Guardian Music — A thoughtful study of protest songs impresses Dave HaslamThe way Dorian Lynskey tells it, you might wonder why the writers and performers of protest songs bother. Especially if they're in a hip-hop crew who just want to party but the record label bos... more info

Guardian Music — (ACT)This is something of a curiosity, but a triumphant one. The Bohuslän ensemble is one of only two full-time big-bands working in Sweden, often featuring big-time guest composers, and currently run by elegantly nimble trombonist Nils Landgren wit... more info

NME — Singer also says she was inspired by Edith Piaf and Nina Simone more info

Guardian Music — This ambitious history of protest songs suggests their best days are over. They can, of course, be recycled…Among the challengers hoping to keep the X Factor winner Matt Cardle from topping the charts last Christmas were a new recording of John Cag... more info

Totally Fuzzy — mike-floyd said... ... some more ambient experimental music by: - SZBUTÄ SORÖH: The thing we found amongst the woodsticks (BZ 2008) (vbr mp3 zip, 95,2 MB, 11 tracks, 66 min) RE-POST WITH KIND PERMISSION on: http://homemade-lofi-psychedelic.blogspot... more info

Guardian Music — What do Mendelssohn, Nina Simone and Gremlins II have in common? They have all made use of Bach. Nicholas Kenyon on a composer who turns a different face to each ageChoirs and choral societies around the country are preparing Johann Sebastian Bac... more info

ContactMusic — Jennifer Hudson shared her delight over her weightloss with fellow diners during a recent restaurant visit by treating them to a rendition of her diet theme tune, Nina Simone's Feeling Good. The Oscar-winning star has shed a huge amount of weight ... more info

Guardian Music — As a new book about the history of protest songs is released, we look at the past, present and future of the genre. Why isn't Chris Martin protesting against the cuts in song? We find that despite arguments that protest songs are still being written,... more info

Guardian Music — Billie Holiday's 1939 song about racist lynchings stunned audiences and redefined popular music. In an extract from 33 Revolutions Per Minute, his history of protest songs, Dorian Lynskey explores the chilling power of Strange FruitIt is a clear, fre... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — This shit just works on so many levels. Like most everything Nina Simone chose to cover throughout her career, this, her incredibly funky take of Aretha Franklin’s “Save Me,” adds a muscularity to Aretha’s already powerful performance. No one... more info