• • Gapers Block posted an excellent piece on West African, desert-guitar group Tinariwen.

• • WindyCityRock.net reviews the latest EP from Soft Speaker.

• • Sun-Times’ Jim DeRo writes that the Billy Joel/Elton John concert at Wrigley this summer may have been cancelled because no such tour was ever happening in the first place.

• • Sting is coming to Ravinia this summer with orchestra in tow.

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The Chicago Cubs are bringing back Elton John and Billy Joel, who played the ballpark last summer, as part of their summer concert series.

Making their first appearance  at the corner of Waveland and Sheffield for an expected two-night stand will be the Dave Matthews Band.

John and Joel will share the stage on Wednesday night, July 7, while the Dave Matthews Band plan to play as of yet unspecified Friday and Saturday night in September.

Negotiations between the 44th ward Alderman Tom Tunney, area neighborhood associations and the Cubs are ongoing regarding final details and perhaps any concessions the team may be forced to make in order to host the concerts.

Last summer was the first in which three nights were booked for concerts, all in the same week, and included Rascal Flatts as well as two shows by the piano playing duo.  Sir Paul McCartney, Kenny Chesney and Phish were previously reported to be in consideration for this summer.

But only two, hip-hop diva Kanye West and jazz singer Kurt Elling, managed to walk away winners.

West won twice, both for his collaboration on the Jay-Z hit “Run This Town” also featuring Rihanna from The Blueprint III which West also produced.  The song won in the Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration categories.

Elling took home the award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for his Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music of Coltrane and Hartman.

Though Wilco (Best Americana Album) and Neko Case (Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Recording Package) were unsuccessful at the awards ceremony, both took part in a tribute to Neil Young on Friday evening.

Young was named the 2010 person of the year and an all-star line-up of musicians performed his songs at the 20th annual MusiCares gala.  Wilco performed “Broken Arrow” and Case sang alongside Elton John, Sheryl Crow, T-Bone Burnett and Leon Russell on “Helpless.”

Here’s a full list of what was played:

1) John Mellencamp “Down By the River”
2) Ozomatli – “Mr. Soul”
3) Jackson Browne – “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
4) Sheryl Crow & Stephen Stills – “Long May You Run”|
5) Lady Antebellum – “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”
6) Norah Jones & Sasha Dobson – “Tell Me Why”
7) Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams & Patty Griffin – “Comes a Time”
8 ) Wilco – “Broken Arrow”
9) Josh Groban – “Harvest Moon”
10) Everest – “Revolution Blues”
11) Dierks Bentley with Booker T. Jones – “Cinnamon Girl”
12) Ben Harper – “Ohio”
13) Keith Urban & John Fogerty – “Rockin’ in the Free World”
14) Elvis Costello – “The Losing End”
15) Jason Mraz & Shawn Colvin – “Lotta Love”
16) Dave Matthews – “The Needle and the Damage Done”
17) Red Hot Chili Peppers – “A Man Needs a Maid”
18) James Taylor – “Heart of Gold”
19) Elton John & Leon Russell with Sheryl Crow, Neko Case & T-Bone Burnett – “Helpless”
20) Crosby Stills and Nash – “Human Highway”