World Cafe

There have been a lot of big changes in Laura Jane Grace’s life over the last few years – but just because she’s in constant motion doesn’t mean she’s trying to outrun her past. On the next World Cafe, Laura Jane Grace talks about her new album, Hole in my Head, and how past pain makes you who you are.

A psychedelic trip opened the creative door for Lindsay Lou to craft her latest album. Inspired by visions of what she calls “the divine feminine,” Lou’s Queen of Time features appearances from Jerry Douglas and Billy Strings. On the next World Cafe, she talks more about embodying that feminine power and how her late grandmother left her mark on the record. Join us.

When Wes Leavins was a teenager, he started writing letters to Brigitte Bardot. The French actress not only wrote back, but she and Leavins became pen pals. That story inspired the name for the band Leavins now fronts called Brigitte Calls Me Baby. Wes joins us on the next World Cafe to talk about forming the rock and roll band and how Elvis helped him refine his performance style.

On their appropriately titled forthcoming album, Sonido Cósmico, Hermanos Gutiérrez announced that they have left the desert and are headed straight for outer space. The album, produced by Dan Auerbach, is a sonic departure for Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez, but still showcases the brothers’ blissed out, mesmerizing, instrumental guitar playing. On the next World Cafe, the duo performs a set of songs live from AmericanaFest 2023.

A total solar eclipse is crossing over North America, and we’re here to celebrate. We’ve put together a musical playlist for your solar eclipse watching (and listening) pleasure, including Pink Floyd, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bonnie Tyler, Death Cab for Cutie and TV On The Radio. Join us!

On his new album Revelator, Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck says he wrote some of his best work – sometimes with help from his own kids. On the next World Cafe, Houck joins us to talk about overcoming writer’s block, why sad songs are important to him, and other revelations about the creative process. Plus, Phosphorescent performs live, on the next World Cafe.

Tommy Emmanuel’s finger picking style was once described as “fearless” …by Chet Atkins! Emmanuel’s latest album, Accomplice Two, features the talents of Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas, all while showcasing Tommy’s signature, blistering guitar playing. Today, the world-renowned acoustic player joins the World Cafe to share a set of songs, recorded live during AmericanaFest 2023.

Jamila Woods’ new album is a change in focus. After exploring Black artists like Zora Neale Hurston and James Baldwin on her sophomore record, Legacy! Legacy!, Woods turned inward on her latest project, Water Made Us. The introspective record takes listeners through the “life cycle of a relationship,” and Woods joins us on the next World Cafe to walk us through that cycle.

Marcus King has a new album out this Friday called Mood Swings. On the next World Cafe, we revisit his 2022 session. The guitar virtuoso talks about how music helped keep him going through a difficult period. Despite how rockin’ his 2022 album, Young Blood, sounds, it was the product of some very tough years for King. Marcus shares what ultimately helped him find his way out of the darkness.

Jacob Collier makes intricate music that’s layered and complex. Talented and charismatic in spades, the British singer, songwriter, and composer crafts song filled to the brim with ideas and a masterful knowledge of his craft. Collier’s new album is Djesse Volume 4, a continuation of his ambitious project to collaborate with dozens of artists. He’ll talk about what he’s learned and why he’s happy to take on the role of “music teacher to the internet”. It’s Jacob Collier on the next World Cafe.