Music

Twenty seconds of hand washing. 60 to 90 percent alcohol. Six feet of distance. People worldwide have absorbed these guidelines as the coronavirus pandemic has closed its fist around the world. But humans also need to keep the spirit moving, as did Charles Dickens — who lived through a few epidemics — by taking a daily "breather" in the fresh air. Here we offer recommendations for psychic health from people who go deep into their own hearts and minds: artists and writers. Creative people have been uniquely affected by the onset of the current pandemic.

Late last summer, saxophonist Joshua Redman engaged in some light time travel: For a couple of nights, he reconvened a stellar ensemble he'd led 25 years prior, with Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade on drums.

Updated Monday, Mar. 30 at 1:37 p.m.

Bandcamp, the digital storefront and streaming music platform used by hundreds of thousands of artists and thousands of record labels, will forgo collecting its share of revenue from sales on the site made this Friday, March 20, the company announced on Tuesday. The initiative will be active from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m Pacific time.

Among the many large gatherings to be canceled due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, the SXSW Music Festival has arguably the largest impact on up-and-coming musicians — artists from around the world who'd been scheduled to perform this week around Austin, Texas. The festival has a truly global reach, as more than 1,500 acts were scheduled to perform; they represent a large and daunting world of music that spans many dozens of countries, not to mention countless genres and subgenres.

Updated on June 18 at 1:33 p.m. ET.

We are no longer updating or taking submissions for this page.

As more festivals, performances and concerts are canceled due to the coronavirus shutdown, musicians of all stripes and sizes are taking to social and streaming platforms to play live for their fans,

The Canada-bred, Nashville-based musician Billy Raffoul will perform Live From Studio A in advance of his show that night at the Rumba Cafe with Columbus musician Erin Mason!

Just about a decade ago — April 5, 2010 at about 3:30 in the afternoon — an explosion fueled by methane and coal dust ripped through the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia and killed 29 miners. A new play at New York's Public Theater called Coal Country tells the story of what happened at Upper Big Branch in the words of miners who survived the blast and family members of those who didn't.

Updated on Saturday, March 7 at 11:45 a.m. ET

McCoy Tyner, a pianist whose deep resonance, hammering attack and sublime harmonic invention made him a game-changing catalyst in jazz and beyond, died Friday, March 6, at his home in New Jersey. His death was confirmed by his manager. No cause of death was given. He was 81.

Last year, the rising indie singer-songwriter Beabadoobee released a single called "I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus." In it, she sings about staying at home crying to Pavement records, and wanting to attain anything close to Malkmus' seemingly effortless cool as the leader of that band.

Throughout the next few months, we'll be sharing some of the many 2020 Tiny Desk Contest entries that have caught our eyes and ears. There's still time to enter: We're accepting videos until 11:59 p.m. ET on March 30. You can watch a playlist of all the entries we've featured on the blog on YouTube.

On Wednesday night in Switzerland, the French violinist Renaud Capuçon and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra played a full concert — to an empty hall.

Their performance, which was canceled after the Swiss government prohibited all gatherings of 1000 or more people, was broadcast by Swiss public television and radio. It's just one of the ways that performers and organizations worldwide are grappling with the uncertainties of the coronavirus, and how to handle large gatherings of audiences in close quarters.

Paste Magazine just named her one of "Ten Artists To Watch In 2020".

Based in Baltimore, her latest release "Circadian", just came out in February.

Working with veteran producer Neilson Hubbard, she also recieved help from Will Kimbrough on Guitar and Mandolin for her latest effort.

She's currently on tour, but does not have a Columbus show scheduled at this time.

She will, however, play live right here in studio A.

EmiSunshine is back in Ohio to play a show at Marathon Center For The Performing Arts in Findlay Ohio the evening of March 5th.

She will also play at Ludlow Garage in Cincinnati on Friday March 27.

Her latest release, "Family Wars" came out late last year.

Richardson Taylor aka Shaun Richardson and Seth Taylor will peform Live From Studio A in advance of the Dinner Music Series event that night at The Refectory.

Tune in for live music, conversation and a chance to win tickets for the concert!

It's all waiting for you on 90.5FM Columbus, 106.3FM Newark and on line at www.wcbe.org!

LISTEN HERE!

WCBE is looking forward to the return of Andy Frasco to perform Live From Studio A in advance of the show that night with Big Something at Woodland's Tavern! 

WCBE is looking forward to the return of Chicago Farmer aka Cody Diehkoff to perform Live From Studio A! 

WCBE will host Christopher Paul Stelling Live From Studio A in advance of his show that night at Natalie's in Worthington.  

Singer, writer and producer Natasha Khan moved to LA to write scripts and music for film after her 2016 release, The Bride. The release marked the end of her recording contract with EMI and she wasn't sure she'd write another album as Bat for Lashes.

Harry Nilsson's concept album The Point turns fifty this year; to celebrate, the 1971 animated film adapted from the music will be released digitally and on BluRay for the first time. Nilsson, a beloved if occasionally overlooked writer of late 1960s pop hits, died in 1994, but his strange and endearing fairy tale album still resonates with those that remember it.

The Nashville Grammy award winners The Steeldrivers will play a few songs during the Global Village in advance of their show at the Lincoln Theatre! 

Joseph Shabalala, the singer who created the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and propelled it to worldwide fame, died Tuesday in Pretoria at age 78. The group became beloved globally as collaborators with Paul Simon on the album Graceland, and went on to win five Grammys.

Starting today, NPR Music is accepting entries to the 2020 Tiny Desk Contest. You can now submit your video via our website. We'll be accepting entries through March 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States. You can't currently have a record deal.