Robbie Robertson (5 July 1943 - 9 August 2023) might not be a household name, but he deserves to be. Whether playing behind Bob Dylan (Blonde On Blonde, The Basement Tapes and The "Electric" Tour of UK), as a founding member of The Band, as a soundtrack composer (The Last Waltz, Raging Bull, The King Of Comedy, The Wolf Of Wall Street and Killers of the Flower Moon) or in his own right as solo artist with few peers, the Canadian-born guitarist and songwriter was one of the greats. Link To Spotify Playlist (or click on image)

Boston born saxophonist Charlie Mariano (November 12, 1923 – June 16, 2009) is one of those musicians who, although highly prolific and universally revered by all who are exposed to his work, remains almost unknown to the general public. This is a great shame - his music is as interesting and varied as many of his contemporaries and deserves it's place every jazz collection. The Guardian's Obituary is essential reading for those interested in Mariano's pedigree and extensive career, but for sunneversetsonmusic it was the sublime "Jyothi", his 1983 ECM collaboration with the Karnataka College Of Percussion that drew our attention. The album is the perfect meeting of what The Guardian called "Mariano's haunting sound and frequent migration to a high, imploring register", and the vocal and musical traditions of the southern Indian state. Link to Spotify playlist, or click on the image above.

There's nothing else like it in the social calendar, that attracts artists of all stripes to produce their best (and sometimes worst) in a common cause that encompasses Advent, Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Winter Solstace, Boxing Day, New Year and more. So here at sunneversetsonmusic we celebrate with the release of our third annual Christmas Playlist, alongside our Favourite Christmas Albums and Classical Christmas Albums playlists. Highlights this year include new Christmas albums or EP's from Samara Joy, Gregory Porter, Cher, Stax Records, Chris Isaak and more. Play album-by-album or shuffle. LINK TO 2023 HOLIDAY PLAYLIST LINK TO ALL CHRISTMAS PLAYLISTS

Popular musicians have been sounding the alarm for more than 60 years now - since Malvina Reynolds' 1962 satirical "Little Boxes", made popular the following year by folk singer Pete Seeger As world leaders prepared for Cop26 in Glasgow in October 2021, The Guardian's music critic Alexis Petridis published a soundtrack, with music ranging from Gojira’s metal fury to gorgeous environmental paeans by Childish Gambino, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell It's a few years old, but it's still a goof read - and an even greater listen. Here are the links - Read the full Guardian article The greatest climate crisis songs - ranked! Listen to Spotify Playlist The greatest climate crisis songs - ranked!

Sixto Rodriguez (July 10, 1942 – August 8, 2023), From Detroit, Sixto Rodriguez (who recorded as simply, Rodriguez), led one of the most remarkable lives and careers of all. A pair of early albums - 1970's Cold Fact and 1971's Coming from Reality - sold few copies in the US, failing to break into a market saturated with white, male, singer-songwriters. Dropped by his label Sussex, Rodriguez withdrew to live modestly, lifestyle, in a derelict house purchased for $50 at a government auction and working in construction, demolition and production line work. But by the mid-70's his albums were getting airplay in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. When imported copies of his Sussex albums were sold out, an Australian record label, Blue Goose Music, bought the Australian rights to his recordings. Blue Goose released his two studio albums as well as a compilation album, At His Best, that featured unreleased recordings from 1973. The album went platinum in South Africa and Rodriguez was being compared to contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens. Rodriguez was also successful in Australia and performed two concert tours across the country in 1979 and 1981. In 1991, both of his albums were released on CD in South Africa for the first time, which helped preserve his fame. However, few details of his life were known to his fans and it was rumored that he had killed himself during a concert in the 1970s Despite his success abroad, Rodriguez's fame in South Africa had remained unknown to him until 1997 when his eldest daughter, Eva, came across a website dedicated to him. This became a catalyst for a career resurgence, with Rodriguez touring to festivals and sell out concerts in South Africa and Australia, and his songs being used in movie soundtracks and covered by other artists. He would enjoy even greater success in 2012, with the release of Searching for Sugar Man, an Oscar-winning documentary about his life and the South Africans’ quest to find him. The film won BAFTA and Academy Awards in 2013. Subsequently, Rodriguez appeared on the David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jools Holland shows, 60 Minutes and his touring schedule broadened to include Glastonbury and Montreux festivals Rodriguez toured the United States and Canada as recently as 2018. He headlined a tour in August 2018, ending with a hometown show at Detroit's Garden Theater. Rodriguez and the process of his rediscovery was the subject of a 2022 episode of Outlook on the BBC World Service. Link to Playlist Read more: Wikipedia Link to The Guardian Obituary

Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) Carla Bley was an American jazz composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader and an important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s. She is perhaps best known for her jazz opera Escalator Over the Hill (released 1971 as a triple LP set), as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other artists, including Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, John Scofield, and her ex-husband Paul Bley. In recent years she recorded a series of sublime albums for ECM, the most recent of which was (ironically, perhaps mischievously) entitled Life Goes On in 2020. Bley was a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels and recorded over two dozen albums from 1966. In an article published upon her death, Jazzwise noted that she loved to laugh. She thought it hugely funny when, on her first tour Europe of Europe, the audience pelted her and her band with fruit and the occasional bottle. Delighted, she said she started throwing it all back at the audience, and as her band joined in the melee she was in stitches. “It was so wonderfully funny,” she related, “It was like something out of Buster Keaton, those old black and white movies. Who else gets fruit thrown at them? I loved every moment.” Her sense of humour was, perhaps, one of the most misunderstood aspects of her music; a case in point, her 1977 track ‘Spangled Banner Minor and Other Patriotic Songs’ from The Carla Bley Band album took aim at nationalism. Po-faced critics called it “subversive,” “provocative,” or “avant garde.” It was hilarious. Link to SunNeverSetsOnMusic's "Celebrate Carla Bley" playlist

As he has done so well, so many time before, Paul Kelly captures the essence of the moment. IF NOT NOW It’s a splinter in the mind, a whisper in the heart A feeling something’s missing, some crucial little part It’s business that’s unfinished, a reckoning that’s due If not now, then when? If not us, then who? It’s a simple proposition to join the new and old A chance to make our country larger in its soul It’s an invitation offered to set our course anew If not now, then when? If not us, then who? How long can we keep walking with this stone in our shoe? If not now, then when? If not us, then who? We may never get another chance like this again If not us, then who? If not now, then when Too many falling far behind, shut out of the deal If you called and no-one heard you, imagine how you’d feel This land was never given, it was taken and then sold But its ancient songs and stories are a gift greater than gold The status quo is busted, let’s stop kicking that old can If not us, then who? If not now, then when? It’s business that’s unfinished, high time to see it through If not now, then when? If not us, then who?

SunNeverSetsOnMusic supports YES23, while celebrating the diverse excellence of Australia's indigenous musicianship. All selections from 2022-2023! Artists represented include Ngulmiya, William Barton, Bumpy, King Stingray, Charlie Needs Braces, Jess Hitchcock, Jem (and Troy) Cassar-Daley, Thelma Plum, Mo'Ju, Miiesha, Aodhan, Robert K Champion, Ziggy Ramo, KIAN, Budjerah, Aachem, Tasman Keith, Yirrmal, Electric Fields, Andrew Gurruwiwi, Izy, Pirritu, Emma Donovan, Aimee Hannan, Loren Ryan and many, many more. There's a mix of albums, EP's and singles and a wide range of approaches from the spiritual to the profane, folk to hip-hop, country to urban. Select your favourite artists, discover new treasures or shuffle-play and enjoy! PLAYLIST LINK HERE OR ON LOGO

YUSSEF DAYES is a tour-de-force behind the drums. Widely recognised as one of the most electrifying live performers of his generation - an exhilarating performer who combines technical prowess, intensity and emotion, leaving audiences in no doubt as to the role of rhythm in channelling spiritual energy. It's over four years since Dayes released his last studio solo album "What Kinda Music", but he's been very busy in the years since then and his new release "Black Classical Music" is due in September. In the meantime, for the first four tracks from the new album and all the other releases and collaborations in between - there's a playlist for that: Youssef Dayes Recent Releases & Collaborations

For those who have ever had the pleasure and privilege of attending the annual Gnaoua festival in the Moroccan coastal city of Essaouira, it is an experience never to be forgotten. The festival not only showcases the mesmerizing mystical music and dance of the Gnaoua traditions, but also attracts jazz, pop, rock and folk artists from around the world, many forming one-off collaborations on the numerous sound stages and other venues throughout the city, invigorating the tradition and expanding their own musical journeys. For those who are unable to attend attend this year (and even those who can, but want even more Gnaoua when the stages are quiet), here's a playlist mad up of most of the artists scheduled to perform this year. I hope you enjoy - and look forward to joining you in Essaouira again in the future, In sha'Allah! To enjoy the playlist - link HERE or click on the poster!

This week we celebrate NAIDOC Week (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Organising Committee) with a playlist from 2022/2023 that highlights the diverse excellence of Australia's indigenous musicianship. Artists represented include Ngulmiya, William Barton, Bumpy, King Stingray, Charlie Needs Braces, Jess Hitchcock, Jem (and Troy) Cassar-Daley, Thelma Plum, Mo'Ju, Miiesha, Aodhan, Robert K Champion, Ziggy Ramo, KIAN, Budjerah, Aachem, Tasman Keith, Yirrmal, Electric Fields, Andrew Gurruwiwi, Izy, Pirritu, Emma Donovan, Aimee Hannan, Loren Ryan and many, many more. There's a mix of albums, EP's and singles and a wide range of approaches from the spiritual to the profane, folk to hip-hop, country to urban. Select your favourite artists, discover new treasures or shuffle-play and enjoy! PLAYLIST LINK HERE OR ON LOGO

Arabic and North African music has had a profound influence on jazz and improvised music in Europe. The use of microtones, polyrhythms, and improvisational techniques from these traditions has enriched and expanded the possibilities of jazz, creating a new and exciting sound that is both familiar and exotic. One of the earliest examples can be found in the work of American saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. In the 1930s, Hawkins began to incorporate elements of Arabic music into his playing, creating a new and innovative sound that was unlike anything that had come before it. Hawkins's influence can be heard in the work of many other jazz musicians, including Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman. In the 1950s, a new wave of jazz musicians began to explore the influence of Arabic and North African music in even greater depth. These musicians, such as Don Cherry, Yusef Lateef, and Archie Shepp, were drawn to the spiritual and mystical qualities of this music, and they incorporated its sounds and rhythms into their own work. The music of these musicians helped to broaden the appeal of jazz and to make it more accessible to a wider audience. In recent years, the influence of Arabic and North African music on jazz has continued to grow. Today, there are many jazz musicians who are exploring the possibilities of this music, and there is a thriving scene for Arabic and North African jazz in Europe. This music is now more accessible than ever before, and it is sure to continue to influence and inspire jazz musicians for years to come. Don Cherry - Orient (1957) Ahmed Abdul-Malik - East Meets West (1959) Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds (1961) Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer (1964) Joe Harriott - Free Form (1969) Muhal Richard Abrams - Levels (1977) Rabih Abou-Khalil - Blue Camel (1992) Rabih Abou-Khalil - The Cactus of Knowledge (2001) Dhafer Youssef - Digital Prophecy (2003) Salah Ragab, The Egyptian Jazz Band - Egyptian Jazz (2006) Ibrahim Maalouf - Diasporas (2007) Anouar Brahem - The Astounding Eyes of Rita (2008) Anouar Brahem - Blue Maqam (2019) Majid Bekkas, Joachim Kuhn, Ramon Lopez - Chalabe (2011) Omar Sosa - Alma (2013) Yasmine Hamden - Ya Nass (2013) Yazz Ahmed - Polyhymnia (2019) Natacha Atlas - Strange Days (2019) LINK TO PLAYLIST This is just a small sample of the many great albums that have been influenced by Arabic and North African music. If you are interested in exploring this music further, I encourage you to check out these albums and others like them. You won't be disappointed.