THE GIG

The Age of Worry

New Music, May 22

John Mayer, "Born and Raised"

Keep Warm

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Ingrid Michaelson

Joe's Pub, Jan. 24

Best Thing I Never Had

A Pair of Pop Queens Flaunt Winning Hands

New Concert DVDs from Beyoncé and Adele

Some People...

Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times

Sia, Oh Land

Webster Hall, July 28

Lady Cab Driver

Chad Batka for The New York Times

Gett Off: Meshell Ndegeocello Covers Prince

Highline Ballroom, June 15

Once was Lost

Hank Parker/Sony Archives

Playlist, April 3

Aretha Franklin, Gretchen Parlato, Holy Ghost!, Peter Evans Quintet, Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya

Illuminating Josh Groban

This weekend’s Arts & Leisure feature is on Josh Groban, the multi-platinum-selling operatic-pop star. A lifelong Angeleno now making his home in Manhattan, Groban has a new album produced by Def Jam cofounder / artist whisperer Rick Rubin. It’s not a wild departure, this album, but it does push Groban to the foreground as a songwriter.

Rubin was key in bringing out that side of him, and you might reasonably assume that the pairing was born of record-label strategizing. Both Groban and Rubin insist otherwise; each used the word “naturally” to describe how it happened. Here’s Groban: 

Groban on Rubin

 As has often been reported, Groban doesn’t carry himself with any of the pomp or solemnity of his music. This can be a bit disarming.  

And Dream of Sheep

Angela Jimenez for The New York Times

Hello Earth! The Music of Kate Bush

Le Poisson Rouge, Sept. 22

Update: Hear the entire concert courtesy of WQXR

Smooth Sailing

A couple of weeks ago I took a ride on the Smooth Cruise. I had a pretty good time. Then I wrote about it. Above, see an iPhone picture of me on the rear deck. The image has not been doctored, so if it looks like a Polaroid from the Carter Era -- well, that might just be the influence of “Shaker Song.” You think I kid? Behold:

Happy Friday, everybody. Let’s keep Al Jarreau in our prayers.

 

 

No Matter What They Say

Sting with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra

Metropolitan Opera House, July 13