Shuffle

From an album release to a residency at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Clare Feorene is having a big year in music. Yet, her success has come with new challenges. On this week’s Shuffle, the Cleveland singer-songwriter talks about building self-confidence and finding a community.

A Geauga County singer-songwriter has been nurturing a festival showcasing Northeast Ohio’s music scene over the last decade. On this week’s Shuffle, Chardon native Lea Marra shares her hopes for the Wild Maple Music Festival to inspire and grow the arts in her rural community.

A fixture in the Northeast Ohio blues scene has returned to the stage after a health scare last year. Wallace Coleman reflects on his 30-plus year career of playing harmonica and singing the blues during a special live performance and interview.

Multi-instrumentalist Justin Miller’s indie-rock project Kultures has been quietly gaining momentum and attention for its expansive soundscapes and introspective lyrics. The musician and his bandmates will release their second album, “Dreamstacks,” Friday. The songs are inspired by actual dreams Miller has had.

Cleveland indie rock duo Messmaker has a sound big enough to fill stadium, with a flashy stage show small enough to fit in a hatchback. On this week’s Shuffle, we hear how the band uses technology, design and collaboration to grow its audience.

Akron's popular outdoor music festival, PorchROKR, returns to the city's Highland Square neighborhood on August 17. More than 150 bands from Northeast Ohio perform on house porches and outside of local businesses throughout the neighborhood. Plan your day with our curated selection of must-see local performers.

Cleveland seven-piece band Post Saga is back with a new album after almost calling it quits. Frontwoman Danna O'Connor shares the band's evolution, challenges in the local music scene, and what it's like being the only woman in the band.

The gospel music scene in Northeast Ohio is changing as traditional choirs are getting smaller and more musical diversity is introduced into the genre. Several participants in the local gospel community weigh in on how the next generation can get involved.

Northeast Ohio musician Mike Tolan has been writing somber, slow songs as Talons’ — originally a side project of The Six Parts Seven — for over a decade. Tolan sat down for a conversation and performance as part of Ideastream Public Media and the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Third Thursdays music series at Transformer Station.

Shuffle has a busy summer ahead, starting with Third Thursdays at Transformer Station! This new partnership between Ideastream Public Media and the Cleveland Museum of Art features a series of live music and conversations at Transformer Station in Cleveland's Ohio City. Amanda Rabinowitz previews what's in store for Third Thursdays on June 20th, featuring Talons’ – the post-folk project of musician Mike Tolan from Northeast Ohio.

Jeff Klemm has been active in the Northeast Ohio music scene for years, playing in bands like Maid Myriad and Diamond Kites. Sobriety, fatherhood and teaching inspired him to begin writing and performing children's music as Mr. Jeff. His debut album, “Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful,” was released this spring.

A musical legend when it comes to jazz in Northeast Ohio is out with his 12th album. Saxophonist Bobby Selvaggio talks about how his son inspired his latest music.

After several years of building a social media audience for his music, Jack Harris posted a short video that got the attention of a major record label.

A collective of Northeast Ohio jazz players created a lab to test new music and attract composers from near and far. Bryan Kennard and Aiden Plank of The Third Law Collective talk about their goal of making Cleveland a "jazz composer's city."

Kid Tigrrr is the new project from singer-songwriter and visual artist Jenna Fournier of Cleveland band NIIGHTS. In 2020, Fournier ventured into audio engineering to experiment with home recording and music production. She said the work for her debut solo album is her most personal writing to date, with lyrics exploring themes of abuse, addiction and mental health.

A four-piece band from Cleveland and Akron is embodying the spirit of local legends DEVO and The Waitresses. On Shuffle, we hear from Maureen Joyce and Jake Schott from PAL, who perform "egg punk" songs — a sub-genre of punk rock recognized for its energetic rhythms and funny, sarcastic lyrics.

Dover musician Josh Compton's folk songs share the struggles and triumphs of some of the Tuscarawas County's earliest settlers. He details the inspiration behind his new, collaborative album and his pride for the region.

Drawing from the deep roots of the South, Dallas-born Charity Evonna writes and performs songs of hope and empowerment. Now based in Cleveland, the R&B and neo-soul artist is playing bigger stages around the city, including the Brite Winter music festival.

Dave Rich, a longtime Akron musician has hundreds of new songs, and he is getting some help from other big names in the music scene to play them live. Chris Butler, David Giffels and "Friday Mike" Wilkinson round out Dave Rich and His Enablers.

Former basketball star Kahrin Spear is a full-time musician in Cleveland. She will release her sophomore album inspired by her grandfather's poems April 19.

Akron musician Kofi Boakye has been performing for a decade. Last year, he got his big break by appearing in a film and performing at the Apollo theater.

Singer-songwriter Lee Miller Matsos released his debut EP, "Metamorphosis, Pt. 1," in late 2023. It is the first of three albums that chronicle the artist's growth as a musician.

A pair of debut albums from Northeast Ohio bands top the list of this year’s favorites for Ideastream Public Media’s music podcast Shuffle. Hosts Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader discuss their picks.

Jazz vocalist Ava Preston learned to pen lyrics and refine her vocals from mentors around Cleveland. Now, she's hitting stages around the country and performing for her music heroes.

Canton rapper Jéan P the MC released his new album Oct. 6. Jéan Pierre Johnson, the writer and emcee behind the moniker, has had a prolific career in Northeast Ohio and says he's ready to reach the next level.

Grace Sullivan found the courage to put her original music out into the world during the pandemic. As her alter ego, Wish Queen, she recorded a debut album to be released Oct. 27.

Northeast Ohio band Soleo pulls from family experiences, Iranian history and Middle Eastern musical traditions on their debut prog-rock album.

Despite years of shyness, singer-songwriter Ngina Fayola found her voice as a musician in Cleveland. She will soon find her way back to her homeland of Guyana to record her next album.

Lorain County native Ri Rosecrans is gaining momentum as a musician after participating in this summer's Artist in Residency program at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The opportunity inspired the singer-songwriter to transform her sound from country to hard rock.

Anya Van Rose is a dream-pop band from Canton that just released its debut full-length album with support from the Realgrey Records studio and local songwriting community.

Akron four-piece band Detention formed when most of its members were in elementary school. The rockers have been a staple of the PorchROKR stage and will headline the festival this year.

Kristy Kline is known for her covers of popular rock songs on the electric harp. Now, the Cleveland singer and harpist is trying her hand at her own pop songs.

Cleveland blues artist Austin Walkin' Cane recently released an acoustic, 15-song album recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Cleveland rapper Marcus Smith released his second solo album this month. Smith considered quitting music until new opportunities to collaborate with renowned hip-hop artist Asher Roth and an artist residency program at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame set him on a path to success.

Nonprofit music organization Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future is working to support area artists with new opportunities and revenue streams after the pandemic.

Electronic artist Zeerak Ahmed broke barriers in her native Pakistan before moving to Cleveland. The musician's new album under the Slowspin moniker explores the immigrant experience and fuses traditional vocals with technological soundscapes.

Longtime Cleveland reggae artist Carlos Jones will perform with the P.L.U.S. Band at the Rock n Reggae Fest May 28.

Greyt Outdoor concert series films music performances in beautiful Northeast Ohio landscapes. Audiences can then watch the videos from wherever they are online.

Asia “Raven” Clark, who goes by Uniity, was named a Panza Foundation grant recipient for 2023. The avant-garde musician will tour nationally this year while working to connect with and unify the local independent scene in Cleveland.