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Jazz Piano Titan Emmet Cohen Announces ‘Universal Truth,’ a Centennial Tribute to Miles Davis and Coltrane

Eric Alper
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Jazz Piano Titan Emmet Cohen Announces ‘Universal Truth,’ a Centennial Tribute to Miles Davis and Coltrane

Emmet Cohen has announced ‘Universal Truth’, his fourth album for Mack Avenue Records, arriving May 29th. Recorded in celebration of the centennial year of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane, the album carries forward their spirit of personal and spiritual discovery through Cohen’s own distinctly modern lens. The DownBeat Readers Poll Pianist of the Year for 2025 brings the full weight of his craft to this one.

The album is built around classic repertoire associated with both legends, but the crown jewel is Cohen’s original three-part suite, also titled “Universal Truth.” He draws the title directly from Coltrane’s own language: “When Trane talked about his artistry and his calling, his intention was always to seek that universal truth.” That searching quality runs through every track, and Cohen’s suite stands as some of the most ambitious and revelatory work of his career.

The assembled cast is extraordinary. Bassist Ron Carter and tenor saxophonist George Coleman reunite on “My Funny Valentine,” more than sixty years after recording it with Miles Davis at Lincoln Center. Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt delivers a blistering solo on “Well You Needn’t,” and the album closes with Coltrane’s “Blue Trane,” featuring the twin tenors of Coleman and Tivon Pennicott alongside Pelt and Cohen’s core trio of Yasushi Nakamura and Joe Farnsworth.

‘Universal Truth’ is Cohen doing exactly what he does best: connecting generations, honoring the lineage, and making something that feels urgent and alive in the present tense. Pre-orders are open now.

A wide-ranging tour is already underway, stretching deep into 2027 and including livestream events, festival appearances, and concert hall dates across North America.

‘Universal Truth’ Tracklist:

  1. Budo
  2. Well You Needn’t
  3. My Funny Valentine
  4. Gingerbread Boy
  5. I. Eternal Glimpse
  6. II. Compassion
  7. III. Universal Truth
  8. Blue Trane

Tour Dates:

March 24-28 – New York, NY – Birdland

March 29 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club

April 4 – Gainesville, FL – University of Florida

April 6-7 – La Jolla, CA – The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

April 8 – Stanford, CA – Bing Concert Hall

April 9 – San Francisco, CA – SFJAZZ Center

April 10 – Rohnert Park, CA – Sonoma State University

April 11 – Irvine, CA – Irvine Barclay Theatre

April 12 – Santa Barbara, CA – Campbell Hall

April 14 – Santa Cruz, CA – Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 16-19 – Seattle, WA – Jazz Alley

April 21 – West Vancouver, BC – Kay Meek Arts Centre

April 22 – Portland, OR – The Old Church Concert Hall

April 27 – Livestream – Live From Emmet’s Place (featuring Veronica Swift)

April 29 – International Jazz Day Celebration

May 2 – Danbury, CT – Western Connecticut State University

May 8 – Miami, FL – Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

May 17 – Buffalo, NY – Kleinhans Music Hall

May 25 – Livestream – Live From Emmet’s Place (Universal Truth Release Show)

May 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wallis with the Pacific Jazz Orchestra

June 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Caffe Vivace

June 12 – Lakeside, OH – Hoover Auditorium

June 14 – Boone, NC – Appalachian Theatre of the High Country

June 22 – Livestream – Live From Emmet’s Place (featuring Chris Potter)

July 8-12 – New York, NY – Smoke Jazz Club

July 25 – Katonah, NY – Caramoor

September 5-6 – Washington, DC – DC Jazz Fest

September 8-12 – New York, NY – Birdland

September 18-25 – Botti @ Sea

September 26 – Chicago, IL – Hyde Park Jazz Festival

October 9 – Provo, UT – BYU

October 11 – Berkeley, CA – Freight and Salvage

January 12-17 – David Foster at Sea

January 17-24 – The Jazz Cruise

January 24-31 – Journey of Jazz Cruise

February 12 – Boston, MA – Berklee Performance Center

February 19-21 – Northridge, CA – Cal State Northridge

The Claypool Lennon Delirium Tackle A.I. and Free Will on Urgent New Single “Meat Machines”

Eric Alper
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The Claypool Lennon Delirium Tackle A.I. and Free Will on Urgent New Single “Meat Machines”

Les Claypool and Sean Ono Lennon have never been content to write simple songs about simple things. “Meat Machines,” the latest single from their upcoming album ‘The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy’ (ATO Records, May 1), makes that abundantly clear. Driven by wiry psych-prog tension and a creeping ominous groove, the track locks onto one of the most pressing questions of the moment: what remains essentially human when automation keeps tightening its grip.

The song arrives with a new visualizer that pulls from the album’s companion comic book, illustrated by longtime collaborator Rich Ragsdale. It follows the warped, A.I.-themed opening salvo “WAP (What a Predicament)” and extends the record’s central argument deeper into unsettling territory. Lennon puts it plainly: “Some people think humans are just biological machines. They think free will is a hallucination and we’re destined to be replaced by robots. Some of us think we still have a choice.”

“Meat Machines” hits hard precisely because the Delirium mean it. The track carries real weight, coiling tension around a groove that never fully releases, and landing squarely among the strongest work the duo has produced. Recorded at Claypool’s Rancho Relaxo studio in Sonoma County and Lennon’s upstate New York studio The Farm, ‘The Great Parrot-Ox’ is the most fully realized Delirium project yet, fourteen tracks built around paperclip logic, spiritual collapse, and a fight to hold onto feeling.

The physical edition deepens the mythology considerably. A 2-LP tip-on gatefold with a 24-page comic book maps each song to its own illustrated chapter, the remnant of what began as a concept for a feature-length animated film. Pre-orders are open now on vinyl and CD.

Supporting the release, the Claypool Gold 2026 Tour brings together Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for a full-evening coast-to-coast run beginning May 20th. Claypool and Lennon both appear in the Delirium and the Frog Brigade, giving audiences multiple corners of Claypool’s catalog in a single night. Tickets are available now at theclaypoollennondelirium.com.

‘The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy’ Tracklist:

  1. Pro-Log
  2. WAP (What a Predicament)
  3. The Wake Up Call
  4. Meat Machines
  5. Troll Bait
  6. Simplest of Deeds
  7. Heart of Chrome
  8. Through the Horizon
  9. Mantra of the Manatee
  10. The Golden Egg of Empathy feat. WILLOW
  11. Cliptopia
  12. Cliptron Scuttle
  13. Melody of Entropy
  14. It’s a Wrap

Claypool Gold 2026 Tour Dates:

Wednesday, May 20 – Reno Events Center – Reno, NV

Friday, May 22 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Bend, OR

Saturday, May 23 – Marymoor Live – Redmond, WA

Monday, May 25 – KettleHouse Amphitheater – Bonner, MT

Tuesday, May 26 – The Lot at the Complex – Salt Lake City, UT

Thursday, May 28 – Starlight Amphitheatre – Kansas City, MO

Saturday, May 30 – The Factory – St. Louis, MO

Sunday, May 31 – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre – Rochester Hills, MI

Tuesday, June 2 – Jacobs Pavilion – Cleveland, OH

Wednesday, June 3 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL

Friday, June 5 – The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater – Pelham, TN

Saturday, June 6 – KEMBA Live! Outdoor – Columbus, OH

Tuesday, June 9 – Thompson’s Point – Portland, ME

Wednesday, June 10 – Leader Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA

Friday, June 12 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY

Saturday, June 13 – Stone Pony Summerstage – Asbury Park, NJ (SOLD OUT)

Sunday, June 14 – All Good Now Festival – Columbia, MD

Tuesday, June 16 – The AMP Ballantyne – Charlotte, NC

Wednesday, June 17 – Firefly Distillery – North Charleston, SC

Friday, June 19 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL

Saturday, June 20 – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park – Atlanta, GA

Monday, June 22 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR

Tuesday, June 23 – ACL Live at Moody Theatre – Austin, TX

Thursday, June 25 – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory – Irving, TX

Saturday, June 27 – Dillon Amphitheater – Dillon, CO (SOLD OUT)

Sunday, June 28 – Dillon Amphitheater – Dillon, CO

Tuesday, June 30 – Arizona Financial Theatre – Phoenix, AZ

Wednesday, July 1 – Gallagher Square – San Diego, CA

Friday, July 3 – Long Beach Amphitheater – Long Beach, CA

Saturday, July 4 – Meritage Resort & Spa – Napa, CA

Country Icon Don Williams Unveils “Leaving Louisiana” From ‘Epilogue The Cellar Tapes’

Eric Alper
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Country Icon Don Williams Unveils “Leaving Louisiana” From ‘Epilogue The Cellar Tapes’

A powerful new chapter opens for Don Williams with the unveiling of “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight.” The newly released track leads ‘Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes,’ a 12-song collection of previously unheard recordings arriving May 29. Drawn from sessions between 1979 and 1984, the album captures Williams during one of the most defining stretches of his career.

The recordings were discovered in the cellar of the Williams family home and restored with extraordinary care. Longtime collaborator Garth Fundis worked alongside Tim Williams to complete the project, preserving the original vocal performances while rebuilding missing instrumentation. The result is rooted in authenticity, anchored by the unmistakable warmth of Williams’ voice.

“Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight” stands tall among these rediscovered tracks. Written by Rodney Crowell and Donivan Cowart, the song carries a cinematic pace and narrative drive. Williams delivers it with steady phrasing and quiet control, bringing a fresh dimension to a composition already known in country circles.

The album is supported by a cast of trusted collaborators who helped define Williams’ sound. Bassist Joe Allen, drummer Kenny Malone, and arranger Charles Cochran return alongside a lineup of seasoned players, restoring the subtle textures that shaped his recordings. Each detail reinforces the integrity of the original sessions.

This is a rare and meaningful addition to a legendary catalog. The music carries the same calm authority and emotional depth that made Don Williams a cornerstone of country music, now presented with renewed life for a new generation.

Tracklist:

  1. Try Me Again
  2. You Came True
  3. I’m The One (Alternate Version)
  4. Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight
  5. I Wish I Was Crazy Again
  6. I’m In Love For My Last Time
  7. Spinning Around
  8. A Matter Of Time
  9. I’m The One (Original Version)
  10. How Can I Miss What I Never Had
  11. Goldy’s Gone From Golden
  12. Growing On Me

Queer Disco Punks WIDGET Drop “Dogs Don’t Lie” From ‘Classy Hits Vol.2’

Eric Alper
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Queer Disco Punks WIDGET Drop “Dogs Don’t Lie” From ‘Classy Hits Vol.2’

WIDGET waste no time getting bodies moving with “Dogs Don’t Lie,” a sharp, playful blast of disco-punk energy. The new single lands as the latest preview of their debut album ‘Classy Hits Vol.2,’ out April 24. It captures the band’s chaotic charm and dancefloor instincts in full colour, pushing their sound further into bold, rhythm-driven territory.

The track leans into absurdity and connection, built around a simple truth that hits hard in a hyper-online world. The band call it a “sonnet for the chronically online,” packed with humor, repetition, and a hook that sticks immediately. It is loud, strange, and deeply fun, the kind of song that turns a packed room into a chorus within seconds.

The video adds another layer, cutting found footage from a 70s skateboarding safety film into something surreal and oddly nostalgic. Edited by bassist Elena Agulla Gil, it mirrors the band’s collage-like style, where references collide and meaning builds through movement and rhythm. It feels loose, inventive, and completely aligned with WIDGET’s visual identity.

‘Classy Hits Vol.2’ arrives with serious momentum behind it. Recorded in just four days and shaped entirely within the band’s own creative circle, the album channels their live intensity into a tight, propulsive listen. Scratchy guitars, tape-soaked synths, and relentless percussion drive songs that feel immediate and alive.

This is music built for sweat, release, and collective noise. “Dogs Don’t Lie” hits with urgency and bounce, another standout moment from a group that understands exactly how to turn a room into a celebration.

Tracklist:

  1. ‘DOGS DONT LIE’
  2. ‘SOFTSPOT STUNNA’
  3. ‘MANLY KUBRICK (HE SAYS SHIT LIKE)’
  4. ‘GRABITY GRAVITY’
  5. ‘IT’S THE END OF THE LOOP’
  6. ‘CHAMOIS LEATHER’
  7. ‘WHAT IF PHONES BUT TOO MUCH’

Hip-Hop Hitmaker YoungBoy Never Broke Again Brings ‘American YoungBoy’ Tour Film Nationwide

Eric Alper
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Hip-Hop Hitmaker YoungBoy Never Broke Again Brings ‘American YoungBoy’ Tour Film Nationwide

A major chapter in YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s story arrives on the big screen. Tickets are on sale now for the ‘American YoungBoy’ tour film, a feature-length documentary capturing the scale and intensity of his ‘Make America Slime Again’ tour. The film premieres in theaters nationwide on April 25, marking one of the largest concert film rollouts in recent memory across more than 1,000 screens.

The documentary follows a historic run. The 2025 MASA tour stands as the highest-grossing debut headlining tour by a rapper, a milestone that reflects YoungBoy’s unmatched connection with a global audience. The New York Times named it the #1 music moment of the year, reinforcing the cultural weight behind this release.

Directed by Nico Ballesteros, the film blends arena-scale performance with rare, behind-the-scenes access. The result is a cinematic portrait that captures both the spectacle and the reality of life on the road. It presents YoungBoy not only as a chart force, but as a creator shaping his own narrative through film.

YoungBoy’s numbers continue to redefine modern success. With billions of streams, over 16 billion YouTube views, and more than 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries, his reach is undeniable. This film expands that impact, placing his story in theaters and amplifying his presence beyond music.

The film lands with scale and focus, a powerful extension of an already dominant catalog. ‘American YoungBoy’ stands as a defining visual statement from one of hip-hop’s most influential voices.

10 Albums Everyone Thinks Are Debuts (But Aren’t)

Eric Alper
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10 Albums Everyone Thinks Are Debuts (But Aren’t)

There’s something fascinating about musical amnesia. Not the kind where records disappear, but the kind where history quietly edits itself. An artist releases a breakthrough album so definitive, so culturally dominant, that everything before it becomes a footnote, a rumor, or a trivia question you lose at a bar.

These are the albums that feel like debuts. They sound like introductions. They arrive fully formed. But technically? They’re not first.

Here are 10 albums that rewrote their own origin stories.

Janet Jackson – ‘Control’
Before this, Janet was still orbiting the Jackson family legacy. With ‘Control,’ she stepped into her own narrative. Sharper production, harder edges, full autonomy. It wasn’t her first album, but it was the first time the world met Janet.

Michael Jackson – ‘Off the Wall’
This wasn’t a debut. It was album number five. But Quincy Jones, disco’s twilight glow, and a young artist finding his voice turned this into a reset button. Everything before it feels like a prelude now.

Alanis Morissette – ‘Jagged Little Pill’
Two Canadian pop records came before it, but ‘Jagged Little Pill’ arrived like a confession shouted into a hurricane. Raw, global, undeniable. For most listeners, this is where her story begins.

Fleetwood Mac – ‘Fleetwood Mac’ (1975)
Not their first album, but the first one most people know. The Buckingham-Nicks era reshaped the band’s identity so completely that the earlier blues records feel like a different group entirely.

Nirvana – ‘Nevermind’
‘Bleach’ exists. It matters. But ‘Nevermind’ changed the temperature of rock overnight. When an album shifts culture that dramatically, it tends to get mistaken for the beginning.

Eminem – ‘The Slim Shady LP’
There was ‘Infinite,’ but this is where the persona, the controversy, and the voice clicked into place. It didn’t introduce Eminem to hip-hop. It introduced him to the world.

Green Day – ‘Dookie’
Technically the third album. Functionally the launchpad. Pop-punk exploded into the mainstream here, and for many listeners, this is where Green Day begins, full stop.

Björk – ‘Debut’
Even the title plays tricks on you. By the time ‘Debut’ arrived, Björk had already been recording for years. But this was the first time she stepped forward as a singular, global artist.

Kendrick Lamar – ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’
A major label breakthrough that felt like a first chapter, even though ‘Section.80’ laid the groundwork. This is where the narrative scale expanded and the audience caught up.

No Doubt – ‘Tragic Kingdom’
Two albums in, and then everything clicked. Ska, pop, heartbreak, hooks. It became the band’s defining statement, leaving the earlier records as deep cuts for the curious.

Akai Professional Unleashes the MPC XL, the Most Powerful Standalone MPC Ever Built

Eric Alper
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Akai Professional Unleashes the MPC XL, the Most Powerful Standalone MPC Ever Built

Akai Professional just raised the ceiling on standalone music production. The MPC XL is here, and it is the most powerful, most connected, most fully realized MPC the company has ever built. This is not an incremental update. This is a ground-up statement about what a standalone production system can be in 2026.

At the core of the MPC XL is a new Gen 2 8-core processor backed by 16GB of RAM, delivering four times the processing power of previous MPCs. That means up to 32 plugin instruments, 16 audio tracks, and 256 voices running simultaneously, no computer required. A 256GB internal NVMe SSD handles storage, with an additional SATA expansion bay for producers who need more room.

The pads are a genuine leap forward. Akai’s new MPCe pads use 3D-sensing technology with four distinct quadrants per pad, opening up X/Y control, sound morphing, looping, layering, and modulation in ways that simply were not possible before. Sixteen touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs, each with its own OLED display, sit alongside a 10.1″ HD multi-gesture touchscreen with tilt. The XL Channel Command gives instant access to levels, sends, outputs, and recording parameters from a dedicated encoder and OLED display.

Connectivity is deep. The MPC XL carries dual XLR/TRS combo inputs with mic preamps and phantom power, two dedicated instrument inputs, eight individual line outputs, and eight stereo CV/Gate outputs delivering 16 total CV channels. USB-C handles 24 channels of audio I/O and 32 channels of MIDI. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth round out the package for wireless file transfer and collaboration. The unit ships with MPC3 OS and the full MPC Pro Pack, which includes Clip Launching, Super Timestretch, Pro Stems, Pro Reverb, Visual EQ, and CV Playground, plus a premium plugin collection featuring Fabric XL, OPx4, Odyssey, Mellotron, and more. Native Instruments MPC Editions and a forthcoming Spitfire Audio orchestral library expand the sonic palette further. Every purchase also includes two months of Splice Creator plan access.

The MPC XL lands as a complete studio centerpiece for beatmakers, producers, DAWless performers, and songwriters who want total creative control without a computer in the room. It is the flagship of all standalones, and it earns that title.

McDonald’s Just Turned the KPop Demon Hunters Rivalry Into a Fast Food Battle

Eric Alper
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McDonald’s Just Turned the KPop Demon Hunters Rivalry Into a Fast Food Battle

McDonald’s Just Turned the KPop Demon Hunters Rivalry Into a Fast Food Battle

The Oscar-winning film that took over streaming, playlists, and awards season is now taking over the drive-thru. McDonald’s and Netflix announced a full-scale partnership built around KPop Demon Hunters, bringing the HUNTR/X versus Saja Boys rivalry off the screen and straight to the Golden Arches starting March 31.

The collab is not a simple branded cup or a logo on a box. This is a genuine two-sided campaign that forces fans to pick a lane. The Saja Boys Breakfast Meal features a Spicy Saja McMuffin with a peppery Spicy Saja Sauce, hash browns, and a small soft drink. The HUNTR/X Meal goes all-day with 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, a medium drink, and Ramyeon McShaker Fries, a ramen-inspired creation with soy, garlic, sesame, and spice seasoning drawn directly from South Korean food culture.

Both meals come with a collectible card pack featuring a photocard of either HUNTR/X or the Saja Boys, plus a Derpy access card. Fans who scan the QR code and enter the unique code in the McDonald’s app by April 26 unlock exclusive content and a special reveal of which group wins the Battle for the Fans. The competitive mechanic is smart, it turns every meal purchase into a vote.

There is also a wildcard in the mix. The Derpy McFlurry, named after HUNTR/X’s mascot Derpy Tiger, arrives as a standalone menu item blending vanilla soft serve with berry popping pearls and wild berry sauce. It sits outside the rivalry, a dessert for fans who refuse to choose sides.

KPop Demon Hunters won two Academy Awards this year, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Golden.” A sequel is already in development. McDonald’s previous pop culture collab, The Grinch Meal, set a single-day sales record for the company. The bar is set. March 31 is going to be busy.

HBO’s Harry Potter Series Drops First Official Look and the Wizarding World Is Back

Eric Alper
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HBO’s Harry Potter Series Drops First Official Look and the Wizarding World Is Back

The wait is almost over. HBO released the first official photo from its highly anticipated Harry Potter series on March 24, and it delivers exactly what fans have been holding out for: Hogwarts, in full, undeniable form.

The image shows newcomer Dominic McLaughlin, 11, as Harry Potter, walking toward a group of students at the Quidditch pitch in his Gryffindor robes. The back reads “Potter” with the number 7. It is a simple image that carries enormous weight, the first concrete confirmation that this production is real, it is serious, and it is moving.

McLaughlin inherits the role from Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry across eight films. Radcliffe has been openly supportive of the new cast, writing McLaughlin a personal letter wishing him well. McLaughlin called receiving it “insane.” Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout round out the central trio as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

The supporting cast is stacked. John Lithgow steps in as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu takes on Severus Snape, Janet McTeer plays Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost is Rubeus Hagrid. Production designer Mara LePere-Schloop, whose credits include Interview With the Vampire and Pachinko, is responsible for the look of Hogwarts in the new series.

Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod are leading the production, currently underway at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K. The plan is to adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s seven books into its own season. The series premieres on HBO in 2027.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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