Marc Ribot

The best national music releases of 2011

The Marc Ribot Trio draws on the past in its present-day improvisations

Creative Music Works re-emerges after hiatus with benefit show tonight

Matt Skellenger​Since Alex Lemski started the Creative Music Works in 1989 with the "vision of uncompromising freedom of expression for musicians," the organization has brought in a number of pivotal artists in the jazz and avant-garde realms such as David S. Ware, Joseph Jarman and Andrew Cyr ... More >>

Elton John, Ray LaMontagne, Iron & Wine shows announced. Tickets on sale this weekend.

​Elton John is performing at the Wells Fargo Theatre on Tuesday, April 12 to benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation, founded by Dennis and Judy Shepard in memory of their 21-year old son, Matthew, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. Tickets ($49-$149) go on s ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of January 11, 2010

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. F ... More >>

Backbeat writers weigh in on the year's best national releases

​As music critics -- and people who generally think about, talk about, listen to and make music -- the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to right now?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation. F ... More >>

Over the weekend: Jolie Holland at the Walnut Room

Adam Perry​Jolie Holland, with Matt Bauer The Walnut Room Saturday, October 10, 2009 Better Than: Walking from Market St. Station to Walnut & 31st in the cold No one shines like Brooklyn-based indie-folk goddess Jolie Holland. Just as Neil Young was the depth and edge of CSNY, Holland was the ... More >>

McCoy Tyner Trio

Tuesday, April 28, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

McCoy Tyner

Tuesday, April 28, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Sound Bites: Shemika Copeland and Seth Walker

Welcome to another edition of Sound Bites, our economy-sized album reviews. This week, Nick Hutchinson weighs in on two recent national releases from Shemika Copeland and Seth Walker after the jump.

Top Ten Americana Albums of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records t ... More >>

Mini Reviews

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records t ... More >>

Mini Reviews

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM. Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records t ... More >>

Vanishing Act

Madeleine Peyroux returns after a puzzling eight-year absence.

Tom Waits

Real Gone (Anti-)

Electric Company

Les Ballet Jazz brings the heat

Minstrel Tension

From race to religion, Chocolate Genius tells it like it is.

On the Records

Backbeat contributors reflect on the releases that helped them survive the year 2000.

Marisa Monte

Memories, Chronicles and Declarations of Love (Metro Blue)

Common Ground

The sun is shining on Rainville, Denver's standard-bearers of all-American rock and roll.

Shock of the Old

Two reasons why today's jazzers are afraid to go where Ornette Coleman went before.

Best place to hear Public Enemy in a classical European setting

Gothic Theatre

Stop Making Sense

DJ Logic experiments with hip-hop, rock and all that jazz.

Judgment Day

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.

Playlist

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.

WHAT A TRIP

Backbeat contributors offer up their favorite recordings of 1999.