Sam Sessa didn’t always dream of being on the radio—at least not in the role he plays today, as a DJ with Towson’s own WTMD. “Sometimes sports writers are failed athletes, and music writers can be failed musicians—that’s definitely me,” says Sessa, who cut his teeth as a journalist before becoming the Baltimore Music Coordinator and host of Baltimore Hit Parade.

He grew up playing the accordion, eventually pivoting to the keyboard and organ bass during college at the University of Maryland, where he performed with a local jazz and cover band. Upon graduation, the journalism major went on to cover the entertainment beat at The Baltimore Sun from 2005 to 2013, which “just happened to be at a time when Baltimore’s music scene became one of the best in the country. I got really lucky,” Sessa says, pointing to the storied rise and record deals of artists such as Beach House, Future Islands, and Dan Deacon at the time.

“In the ‘90s, we had Dru Hill and Sisqó, which were incredible success stories for the city,” he says. “But we didn’t have as large of an audience, with attention being spread out on so many different bands, like it was in the mid to late 2000s. It was like your home team coming out of nowhere to win the Super Bowl.”

On Thursday, May 19 at The Charles Theater—in the first of what will be several free public screenings in Baltimore—this historic arch will be on full display in Sessa’s directorial debut, Do Whatever You Want All the Time: The Baltimore Music Scene 2005-2020. Created during the pandemic and named after an album by local art-rock band Ponytail (one of Sessa’s favorites), the short documentary film chronicles how Baltimore made its way onto the national stage, from the late aughts, when the city’s musical milieu was dubbed the best in the country by Rolling Stone, through the 2015 Baltimore Uprising, which, Sessa says, “changed the whole conversation on the local scene.”

“The uprising was a reckoning for a lot of different communities, including the Baltimore music community,” he says. “We made the film in the year of George Floyd’s death, and to compare what was happening in the rest of the country to what happened in Baltimore in 2015—that gave us chills.”

Despite the challenges, there’s an overarching theme of optimism as Baltimore’s musicianship continues to evolve. “Between artists like Micah E. Wood, Outcalls, Super City, and Modern Nomad, we’re seeing collaboration in ways that weren’t that common in the mid to late 2000s for a bunch of different reasons—that really gives me hope,” Sessa says. “The Baltimore music scene is perhaps more connected now than it has ever been.”

The film features up-and-coming indie bands like Snail Mail and Peach Face, as well as veteran artists such as Abdu Ali, Lafayette Gilchrist, and Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak (plus images by Baltimore contributing photographer J.M. Giordano and an appearance by senior editor Lydia Woolever.)

Local cinematographer Julia Golonka, who filmed, edited, and co-produced the documentary with Sessa, wanted to make sure that every topic—in particular, racial themes—would resonate with viewers.

“I hope that people feel we did the scene justice,” says Golonka, who went to the same high school as Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan. “Growing up in Ellicott City, I’ve been listening to a lot of these artists for a while now. My Spotify Wrapped for last year was mostly the bands that are featured in the film. I just kept listening to them as I would edit. I hope the viewers feel inspired to do that too. This was a dream-come-true project.”

The same goes for Sessa, who refers to the film as “the bookends of my career, distilled into 24 minutes.”

“In 2005, we still had yet to even realize that the scene was a scene,” he says. “But to watch it coalesce over the years has been fulfilling to me. We’re thrilled to share this little time capsule.”

Editor’s Note: After this piece was published, Hotel Revival’s Virtual Happy Hour scheduled for Friday, June 12 was unexpectedly cancelled.

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EAT

June 14: Bake Sale for Black Lives Matter

Peabody Heights Brewery. 401 E 30th St. 1-4 p.m.

This weekend, you can quell sweet-tooth cravings while supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The Charm City Night Market is partnering with Peabody Heights Brewery to raise money for two local organizations including Black Yield Institute, a Cherry Hill-based initiative that works to end food apartheid, as well as the Baltimore Action Legal Team, which provides legal support to those protesting against racial injustice. Chef Cai Lindeman from Noona’s will be running the sale at the brewery with options from local favorites including Codetta Bake Shop, Bramble Baking Co., Dutch Courage, Black Rock Orchard, Red Emma’s, and True Chesapeake Oyster Co. To limit contact at the bake sale, you can buy virtual vouchers in advance to redeem for your goodies of choice. If you can’t make it out, donations are also being accepted online.

DRINK

June 12: Hotel Revival Virtual Happy Hour

Instagram Live. 5-7 p.m. Free.

After a long week, there is no better way to unwind than with your favorite summer cocktail or an ice-cold beer. While we’d love to enjoy our drink of choice in-person at Hotel Revival’s upstairs garden bar, tuning in to this virtual happy hour from your cozy couch or breezy porch is still a worthy way to start your weekend. Head to the Mount Vernon hotel’s Facebook or Instagram account to bump along to beats spun by DJ Trillnatured and turn your living room into a dance party of your own.

SEE

June 12-21: Maryland Film Festival’s Virtual Fest

Times and prices vary.

For all of the film buffs and cinephiles out there—this Friday the Maryland Film Festival is bringing the big screen to you. Although the Parkway Theatre is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the show must go on, and this year the annual movie event is going virtual. Unlock access to 17 feature films and 15 short films or browse the website and buy individual tickets to the movies you know you can’t miss. TT the artist’s Dark City Beneath the Beat will kick off the festival and explore Baltimore City through its club music and dance scene. Don’t forget the popcorn!

HEAR

June 12: Lafayette Gilchrist Trio Streaming Concert

7 p.m. $5.

There’s nothing like listening to live music, especially when it’s coming from acclaimed pianist and local legend Lafayette Gilchrist. This Friday, An Die Musik will stream a performance by Gilchrist alongside his jazzy trio as a part of the venue’s quarantine concert series. The group will be previewing their new album Now, ahead of its October release. Get your tickets and listen to Gilchrist and his fellow musicians use their instruments to confront social issues, such as police brutality and wealth gaps, affecting Baltimore.

DO

June 13-14: Virtual HonFest

11-4 p.m. Free.

Not everyone’s got what it takes to be one of Baltimore’s Best Hons, but if you’re fluent in Bawlmerese and no stranger to a wash-and-set hairdo, you may just get the gold. This annual festival honors the working women of America, but especially the working women of our cherished Charm City. No need to go downy Hampden, hon—this year the competition is virtual. Don your Bawlmer fashion and snap a picture to share on social media using the hashtags #HONfest2020 and #SaferatHomeHON to have your shot at local fame. Just remember, the higher the hair the closer to god.

As is true in many American cities, black artists are the heartbeat of Baltimore, and perhaps nowhere is that pulse louder than in our world-renowned music scene. Across myriad genres, musicians of color turn out the type of songs, albums, and live events that could only be born in this city. They’re bold, they’re ground-breaking, they’re rich in experimentation, exploration, and vivid storytelling about the black experience. Five years after the death of Freddie Gray, as the nation breaks out in protest and unrest over the death of George Floyd, there’s never been a better time to listen to and learn from what these vital creatives have to say. Here are 25 of the many talented local acts to get you started.

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Abdu Ali
From their all-inclusive Kahlon dance parties at The Crown to their latest album, FIYA!!!, Abdu Ali is without a doubt a leading voice of the music community, as well as for queer artists and creatives of color in Baltimore and beyond. With a backbone of their hometown genre, Baltimore Club, with brushstrokes of fervent jazz, their music is an idiosyncratic amalgam of futuristic punk-rap poetry that packs a powerful message about oppression and identity. Kudos are also due for their As They Lay arts initiative, whose recent fundraiser helped raised mini grants for artists of color impacted by COVID-19.
Listen Now: “I’m Here Now (Fiyah!!!),” “Did Dat,” “Chastity”

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Al Rogers Jr.
When it comes to spreading positivity, Al Rogers. Jr makes it his mission, even creating his own expression—“swooz”—for the good stuff: joy, happiness, and love. The trendsetting hip-hop artist imbues that optimism into every song—be it a heart-on-his-sleeve ballad or a funky, feel-good experimental rap track—using smart wordplay, infectious beats, and messages of inspiration. That said, he doesn’t shy away from hardships and hurdles either. Combining jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, the beloved rapper is a go-to for exploring emotions, digging deep, and finding a silver lining.
Listen Now: “Crystal Geyser,” “Bright Hard,” “Sayno”

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Brandon Woody
The past of Pennsylvania Avenue’s rich and revered jazz history is being shepherded into the future thanks to local musicians like Brandon Woody, a rising twenty-something trumpeter in the city’s resurgent jazz scene. He’s performed brass with local legends of the genre like Eric Kennedy and Jeff Reed, as well as DIY rappers like Abdu Ali and Al Rogers Jr., led open-mic nights at the Motor House, and performed regularly with his ensembles at An Die Musik. An alum of Peabody Preparatory’s Tuned-In program and the Brubeck Institute in California, he’s a highly talented, expressive instrumentalist who brings a fiery flare to every set.
Listen Now: “Woodallou,” “Miking Trumpet to Whammy Pedal,” “Real Love Snippet”

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Brooks Long & the Mad Dog No Good
When you first hear the songs of Brooks Long, you will simultaneously think you’ve known them forever and that you’ve been waiting for them all your life. The local singer-songwriter pays homage to the old-school sounds of eras past—particularly mid-20th century soul, funk, blues, and R&B—while adding his own flair, humor, and heart to every mellifluous lyric and smooth melody. Long is also a strong advocate for documenting Baltimore music history, from the present and past, with his Creative Alliance “Songster Series” highlighting both beloved and underdog artists.
Listen Now: “Got Soul,” “Heavy Petting,” “Have You Been Getting Too High?”

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Butch Dawson
It’s no secret that Butch Dawson is a name to know now in Baltimore. Over the past few years, the local rapper has emerged from underground rap staple to a front-of-the-pack headliner, carving out his own lane through a formidable fusion of hip-hop, chill wave, and punk with the potent spirit of DIY. Many of his tracks are about surviving the “swamps,” as he calls the West Baltimore streets where he grew up, and the fortitude that comes with it.

Listen Now: “Feel Nobody,” “Trigger,” “Division Street Blues”

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Dapper Dan Midas
There might be no greater Baltimore cheerleader than Dapper Dan Midas, aka DDm. From his days on the local rap battle circuit to his role as frontman of beloved hip-hip duo Bond St. District to his star-power solo career, the charismatic, dynamic rapper has carried Baltimore on his shoulders and imbued the city, in all of its beauty and struggle, into all of his buoyant and hard-hitting verses. Most notably in his latest The Ballad of Omar, DDm critically examines the black experience of growing up in Baltimore and along the way bares his own soul. It’s a must listen for everyone who calls this city their home.

Listen Now: “The Ballad of Omar,” “Swivel, “Hooray”

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Deetranada
When you finally discover Deetranada, you, too, will ask yourself: “Under what rock have I been living?” This 18-year-old wordsmith and one-time star of Lifetime’s The Rap Game (she placed second) has already garnered a serious fanbase in Baltimore and beyond (think hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views). And for good reason: as shown on her first two albums, Deetranada has some of the most impressive, bravado-filled flows and sharpest, hardest-hitting rhymes about coming up in Baltimore around.
Listen Now: “Attitude!,” Box,” “Know Me”

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Dyyo
In the endless quest to find the next great artist, Baltimore music fans can look no further than the force to be reckoned with that is Dyyo. This alternative rap artist has a singular, shapeshifting sound founded in potent energy, explosive experimentation, and hearty nods to influences like punk rock and improvisational jazz. His latest Live! record bottles that exploratory sound with the clashing drums, driving guitar, and serpentine brass of a full band with Dyyo’s own kinetic vocals at the forefront. As he continues to evolve as an artist, make sure you’re there to follow, and headbang, along.
Listen Now: “Raspberry,” “Checks in the Mail,” “Fight or Flight?”

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:3ION

We hope that in the distant future, there will always be love songs, and we imagine that they will probably sound something like the avant-garde R&B of Elon Battle, or :3ION. Come for the dark, romantic melodies and digital dance beats, but stay for the singer-songwriter’s luminously moody falsetto vocals that float like a feather—swinging low, soaring high, and always speaking to the deepest desires of the heart. :3LON has become a stalwart of the local scene, appearing on many a genre-crossing lineup in Station North, and recently touring nationally with acclaimed Baltimore indie duo Lower Dens.
Listen Now: “Haven,” “Aria of Resilience,” “Many Moons”

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Eze Jackson
One of the most iconic, indispensable voices in Baltimore music is undoubtedly that of Eze Jackson. Over the last decade, the hip-hop frontman has been a dogged creative force for the local arts scene—putting on powerful performances as an MC through solo projects and his powder-keg alt-hip-hop group Soul Cannon, uplifting up-and-coming artists through the Bmore Beat Club rap series, constantly collaborating, and always speaking honestly about black inequality and empowerment. His recent “Be Great” was played over a loud speaker as marchers knelt in unity on Monday’s youth-led protest.
Listen Now: “Unapologetically Black,” “Be Great,” “You Need Some”

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J. Pope

Listen to Jasmine Pope and hear her roar. From her bands the Funk Friday to the HearNow, the alt-soul singer-songwriter’s compellingspoken-word delivery and captivating stage presence has become a stalwart of the local scene over the last decade, capturing the attentions of diverse audiences, beloved by all corners of the city’s scene. Riding on the up-tempo funk and blues-infused, jam-band-style melodies of her bandmates, Pope is a modern-day poet at the core, delivering vigorous verses with rapid-fire flow, honeyed vocals, and powerful messages of truth and positivity.

Listen Now: “Soul Searching,” “Confusion,” “Check Your Soul”

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James Nasty
When considering any of the city’s local concert, festival, and event lineups, one thing is for certain: If James Nasty is on the bill, it’s going to be a good time. This veteran DJ and Bmore Club producer has become a household name in Baltimore for his high-energy mixes that master the genre’s rapid pace and patchwork sound but with a nod to the greats who came before him. Even those who think they haven’t heard of him likely have, as his hits have been regularly spun on local radio stations. Over the last nearly two decades, he’s incited instant dance parties at places such as Paradox, Ottobar, Light City, and most recently The Crown, and been a prolific musician performing hundreds if not thousands of sets across the city.
Listen Now: “Them Do It Horns,” “Pop,” “Dynamite”

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Josh Stokes
Over the last few years, Josh Stokes has been a quiet pillar of the Baltimore music scene. The drummer-singer dynamo has performed in live bands, recorded backup and feature vocals, and been an opening act for other beloved names across the city—all while working on his own exceptional, experimental tunes, making him undoubtedly one of the most hardworking musicians in the city. But his trippy new-age take on funk is worthy of its own consideration for a textured, throwback sound and Stokes’ own ethereal, gospel-tinged croons.
Listen Now: “Focus,” “Thank You,” “14 Daze”

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Joy Postell
Singer-songwriter Joy Postell broke onto the scene with her heart-wrenching recording of “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” in the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent Baltimore Uprising, asserting herself as a mighty voice to be reckoned with. Her follow-ups, “Consciousness” and “Water,” and the entire album Diaspora, would continue her socially minded music, in which she speaks to injustices faced by the African-American community and incorporates influences of jazz and soul into her hip-hop and R&B. On her latest EP, more personal than political, Postell continues to showcase her ability to speak truth to power.

Listen Now: “Consciousness,” “Water, “Back and Forth”

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JPEGMAFIA
He might have moved to the West Coast a few years back, but JPEGMAFIA continues to rep Baltimore, writing songs about his local days, collaborating with local artists, and showing up to perform shows at local venues where the crowds came out in droves. The bicoastal artist’s avant-rap, rooted in dystopian soundscapes and provocative rhymes, is an act of artistic defiance. He refuses to stay inside the lines, to appeal to mainstream audiences, to be bound by genre. For that, from sets at Coachella to rave reviews in indie music publications, all eyes are on JPEG to see what comes next.
Listen Now: “Free the Frail,” “1539 N. Calvert,” “Cutie Pie!”

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Kotic Couture

It’s hard to straddle both the poignant and the party, but up-and-coming rapper Kotic Couture excels at both, approaching their music with confidence and vulnerability, tipping a hat to their journey from a small-town upbringing to being a new leader on the Baltimore music scene. Whether it’s an outright club banger, bare-bones ballad, magnetic live solo performance, or their much-loved Version queer dance party with DJ Trillnatured at The Crown, Couture showcases a creative, colorful versatility that’s all their own—speaking honestly to dreams, doubts, and staying true to yourself.
Listen Now: “Grammy Speech,” “Growing Pains, “Drippin’”

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Lafayette Gilchrist

Over the last 25 years, Gilchrist has earned legend status in the Baltimore arts community. A winner of the prestigious Baker Artist Award, this Washington, D.C. native, longtime Baltimore resident, and piano guru has cemented himself in the city’s artistic history through his jubilant jazz compositions. They’re fueled by propulsive rhythms and seamless improvisations that effortlessly capture the essence of Baltimore—its energy, its joy, its struggle—as well as serve as iconic scores to David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, Treme, and The Deuce. Be sure to catch one of his upcoming livestreams through An Die Musik.

Listen Now: “Assume the Position,” “Bmore Careful,” “Deep Dancing Suite”

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Mighty Mark
Baltimore truly has a soundtrack to the city with the homegrown genre Baltimore or Bmore Club, born here in the 1980s by the likes of Miss Tony and Scottie B with a breakbeat sound that fuses hip-hop, house music, and staccato samples to create a pulsating, frenetic dance party. In recent years, Cherry Hill’s Mighty Mark has been the torchbearer, producing bass-fueled beats for his own tracks, collaborating with other club-minded creatives like TT The Artist, and appearing on national TV, all to assure that the genre continues to make its mark on history.

Listen Now: “Be More,” “Payroll,” “Don’t Want None”

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QueenEarth
The music of QueenEarth is like a salve for the soul. With faint touches of influences like India Arie and Lauryn Hill, the acoustic vocalist makes melodies all her own, using expressive beats and soulful vocals across tracks that range from textured, meditative instrumentals to jazz-infused R&B melodies. Through both her mindful tunes and her community education efforts, QueenEarth has made it her life’s work to share a message of empowerment for women of color, LGBTQ pride, social justice, and spiritual uplift.
Listen Now: “Dear Love,” “Quarantined Sax,” “Game”

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RoVo Monty
Modern love is complicated, but putting it into song seems effortless for RoVo Monty. The electronic R&B songwriter celebrates black queer romance in his effervescent music, asserting his desires, unpacking his fears, ultimately creating a lush musical environment for self-expression and self-empowerment. Inspired by fashion, dance, and disco, rife with irresistible hooks, bouncy beats, and velvety vocals, each track is club-ready and impossible not to bop along to. Monty is also a choreographer; be sure to check out his accompanying videos to learn a thing or two from his knock-out dance moves.
Listen Now: “Pretty in Pink,” “Pretn’d,” “Fix It”

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Rufus Roundtree and Da B’more Brass Factory
A Baltimore institution and high-energy music collective, Rufus Roundtree & Da B’More Brass Factory is hands down one of the most fun, feel-good shows in town, fusing funk, hip-hop, blues, and jazz into a Baltimore-meets-New Orleans get-down that could spark a second line. As the name implies, it’s a brass-heavy sound performed by some of the city’s most talented instrumentalists and led by the smoky, spirited vocals of bandleader Roundtree in his signature chapeau (said to have been a surprise gift from George Clinton).
Listen Now: “Me Think Me Love You,” “In Dem Streets,” “Get Up Live”

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Trillnatured
The lack of safe spaces for people of color and the LGBTQ community has long been a point of contention in Baltimore City, but each month, upstairs at The Crown, Jessica Hyman, aka DJ Trillnatured, creates a welcome, feel-good environment in her monthly Version dance party. Since 2017, these events have been a free, feel-good, second-Saturday night ritual full of Hyman’s dynamic mixes, Kotic Couture’s charismatic emcee, and all-out, sweat-drenched dance-offs into the wee hours of the morning. She’s also lent a hand in teaching the next generation of black Baltimore DJs as a former instructor at Baltimore Youth Arts.
Listen Now: “Use a Damn Coaster,” “True Laurels Show Live,” “This Side Up”

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TT The Artist

She may have relocated to Los Angeles last year, but it goes without saying that TT The Artist will always be Baltimore. The MICA grad has played a pivotal role in bringing Bmore Club onto the big stage, performing at Coachella, collaborating with Diplo, landing tracks on TV shows like HBO’s Insecure and Comedy Central’s Broad City, starting her own woman-of-color-forward Club Queen Records, and now releasing her debut documentary film on the city’s homegrown genre, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, which should have premiered at SXSW this spring. With vivacious energy, fierce lyrics, and undeniable beats, we hail the club queen that is TT.

Listen Now: “Thug It Out,” “Diamonds,” “Off the Chain”

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Warren Wolf

From the Baltimore School for the Arts through Peabody Preparatory to recording and performing with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Cyrus Chestnut, and Robert Glasper, Warren Wolf has made a name for himself, at home and abroad, as a young great of the modern jazz scene­—all while keeping Baltimore’s rich history with the genre alive and well. The West Baltimore native is an in-demand virtuoso on the vibraphones, performing at local concert halls like An Die Musik and prestigious venues around the globe. It’s the sound of another era, made, with groove and gusto that is positively contemporary.
Listen Now: “Montara,” “Soul Sister,” “For Ma”

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Wendel Patrick
Wendel Patrick is a man of many hats: rapper, composer, producer, co-founder of the Baltimore Boom Bap Society improvised concert series, co-creator of WYPR’s esteemed Out of the Blocks radio show, and Peabody Conservatory professor of hip-hop, to name a few. The multi-talented, classically trained artist has a gifted ear and is a master at collaboration, winning the 2015 Baker Artist Award and being referred to as “David Foster Wallace reincarnated as a sound engineer” by the former Urbanite magazine. Simply put, everything he touches turns to sonic gold.
Listen Now: “A Tale of Two Producers,” “Time,” “Producer”

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In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs to listen to now, ranging from eclectic art rock and anthemic rap to a catchy surf-infused tune. Check back each month for new top tracks of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“Goddess of The Baltimore in Your Mind” by Boister*

In the history of Baltimore music, there have been many leading ladies, and one, undeniably, over the last two decades, has been that of Anne Watts. Frontwoman of art rock collective Boister, the singer-songwriter, alongside her seven bandmates, to make eclectic, transcendent music—yes, boisterous, imaginative music—all for music’s sake. Across eight album, she has ruminated on heady themes like life, death, war, peace, and love, while the band’s new ninth, Goddess of The Baltimore in Your Mind, is a timely collection of songs for and about women. With backing vocals by War On Women’s Shawna Potter, this title track is like a Second Line rallying cry for women everywhere to fearlessly come together, find their inner strength, and rise up. Even Baltimore itself is personified as a goddess. We couldn’t agree more.

“Pull Up” by DDm

Beautiful Gowns was definitely one of the most fun records out of Baltimore this year, and local rap star DDm is keeping the party going with a just-launched video for this big, bold song, featuring captivating dance moves by local R&B artist Rovo Monty (see for yourself in the link above). The bouncing, club-ready beat and confident, commanding rhymes are pure swagger, speaking to swatting away haters, playboys, and punks, and never backing down. It’s an infectious anthem that makes one thing clear: in the streets or on the stage, don’t mess with DDm. Oh, and that, as his star continues to rise, the Baltimore-born artist won’t be shying away from his local roots.

“For The Go Go” by Lafayette Gilchrist

Speaking of important figures in Baltimore music history, Lafayette Gilchrist is high up on that list. The piano master is well-known for his iconic compositions as heard as the score of David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, Treme, and The Deuce, but those in the know are also keenly aware that his music runs far deeper in a lively fusion of jazz, blues, and funk with a touch of go-go acting. Earlier this year, the 2018 Baker Artist Award winner released his second solo album, Dark Matter, recorded live and rooted in sense of place for his main cities, his home of Baltimore and his native Washington, D.C. This buoyant track might be about the latter, where the genre was invented, but in the midst of ballads, it is a clear star for its jubilant energy and virtuosic keys.

“Oh No” by The Dune Flowers

New band alert! And just as we discover the catchy tunes of The Dune Flowers, they’ve already up and left us for Nashville, Tennessee. But the Westminster-bred duo makes music that is noteworthy, and also well beyond the twenty-something years of songwriters Tyler Drager and Oscar Schoenfelder. It’s a 1960s-inspired, early-rock-and-roll sound, founded in fuzzed-out surf guitar, steady drums, and vocal play. A perfect example: this mellow melody that evolves into a rollicking, retro first track off their self-titled, second album. Speaking of young love, night drives, and city lights, it’s an addictive song, at any age.

“Fortune” by Wye Oak

And just like that, Wye Oak comes crashing back into our lives with this turbulent standalone single. It’s a moment of reunion after a period of focused energy on the bandmates’ own respective side projects, with drummer Andy Stack releasing his first solo LP as Joyero this summer and frontwoman Jenn Wasner becoming a part of Bon Iver’s live band. After years apart, they also have come together again in the same city—sadly not Baltimore—but Durham, North Carolina. The moody melody builds, churns, and burns out in a fiery blaze, while, as on their last record, The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs, Wasner’s labyrinthine lyrics address change, considering both the joy and the struggle that come with it.

*Not yet on Spotify. We will add when it becomes available.

Visual Art

Shuttered Too: Steel Falls Beyond Baltimore

J.M. Giordano’s images chronicling the fall of the steel industry in Baltimore are currently on view at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, but take a trip around the harbor to Fells Point to the newly refocused Luann Carra Gallery and you’ll find this companion show highlighting the resilience of the communities steel built across Ohio and West Virginia. These stark black-and-white images both haunt and hearten. Through Oct. 10. Luann Carra Gallery, 1918 Fleet St.

Literature

Grand Reopening of the Central Library

Celebrate the return of the Central Library with a full day of music, art, lectures, games, food, and dancing along Cathedral Street and in the newly renovated library’s updated digs. Highlights include a conversation with Chris Wilson, Kondwani Fidel, and D. Watkins in Wheeler Auditorium and performances by the Black Cherry Puppet Theater in the Weinberg Children’s Library. Sept. 14. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St.

Unscripted: A Celebratory Evening with Patti Smith

Punk icon Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids earned accolades for its delve into the decades-long relationship between Smith and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Now, Smith returns to her own past to recall the dreams and realities of a transformative year spent wandering the country. Join Smith at Goucher College for what’s sure to be an unforgettable evening of stories, song, and sage wisdom. 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Goucher College, Kraushaar Auditorium, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd.

Music

Maryland Piano Masters: Daryl Davis & Lafayette Gilchrist

One of these two local legends on the bill would be enough, but the two together are a can’t-miss event. Join boogie-woogie pianist Daryl Davis and self-taught jazz-funk artist Lafayette Gilchrist for a night of dueling keys and styles from both past and present. 8 p.m. Sept. 27. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave.

FIYAH Power Tour

Adbu Ali is a creative force to be reckoned with, and their latest album, Fiyahh!!, is chock-full of both poignance and power. Experience one of their singular live performances this month at the Ottobar as Ali celebrates this genre-blending release on home turf with guest Grace Ives. 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sept. 27. Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St.

Theatre

BIG Monsters: An Improv Puppet Extravaganza

Bring your nostalgia for the days of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, but leave the kids at home for this improvised puppet show for adults put on by the folks at Baltimore Improv Group. Expect musical numbers, felted faces, and lots of laughs at this BIG Lab experiment. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 25. The BIG Theater, 1727 N. Charles St.

Film

InFusion East Baltimore Film Festival: Are We Loud Enough?

Art, film, and conversation will come together to highlight East Baltimore voices at this two-day festival. View works by dozens of local artists at the opening night East Baltimore: Her Artists and Her People exhibition, or stop by Saturday for a full day of selected short films, documentaries, and performances. Sept. 20-21. MICA PLACE, 814 N. Collington Ave.

This was a big year for Baltimore music. A decade after Rolling Stone dubbed our city the best music scene in the country, local artists continued to make great music—in some ways better than ever—and they got recognized for it, both through local listeners and on the national stage.

Locally, Baltimore artists released a record number of highly anticipated albums over the course of the last 12 months, and in doing so, also treated us to a heap of had-to-be-there concerts on our hometown stages, from Snail Mail making her debut at The Parkway to DDm transforming the Soundstage into a fashion runway to one very memorable night starring TT The Artist at Union Collective during our first-ever Baltimore magazine Music Festival. (Be on the lookout for its return in 2019.) Nationally, it seemed as if every time we went online, another local musician was being recognized by a top tastemaker, from The Fader and Vice (both thanks in no small part to True Laurels’ Lawrence Burney) to, yes, Rolling Stone, plus NPR, Billboard, and The New York Times, with one especially deserved piece on local artists of color. Hearing this music, seeing these concerts, and reading these headlines amidst the chaos of 2018 gave us a glimmer of hope.

Picking favorites from this past year has felt nearly impossible—we simply didn’t know where to begin, or end—so to help narrow our focus, we’ve chosen 20 songs off those aforementioned new albums, which includes everything from fresh-faced folk and up-and-coming hip-hop to the rebirth of indie veterans and the solidification of new rock stars. Hear for yourself, via our Spotify playlist below, but in this age of quick consumption, we encourage you to listen to these records in full, and to find your own favorites. And to continue to follow the local music scene, these artists and others, into 2019 and beyond.

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“Dive” by Beach House
We’ve learned to no longer sit on the edge of our seats for a Beach House album as over the last few years the duo has continued to drop a sudden new song here or full-blown record release there without so much as a whiff of Internet buzz. But their seventh record, aptly titled 7, did serve as a solid reminder of the band’s ability to surprise us. It’s a hazy, haunting evolution in their decade-long perfection of shimmering, fuzzed-out dream-pop, with the new songs bringing a fresh sense of urgency and innovation, as heard in this second single. It builds in Beach House’s signature slow-burning way before erupting in a potent moment of thunderous live drums and lustrous guitar. This newfound clarity only further cements Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally as indie rock royalty, in Baltimore and beyond.
Honorable Mentions: “Lemon Glow,” “Drunk In LA,” “L’Inconnue.”

“Feel Nobody” by Butch Dawson

One of the biggest breakthroughs of the year might belong to Butch Dawson (and one of the biggest oversights of the year likely belongs to leaving him out of our Music Issue’s list of top 50 bands to watch). This mosh-ready single off the West Baltimore rapper’s autumn debut, Swamp Boy, was undoubtedly one of the most beloved songs in 2018, bringing his punkish, smoke-swirled brand of hip-hop to the forefront of the local music scene. Dawson’s unbridled fire was also recognized by The Fader and that aforementioned article in The New York Times.
Honorable Mentions: “Division St. Blues,” “Liberation,” “Distances.”

“Hollow Imitation” by Caleb Stine
Long before the birth of the Charm City Bluegrass Festival and the region’s recent folk music renaissance, there was Caleb Stine, stoking the flames of his genre and its deep ties to Maryland through Americana tales over the course of the last two decades. But Moon, the rustic raconteur’s first new solo record in some time, turns its attention away from the road and religion, toward the ground-shaking, all-consuming power of love. This reverential ballad is Stine’s storytelling at its very best, with saturated imagery unfolding like an old film.
Honorable Mentions: “Higher Ground,” “Garden,” “Bodhi Tree.”

“Rude” by DDm
Okay, so we know this record hasn’t officially dropped, but anyone who’s seen DDm perform over the last several months has already fallen for the new tracks off his upcoming Soundtrack To A Shopping Mall, due out in the new year. DDm, aka Emmanuel Williams, aka Unkle Lulu, aka the Secretary of Shade, is the master of bona fide swagger, side-splitting braggadocio, and Beyoncé-worthy production, as showcased on this track. We can’t think of many (or any) other local artists who put on a performance quite like DDm; he brings it to everything he touches.
Honorable Mentions: “Ready To Wear,” “Try Me On,” “Forever 21.”

“Riddles” by Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
After a decade of cutting their chops and gaining a loyal following on the local scene, Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice finally got their national due this year, with the post-punk duo’s spring album, Riddles, via Car Park Records, lauded by the likes of NPR, Spin, and Rolling Stone. We could say it’s about time, but those years allowed ESMB to find new footing in this cathartic triumph, produced by friend and fellow local institution Dan Deacon. Out of 10 bold songs, this twinkling title track is the unrivaled star—swelling in synth-fueled emotion and ’80s-pop euphoria—speaking to facing your fears and, in turn, yourself. Just be sure to watch its Best of Baltimore-winning music video as well.
Honorable Mentions: “Kid Radium,” “Dunce,” “Tom.”

“Knock the Man Down” by The High & Wides
Yes, the city’s bluegrass scene has been growing like kudzu over the last few years, but few new bands have caught our eye—and ear—quite like this Baltimore-by-way-of-Eastern Shore string quartet. Their spring debut, Lifted, was met with critical acclaim for its reverence to, revolution from, and revival of the Americana genre; thought rooted in tradition, the band reimagines bluegrass for the 21st century. This track is all grit and gumption, from its jangly melody to its howling vocals and expert instrumentation—a back-woods boot-stomper for modern day.
Honorable Mentions: “Rake Out The Nails,” “Ballad of Caulk’s Field,” “Dark Blues.”

“Water” by Joy Postell
Diaspora, the full-length debut by Joy Postell, only affirmed what we already knew: the twenty-something soul powerhouse is a forerunner of the local music scene and a force to be reckoned with. Drawing inspiration from legends of the past (Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn), Postell looks toward the future as a black woman in America in 2018, and each of the album’s tracks tackle the African-American experience, from freedom to love. With a rippling jazz melody and the singer’s mighty vox, this second single is an especially poignant portrait, presenting young black minds as the seeds of future change. Indeed Postell, also featured in the summer New York Times feature, is one herself.
Honorable Mentions: “Consciousness,” “North Star,” “Free Black.”

“1539 N. Calvert” by JPEGMAFIA
Heading into 2019, JPEGMAFIA is definitely one of the city’s—and country’s—top wavemakers, thanks to a record year riding on the success of his boundary-pushing spring Veteran, with fiery live performances at the likes of Afropunk and spots in a slew of end-of-year best-of lists from Stereogum to Pitchfork sold. Though he now lives in L.A., we continue to claim the rap provocateur as our own. After all, this first track off the sophomore record is an ode to the former Bell Foundry art space in Greenmount West that abruptly closed after the Ghost Ship fire in California. The murky melody is a no-holds-barred stream-of-consciousness, best listened to alongside its dystopian Last Supper music video featuring other fellow Bell regulars.
Honorable Mentions: “Baby I’m Bleeding,” “Rock N Roll Is Dead,” “Macaulay Culkin.”

“Assume The Position” by Lafayette Gilchrist & The New Volcanoes
There are few living legends left in Baltimore quite like Lafayette Gilchrist. The Baltimore-by-way-of-D.C. jazz and 2018 Baker Artist Award winner is revered by critics and listeners alike for his dynamic domination of the keys, easily recognized on his iconic scores in David Simon’s HBO series, from The Wire to The Deuce, but the. On his latest EP, Deep Dancing Suite, Gilchrist and his 10-piece New Volcanoes bring back the uncontainable energy of jazz-era improvisation with a dose of modern danceability. Notably, this long-held hit gets new life at nearly double its original length, where keys, brass, and percussion take part in a lively jive. The reinvention stands testament to the artist’s freestyle fluency and finesse.
Honorable Mentions: “Deep Dancing Suite,” “Ping Pong,” “Return of the Inchworm.”

“Where I’m Bound” by Letitia VanSant
In her spring album and follow-up to 2015’s Parts & Labor, Gut It To The Studs, folk singer-songwriter Letitia VanSant crafts a thoughtful opus on new chapters and change, with this first melody being a love letter to that of personal growth. On it, VanSant’s mellifluent voice rolls bright and clear along a hearty river of acoustic guitar, upright bass, and old-school fiddle, setting the stage for the rest of the record and embracing the yet-to-be-seen discovery that still lies ahead of her. In the end of both this song and the entire record, she emerges newly powerful and perceptive. We’ll be anxious to see how she channels that newfound purpose on her next release.
Honorable Mentions: “Gut It To The Studs,” “Wild Heart Roam,” “Sundown Town.”

“Winning” by Peso Da Mafia
Last summer, Northeast Baltimore rap group Peso Da Mafia launched onto the local airwaves and, shortly thereafter, national stage with their come-up single turned viral dance video “Money Man.” It would be a tough act to follow, but by early 2018, the trio would drop this sneak peek off their debut Never A Drought via Warner Music subsidiary Asylum Records. With more than a million Spotify listens and YouTube music video views for this track, it’s safe to say that their slow-burn beats, confident rhymes, and catchy hooks are in anything but short supply. And with slots at SXSW and the BET Awards preshow, plus shout outs in Complex and XXL, it seems the big-wigs are watching, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Money Man,” “TSAY,” “About Us.”

“Homeward Bound” by Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols
We’ve heard this ballad around the Fells Point dive bars for a few years, but newly produced on the fall full-length, Forgive, by Sean K. Preston and his band The Loaded Pistols, the country blues number has taken on new meaning. This song details the heartache, hard luck, and hungry dreams that it takes to be a full-time musician, and in term, captures the essence of one of Baltimore’s most dogged performers and true-blue, truth-speaking storytellers. After more than a decade on the local scene, this ballad and its accompanying record not only document but put on full display the hard-earned talents of Preston and his bandmates.
Honorable Mentions: “Last Call,” “Barnburner,” “Life’s a Bitch.”

“cherubim” by serpentwithfeet
This spring, the unexpected sound of serpentwithfeet, aka Baltimore native Josiah Wise, brought the country’s top music critics to their knees. The avant-R&B artist’s debut soil was considered a singular tour de force—absorbing in its theatricality, moving in its occult spirituality, liberating in its effusive emotion—transcendent of all boundaries. In short, it’s unlike anything anyone had heard, as showcased in this devastatingly intimate devotional. The holy roller brings the multitudes of love, specifically queer black love, to light, melodically marching uphill to the pedestal upon which we humans put our lovers, chanting a declaration of dedication through an intricately layered chorus of Wise’s vibrato vocals and soaring tenor with every step along the way.
Honorable Mentions: “whisper,” “bless ur heart,” “mourning song.”

“Play Hard” by Soul Cannon
Seven years is a long time for any band to not release new music but still maintain its relevancy in the music business. But rules don’t apply to the hip-hop collective of Soul Cannon, which remains a vital force on the local scene for its explosive experimentation and fiery live shows. And MC Eze Jackson and his three classically trained comrades have only solidified that status through this winter’s self-titled record on which the quartet continues to break new ground through old tracks and new. Exhibit A: this agile sprint of a song that we can’t get enough of, founded in the tight tango of Jackson’s urgent, poetic vocals and his bandmates’ wily, propulsive instrumentation. The band is a well-oiled machine that inspires any listener—music, writer, whoever you are—to play harder, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Hospital Records,” “F Sharp,” “Talk Less.”

“Pristine” by Snail Mail
We wish Snail Mail had been around when we were in high school. Has there ever been a band that so perfectly bottles the essence of the teenage heart? Have there every been any lyrics—“Don’t you like me for me?” or “I know myself and I’ll never love anyone else”—that so captured and catapulted out into the world the hidden thoughts and emotions of that tumultuous time of life? Maybe that’s why this has been the year of Lindsey Jordan, with the Ellicott City 18-year-old, her debut Lush, via Matador Records, and this first single featured in nearly every noteworthy publication and best-of end-of-year list on record. And rightfully so—Jordan is the brooding, heart-on-her-sleeve rock star we needed in 2018. And next year, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Heat Wave,” “Golden Dream,” “Full Control.”

“Vulture” by Super City
To get a dose of the infectious energy and undeniable chemistry of Super City, pick any song off their fall Sanctuary—the indie (or “freakwave,” as they’ve been called) quintet’s new fall record. Though not one of the band’s first singles, we find this breakneck anthem to be a good starting point. Co-frontman Greg Wellham commands the mic on this pop-punk-go-go melody, riddled with livewire guitar, punchy drums, and one epic buildup starting at the 2:25 mark as they swat away negative energy. For the full effect, see it live for their fancy, fame-worthy footwork. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: these are the local rock gods you need to know now.
Honorable Mentions: “Sanctuary,” “Artificial Sin,” “Ghosts of Love.”

“I Lost You” by Surf Harp
Eighties kids will feel instantly drawn to Surf Harp’s Mr. Big Picture. Maybe it’s because of the indie quintet’s visuals, reminiscent of the early Macintosh computers and MTV music videos of our youth. Likely it’s their post-punk-meets-new-wave sound, as creative and off-kilter as a Talking Heads hit. This band finds their own lane, though, with each of this spring record’s 10 songs keeping their own unruly pace. For us, this shadowy ballad felt like the album’s diamond in the rough, building from windswept melancholia into a swirl of momentum, spinning out before the story ends, leaving you wanting more.
Honorable Mentions: “D.I. Cig,” “Catholic Glass,” “Homework Program.”

“Payroll” by TT The Artist
We’d like to put it on record: Baltimore Club queen TT The Artist is one of the hardest working musicians in the business. In 2018 alone, she premiered the trailer for her upcoming directorial debut, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, a full-length documentary on the city’s music and dance genre of Bmore Club; she moved to L.A. and launched her all-women Club Queen Records, still with frequent stints back east for filming and fiery performances; and she dropped the label’s first Club Queens EP with New Jersey’s UNIIQU3. But one listen to her label’s first single—full of unabashed bravado, electric beats, playful creativity, and featured on heavy rotation this summer on 92Q—and you’ll see that TT is just getting started.
Honorable Mentions: “Off The Chain,” “Freaking in the Club,” “Fall Back.”

“It’s Okay” by Wume
We knew we couldn’t wait for new music from experimental duo Wume after their mesmerizing 2015 EP, Maintain, but this fall, their new full-length record left us completely dazzled. In a quest for deeper truths, Toward the Shadow, via Northern Spy, offers a moment of reflection and introspection. Combining sparkling electronics by keyboardist Albert Schatz and newly prominent vocals in the form of philosophical incantations by drummer April Camlin, the band takes listeners on a trip into even more immersive soundscapes, urging them to dig deeper, to push further, to shift and breakthrough, just like the band has. This track is a rejuvenating listen in the chaos of our modern times.
Honorable Mentions: “Shadow,” “Walled Garden,” “Ravel.”

“The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs” by Wye Oak
We could feel something stirring in Wye Oak’s 2016 release of Tween. A transition. A simultaneous closure and commencement. A reawakening. And now, with this gorgeous spring record, it all makes sense, as the band has emerged as a stunning new version of itself—and yet after 12 years, we’ve maybe never felt more in tune with music by Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack. Out of a dozen deeply human songs, this title track is an illuminating crescendo, revealing the beauty of the journey toward yourself. We still find ourselves pouring over its lyrics for answers, ultimately finding some sort of solace in the song’s—and life’s—elusions. As Wasner concludes, “Sometimes it takes a long, long, long time,” and if Wye Oak’s long game is any indication, the wait is certainly worth it.
Honorable Mentions: “The Instrument,” “It Was Not Natural,” “Lifer.”

The High & Wides

Lifted (self-released)

Born on the Eastern Shore before making their way to Baltimore, The High & Wides celebrate the region’s rich bluegrass history, combining those deep Appalachian roots with a dose of Charm City grit and gumption into a modern-day Americana revival. On this debut record, this talented string band carries the torch for the Old-Line legends who came before them while forging their own path for a new century. Across 13 originals—fiery barn burners, heartbroken ballads, battle hymns—the quartet puts their expert musicianship on full display, fusing lightning-fast banjo, tight fiddle, driving bass, and hearty harmonies across full-tilt tempos and lilting melodies. In these chaotic times, The High & Wides are a breath of fresh country air. Amidst all the noise, they remind us how goddamn gorgeous a simple song can be.

Lafayette Gilchrist & The New Volcanoes

Deep Dancing Suite (Manta Ray Records)

If Baltimore had a music hall of fame, Lafayette Gilchrist would be one of our first ballots. While he’s revered for his iconic scores in David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, Treme, and The Deuce, it’s his pure talent and unbridled spirit that have earned this D.C. native and longtime Baltimore resident his much-deserved praise. The 2018 Baker Artist Award winner’s lively compositions capture the essence of this city—its energy, its joy, its struggle—with each melody unfolding in a jubilant freestyle of jazz, blues, and funk with a go-go flair. Time after time on this five-track EP, the pianist and his eight-piece band bring the house down with propulsive rhythms, vibrant horns, and virtuosic keys. Prepare to be moved—in your soul, and out of your seat.

In response to the devastating flood that ravaged Ellicott City’s Main Street last Sunday, Charm City businesses are coming together to host fundraisers, dining promotions, and benefit concerts to help community members in need. Check out our growing list of ways to give back to those affected.

 EAT

June 2: Taste of Three Cities

Patterson Park, 27 S. Patterson Park Ave. 12-9 p.m. Free-$65. 410-960-9908.

As more food trucks join the local scene, it can be difficult to try all of the city’s new wheels while remaining loyal to longtime staples. (We’ll always have a soft spot for local favorites like Gypsy Queen Café and Greek on the Street.) Luckily for us, Maryland’s largest food truck festival will return to Patterson Park this Saturday with more than 50 regional food trucks, making it easy to sample eats from a variety of four-wheeled kitchens from Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. At this seventh annual extravaganza, fill up on snacks like savory seafood from the D.C.-by-way-of-Brooklyn Red Hook Lobster Pound, locally-sourced oysters from Charm City’s own Urban Oyster, and fried cheese from Philly favorite The Cow and the Curd.

 DRINK

June 1: Goodbye Union Avenue

Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave. 5-10 p.m. Free. 410-467-0290. 

With less than two months until the grand opening of Union Craft’s new brewery and makerspace at the Union Collective across I-83, it’s almost time to close down the beloved Woodberry tap room that’s been pouring out Duckpins for more than five years. This Friday, celebrate the next chapter with one last parking-lot party, featuring those well-loved corn hole boards, tunes by local indie band Cara Kelly & The Tell Tale and grub from The Local Oyster. Get there early to grab one of the limited-edition anniversary sours for an extra-special farewell toast.

 SEE 

June 1: Baltimore Youth Arts Showcase

116 W. Mulberry St. 6-8 p.m. Free.

Since Gianna Rodriguez (featured on our list of Baltimore Visionaries) established Baltimore Youth Arts back in 2015, the program has become one of the cornerstones of the city’s effort to provide artistic and professional opportunities to local kids. This Friday, stop by the Platform Arts Center to view various artworks and design projects by the next generation of artists, including pieces by young people involved with or in the justice system. Afterwards, BYA encourages attendees to walk one block over to Resort gallery for its silent auction fundraiser that helps support the youth program.

 

 HEAR

June 1: Celebration of Lafayette Gilchrist

Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. 8-11 p.m. 410-276-1651.

To the city’s delight, Baltimore-based pianist and jazz virtuoso Lafayette Gilchrist recently took home a 2018 Baker Artist Award for his signature funky, soulful sound that has been exciting critics since his debut album, The Music According to Lafayette Gilchrist, in 2004. (Not to mention when his music made it onto soundtracks for iconic television shows like Treme and The Wire.) This Friday, head to Creative Alliance to hear this genre-defying musician give a victory-lap performance with exceptional guest artists like drummer Eric Kennedy and trumpet player Dave Ballou.

 DO

June 2-3:St. Anthony Italian Festival

Little Italy. Sat. 12-8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 

With pizza, pasta, and cannoli around every corner, it’s almost too easy to gain a few pounds during a trip through Little Italy. During this weekend’s Feast of St. Anthony celebration, kiss your beach body goodbye as you indulge in endless authentic Italian eats and, of course, glasses of vino. To walk off the carbs, stroll through the tiny historic neighborhood and participate in the festival’s many activities, including a bocce tournament, cooking demonstrations, and, if you’re still hungry, the annual Roma sausage-eating contest.

It might come as no surprise to learn that Amy Sherald has won yet another major arts award tonight—this time, the $40,000 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize as part of the annual Baker Artist Awards, presented by The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund.

A jury selects winners from a large database of some 900 artists in the region who have created an online Baker Artist Portfolio.

Winners—one per each artistic discipline—were announced during a pre-recorded awards ceremony that aired on MPT this evening in the program The 2018 Baker Artist Awards: An Artworks Special. Additional artists, winning $10,000 Mary Sawyers Baker awards, were Lisi Stoessel for Performance, Lafayette Gilchrist for Music, Margaret Rorison for Film/Video, Dora Malech for Literary Arts, Abraham Burickson for Interdisciplinary Arts.

Beloved in Baltimore, Sherald rose to national fame when her official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery. Also in 2018, she was chosen for the prestigious Driskell Prize and named as a new trustee on the Baltimore Baltimore Museum of Art of Art board.

“Amy’s work has struck a profound cord with the American public this year, and I am thrilled to see her win the 2018 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize for her remarkable artistry,” Connie Imboden, president of the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund, stated in a release.

Visual and Interdisciplinary Arts winners will present work at the BMA September 12 through October 14 with 2017 awardees in the same categories. This year’s winners in the remaining categories will present their work during an opening reception Sept. 12 at the BMA.

“The Baker Artist Awards reflect the vitality of this region’s creative community. It sounds almost cliche but it’s a fact,” says Susanne Stahley, Senior Producer, Arts & Culture, for Maryland Public Television. “The celebration of these artists hopefully inspires viewers to get out and visit galleries, concerts, theaters—and the web. The Baker Artist Portfolios showcases hundreds of the area’s artists across genres.”

The Baker Artist Awards ceremony will air again at 8 p.m. May 19 on MPT2/Create and 6:30 a.m. May 20 on MPT-HD.

As for many of us, 2017 was a year of introspection and growth for the Baltimore music community. Familiar faces returned home, launched new ventures, or released seminal albums. New artists popped out of the woodwork and made their mark on the local scene. Collaboration was prolific, emotions were liberated, and a sort of homegrown catharsis ensued. A sense of change is in the air, and with the amount of talent we saw this year across all genres, we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for 2018. We couldn’t fit them all, but here are a handful of our favorite musical moments from the tumultuous past 12 months.

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Abdu Ali launches a podcast.

This fall, Baltimore native/rapper/writer Abdu Ali got to add a new title to his resume: radio show host. In October, the local artist launched his first-ever podcast, DrumBooty Radio, in iTunes via Mask Magazine. Using his background in journalism, Ali talks with fellow creatives of color about the African-American experience. With five bi-monthly, hour-long segments now under his belt, Ali has interviewed the likes of local writer/editor Lawrence Burney of True Laurels, writer/social justice advocate Bilphena Yahwon, and writer/filmmaker Nia Hampton on topics such as the importance of therapy, being black in the DIY scene, and owning your own narrative. Through this new medium, featuring one special song per episode, Ali continues to craft compelling art in the audible form and shine a spotlight on our city.

Brooks Long sings “Blues for Freddie Gray.”

Local jazz legend Lafayette Gilchrist released a new album this spring with a powerful single titled “Blues for Freddie Gray.” Riddled with Gilchrist’s pounding piano keys, a full brass section, and the soulful vocals of old-school virtuoso Brooks Long, the song is post-2015 Baltimore in a bottle. The lively, driving number is full of energy and emotion, with audio samples from actual television footage following the death of Freddie Gray and subsequent officer trials. But despite the opening police sirens and closing whirr of a Foxtrot helicopter that both speak to the lack of closure in Gray’s case, Gilchrist ends on a hopeful note. “I want to know that there’s a day that’s coming soon and fast,” howls the ever-talented Long. “I want a justice and a peace that’s made to last and last. Don’t ya tell me that we can’t all get it done.” 

Dan Deacon celebrates Spiderman of the Rings.

A lot has changed for Dan Deacon since the release of this seminal record some 10 years ago. He’s grown from a quasi-known experimental musician to a nationally acclaimed artist. His music has become a soundtrack for the New York City Ballet; his mad-scientist compositions have scored award-nominated documentary films. And yet, to celebrate the anniversary of this record, Deacon returned home to perform at the kind of DIY space that started it all. At 2640 inside St. John’s United Methodist church, his exuberant melodies led the city’s most die-hard music lovers through a journey back in time. They danced. They sweat. They stood in awe of Deacon’s humble musical mastery, along for the ride and forever thankful that he is and maybe always will be ours.

Future Islands performs four nights at the Ottobar.

When Future Islands announced a series of shows at the Ottobar this spring to commemorate the release of The Far Field, it seemed like the whole world was vying for a golden ticket in the heart-racing online lottery. When it was all said and done, Pitchfork was there, tuning the entire country in to hear the trio’s heartbreaking new record, but Baltimore was all in tow—John Waters and a medley of other notable hometown musicians included—to welcome the boys home. Through new hits (“Ran”) and old favorites (“Little Dreamer”), frontman Sam Herring sashayed across the stage, William Cashion plugged those iconic riffs on bass, and Gerritt Welmers let that swirling synth fill the sold-out room, it felt like our old hearts—full of local love—just might explode.

Good Fridays makes Baltimore dance again. 

Over a year ago, then-Baltimore arts and culture editor Gabriella Souza was on the phone with John Waters when she got an idea. The local auteur noted that his hit film Hairspray! had been inspired by the variety and dance television shows of the mid-20th-century that had sadly gone the way of the buffalo. Wouldn’t it be great, they mused, if people could get together—regardless of age, race, or class—to just dance like that today? With the help of PipeDreamz’s AC Miller-Abdullah and Baltimore contributor Cassandra Miller, Good Fridays Baltimore was born, bringing all walks of city life together for live music by the likes of Al Rogers Jr., Wendel Patrick, and Eze Jackson, local art by Shan Wallace and Aaron Maybin, and a free-for-all dance party featuring local DJs into the wee hours of the night. As the event continues to grow, we can’t wait to see what—and who—comes next.

J Pope and the HearNow release its long-awaited debut.

After years of performing around town, this alt-soul collective released its debut in June. Produced by local beat wizard Wendel Patrick, Soul Searching captures the dynamic sound of this prolific live-performing sextet—a unique fusion of soul and hip-hop with a touch of R&B and blues. The record highlights the honey-coated lyrical flair and fast-paced finesse of frontwoman Jasmine Pope and showcases the masterful improvisations of her dexterous band mates. From the highs of frenzied funk rhythms to the lows of slow burning jazz numbers, the HearNow touches on the ups ands downs of living as a working artist. This album is Exhibit A of the talent, dedication, and hard work it takes. 

Local musicians spin at Idle Hour.

Last fall, Friends Records began a new residency at our favorite vinyl-slinging dive bar, Idle Hour, in Riverside. With the watering hole newly reopened, we weren’t sure if the famed record player would live on, but thanks to the bar owners and Jimmy MacMillan’s roster of local artists, the ones and twos are alive and well curated. Hometown favorites like Blacksage, Natural Velvet, and Surf Harp have spun handpicked selections from their various genres of electronic R&B, post-punk, and indie rock. In 2018, we’d buy the bar a round of pickle backs to hear Bond St. District’s Unkle Lulu, Microkingdom, or Peals.

Micah E. Wood makes dating easier.

Perhaps our favorite album of the year goes to See Me by Micah E. Wood. On this new record, the local songwriter and music photographer tackles the trials of modern love, pulling our heart strings as he rolls through the tribulations of 21st-century romance with honesty, humility, and humor. In the poignant “Match,” Wood candidly delves into the brutal honesties of online dating. In his first single, “Without You,” his anthemic chorus sums up the jubilant feeling of finally getting over a breakup. In the buoyant “Something,” his bubbly beat embodies the beauty of letting your guard down and liking someone again.  We especially love the additions of fellow heart-pullers Joy Postell, :3ion, and the aforementioned Al Rogers Jr. Through tender electronic melodies and charming talk-sing vocals, Wood and company make our stone cold hearts—thanks a lot, Tinder—finally feel human again.

Natural Velvet drops a timely album on feminine rage.

We couldn’t have realized how much Natural Velvet’s new Mirror to Make You would resonate in 2017. But with a strong focus on “feminine rage,” as frontwoman Corynne Ostermann puts it, coinciding with the nation’s “silence breakers” that have shed fresh light on widespread sexual harassment and assault throughout multiple industries, we can’t help but find new meaning. Each song is a rebellious declaration of feeling and fury with unabashedly frank lyrics that dissect femininity and endorse the power of the female. Whatever your gender, listening to these songs is cathartic. You finish with the full weight of three small lyrics to live by from “Kronos.” “I am. I choose. I chose.”  

Opera singers unite to form Outcalls.

We love the ladies of Outcalls. With their glittering get-ups, engaging social media presence, and ambitious attitude, Peabody grads Britt Olsen-Ecker and Melissa Wimbish have catapulted themselves onto the local arts scene and created their very own genre along the way. While the band has been around since 2015, the classically trained singers have carved out a sort of baroque indie-pop music on this debut-like record, combining the classics of shimmering synth and shoegaze guitar with ethereal soprano harmonies and robust electronic rhythms that are as hypnotic as they are awakening. Witchy, somewhat tribal, and even a little bit dusty old Spaghetti Western, “Skip to Sunrise” has become one of our top songs of the year. 

Snail Mail shoots to stardom.

It wasn’t long after the 2016 release of Snail Mail’s debut album that Lindsey Jordan and her two band mates started to get national attention. The band’s lo-fi indie rock music was suddenly in the web pages of Pitchfork and, before long, sprawled across a feature in The New York Times. The trio sold out the Ottobar, recorded a NPR Tiny Desk Concert, went off on tour with indie darlings Beach Fossils, and then signed a deal with Matador Records. (We also awarded them a Best of Baltimore for “Rising Star.”) Fresh out of high school and already well beyond their years, it’s safe to say that they are, officially, the next big thing.

Super City get synchronized in infectious music video.

This year, the Baltimore music scene has really upped the ante when it comes to music videos, with few more shining examples than that of this playful spring take on Super City’s most recent single, “Artificial Sin.” The indie slow jam gets star treatment with fresh outfits and unexpected choreography as the band’s five musicians don white jumpsuits and leather Chelsea boots and use coy dance moves to tap, twirl, and even, in one moment, drop it like its hot in a room full of turtle-necked backup dancers. Special guests include Paul Hutson of Bond St. District and Olsen-Ecker and Wimbish of Outcalls, to name a few. You can’t watch it without wishing you were there, too. 

The Cardinal Sheehan Choir performs “Rise Up.”

In September, Baltimore middle schoolers went viral after a video of their choir rehearsal featuring a powerful performance of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” made its rounds, in the millions, around the Internet. Within a couple of weeks, they were performing live on “Good Morning America,” with Day herself responding with a special message for the students: “Your video was so powerful and moved me so deeply and is moving the entire nation right now…We appreciate you so much.” One of the more heartwarming moments of an otherwise turbulent year, the students later performed for Baltimore in their Loch Raven gymnasium, while choir director Kenyatta Hardison shared the back-story of their shot to fame. This below video went viral for us, too.

The Ottobar turns 20.

Two decades is an eternity in the lifetime of a rock club, let alone one in Baltimore where it seems like every old-school establishment is quickly being replaced with a glitzy sky-rise apartment building. But this September, the Ottobar turned a whopping 20 years old. From the rabblerousing rock years downtown on Davis Street to the wide-ranging lineups on Howard Street in Remington today, our dark, dingy, perfectly-imperfect music venue has remained the go-to spot for artists of all genres, still sticking to its unapologetic, underdog guns as more massive arenas open in D.C. and across the country. To celebrate, legends of the past—J. Roddy Walston, Wye Oak, Roads to Space Travel, Candy Machine—stepped back onstage to relive, and continue, the glory days.

WTMD launches kid-friendly Saturday Morning Tunes concert series. As a young father himself, Sam Sessa saw the conundrum: what happens when music lovers grow up and have kids?  They can’t just go see a show any old night of the week anymore. They have bedtimes—and pajamas to put on. Can they not have fun anymore? Enter Saturday Morning Tunes, Sessa’s brainchild concert for both the young and the young art heart. With a smattering of sold-out shows at both the Towson studio and Senator Theatre, and future plans to include more notable Baltimore bands that are otherwise not associated with the “kindie” genre, these weekend morning shows have quickly become a new favorite family ritual. Best of all, like sifting through an old record collection with your mom or sharing that old cassette tape with your son, it’s even an better opportunity for parents—however cool they used to be—to bond with their (hopefully) music-loving kids. 

In this fifth iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we feature five local songs we can’t get enough of, ranging from Spanish-infused hip-hop and legendary modern jazz numbers to one rollicking rendition of Britney Spears. Check back each month for new top songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city. 

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“Sayno” by Al Rogers Jr.

Al Rogers Jr. has never been afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, pushing his feel-good, sentimental swooz out into the atmosphere everywhere he goes. That open authenticity has allowed him to make some of the most accomplished hip-hop in the city, which we’ve raved about in the past. And yet as earnest and honest as the local rapper might be, he always manages to surprise us, from his 2015 Outkast-inspired Luvadocious to the new tracks of his just-released BrightHeartedNigga. This track, made with local producer Kariz Marcel, is our favorite surprise of Al’s thus far. It’s unlike anything we’ve heard him do yet—a cantering Spanish melody that tells the story of love lost through hushed lyrics, rhythmic finger-snaps, the quivering heartache of violin, and a final flutter of piano keys. To all of that, we say yes.

“Like Laughter” by Amy Reid

If it were possible to create a musical version of the feeling of bliss, this song would come pretty close. Airy synth swirls around every inch of this lush, lilting melody, as deep-blue-toned tribal drums pulse in and preparie Amy Reid’s lyrics for liftoff. On this debut solo project from the local singer, who also performs as half of experimental R&B duo Chiffon, each track transcends the physical realm, with this euphoric number truly sending our heads into the clouds. It loses us in our imagination. It conjures up dreamscapes and ignites distant memories that were forgotten the moment we awoke from sleep. Give into your senses and let the song do the rest.

“Flak Bait” by Calgrove

We dig the lo-fi, low-key sound of this new indie-rock quintet. The Lutherville group was formed as recently as last year, but their hazy Americana music exhibits a musical companionship that only comes from long-time collaboration, which, in this case, for most of the band, dates back to childhood. Born out of bedroom jam sessions, this warm, sunny melody is as listless as the lazy, nostalgic, humdrum days of youth, but there’s a backwoods depth that comes with the sinuous twang of lap steel guitar. The gentle talk-sing lyrics lend well to this easy-listening ditty—one fit for hot coffee on a cool dewy morning, an evening porch sit, or a sunset drive. Catch them live alongside other local talents at venues like the Ottobar, Joe Squared, and Millstone Cellars.

“Assume the Position” by Lafayette Gilchrist

If you are anything like us, you’ve been spending the last month waiting all week for Sunday night thanks to David Simon’s new HBO masterpiece, The Deuce. But beyond anticipating the next plot twist, we’re waiting for those end credits to roll, when the show fires up that funky, horn-riddled tune by local legend Lafayette Gilchrist. Simon used this 2008 track in The Wire, too, but now the Baltimore jazz pianist’s upbeat single has been infused with new life. No matter how dog-tired and dreadful we are of work the next day, we can’t help but look alive for those last few minutes, and boogie in our PJs to this bodacious instrumental groove.

“Gimme More” by Natural Velvet*

Leave it to Natural Velvet frontwoman Corynne Ostermann to create such a searing cover of the one and only Britney Spears. This chart-topping pop song came on the heels of Spears’ infamous head shaving incident of 2007, which Ostermann once told us was a source of pop culture inspiration for her own band’s rebellious music. Now, this pit-ready rendition is everything that the local post-punk quartet does best: swirling live-wire guitar, breakneck drums, and Ostermann’s playful breakdown of feminine stereotypes—each howl, growl, and guttural “more” at a time. We only hope that Britney gets the chance to hear it.

*Not available on Spotify yet. We’ll add it when it comes online.

The GoGo Suite: Live at the Windup Space Vol. 2
Lafayette Gilchrist Featuring The New Volcanoes (Creative Differences)

Gilchrist, a wildly talented local jazz pianist, has long claimed an affinity with D.C. go-go music. Until now, that influence has mostly been implied. But over the course of these four compositions, Gilchrist more overtly nods to the music as the propulsive drummer Nate Reynolds and a robust horn section match the fury, if not always the form, of go-go.

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Sixtape EP
Blacksage (Friends Records)

This six-song cassette is an excellent showcase for vocalist Josephine Olivia Herbst, a promising talent on the local music scene. Backed solely by Drew Scott’s evocative keyboard playing, Herbst conjures the likes of Björk and Billie Holiday on sublimely melancholy songs like “Consuming” and “Powder.” Let’s hope a full-length album is in the works.