JP Cutler Media

Icons of Malian music with an illustrious multi-platinum career spanning nearly 50 years, GRAMMY Award-nominated are set to release “La Vie Est Belle,” a new album featuring their greatest hits since 1998 in addition to the exclusive new track “Mogolu” composed by Manu Chao. Due out on September 6, 2024, “La Vie Est Belle” highlights Amadou & Mariam’s legacy as Africa’s most famous duo and the incredible influence they’ve had on paving the way for exciting new African artists now hitting the mainstream.

Amadou & Mariam are the ultimate ambassadors of Afro-pop who have collaborated with an array of today’s biggest stars from U2, Coldplay, Stevie Wonder, to David Gilmour while selling more than 1 million albums across their catalog of seven acclaimed studio albums. Whether on the world’s largest stages performing at the World Cup, Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert”, or on late-night TV in the U.S. and UK, Amadou & Mariam have made their way into the hearts of music fans across a variety of genres. From dance floor bangers by Sofi Tukker and BLOND:ISH featuring Amadou & Mariam, to collabs with Santigold, TV On The Radio, Akon, and Damon Albarn, Amadou & Mariam are shapeshifters at the forefront of today’s trendsetting Africa music scene.

Thank you KCRW for highlighting “Mogolu” as Today’s Top Tune!

Acclaimed living legend of Afro-Cuban music, seven-time GRAMMY Award winner and six-time Latin GRAMMY Award winner Chucho Valdés celebrates his lauded 60-year recording career with an instant-classic, “Cuba & Beyond,” set for release on Friday, August 30, 2024. Valdés is the preeminent composer/pianist of modern Afro-Cuban jazz with international acclaim to his name for deftly fusing the music of his homeland with jazz, classical music, dance music, and rock. His renowned career includes seven albums on Blue Note Records (1991-2003), a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, and being an inductee into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. On “Cuba & Beyond,” Valdés composes yet another masterpiece as he carries his legacy forward with a world-class catalog of recordings.

NPR Music has published today, Monday, August 12 an incredible solo performance featuring Chucho Valdés in a “Tiny Desk Concert”!

Head over to NPR.org/series/tinydeskconcert to watch!!

Here’s what the critics are saying about acclaimed vocalist new album, “Shadow”!

“Lizz Wright has a voice! It’s so warm and welcoming, so full of honey, smoke, texture, and simmering goodness. She’s also a really thoughtful curator of her own work and a wonderful songwriter. Shadow has several really nice original songs, and a fantastic collection of cover songs.” -Nate Chinen, NPR Music “New Music Friday”

“Lizz Wright promises sanctuary, consolation and strength in ‘Sparrow’ from her new album Shadow. Folky guitar and fiddle and a quietly insistent six-beat rhythm support Wright’s benevolent, ever resolute voice as she calls on a lover to return.” -Jon Pareles, The New York Times

“On her new album, Shadow, Lizz Wright creates a dazzling soundscape with her smooth, sultry vocals as she ranges from jazz and blues to folk and soul.” -Henry Carrigan, No Depression

“...stunning new record, the magnificent Shadow... [is] a masterful work, one filled with Wright’s artistic vision, authenticity and musical beauty.” -Steve Baltin, Forbes

“Undiminished quality throughout this album = One of the year’s best.” -John Apice, Americana Highways

Tune in to Food Network’s show “Chopped” tonight, Tuesday, March 19 at 8pm ET as (Chef de Cuisine) at at appears on the show!

Tune in to Food Network’s show “Chopped” this Tuesday, March 19 at 8pm ET as (Chef de Cuisine) at at appears on the show!

Internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer and living music legend, Al Di Meola captivates audiences with a brand-new single, “Fandango,” now available on all digital music platforms. The electrifying single showcases Al Di Meola’s virtuosity and innovation, cementing his status as a pioneering figure in the world of contemporary jazz and fusion. “Fandango” is featured on his upcoming studio album, “Twentyfour,” due out on July 19, 2024.

Al Di Meola’s “Twentyfour” is a testament to his incredible creativity as one of the world’s finest guitarists. Conceived during the tumultuous times of the pandemic, what started as a simple acoustic project evolved into something much grander. Al’s initial intention to craft a reflective acoustic album on the challenges of the time expanded exponentially as he found himself unable to resist the allure of boundless musical exploration.

Over the span of four years, “Twentyfour” blossomed into a masterpiece, brimming with intricately woven melodies, diverse instrumentation, and captivating highlights. It’s a journey through Al’s musical evolution, showcasing his virtuosity. Each track is a moment within these four years.

Huge thanks to for her amazing story “Exploring Caribbean Food, Island by Island: A new guard of chefs is getting specific about a cuisine that is often flattened into one large region” for with our client Nelson German ( ) offering his voice in the piece.

Korsha writes, “In Oakland, Calif., the chef Nelson German converted his restaurant to a fully Dominican kitchen in 2023. After years working in Eurocentric restaurants, he became passionate about Dominicans’ embracing the African influences their cuisine.

His menu focuses on memories of growing up in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan and the Bronx, where his family often cooked dishes like slow-roasted pernil. The oxtail, stewed with butter beans and chile africano, is a tribute to a dish his mother often made. ‘That oxtail dish has saved me,’ he said. ‘It’s that connection, it’s about storytelling and memory.’

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officially announces her forthcoming studio album “Shadow” with the reveal of the album’s cover artwork. Please see her heartfelt words below and view the stunning cover:

“It finally came to be my turn to lose a defining love in my life, my grandmother Martha. Something about the way she loved me gave me the backbone to stand and sing in front of rooms of strangers all these years and never feel alone. She would say sometimes, “I just love everybody” and each time she’d burst into hot, earnest tears. I have never witnessed anything like this in my life since. Time is only revealing to me how rare and powerful that kind of engulfing purity is to find in a human being. She made the world seem small and warm.

Watching her long transition made me think about the impression that her love has left on me and what I was going to do with it.

Shadow was my opportunity to patiently feel and explore grief. I also used the project to celebrate the kind of love that becomes more apparent and affecting in the presence of loss and uncertainty.

My album, Shadow, will be released on Friday, April 12, 2024 via Blues & Greens Records!“

Produced by Chris Bruce
Executive Produced by Lizz Wright
Recorded & Mixed by Ryan Freeland at Stampede Origin Studio, Chicago
Additional Recording by Aki Sihvonen at Finnvox Studios and Ron Benner at Dogwood Recording Studio
Mastered by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering
Photography & Album Design by Hollis King
Ensemble by Sabine von Oettingen
Additional Styling by World of Agape
Makeup by Samantha Boncy

Ring in the New Year with acclaimed vocalist on “Toast of the Nation” tonight, December 31, 2023! ✨

celebrates its 1st Anniversary at their latest art-deco inspired restaurant and bar in the heart of Oldtown Salinas with the opening of a luxurious new mezzanine. In addition to adding more dining tables on the main level, Alvarado On Main ( ) raises the bar with a sleek upper-level lounge overlooking the bustling dining room. Polished, yet snug, the mezzanine has a laid-back service approach (counter service allows patrons to control the flow of food & drinks) and provides for a semi-private, more intimate experience -- it's the perfect locale to relax with friends, have your next date night, or host a private event. It features six draught beers from Alvarado Street, as well as some of their more popular cocktails. A curated menu featuring oysters and small bites keeps it casual, but for private events the options are limitless.

In November 2022, Alvarado transformed a former Rabobank to revitalize the design aesthetic art-deco that flourished during the Roaring Twenties. The 48 tap-handle custom 8-inch cast iron draft system serves as the centerpiece of the beautiful bar with velvet chairs and dining booths, fine wood craftsmanship along the walls, and a warm ambience from geometric-styled overhead light fixtures. A modern handcrafted beer selection coalesces with the freshest local ingredients for an exquisite culinary menu designed by Chef de Cuisine Jordan Roots who showcases the beautiful bounty of Salinas Valley.

Come and indulge in a world of grandeur at Alvarado on Main. The new mezzanine is now open every Thursday through Sunday from 4pm -- close; reservations are not required.

Live on news tonight (October 23) at 5:45pm, Oakland musical legend and Elevate Oakland co-founder Sheila E. and 49er legend/NFL Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott will be interviewed about , a music education and emerging artists program developed in partnership with Elevate Oakland and leading arts, entertainment, media and sports organizations in the region.

The phrase "Follow the Music" is a call to action inspired by the Bay Area's unrivaled legacy of music and social justice. It recognizes that young people are inheriting a world facing profound challenges, and music has a unique ability to help them express themselves, and navigate the road ahead.

"Music gave the Bay Area its soul," said Sheila E. "We've been through hard times before, and music is the one tool that brings people together to imagine a different future. Together we can support the next generation."

The program kicks off October 29 (6pm) at the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park with a concert showcasing the diversity of young artists in the Bay Area -- featuring performances by rising young artists from Oakland School for the Arts, GLIDE Memorial Church, San Francisco Community Music Center, ELM (Enriching Lives Through Music), Blue Bear School of Music, and SFJAZZ. The kickoff is presented by KALW and sponsored by Community Bank of the Bay.

A lauded drummer who’s mastered a vast array of musical settings – such as guesting on late night TV, keeping time for some of today’s most beloved singer-songwriters (such as Brandi Carlile), and being a renowned bandleader/composer in her own right – Allison Miller is always at the heart of the music. Her latest album, “Rivers In Our Veins” (Royal Potato Family, Release Date: October 6, 2023), is a song cycle embracing the concept of flow and renewal, and dedicated to our nation’s crucial rivers, watersheds and the organizations devoted to reviving and protecting them. Commissioned by Mid Atlantic Arts Organization and Lake Placid Center for the Arts, “Rivers In Our Veins” is the studio manifestation from an ambitious live multimedia production with original music composed by Miller featuring an all-star cast of improvisers, tap and contemporary dancers, and real-time video projection by Todd Winkler.

“Rivers In Our Veins” spotlights Miller alongside longtime collaborators, including violinist Jenny Scheinman, Ben Goldberg on contra-alto and Bb clarinets, pianist Carmen Staaf, trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Todd Sickafoose, and tap dancers Claudia Rahardjanoto, Michelle Dorrance, Elizabeth Burke, Byron Tittle, and Orlando Hernández.

“Rivers In Our Veins” draws inspiration from what acclaimed writer Rebecca Solnit calls “human geography.” It’s a perspective that encompasses indigenous communities who depend on rivers and the vital role waterways play for survival throughout America’s often torrid history of forced migration for marginalized people, as well as the conservation movement dedicated to reclaiming historic rivers from pollution. Miller culls inspiration from the cultural histories of five East Coast rivers that have been polluted nearly beyond repair through industrialism and commercialism, she focuses on the James, Delaware, Potomac, Hudson, and Susquehanna.   

Howard Mandel @ published a glowing review!

published a wonderful story “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Sarah Vaughan” that includes a quote from our client the acclaimed vocalist !

Gio says, “All it might take is a second and a half of hearing her sing to make your spine tingle or your heart drop. Opera singers, jazz vocalists, writers and Vaughan’s biographer share their favorites.”

Lizz Wright talks about her favorite Sarah Vaughan song, “Tenderly.”

contributes an op-ed to raising awareness during Banned Books Week!

Musicians such as Ariana Grande, Idina Menzel, and Yola have added their voices to the list of celebrities and activists penning an open letter condemning the ominous threat of book bands led by LaVar Burton of Reading Rainbow and backed by MoveOn.org. GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter Joanie Leeds ("Best Children's Album" 2020 -- “All The Ladies”) protests against the controversial banned books movement with the release of her latest studio album, “FREADOM” (Release Date: September 15, 2023).

Leeds couldn't stay silent while radical organizations campaign to remove and restrict access to books in grade schools and libraries across the country. Leeds and her all-star Book Band (featuring Regina Carter, Oran Etkin, Cheryl B. Engelhardt, Divinity Roxx, and SaulPaul) celebrate many of the banned children's books with a new collection of eight original songs that joyously amplify messages of love and inclusion.

Lauded vocalist encapsulates an illustrious 20-year career as one of the great modern American singers with the studio debut album, “Shadow,” on her label Blues & Greens Records (with licensing/distribution through Lightyear Entertainment/Virgin Music), set for release on April 12, 2024.

Giving fans a taste of what’s to come on “Shadow,” Wright releases “Shadow’s” first single “Sweet Feeling” with an accompanying music video on Friday, October 6, 2023.

“New Sounds” premieres the video at NewSounds.org!

Mark Jenkins at the interviews about her life as an acclaimed sitarist, new mini-album “Chapter 1: Forever, For Now” set for release this Friday, October 6, and three-week North American tour!
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Washington Post:

“I wanted to make something that felt deeply peaceful and could achieve the sort of intimacy and space in the music that I found myself listening to over the last several years,” the sitarist says of the series. To get the effect she desired, she enlisted two musicians she associates with spacious music: German multi-instrumentalist Nils Frahm (who plays piano on one track) and Pakistani American singer-producer Arooj Aftab.

On this tour, “I’m playing a few of the new pieces, as usual not exact replicas, but adapting for the stage,” Shankar explains. “Which I find more entertaining, for myself anyway. And then also playing improvised or expanded versions of previous songs of mine.”

Check out Anoushka Shankar in a city near you as she tours through October 22!

Rap legend teams up with Top Chef's Nelson German ( ) on the 4th season of his cooking show, “Dinner In Place.” The two SF Bay Area luminaries bring their collaboration of the dish Locrio Japonese featured on “Dinner In Place” to a special pop-up event this Thursday, September 14 at (100 Grand Ave #111, Oakland, Calif.) from 5pm - 10 pm.

Proceeds from the sales of Locrio Japonese at the alaMar pop-up will benefit the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Maui Strong Foundation to help aid communities affected by the devastating Maui wildfires.

To check out the “Dinner In Place” episode featuring Nelson German, please visit YouTube.

Oakland’s own Chef and Restauranteur Nelson German ( , ) competes on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay (Season 34), on the “This Kitchen’s Crowded” episode (Season 34) airing tonight, Thursday, August 31 (9pm PT). German’s Dominican Republic heritage and NYC upbringing informs his singular culinary style featured on Beat Bobby Flay and is at the heart of his beloved Oakland restaurant alaMar Dominican Kitchen and Afro Latino cocktail bar Sobre Mesa.

Nelson German invites SF Bay Area foodies to a special "Watch Party" of the “This Kitchen’s Crowded” episode on Beat Bobby Flay at alaMar Dominican Kitchen tonight, Thursday, August 31, 2023 from 9 pm – 10pm. Diners can enjoy a delicious dinner and watch Beat Bobby Flay on the big screen along with German and his crew. Reservations are available on OpenTable (https://www.opentable.com/) and walk-ins are welcome.

In June 2023, German reimagined his Uptown Oakland Michelin-recommended seafood staple of the last nine years alaMar as an entirely new restaurant, alaMar Dominican Kitchen (100 Grand Avenue #111, Oakland). The reinvention of alaMar features dishes that give back to his Dominican lineage as well as spotlights the foods he ate with his family at home and the local street fare in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, NYC. A coastal style of cooking, alaMar Dominican Kitchen serves delicious aperitivos, small plates, stews, seafood, braised meats with Dominican spices and ingredients, and boozy slushies.

Big Daddy Kane headlines Friday night at Summer Fest 2023 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of hip-hop!

highlights and their 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop celebration this Friday, August 11 at San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2023 with headliner Big Daddy Kane set to perform on the Main Stage and an entirely new stage 200 Park Stage dedicated to celebrating hip-hop!

Adjacent to The Sobrato Organization Main Stage will be a brand-new activation on the 200 Park Stage with the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop taking over the stage on Friday night with an array of the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles’ foremost hip-hop acts: Murs; Needle To The Groove w/ DJ Allen Johnson, Dave Ma & Michael Basura; Playboyz Inc. Breakdancing Troupe Featuring NastyRay, Scarface & Johnny 5, and Live Graffiti by Gwen Mercado Reyes & Joey Reyes. The night will be hosted by San Jose emcee DEM ONE, aka Demone Carter.

So many incredible musical moments at ! Truly a discovery festival unlike any other, I just can’t believe how many artists at the festival were new to me and by simply venturing to the stages they were performing at, I’d discover a new favorite artist!

Here are some highlights!

Silicon Valley's premier annual music event, Summer Fest 2023 celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop with newly confirmed headliner Big Daddy Kane set to perform with a full band and backup singers on The Sobrato Organization Main Stage on Friday, August 11, 2023!

One of hip-hop's most innovative and trendsetting MCs who's renowned for bringing the "playa" style to the game, Big Daddy Kane holds an array of career accolades that have catapulted him to legendary status in the genre. From several Gold records and a GRAMMY Award to being recognized as an icon at the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors, Big Daddy Kane's hit singles have brought his influential, lyrical baritone voice to the masses across multiple decades being in the hip-hop spotlight.

Adjacent to The Sobrato Organization Main Stage will be a brand-new activation on the 200 Park Stage with the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop taking over the stage on Friday night featuring Murs; Needle To The Groove w/ DJ Allen Johnson, Dave Ma & Michael Basura; Playboyz Inc. Breakdancing Troupe Featuring NastyRay, Scarface & Johnny 5, and Live Graffiti by Gwen Mercado Reyes & Joey Reyes. The night will be hosted by San Jose emcee DEM ONE. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, the 200 Park Stage turns into a Latin, jazz, funk and soul party with a second show by Cimafunk and La Tribu, as well as electrifying sets by Jungle Fire, La Misa Negra, Frunkyman, and B. Deveaux.

For more info, please visit summerfest.sanjosejazz.org

Acclaimed sitar virtuoso, producer and composer will release a new mini-album, “Chapter I: Forever, For Now,” and embark on a three-week North American tour from October 3 – 22, 2023. Released by LEITER, the label run by Nils Frahm and Felix Grimm, “Chapter I: Forever, For Now” will be available on vinyl and via all digital platforms from October 6, 2023. Anoushka’s first single “Stolen Moments” from her forthcoming mini-album is now available on all digital platforms and Songlines spotlights the singular composition.

notes, “'Stolen Moments' is the first track to be released from ‘Chapter 1: Forever, For Now.’ The track has a guest appearance from Nils Frahm, who plays piano, glass harmonica, harmonium and slit drum on the mini-album. For 'Stolen Moments' he helped Aftab in coaxing a delicately paced arrangement from Shankar's original, haunting melody.

Anoushka describes the result as ‘a recording that came from truly listening and responding to the moment.’ Speaking of working with Frahm and Aftab on the track she says: ‘Exploring space and silence is not something that's always been comfortable for me, and I allowed myself to hold back and not just play notes for the sake of it. It felt like a recording that came from truly listening and responding to the moment.’"

cooking series "Dinner In Place" ( ) celebrates the launch of its 4th Season today! I booked the celebrity chefs for Season 4, and we kick off the first episode with , winner of "Top Chef Masters," a competitor on "The Next Iron Chef" and who is renowned for his appearances on "Iron Chef America." Cosentino is an iconic San Francisco chef and it's such an honor to have him appear alongside Lyrics Born on "Dinner In Place."

More celebrity guest chefs are coming up in new episodes airing soon!

Head over to Lyrics Born’s YouTube page to check out the first episode. 🔥🔥🔥

Thanks for including and his debut album “The Ancestral Call” on Alt.Latino’s “Best Music of 2023 (so far)” Roundup!

“The Ancestral Call” is a striking debut album by Costa Rican pianist/composer José Soto, an artist who’s already made a significant impact in Boston, Panama, and his homeland’s capital, San Jose. A closer look reveals a project of unusual ambition, embodying a stunning act of recompense for historical wrongs and a singular cross-cultural dialogue connecting with ancestral Costa Ricans on their own terms. Released on June 23, 2023, “The Ancestral Call” is a work of exhaustive scope featuring an international cast with some of jazz’s most prodigious artists, including Cuban drummer Francisco Mela and saxophonist George Garzone.

Jose Soto will perform at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center in New York City on September 7, 2023!

Legendary folk music icon Arlo Guthrie ( ) speaks with about his Happy Place!

Bravo TV’s Top Chef alumni Nelson German ( ) officially closes his beloved Uptown Oakland staple alaMar Kitchen & Bar as a seafood destination after nine years at 100 Grand Avenue #111, Oakland. An entirely new restaurant has debuted in the space with the opening of alaMar Dominican Kitchen ( ).

German represents his Dominican Republic roots growing up in Washington Heights, Manhattan by bringing a NYC-style Dominican restaurant to Uptown, Oakland. The reinvention of alaMar features dishes that give back to his Dominican lineage as well as spotlights the foods he ate with his family at home and the local street fare in the Washington Heights neighborhood.

“After nine years as alaMar Kitchen & Bar, it’s time for me to go full-on Dominican at alaMar,” says Nelson German. “At , I’m able to explore my Latin and West African heritage, and it’s essential for my footprint in the Bay to be spots where foodies can celebrate culture while enjoying amazing foods from my childhood. As Californians are traveling more and more to the Dominican Republic, I really feel the SF Bay Area community is ready to embrace regional Dominican cuisine influenced by the streets of New York. People are more open right now where they want to learn and experience other cultures, and we are going to be the spot for Dominican foods in Northern California.”

Check out what and are saying about !!

highlights with “Today’s Top Tune”!

KCRW writes:

Mexican-American musician, Nic Clark has no trouble expressing his hard-earned Gen Z life experience into song. Uplifting and honest, Clark’s sophomore album, “Everybody’s Buddy” is produced by guitar whiz and shines with deep grooves and flowing harmonica. 

“Don’t Count Yourself Out” is a song of hope and inclusion. Clark notes, "My experience is very common in America. I work an Amazon warehouse job, and I'm really ashamed of it. As a working musician, I need to make ends meet. Take one shift at an Amazon warehouse and you'll understand how everyone has the same problems as you. People are in recovery, supporting multi-generational families, etc. I'm just so grateful I have my music to keep me out of trouble."

Nelson German ( ) is featured in this month’s print issue of with his Rum and Guava Glazed Spareribs in the spotlight!

Check it out on newsstands now!

15 years to the day I met the love of my life! The most eloquent of words could still not describe the love I have for you !! As we dance through this beautiful life we’ve created, there’s never a day that I forget the moment we met and how much I love you!

❤️ Here’s to an eternity of more years side by side! ❤️