Mike Rubin
Posts
The Lijadu Sisters, Nigeria’s Twin Musical Pioneers, Are Celebrated Anew
Taiwo and Kehinde were groundbreaking for their funky songs, as well as their feminism. Five years after Kehinde’s death, their albums will be reissued.
The Techno Pioneer Jeff Mills Blazes a Trail to Space, and Beyond
At 60, the D.J. and producer is inspiring fresh generations with new work, including an LP that approximates the experience of traveling through a black...
Damo Suzuki, Singer Who Ignited the Experimental Band Can, Dies at 74
His free-spirited music ignored genre boundaries. “If you’re a creative person,” he once said, “it’s important to break rules.”
Linda Sharrock Has Lost Her Speech, but She’s Still Performing
Linda Sharrock, an avant-garde jazz musician who became aphasic after a 2009 stroke, has returned to the stage and inspired new generations.
Amp Fiddler, Versatile Keyboardist, Singer and Mentor, Dies at 65
A mainstay of Detroit’s soul, funk and electronic music scenes, he also offered guidance to young hip-hop and electronic music aspirants, notably J Dilla.
Rick Froberg, Singer of Artful Intensity, Is Dead at 55
A longtime linchpin of the San Diego underground music scene, he built a devoted and enthusiastic following and was also a prolific visual artist.
Peter Brötzmann, 82, Dies; His Thunderous Saxophone Shook Jazz Traditions
One of Europe’s most influential free-jazz musicians, he played with “a kind of scream” to exorcise his demons, and those of German history.
Standing on the Corner Is a Music Collective That Won’t Be Pinned Down
The Brooklyn group, led by Gio Escobar, has been making experimental music — and much more — since 2016.
Jaimie Branch, Trumpeter Who Crossed Genre Lines, Dies at 39
One of the most dynamic trumpet players in contemporary music, she forged a direct emotional, and even spiritual, connection with her listeners.