Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Noah Schaffer
Our favorite local music we heard in October
Album covers, clockwise from top left: The Talking Hearts' "Memory Lane" (Courtesy Sam Wróbel, Sparrow Papercraft); Eph See's "GUTS" (Courtesy Eph See); Elisa Smith's "Perfume" (Photography by Lena Nugent, design by Elisa Smith); Nathalie Miller's "you're in my bed" (Courtesy Nathalie Miller); and Brooke Annibale's "Bolder Font" (Courtesy Paul Haggerty). A classic honky-tonk country album from an eclectic sextet. Two singles from indie-pop artists about dealing with exes.
12 albums by New England musicians to listen to this fall
Clockwise from top left: P. Willem of Paper People (Courtesy Adam Krauth); Kimaya Diggs (Courtesy Cara Totman); Gollylagging (Courtesy Zoe Hopper); George Garzone (Courtesy Anna Yatskevich); Louise Bichan (Courtesy the artist); 808.lik (Courtesy Joakeem Gaston); and Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground (Courtesy Louise Bichan).
Musician Interview: Clinton Fearon on Reggae, Resilience, and the Songs That Endure
By Noah Schaffer Ahead of a run of shows with Boston’s Naya Rockers, the veteran Jamaican musician looks back on the Gladiators, Lee “Scratch” Perry, political “sleepwalking,” and a career still driven by curiosity. When Clinton Fearon first entered the Jamaican music industry as a teenager, he was just one of many talented youths who had a song and a dream.
Mighty Mighty BossToneS' Joe Gittleman debuts new supergroup with score to a film shot by his dad
Mighty Mighty BossToneS bassist Joe Gittleman was scrolling on Facebook one day when he saw an interesting reel that his father, photographer Len Gittleman, had posted: A whimsical tribute to the silent short era called “The Photographer” that Len had shot with anthropological filmmaker Robert Gardner in 1966. The pair traveled from Boston to the Bay of Fundy to make a documentary that Gardner directed.
Our favorite local music we heard in July
Album covers clockwise from top left: Fortuna 500’s “The Lemon Man” (Photo by Lizzy McEleny); Coral Moons’ “Calling Me Insane” (Art by Megan Kelleher); Sophie Wellington’s “Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still” (Photo by Pat Piasecki, design by Whit Hayward); Haasan Barclay’s “Four Leaf Clover” (Courtesy Haasan Barclay); The Amplifier Heads’ “SUPER 8” (Courtesy Glenn Robinson); DeevoDaGenius and TEGA’s “Da Story of Tega Brady (Deluxe)” (Art by Nicole DaSilva, design by DeevoDaGenius); and Kimaya...
11 ways to enjoy live music in and around Greater Boston this summer
The view from the Market Street stage during a previous Lowell Folk Festival. (Courtesy City of Lowell) Editor's note: This story is an excerpt from WBUR's weekly arts and culture newsletter, The ARTery. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here. Is blue dot fever really a thing?
The Boston ska saga of Big D and the Kids Table continues
For much of the 1990s, American ska music was a constant presence both on the pop charts and at all-ages DIY shows. But by the time Boston’s Big D and the Kids Table released their 1999 debut album, the ska fad was pretty much over.
14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this summer
Clockwise from top left: The Dresden Dolls (Pixie Vision Photography); Fai Laci (Courtesy Jamison Wrinn); OK Goodnight (Courtesy Zack Spencer); Charlie Marie (Courtesy Courtney Denelle); Biribá Union (Courtesy Titilayo Ayangade); Temidayo Balogun (Courtesy Jibril Taiwo); and Haasan Barclay (Courtesy the artist). It finally happened to me. A family member played a fun and catchy summer anthem by an artist that was new to me. The tune had gone viral on TikTok and climbed up the charts.
Our favorite local music from May
Album covers clockwise from top left: Goldman’s “MIA” (Courtesy Reko); Ko-Mai’s "In (Sense)" (Courtesy the artist); Jonny Tex’s “Mark of Cain” (Courtesy Samuel Aaron); Nora Meier’s “Bird in the Hand” (Courtesy Bella Blanca); Otis Shanty’s “For Once” (Courtesy Sadye Bobbette); and Kevin Harris Project’s “Vitruvian Echoes” (Courtesy Luisa Harris). A jazz album inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man." A would-be youth pastor turned indie rocker.
Our favorite local music this month
Album covers clockwise from top left: Jesus The Dinosaur's "Empty Space" (Courtesy Hannah Foxman); Eric Hofbauer and EHX's "Tongues / Hope Language" (Gustav Klimt's "Hope II"); ET & Haasan Barclay's "Bell Biv Barclay" (Courtesy Sun Brown); Other Brother Darryl's "Take It With You" (Courtesy Dan Cederholm); and Jessye DeSilva's “Glitter Up the Dark” (Courtesy Adam Gurczak/Almanak Creative). Spring has ushered in a wave of genre-spanning new tracks and albums.
Tanya Donelly and Chris Brokaw are going medieval on listeners
They were not going to sing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” That was the pact that Tanya Donelly and Chris Brokaw made when they decided to do a set at the annual holiday show organized by their fellow longtime Boston rockers Hilken Mancini and Melissa Gibbs. Looking for something different to sing that night at The Burren, Brokaw thought about a record he’d been listening to by the Norwegian group Trio Mediæval. “I thought, ‘What if we did a medieval Christmas carol?’” recalled Brokaw.
Non-Event celebrates 25 years of bringing experimental music to Boston
In 2001, Susanna Bolle attended a concert at MassArt. The double bill featured the renowned Japanese experimental duo Filament and the Swiss improvisers poire_z, a supergroup whose members, as the flyer promised, performed using “cracked everyday electronics” like kitchen appliances as well as “CDs and minidiscs.” Boelle was enthralled by the world of sounds made that night — and also noted that the ticket sales probably had not covered the costs involved in bringing the artists to Boston.
Boston's folk scene remembers Bob Franke with a tribute concert
In his song "A Healing in This Night," Bob Franke sings, “There are songs that circle in your mind/ And seek your heart & find it /And seize it like a hawk.” Franke spent a lifetime writing such songs. They didn’t make him rich or famous, but they provided comfort and inspiration to generations of folk audiences, budding songwriters, and even churchgoers who heard his cantatas.
Five years after his death, Chick Corea's legacy lives on
It’s been just over five years since Chelsea native Chick Corea died at 79. But between a series of newly released live recordings, his recent Grammy win for Best Jazz Performance, and his compositions remaining a core part of the jazz canon, the pianist still remains in the spotlight.
14 albums by Greater Boston musicians to listen to this spring
Clockwise from top left: Grace Givertz (Courtesy OJ Slaughter); Vasilis Kostas (Courtesy Aris Vedertsis); Cape Crush (Courtesy Cat Meade); The Chelsea Curve (Courtesy Reuben); Sweet Petunia (Courtesy JJ Gonson); Debo Ray (Courtesy Alyssa Wyle/Holy Smoke Photography); and Levyosn (Courtesy Emily Glick). Who gets to make an album? That might seem like a dated question in an era where hits can be made on a phone in a musician’s bedroom.
Joseph Sater, co-owner of the Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub, has died
Joseph Sater, the longtime co-owner and night manager of the Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub in Cambridge, has died. Sater, 73, had been living in South Florida since his 2018 retirement. The death was confirmed by club spokesperson Clay Fernald, who said the cause of death had not yet been officially determined. When it came to establishing the Central Square complex of clubs and restaurants as a cultural mecca, “Joseph’s role was huge. It was all him.
Listen: Mark Erelli aims for the perfect love song on 'Kindhearted Woman'
This is an exclusive song premiere, part of WBUR's effort to highlight New England musicians. Load YouTube video Over his 14 albums, acclaimed Boston singer-songwriter Mark Erelli has written songs about love and life from nearly every imaginable perspective. But he’s made an annual tradition of writing about his own love for his wife. This annual musical gift started about a decade ago when Erelli joined some of his cohorts for a songwriting retreat at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
Our favorite local music from January
Album covers clockwise from top left: Brynn's "Impossible Shoes" (Courtesy Aidan La Poche); Babe, Wait's "debut" (Courtesy Casey Wait); Sanyé's "FOR THE WAIT II" (Courtesy Josh Carter); Cape Crush's "Calm & Delivered" (Courtesy Katie Scarlett); Josh Rosen and John Voigt's "Story Book" (Courtesy Helena Burgueño/Josh Rosen); Avenue's "Fortune Favors Risk" (Photo by Charles Welch; graphic design by Randy Price); and Sweet Petunia's "Grub" (Photo by JJ Gonson; design by Riley Halliday).
14 albums by Greater Boston musicians to listen to this winter
Clockwise from top left: Cold Chocolate (Courtesy Joe Navas); SeeFour (Courtesy Sun Brown/PUTINWORK); Tapestry (Courtesy Ana Kaya); Kerrin Connolly (Courtesy the artist); Mel Starr (Courtesy the artist); Sam Saomek Srithongkum (Courtesy Au Thitipun); and The Grownup Noise (Courtesy the band). While some view winter as a time for hibernation, Greater Boston musicians are roaring into the new year with an avalanche of new music.
The best local albums of 2025, according to our critics
Album art clockwise from top left: Jen Kearney's "Gas Station Poet" (Photo by Lisa Dragani, cover art by Nicole Anguish); DAV's "Everything I Didn't Say" (Courtesy Davin Smith); Dot Dev's "There Was a Wind, But No Chime" (Courtesy Elise Magnole); DJ Lucas' "My Side of the Mountain" (Courtesy Rory Mascis); The Favors' "The Dream" (Courtesy Darkroom Records); Yana's "Exit Strategy" (Courtesy Caity Krone); Pile's "Sunshine and Balance Beams" (Courtesy Mark Lapriore); Connis and loe4t's "New Sky"...
Not-so-traditional holiday concerts to check out in December
Yasmin Amer Executive Producer, Agile Production Team Yasmin Amer is executive producer of WBUR's agile production team. More… Noah Schaffer Contributor Noah Schaffer is a contributor to WBUR's arts and culture coverage.
Our favorite local music we heard in November
Album covers clockwise from top left: Westbound Train's "Sing the Ghost Away" (Designed by Yosef at Studio 3Y); FELIX!'s "HOMELESS" (Photo by Mack Peaced, design by FELIX!); YANINA's "We’re the Clowns" (Courtesy Karla Sandoval); Duke Levine's "Duke Levine & The Super Sweet Sounds of the ‘70s" (Cover art by Grace O'Connor, logo design by John Kehe); and Winterpills' "THIS IS HOW WE DANCE" (Illustrations by Bridey Lee, graphic design by Philip Price).
10 not-so-traditional concerts to enjoy this holiday season
How early is too early for holiday music? Nonagenarian jazz saxophonist George Coleman couldn’t resist an impromptu “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” when he performed in Cambridge in early November. While that might be pushing it, most local venues will have holiday shows all over their calendars within the coming weeks. Some stick to the classics, but many others offer a way to create some new traditions with vintage swing, gospel, rock en español, Canadian Celtic, roots rock and much more.
Boston's Kotoko Brass joins forces with Ghana's Mohammed Alidu on new album
Over the last decade, Kotoko Brass has established itself as one of Boston’s most unique and creative ambassadors of West African music. The band’s uplifting mix of traditional Ghanaian percussion with a horn section and Caribbean grooves has been heard everywhere from concert halls to the streets around Fenway Park. Now Kotoko is breaking new ground with “Kalan Pini,” a collaboration with renowned Ghanaian percussionist and songwriter Mohammed Alidu.
Listen: Juliana Hatfield breaks down on 'Fall Apart'
This is an exclusive song premiere, part of WBUR's effort to highlight New England musicians. Many city dwellers dream of moving to the country for a blissful, peaceful existence. But it’s not that simple, as Boston rock heroine Juliana Hatfield discovered. After 15 years of renting an apartment in Central Square, Hatfield moved to more spacious digs in the Amherst area in 2023. Her dream was to live next door to one of her best friends and enjoy days with her canine companion.
Our favorite local music this month
Album covers clockwise from top left: Hohnen Ford and Tiny Habits' "Skylight" (Courtesy Caity Krone); Jen Kearney's "Gas Station Poet" (Photo by Lisa Dragani, cover art by Nicole Anguish); Weakened Friends' "Feels Like Hell" (Courtesy Sonia Sturino); Dot Dev's "There Was a Wind, But No Chime" (Courtesy Elise Magnole); Emmie Kelly's "Mary" (Courtesy Miles LeGrow); and The New Limits' "These Are The Nights" (Art direction by Michaela Olson, photography by Shannon Broderick).
Concert series 'Which Side?' looks at the past and future of protest music
Boston mariachi singer Veronica Robles recently performed during the first half of a concert at Symphony Hall. But instead of sticking around that rarified venue, she ducked out at intermission, headed up Massachusetts Avenue, and ended up in the tiny Cambridge basement that is the home of the Lizard Lounge. Robles wanted to make sure she was able to take part in the September edition of “Which Side?,” a monthly gathering of local musicians that describes itself as a protest music teach-out.
Roomful of Blues swings into a new era
Since it was founded in Rhode Island in 1967, Roomful of Blues has had eight lead singers and over 60 members, but the core concept on its over 20 records has always been the same: The jump blues sound that ruled early rhythm and blues with horns, a swinging rhythm section, and a soulful male lead singer. The group’s new record, “Steppin’ Out!” (out Oct. 10), has most of those ingredients, plus a new one: singer D.D. Bastos, making her the first female lead singer ever to record with the group.
14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this fall
Clockwise from top left: The Lemonheads (Courtesy Gareth Jones); Zahili Gonzalez Zamora (Courtesy Robert Torres); NRBQ (Courtesy Michael Hochanadel); Michael Prentky (Courtesy sassa); Ariel Strasser (Courtesy Sarah Surette); Billy Dean Thomas (Courtesy Nina Gallant); and Couch (Courtesy Billy Landers x Prophet Media). For many New England musicians, there is a constant nagging question: Would it be better to move to a music capital like Los Angeles, New York, Nashville or Atlanta?
Our favorite local music from August
As we bid farewell to summer, our music critics share their favorite local songs and albums that came out this month. A new album from The WAITIKI 7 bringing an elevated take on the Hawaiian, lounge, jazz-infused genre exotica. A playful, warm rap album from Roxbury rapper Najee Janey. An exclusive song premiere from Somerville alt-rock band Otis Shanty. Somerville-based Otis Shanty released an album titled “Up on the Hill” last fall.
Boston's Naya Rockers celebrate the nun and her school that cultivated reggae
Were it not for a nun named Sister Mary Ignatius Davies, the world might have never heard reggae music. Davies directed the music program at what was then called the Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston, Jamaica. She taught many students who went on to play influential roles in reggae and ska, including members of the Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Wailers, as well as dancehall star Yellowman.
Boston's Naya Rockers celebrate the nun and her school that cultivated reggae
Were it not for a nun named Sister Mary Ignatius Davies, the world might have never heard reggae music. Davies directed the music program at what was then called the Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston, Jamaica. She taught many students who went on to play influential roles in reggae and ska, including members of the Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Wailers, as well as dancehall star Yellowman. Stephen Stewart and Nathan Sabanayagam at the Alpha School of Music in Kingston, Jamaica.
Listen: Lauren Henderson explores how jazz bridges cultures on 'Sonidos'
This is an exclusive song premiere, part of WBUR's effort to highlight New England musicians. Load YouTube video When jazz singer and composer Lauren Henderson was growing up in Marblehead, she would spend hours going through her father’s collection of records by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan. Her mother, meanwhile, encouraged her to learn Latin dancing, listen to Celia Cruz and early Marc Anthony recordings, and to discover her Panamanian heritage.
8 artists bringing the British jazz invasion to Newport
But it’s hard to imagine there’s even been a year at Newport as stacked with U.K. talent as 2025, when the three-day festival includes eight British artists, spanning from improv-loving pop star Jacob Collier to Afrofunk pioneers Cymande. Here’s a look at how Newport will showcase the past, present and future of British jazz and adjacent music during its Aug. 1-3 run at Fort Adams State Park.
Our favorite local music from July
|
Album covers clockwise from top left: Vintage Lee's “Grease Pack” (Courtesy Cody Remillard and Christian Korpi); "The Swell Slice" (Courtesy Swelltune Records); Yana's “Talk About” (Courtesy Caity Krone); Will Paquin's “I Work So Hard” (Courtesy Abigail Zachko); Dropkick Murphys' “For the People” (Courtesy); Miranda Rae's “Pleasant St” (Courtesy Emmanuel “Boogie” Cazeau); and Couch's “What Were You Thinking” (Courtesy Billy Landers x Prophet Media).
By Maddie Browning, Noah Schaffer, Victoria Wasylak Verified, Solon Kelleher, Lukas Harnisch, Noble .
|
WBUR News
Verified
10 ways to enjoy Latin music in Greater Boston this summer
Summer in Boston usually abounds with opportunities to hear live music that draws on new and old traditions from across Latin America. The future of some of these opportunities is uncertain. Many of them are presented by nonprofit arts groups grappling with federal funding cuts and clawbacks. And for events that are programmed for immigrant communities, there’s the question of whether attendees and organizers are ready for large-scale gatherings. The answer to that also seems to be mixed.
Our favorite local music from June
Album covers clockwise from top left: Thalia Zedek Band's "The Boat Outside Your Window" (Courtesy Thrill Jockey); The Favors' "The Dream" (Courtesy Darkroom Records); Hallelujah the Hills' "DECK" (Courtesy); Time and Place's "Time and Place" (Courtesy Joe Botsch); and Intac "Money Love Music" (Courtesy). As the temperatures soared, local musicians offered mind-bending music befitting a heat-induced hallucination.
Listen: Mighty Mystic looks at loss through a reggae lens
This is an exclusive song premiere, part of WBUR's effort to highlight New England musicians. Load YouTube video Three years ago, Mighty Mystic felt on top of the world. He’d just released an album, “Giant,” that would cement his place as one of roots reggae’s great lyrical storytellers. And with venues reopening, he was ready to return to the road, where he’s Boston’s reggae ambassador playing well over 100 high-octane shows a year.
14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this summer
Clockwise from top left: Clifford (Courtesy Maria Gelsomini); Zishi Liu (Courtesy); Happy Little Clouds (Courtesy Jac Mestel); The Gravel Project (Courtesy Ian Urquhart); The Carroll Sisters Trio (Courtesy Louise Bichan); Christie Dashiell and Terri Lyne Carrington (Courtesy Erik Bardin); and Zafarán (Courtesy Barbara Allen Hill).
As Kay’s Oasis closes, Boston’s Caribbean nightlife starts a new chapter
Over the years Kay’s Oasis in Mattapan has been the site of countless reggae concerts, sound system dance nights, and milestone celebrations. Earlier this month, it was Kay’s turn to be celebrated. Owner Kay Chambers held a party to mark her retirement after four decades of owning the nightclub as well as the adjoining Kay’s Oasis Beauty Salon. Chambers opened the salon in 1984 and the nightclub, which was most recently known as Kay’s Lounge, in 1989.
Our favorite local music from May
Left: Cover art for DeevoDaGenius, Kil The Artist and BLUEHILLBILL's "Bleu Magic" (Courtesy Jackson Hallaws and Chop The Head). Center from top: Album art for Kim Perlak and Francisco Mela's "Spaces" (courtesy); Art for Pile's single "Born at Night" (Courtesy Mark Lapriore); and single art for Tuxis Giant's "Last Laugh" (courtesy). Right: Album art for Suriel's "Pressure" (courtesy).
Ward Hayden & The Outliers put country spin on Springsteen songs
When Ward Hayden & The Outliers were driving across the Midwest on a tour, they decided to kill time in the van by looking into Aaron Lewis, one of their few Massachusetts country music peers.
Berklee fires lauded trumpeter Nicholas Payton amid firestorm of bigoted speech accusations
The firing of a famed Berklee College of Music department leader, who for years repeatedly shared antisemitic social media posts, has ignited conversation over hiring practices at the elite school. Berklee College of Music fired its brass department chair, Nicholas Payton, in April, just months after promoting him into the role last fall. Payton confirmed his termination to WBUR last week. A spokesperson for Berklee confirmed he no longer works for the school.
Cross-generational hip-hop duo MaceyOMaze and Edo.G will 'See You in Boston'
When the MC known as MaceyOMaze was growing up in Fields Corner, his father would play classic hip-hop in the family van. The lyrics typically detailed life in hip-hop capitals like New York and Los Angeles. But one day, a song called “I Got To Have It” came on and MaceyOMaze, then a 12-year-old aspiring rapper, heard something in the lyrics that astonished him. “At first, I was like ‘Oh, this is dope.’ And then I heard them say ‘Roxbury.’ And I was like, ‘Wait a minute — this rapper's from Boston?
Our favorite local music from April
Clockwise from top left: The cover art for Ali McGuirk's "Where Does All The $ Come From?" (Courtesy); cover art for Daniel Voltaire and HAAWWS' "Stuck in My Ways Remix" (Courtesy Mellow Z Vier); cover art for Bowling Shoes' "FACTORY POP" (Courtesy of Jeremiah Bermel, Jake Lutter and Dimitri Christo); and cover art for Flying Vipers' "Off World" (courtesy). Maybe it’s the bright green foliage outside my window, but this month’s music roundup feels especially fresh.
84-year-old musician Jim Kweskin returns with some new friends
In the 1960s, Jim Kweskin was famous for finding 78 RPM records of early jazz, blues and country. That collection helped fuel the sound and repertoire of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, his influential combo that was a major attraction at Cambridge’s Club 47 and the Newport Folk Festival. The successor to Club 47, Club Passim, still displays in its tiny lobby a framed album that Kweskin recorded live at Club 47 in 1968.
New music by local artists to listen to this month
From left, album art for Ghost Girl's "Fragment" (courtesy); Copilot's "Vroom Vroom, etc" (courtesy Julia Paccone); and Roger Clark Miller's "Curiosity for Solo Electric Guitar Ensemble" (courtesy). As winter fades into spring, our critics share local music to transition us into this new season. An EP capturing a personal turning point full of snapshots of the artist's life. A Boston stalwart's latest transfixing project inspired by NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity.
Boston musicians on performing at the Kennedy Center
But a few weeks prior to the engagement Wolf cancelled the event, citing the recent upheaval at the Kennedy Center, which has seen the organization’s president and members of its board of supervisors fired. Besides installing his own set of board appointees, President Trump has appointed himself chairman and his special envoy Richard Grenell is now the center’s president. A number of artists have cancelled their appearances and the producers of the musical “Hamilton” pulled a planned 2026 run.
14 albums by New England musicians to listen to this spring
Clockwise from top left: Aversed (Courtesy Tom Couture); Lady Pills (Courtesy Sophie Adams); Mehmet Ali Sanlikol (Courtesy DÜNYA); John Lentz and Harvey Diamond (Courtesy Isabella Dellolio); Hallelujah the Hills (Courtesy Ben Stas); Mark Erelli + His String Quintet (Courtesy Bri Gately); and Naomi Westwater (Courtesy Ally Schmaling). After an especially frigid end to this New England winter, we’re likely all craving a bit more warmth and light. Local musicians seem to be answering that call.
New England's best new music this month
Clockwise from top left: Cape Crush (Courtesy Brittany Rose Queen); Album art for Connis and loe4t's "New Sky" (Courtesy Connis); The Pomps (Courtesy the band); JoJo (Courtesy Callum Hutchinson); and Other Brother Darryl (Courtesy Pat Piasecki). Our critics' local music picks for the month of February are, dare I say, fun?
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Noah
Contact Noah, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack