A small, enthusiastic audience of first arrivals chat in excited, hushed tones as they listen to Hubby Jenkins soundcheck into a pair of Ear Trumpet Labs microphones in the ballroom at Fort Worth, Texas’s Southside Preservation Hall. It’s an unseasonably cool Saturday afternoon in March, with crystal blue skies and wispy clouds backgrounding the historic…

Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dom Flemons has excelled for years at celebrating the versatility and heritage of American popular music and Black culture. But he has broken fresh ground on his exceptional new album Traveling Wildfire, released at the end of March. "With this album I wanted to look forward for a change, do more…

This week, we feature a talk with genre-leaping singer-songwriter Devon Gilfillian who is back with a remarkable new LP, Love You Anyway. Shapeshifting between danceable southern soul, hip-hop, silky R&B, and AM gold rock 'n' roll, the record isn’t afraid to confront the thorny politics of voting rights and wrongful incarceration while still celebrating a…

Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, librettist, teacher, and dog lady Kimaya Diggs grew up surrounded by music. In her family, music was a tool for connection. Kimaya’s 2018 debut album, Breastfed, puts together the story of her upbringing through dreamy soul-folk jams. Even though she had been a musician all her life, she experienced a steep learning curve…

Artist: Vance Gilbert Hometown: Arlington, Massachusetts Song: "Black Rochelle" Album: The Mother of Trouble Release Date: May 5, 2023 In Their Words: "It's a true story. The cruelest kids are often the kids who have been treated most cruelly. One of the easiest and hardest songs ever to write. I am proud that I heard…