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Sounds

alta journal, issue 34, california sounds, music

Inside Alta ’s Music Issue

a woman in psychedelic colors waters blooming flowers in a backyard record garden as palm trees and stereo speakers glow at sunset .

Eight Playlists That Capture the Sound of CA

a psychedelic, neon colored illustration of a bear surrounded by swirling lights, evoking the trippy visual culture of early grateful dead acid tests.

Psychedelic Jam: 5 Essential Tracks

psychedelic jam, grateful dead, guest artists

Five Essential Grateful Dead Sit-Ins in California

a psychedelic, neon colored illustration of a bear surrounded by swirling lights, evoking the trippy visual culture of early grateful dead acid tests.

Psychedelic Jam: Must Trip to Enter

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sunshine pop, gig poster

Sunshine Pop: 5 Essential Tracks

sunshine pop, big acts

Big Acts Who Have Soaked Up Sunshine Pop

sunshine pop, gig poster

Sunshine Pop: When the Sun Goes Down

bakersfield sound, merle haggard, buck owens

Bakersfield Sound: 5 Essential Tracks

bakersfield sound hitmakers

Hitmakers Captivated by the Bakersfield Sound

bakersfield sound, merle haggard, buck owens

Bakersfield Sound: Grit, Spit, and Greatness

west coast jazz, five essential albums

West Coast Jazz: 5 Essential Albums

west coast jazz, 5 new clubs

Jazz Clubs Strike a Chord Across California

a colorful illustration of horace tapscott, kamau daáood, and billy higgins performing at the world stage in leimert park, capturing the venue’s vibrant jazz legacy.

West Coast Jazz: Where the Magic Happens

a stylized illustration of john fahey playing an acoustic guitar surrounded by quail and california poppies, evoking the mystical, nature infused spirit of his music.

Mystic Folk: 5 Essential Tracks

folk, 5 essential artists

John Fahey’s Fretted-Fingerboard Followers

a stylized illustration of john fahey playing an acoustic guitar surrounded by quail and california poppies, evoking the mystical, nature infused spirit of his music.

Mystic Folk: The Ghost in the Guitar

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a stylized illustration of kendrick lamar framed by los angeles skyscrapers, lowriders, and dice—evoking the history and iconography of west coast hip hop.

Gansta Rap: 5 Essential Tracks

gangsta rap, 5 artists

Non-Hip-Hop Influences on West Coast Rap

a stylized illustration of kendrick lamar framed by los angeles skyscrapers, lowriders, and dice—evoking the history and iconography of west coast hip hop.

Gangsta Rap: A Great Day in Inglewood

pop punk, 5 essential albums

Pop Punk: 5 Essential Albums

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punk, 5 essential clubs

Crowd-Surfing in Southern California

punk, 924 gilman, gig poster

Pop Punk: The Club That Banned Green Day

chicano rock, gig poster

Chicano Rock: 5 Essential Tracks

chicano rock, hollywood bowl, 5 essential artists

The Hollywood Bowl’s Long Embrace of Latin Music

a woman in psychedelic colors waters blooming flowers in a backyard record garden as palm trees and stereo speakers glow at sunset .

California Sounds

chicano rock, gig poster

Chicano Rock: ‘I Want the Nah, Nah Boys’

a dozen musicians perform under a giant “50” banner at the alaska folk festival’s main stage in juneau, celebrating its 50th anniversary.

For the Joy of It

woody guthrie, woody at home

Woody Guthrie’s California

la witch, post punk band, los angeles, music

L.A. Witch Cast Their Spell

two individuals against a vibrant background one wearing a colorful shirt and a hat

Listening to Radio Paradise

stradivarius electric guitar

Stratocaster: California’s Stradivarius

los tigres del norte perform at folsom prison in april 2018, reckoning with the west, culture, music

Authentic Country Music

rave

Tracy K. Smith on Raves

linda ronstadt, singer, music, progressive supranuclear palsy

Alta Q&A: Linda Ronstadt

john williams, walt disney concert hall, los angeles, star wars

Making Disney Hall into Hollywood’s Music House

music festival

Alta Picks: Festival Frame of Mind

western af playlist

A Western AF Video Playlist

mike vanata, left, and brian harrington founded western af to promote americana singers and songwriters

We’re Western AF

rosebud awards, 2022, music

Rosebud Awards: Best Music

rosebud awards, 2022, podcast

Rosebud Awards: Best Podcast

gabriel tenorio at his studio in boyle heights

Keeping Guitars High-Strung

el Último sueño de frida y diego, san francisco opera

El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego

nicki minaj

Songs of the Stars

guitarist bokyung “bo” byun

Teaching Schoolkids How to Strum