, Boys II Men, Carly Pearce and Manchester Orchestra
After a successful first year, the month-long, multi-genre series of free shows, Jax River Jams, will return to Downtown Jacksonville’s Riverfront Plaza in April, with another bananas list of headliners including ’90s pop-rockers Spin Doctors, iconic vocal group Boyz II Men, country star Carly Pearce and Atlanta indie-rock darlings Manchester Orchestra. The announcement from the City of Jacksonville, Downtown Vision …
Want to play your own Tiny Desk concert? Enter the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest
The Tiny Desk Contest – NPR Music’s annual nationwide search for the next great undiscovered artist to play a Tiny Desk concert – is back for its eighth year. We’ll begin accepting entries next Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. ET. We’re thrilled to announce our panel of judges – the folks who will be selecting the 2022 Contest winner. …
On ‘Pompeii,’ Cate Le Bon makes meaning from the opulent and absurd
The literary term anti-mimesis describes when life imitates art, instead of the other way around. When critics use the term anti-mimesis these days, they are usually talking about work — be it literature, fine art or music — that gives off a nonsensical vibe — you know, it’s free associative, too weird to actually happen. Donald Barthleme, patron saint of …
Listen | February’s Fresh Squeeze features the best new music
Cate Le Bon, Aldous Harding, Madi Diaz, Robert Glasper and tons of new local tunes
Each month, JME contributors pick the juiciest noise emanating from Northeast Florida and beyond for our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Featuring a few dozen new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists, there are no rules or genre restrictions; just songs we thought were worth a share. Follow the Jacksonville Music Experience on Spotify and our Fresh Squeeze playlist to keep your …
Just Announced | JME Showcase Series puts the spotlight on Jacksonville artists
WJCT Public Media and the Jacksonville Music Experience are putting the spotlight on the artists making noise in Northeast Florida, presenting three unique nights of music at three different venues around Jacksonville. Since we launched JME in the summer of 2021, our team of local contributors has been cranking out content, including curated playlists, reviews, profiles, industry news, think-pieces, concert …
Go | Here’s who’s playing in Jax this week
Empress of Soul Gladys Knight, diet country from the Kernal and John Prine’s brother Billy
There’s lots of great live music on this week’s concert calendar. Here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission even if you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta …
Spotify removes Neil Young’s music after he objects to Joe Rogan’s podcast
Updated January 27, 2022 at 8:13 AM ET Spotify has removed famed singer-songwriter Neil Young’s recordings from its streaming platform. On Monday, Young had briefly posted an open letter on his own website, asking his management and record label to remove his music from the streaming giant, as a protest against the platform’s distribution of podcaster Joe Rogan. Rogan has …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new tracks out right now
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to concoct the tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are three new songs …
Go | Jacksonville Symphony wind and string ensembles at WJCT
The Jacksonville Symphony’s 2021/2022 season is underway, and, as expected, the beloved local institution has been firing on all cylinders. From the highly approachable Symphony in 60 and pops series events to the mind-blowing musicianship on display in the symphony’s Mozart Piano Series (which kicked off with Italian virtuoso Alessio Bax and contiuned with once-in-a-generation talent Conrad Tao in late …
Just Announced | Drive-By Truckers return to PV Concert Hall
Southern-rock torchbearers brings their alt-country torrent to St. Johns County in April
Enduring and ever-progressing carriers of the southern rock torch, alt-country quintet Drive-By Truckers have a truckload of tour dates on the band’s 2022 itinerary, including a long-awaited return to St. Johns County’s Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on April 12. DBT’s plans to support their 2020 album The Unraveling––which unraveled in the wake of the pandemic––have finally been knotted up. And …
Don Wilson, cofounder of the instrumental guitar group The Ventures, dies at age 88
TACOMA, Wash. — Don Wilson, co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the instrumental guitar band The Ventures, has died. He was 88. Wilson died Saturday in Tacoma of natural causes, surrounded by his four children, The News Tribune reported. The band’s hits included “Walk, Don’t Run,” and the theme song for “Hawaii Five-O.” They were inducted into the Rock and Roll …
Go | Best bets for live music this week
49 Winchester, Authority Zero, John Paul White, Air Supply and a free show downtown
There’s lots of great live music on this week’s concert calendar. Here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission even if you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta …
Conrad Tao is an undeniable maestro of the millennial age
The renowned musician tackles Mozart with the Jacksonville Symphony
There are prodigies and then there are prodigies. At the earliest age, pianist Conrad Tao displayed quasi-supernatural, or surely genius, skills in performing music. The Illinois native began playing children’s songs on the piano while only 18 months old; he began violin lessons at the age of three, gave his first piano recital at the age of four, and five …
On ‘Dawn FM,’ The Weeknd is both suffering and saved
“Now that all future plans have been postponed, and it’s time to look back on the things you thought you owned, do you remember them well?“ actor Jim Carrey, serving as narrator, asks listeners on the final track of The Weeknd’s new album. The dawn climbs out of the darkness where we’ve roamed for the erratic past two years to …
Fresh Rotation | 4 new tracks we really dig
New songs from Kim Gordon, Aldous Harding, Robert Glasper and A Place to Bury Strangers
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to concoct the tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are four new songs …
Local Spotlight | Hear 3 new songs from Jax artists out now
Brand new tracks from Bobby Kid, Bad Madonna and Dean Winter and the heat
The Jacksonville Music Experience team keeps its collective ear to the ground in Duval County in order to put the spotlight on the beautiful noise emerging from the First Coast and reverberating across the globe. Here’s three great new tracks by Jacksonville artists out right now. “High Resolution” by Bad Madonna Indie singer-songwriter Alexis Rhode, aka Bad Madonna, has released …
Americans bought A LOT of vinyl in 2021
Vinyl accounted for more than half of all physical albums sold
Vinyl was was ascendent in 2021, outpacing CDs and becoming the preferred physical format of American music consumers. In fact, vinyl accounted for more than half of all physical music purchased in 2021, according to a new report from Billboard Magazine and MRC Data, a music data collection company. According to the report, Americans bought more than 41 million vinyl …
On ‘CAPRISONGS,’ FKA twigs vibrates at her highest frequency
Pluto scoffs at superficiality. The planet’s transit, the way that the planet’s movement activates and interacts with a person’s natal chart, demands for connection with core purpose. It is a chance to break through illusions and probe deep in search of inner truth: to evolve and be reborn without perfunctory airs. Born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, singer-songwriter FKA twigs celebrated her …
Go | This week’s live music picks
Reggae-rock fusion, Jedi vibes and a country crossover artist
There’s lots of great live music on this week’s concert calendar. Here’s what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission even if you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta and Omicron variants …