Guardian Music — With their Bach encores and Radiohead covers, Punch Brothers aren't your average bluegrass bandBefore Punch Brothers' show at west London's Bush Hall last month, I saw a young man turn to his friend at the bar and ask: "What are you supposed to drink... more info

Guardian Music — Coliseum; Barbican, LondonCourtesy of a premium 0871 phone number, I heard the entire first movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto last week when trying to buy a mattress. After enjoying the well played cadenza and the rousing recapitulation, I put t... more info

Guardian Music — From India to Iraq, Sesame Street to outer space, the Kronos Quartet make music everywhere. They talk to Tom ServiceThey are the only musicians to have both gone into space and appeared on Sesame Street. All right, the Kronos Quartet didn't actually... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Steve Reich celebrates his 75th birthday by performing his landmark "Clapping Music," and offering a hard, distorted version of his recent "2x5." more info

Guardian Music — Kings Place, LondonDepending on where you attach the label of the first minimalist piece – this compendious first programme in the Kings Place series placed it on Terry Riley's tape piece Mescaline Mix (1961), which is equally an example of musique... more info

Guardian Music — Minimalism won the battle for stylistic supremacy in the 20th and 21st centuries – but became something its composers never intendedMinimalism is 50 years old this month. Today, the 20th century's most successful musical "ism" has got its repetitiv... more info

WFMU's Beware of the Blog — I'm no minimalism expert, but know when it when I hear it. Daniel Blumin played "Kungo Sogoni" by N. Hawa Doumbi. Listen to how the track feeds off a repetitive instrumental motif. Steve Reich, played on Mudd Up! With DJ/Rupture,... more info

Guardian Music — St Andrew's in the Square, GlasgowThe Hebrides Ensemble specialise in 20th-century (as opposed to broadly "contemporary") chamber music, with a forthcoming season that contains a couple heavyweights of the repertoire: Messiaen's Quartet for the End o... more info

Guardian Music — Controversial jazz composer and arranger best known for his work with Stan KentonIn the days when virtual wars were waged over the direction of jazz, the composer and arranger Pete Rugolo was stationed just behind the front line. Rugolo, who has die... more info

Guardian Music — Barbican Hall, LondonThis concert in celebration of Steve Reich's birthday – the American composer turned 75 two weeks ago – began with the sound of clapping and ended with an ovation. Both were inevitable. Reich himself partnered Neil Percy in... more info