After taking a year off from in-person programming in 2021, the Brite Winter festival is returning to the West Bank of the Flats Saturday.

Brian Straw released his debut album, “Baby Stars/Dead Languages,” in January after stepping back from music while he struggled with addiction. The album was years in the making, with Straw finally completing the project during his road to recovery.

Local artists help tell the story of the city’s historic sites in eight-part Akron Heritage Music Project podcast, interview and live stream performance series.

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the ability of many artists to make music. But Cleveland singer-songwriter Ray Flanagan says the isolation freed his creativity and challenged him to develop new skills. He released two songs every month in 2021, and plans to continue this year.

Shuffle's Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader share their favorite local music of the year, plus a Spotify playlist with over five hours of music released in 2021.

On this week's Shuffle, we hear about The Sonata #6 Project, an exhibit in Cleveland that explores the relationship between music and visual art. A group of artists created sculptures, mixed media, textiles and other pieces based on their interpretation of a piano sonata composed to evoke emotions and images.

Damian Goggans, 18, went from picking up an instrument at an after-school program to Oberlin Conservatory of Music in just five years.

We catch up with contributor Kenny Averiett, an Akron-based writer, booker for the Highland Square PorchRokr Music & Arts festival and co-manager of the Oakdale House. He discusses the return of local house shows and how the pandemic has affected the area's DIY community.

Free Black!, the hip-hop collective developed by Floco Torres and Holbrook Riles III (HR3), released its third album, Black Tuesday! in October. The album explores themes around the economy and working class and includes an assortment of features from Akron-based musicians.

Alec Wightman is a corporate lawyer, board member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and author of the memoir, "Music in My Life: Notes from a Longtime Fan." Wightman started his own concert production company, Zeppelin Productions, in 1995. He has spent decades promoting concerts for national singer-songwriter acts in Columbus, Ohio.