In this vocals-only version of Rush’s “Closer To The Heart,” Geddy Lee’s voice takes on new depth, every word cutting through with clarity and soul. Stripped of full instrumentation, the spotlight also falls on Alex Lifeson’s elegant solo—crisp, emotional, and perfectly placed. It’s a fresh way to experience one of prog rock’s most heartfelt anthems. Rush, up close and personal.
Peter Gabriel’s Vocals Shine In Isolated “Supper’s Ready” With 1973 Bataclan Footage
“Supper’s Ready” gets stripped down to the soul with this vocals-only version featuring the unmistakable voice of Peter Gabriel. Paired with footage from Genesis’s 1973 performance at the Bataclan in France, it’s a haunting, theatrical, and deeply human experience. The instrumental breaks are filled in with live audio, but it’s Gabriel’s storytelling tone that steals the show. A prog epic, now even more intimate.
Alice Coltrane’s ‘Monument Eternal’ Returns With Spiritual Wisdom And Musical Insight
The long-awaited reissue of Alice Coltrane’s original spiritual teachings and reflections, which provide powerful insight into her transcendent music, cherished by millions across the globe
ALICE COLTRANE (1937–2007) was a composer, master of various musical instruments, improviser, spiritual leader, and wife of John Coltrane. Throughout her adult life, she worked within and combined a broad range of musical genres, including gospel, R&B, bebop, free jazz, Indian devotional song, and Western art music. She recorded more than twenty full-length albums for Impulse and Warner Bros. Her music speaks to her experiences as a child playing for church congregations in Detroit; the transcendent and mind-bending avant-garde improvisations she performed with John Coltrane; and her religious pilgrimages to India.
When Monument Eternal was originally published in 1977, Alice Coltrane was living in Southern California and had recently become a swami, building and nurturing an alternative spiritual community. In these pages, she says that the book is “based upon the soul’s realizations in Absolute Consciousness and its spiritual relationships with the Supreme One.” Monument Eternal offers deep insight into Coltrane’s tremendous musical output, and shines a light on her transformation from Alice McLeod, Detroit church organist and bebopper, to sage thought leader Swami Turiyasangitananda. It also reflects the extraordinary fluidity of American religious customs in the mid and late twentieth century.
Akashic’s long-awaited reissue of Monument Eternal includes a new foreword by Ashley Kahn.
Dion DiMucci Drops New Single “New York Minute” And Celebrates New Book
Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion DiMucci has released his new single, “New York Minute,” now available on all streaming platforms. To celebrate his new book Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher, the song arrives as a nostalgic ode to Dion’s lifelong love affair with New York City and his wife, Susan, to whom he has been married for over 60 years.
“New York Minute” encapsulates Dion’s signature sound and is yet another testament to Dion’s ability to craft songs that resonate across generations, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest songwriters in rock and roll history.
“The song ‘New York Minute’ expresses my love for my city, New York, and my wife, Susan,” Dion shares. “When I first saw Susan, I could not think of anything else. I went to school but didn’t hear one word the teacher said. All I could think about was her! Where is she now? What is she doing? I wanna look at her. I wanna talk to her. I wanna get close to her any way I can. My mind was on a loop. Yeah, take a listen to the song. I think my mind was broken. I dropped my subway token, though not a word was spoken when I saw her smile.”
The new music follows hot on the heels of Dion’s recently released, highly anticipated book, Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher. Co-written with recovery and performance coach Adam Jablin, the book offers an intimate glimpse into Dion’s remarkable six-decade journey through rock and roll history.
With contributions from luminaries like Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Bishop Robert Barron, and Stevie Van Zandt, the book is an inspiring reflection on his rise to fame, battles with addiction, enduring marriage, and friendships with legends like Hank Williams and Bob Dylan. In addition to the beautiful hard cover, an incredible companion Audiobook is also available exclusively on Audible which includes 30 songs, 3 Rock & Roll Hall induction speeches, interviews between Dion and Adam and more.
Featuring over 200 vibrant photos, the hard cover book is both a celebration of Dion’s life and a chronicle of the evolution of rock and roll. In his role as a mentor and storyteller, Dion shares wisdom, humour, and insight, making Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher a must-read for fans of music history and anyone seeking inspiration.
Jon Batiste To Headline 2025 Arts For All Gala At Festival Napa Valley
Setting the stage with his high energy positivity and irrepressible creativity, GRAMMY and Oscar-winning artist Jon Batiste will headline Festival Napa Valley’s Arts for All Gala Sunday, July 13, 2025, hosted at the Oakville property of Nickel & Nickel, part of Far Niente Wine Estates.
Crowning the opening weekend of Festival Napa Valley’s Summer Season, the Arts for All Gala is one of the nation’s premier fundraisers for education and the arts, raising more than $28 million to date. Proceeds fund inspiring education programs for youth and seniors, music and wellness initiatives, free and affordable concerts, and scholarships.
“The Arts for All Gala is a dazzling celebration of art, community, and impact,” said Mary Beth Shimmon, who chairs the Gala with her husband, Festival board member David Shimmon. “A committed group of artists, philanthropists, and visionaries come together with a shared and vital mission: to transform lives through the arts. With the extraordinary Jon Batiste as this year’s headliner, this is the event everyone will be talking about.”
Jon Batiste is known for his genre-defying sound and electrifying performances. He has earned an impressive list of accolades, including five GRAMMY Awards for his 2021 album, We Are, and an Academy Award for Best Original Score for Pixar’s 2020 animated feature, Soul. A passionate advocate for music’s unifying power to unite and heal, Batiste captivated global audiences as the bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and as the subject of Netflix’s 2023 feature-length documentary, American Symphony.
Gala guests will enjoy a lavish dinner presented by Chef Rogelio Garcia, executive chef of the Michelin-starred Auro at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, each course thoughtfully paired with exceptional wines from Far Niente Wine Estates to showcase the elegance and diversity of the Estates’ renowned offerings. The evening includes a live auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime luxury getaways, bespoke performing arts experiences, highly collectible wines, and more.
Reservations for the 2025 Arts for All Gala are now open for Festival Passport and Opening Weekend Patron Pass holders and table sponsors. A limited number of individual passes will be available in spring 2025 for $3,000 each. For information, visit https://festivalnapavalley.org/support/arts-for-all-gala/ or call 707-927-3874.
Festival Napa Valley’s Summer Season takes place July 5-20, 2025 at venues throughout Napa Valley. Visit www.festivalnapavalley.org.
Bilal Delivers Long-Awaited npr Tiny Desk Set With Soul, Range, And Raw Power
Two decades in, Bilal’s Tiny Desk debut feels like both a milestone and a homecoming. Opening with the unreleased “Something To Hold,” he glides through soul, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop with vocal mastery and fearless emotion. Backed by a killer band and dynamic vocalists, every track transforms into a moment. No one bends sound and spirit like Bilal—and this set proves it.
Carminho Channels Centuries Of Fado In Powerful NPR Tiny Desk Performance
With voice, spirit, and centuries of tradition behind her, Carminho lights up the world of fado in a performance both intimate and soaring. Backed by a stellar band, she draws from her EP Carminho at Electrical Audio, a collaboration with the late, legendary Steve Albini. Every lyric aches, every chord soars.
5 Surprising Facts About Genesis’ ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’
There are albums. There are double albums. And then there’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Released on November 22, 1974, this theatrical, surreal, genre-defying rock opera from Genesis follows a graffiti-tagging New York street kid named Rael through a maze of lamias, slippermen, and spiritual awakenings. Peter Gabriel’s last album as the band’s frontman, it’s a journey, a puzzle, and a dream all at once. Here are five lesser-known facts about this prog rock masterpiece that might just change the way you hear it — or at least get you to put it on again, loudly.
1. Brian Eno Made It Even Weirder — In the Best Way Possible
While mixing the album, Peter Gabriel invited experimental icon Brian Eno to add some spacey effects to his vocals. Officially credited as “Enossification,” Eno brought a sprinkle of sonic magic that perfectly matched the album’s surreal atmosphere. In exchange? Phil Collins played drums on one of his tracks. That’s prog rock diplomacy at work.
2. The Band Thought the Best Musical Moment Was… a Bug Smash
Genesis fans love to argue over peak moments, but Tony Banks once singled out the crescendo in “Fly on a Windshield” — when the band hits full power to depict a fly hitting glass — as “probably the single best moment in Genesis’s history.” Dramatic? Sure. But listen to that section and try not to feel it in your soul.
3. “The Carpet Crawlers” Took Hours on an Out-of-Tune Piano
Peter Gabriel wrote the lyrics first for “The Carpet Crawlers,” then spent what he called hours and hours on a not-so-in-tune piano at his in-laws’ place crafting the melody. The result? A hypnotic and mysterious track that remains a fan favorite — so much so, the band re-recorded it in 1999 with both Gabriel and Collins on lead vocals.
4. There’s a Song Literally Named After a Bad Room Vibe
“The Waiting Room” wasn’t written with a story in mind — it came from an atmospheric jam session that happened during a thunderstorm at Headley Grange. The weather was spooky. The mood was intense. The rainbow that appeared afterward? Totally real. The band considered it a breakthrough, and yes, the track feels like a trip through another dimension.
5. Gabriel Wrote a Rock Opera, Then Almost Left Mid-Album to Make a Movie
Peter Gabriel had written a wildly complex story, lyrics, and characters for The Lamb, but halfway through recording, he took a brief exit to collaborate with The Exorcist director William Friedkin. The rest of Genesis wasn’t thrilled — they even considered turning the album into an instrumental project. But cooler heads prevailed, and Gabriel returned to finish what would become one of rock’s most imaginative adventures.
You can hear the ambition, the risk-taking, and the wild, creative sparks flying off every track on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Fifty years later, it still feels like a journey worth taking — with or without your slippermen costume.
Jimi Hendrix Shares Wisdom And Wit In 1969 Dallas Interview
In a 1969 Dallas interview, Jimi Hendrix speaks with the same fluid brilliance he brings to the guitar. Calm, thoughtful, and effortlessly cool, he offers glimpses into his creative world answering the question “Do you consider yourself a dropout from society?” It’s a quiet moment with a legend whose words resonate as deeply as his music.
David Bowie Stuns In ‘The Elephant Man’ Stage Role In 1980 Mini Documentary
In 1980, David Bowie steps off the stage and into the spotlight of live theater with The Elephant Man. A rare mini documentary captures his intense, makeup-free performance—proving once again that Bowie never followed expectations, he rewrote them. Rock icon. Stage actor. Shape-shifter in every sense.