Shuffle

Throughout the year, you have been hearing from Northeast Ohio musicians through Shuffle, your backstage pass to the independent music scene. Now let's look back at 2024. Shuffle’s Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader reflect on their favorite local albums of the year, from genre-blending experimentation to new discoveries.

A Kent rapper has established himself as a leading voice in “nerdcore”. Austin "Gameboy" Jones shares how he built a massive following for his songs inspired by anime, video games and other elements of so-called geek culture.

Joe Risdon of Akron rock band the Buffalo Ryders shares how a creative retreat into nature and writing in the wild helped his band put together their 2024 album, "Never On Time."

Cleveland art-rock duo Mr. Gnome explores new songwriting methods and psychedelic orchestration on their eagerly anticipated new album, released in September. They recently wrapped up a month-long tour after being on hiatus since 2017.

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.