Music

Savor a Performance Series and Homemade Pizza

This week, learn about metamorphosing insects, dance your way through the Cleveland Museum of Art or watch a documentary.

Sophie, Who Pushed the Boundaries of Pop Music, Dies at 34

As a producer and performer, Sophie distilled speed, noise, melody and clarity, working simultaneously at the experimental fringes of dance music and the center of pop.

Duke Bootee, Whose ‘Message’ Educated Hip-Hop, Dies at 69

His 1982 hit about the “jungle” of urban poverty charted a new, grittier path for rap music in its early days.

The Playlist

Kodak Black Celebrates Clemency From Trump, and 10 More New Songs

Hear tracks by FKA twigs, Jupiter & Okwess, Prettymuch and others.

Pauline Anna Strom, Composer of Enduring Electronic Sounds, Dies at 74

Her blindness, she said, enhanced her music, which included homemade recordings from the 1980s prized by aficionados.

Jonas Gwangwa, Trombonist and Anti-Apartheid Activist, Dies at 83

He became a leading light on the South African jazz scene at a young age, and went on to lead the African National Congress’s flagship ensemble.

Those We’ve Lost

Jerry Brandt, Whose Music Clubs Captured a Moment, Dies at 82

Energizing Manhattan night life, he opened the Electric Circus in 1967 and the Ritz 13 years later. He died of Covid-19.

The Projectionist

Losing Control With Riz Ahmed

The actor’s process is so intense, his “Sound of Metal” director refused to share dailies with him. But after all that overthinking, formidable instincts kicked in.

Critic’s Pick

Arlo Parks Offers Solace Without Illusions on Her Debut Album

The 20-year-old English songwriter faces down despair on “Collapsed in Sunbeams.”

Sun Records, Storied Early Rock Label, Sells Its High-Wattage Catalog

The independent company Primary Wave Music acquired recordings by Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and other pioneers — but not the music of one of Sun’s biggest stars, Elvis Presley.