Vinnie Zummo talks jazz, reviving the Zummos and Joe Jackson: Something Else! Interview
July 12, 2018Vinnie Zummo already had a fascinating career as a sideman, notably with Joe Jackson, before launching a well-respected solo career.
Vinnie Zummo talks jazz, reviving the Zummos and Joe Jackson: Something Else! Interview
July 12, 2018Vinnie Zummo already had a fascinating career as a sideman, notably with Joe Jackson, before launching a well-respected solo career.
David Garfield, “Stay” from Jammin’ Outside the Box (2018): Sneak Peek
June 11, 2018David Garfield’s take on “Stay,” the classic Rufus song, features an amazing cast of guest stars who lift this cover to another level.
Preston Frazier’s Best Albums of 2018 (So Far): Neal Morse, Parliament, Take 6 + Others
July 9, 2018Preston Frazier offers his take on the best albums of 2018 (so far), with tips of the hat to Neal Morse, Parliament, Take 6 and others.
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Chris Carver – Wonderland (2018)
July 6, 2018 -
Claudio Scolari, Daniele Cavalca, Simone Scolari – Natural Impulse (2018)
July 4, 2018
Claudio Scolari, Daniele Cavalca, Simone Scolari – Natural Impulse (2018)
July 4, 2018Like Claudio Scolari and Daniele Cavalca’s prior projects, you could call ‘Natural Impulse’ “jazz” for a number of reasons but in the end it just sounds like two (sometimes three) guys following their instincts to make music that’s both unpredictable and inviting. And they have only gotten better at doing that.
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Matthew Lux’s Communication Arts Quartet – Contra/Fact (2018)
July 1, 2018 -
Evil Genius – Experiments On Human Subjects (2018)
June 20, 2018
Matthew Lux’s Communication Arts Quartet – Contra/Fact (2018)
July 1, 2018Matthew Lux’s debut ‘Contra/Fact’ contains a good deal of delightful surprises but given his credentials, such surprises are to be expected.
Young Gun Silver Fox – AM Waves (2018)
July 6, 2018Anyone who liked the MOR music coming from the radio forty years ago will find everything to like about Young Gun Silver Fox’s ‘AM Waves.’ Yacht rock has a new soundtrack, and it’s a good one.
Preston Frazier’s Best Albums of 2018 (So Far): Neal Morse, Parliament, Take 6 + Others
July 9, 2018Preston Frazier offers his take on the best albums of 2018 (so far), with tips of the hat to Neal Morse, Parliament, Take 6 and others.
Iron Maiden’s masterpiece Seventh Son of a Seventh Son changed everything
April 12, 2018‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son,’ released 30 years ago this week, started a journey. Iron Maiden is now a part of me, and I am a part of what’s kept them around.
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Blue Cheer – Vincebus Eruptum (1968): On Second Thought
February 25, 2018 -
Machine Head – Catharsis (2018)
February 10, 2018
Young Gun Silver Fox – AM Waves (2018)
July 6, 2018Anyone who liked the MOR music coming from the radio forty years ago will find everything to like about Young Gun Silver Fox’s ‘AM Waves.’ Yacht rock has a new soundtrack, and it’s a good one.
Mike Zito – First Class Life (2018)
June 5, 2018To Mike Zito, ‘First Class Life’ is taking joy in the place he finds himself in. For the rest of us, it’s just first class blues.
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Lance Lopez – Tell the Truth (2018)
March 6, 2018 -
Chicken Diamond – Skeleton Coast (2018)
February 21, 2018
The Wood Brothers – One Drop Of Truth (2018)
February 1, 2018With emotional directness, wit, and uncanny musicianship found on ‘One Drop of Truth,’ pure Wood Brothers translates into pure roots rock joy.
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The Blind Boys of Alabama’s Down in New Orleans added a new musical wrinkle
January 29, 2018 -
Marcus Randolph and My Peeples Peeple – Transplant (2017)
November 6, 2017
Chubby Tavares, “Gotta Get Back to You” (2018): One Track Mind
June 24, 2018If the name Chubby Tavares rings a bell, that’s because he is a member of the internationally acclaimed singing group Tavares.
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Al Green’s Secular Comeback Was Made Complete With Lay It Down
May 31, 2018 -
Brownout – Fear of a Brown Planet (2018)
May 24, 2018
David Philips – Get Along (2018)
May 18, 2018Philips is clearly that guy who is well suited for DIY, and now we know from ‘Get Along’ that even when he does something by himself two different ways, both ways are the ‘right’ way.
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Laurence Juber – Standard Time (1982; 2018 reissue)
February 19, 2018 -
The Wood Brothers – One Drop Of Truth (2018)
February 1, 2018
Yes, “Holding On” from Union (1991): YESterdays
July 3, 2018“Holding On” doesn’t quite reach Yes greatness – ironic, given the song is packed full of so many production tricks.
Walter Becker, “Three Sisters Shakin'” (circa 1992): Steely Dan Sunday
June 10, 2018The one silver lining to come from the tragic loss of Walter Becker is that we’ve now seen a steady stream of officially released goodies from his vault.
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Steely Dan Sunday: “Paging Audrey [Demo]” (2008)
June 3, 2018 -
Steely Dan Sunday: Katy Lied turns 40 this month
March 8, 2015
Into the Great Wide Open: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “You’re Gonna Get It” (1978)
June 17, 2014Petty began to take control of his vocal gifts on the second Heartbreakers album.
The Beatles, “Mother Nature’s Son” from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles
June 28, 2018The Beatles deep cut “Mother Nature’s Son” proves Paul McCartney’s mastery of simplicity in melody, subject and arrangement.
Bruce Springsteen – The River (1980): Gimme Five
October 18, 2015When Bruce Springsteen issued ‘The River’ in October of 1980, I didn’t like it very much. Time has changed that – and here’s why.
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Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run (1975): Deep Cuts
August 25, 2015 -
Bruce Springsteen’s complex and challenging The Rising: Gimme Five
July 31, 2015
Levon and the Hawks, “He Don’t Love You” (1965): Across the Great Divide
October 22, 2015The Band, then known as Levon and the Hawks, released a few forgotten songs before heading to that basement with Bob Dylan. Here’s one of the best.
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The Band – Moondog Matinee (1973): Gimme Five
October 15, 2015 -
Robbie Robertson was again sparked by America, old friends on Storyville
September 30, 2015
Toto, “If You Belong to Me” from Tambu (1995): Toto Tuesdays
July 10, 2018On another AOR band’s album, “If You Belong to Me” would have been a highlight, possibly even a hit. On Toto’s ‘Tambu,’ it’s a song I usually skip.
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Toto, “Slipped Away” from Tambu (1995): Toto Tuesdays
June 26, 2018 -
Toto, “I Will Remember” from Tambu (1995): Toto Tuesdays
June 12, 2018
(Cross the) Heartland: Pat Metheny, “Offramp” (1981)
June 7, 2014Some think Metheny is joking around, that he couldn’t possibly like “all of this noise.”
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(Cross the) Heartland: Pat Metheny, “Eighteen” (1981)
May 31, 2014 -
(Cross the) Heartland: Pat Metheny, “Au Lait” (1981)
May 24, 2014
Chicago, “Vote For Me” from Chicago XI (1977): Saturdays in the Park
July 7, 2018‘Vote For Me’ reveals Chicago legend Robert Lamm’s sense of humor, while skewering our political process and the hypocrisy of elected officials.
Francesco Misitano, “Sono Pazzo Di Te” (2018): One Track Mind
July 8, 2018Music is a universal language, so even if you don’t speak Italian, you are bound to be touched by Francesco Misitano’s becoming new ballad.
Charlie Ballantine Group, June 16, 2018: Shows I’ll Never Forget
June 24, 2018The set mirrored Charlie Ballantine’s new album ‘Life is Brief,’ since both included some unexpected Bob Dylan selections.
Jo Jo Gunne – So … Where’s the Show? (1974): Forgotten Series
May 2, 2018Comparisons to his former band Spirit were inevitable, but Jay Ferguson’s work with with the more rock-focused Jo Jo Gunne stood on its own.
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Bill Lloyd – Feeling the Elephant (1987): Forgotten Series
April 29, 2018 -
Banchee – Banchee (1969): Forgotten Series
April 15, 2018
Winter Wanderlust from Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yes + others: Odd Couples
February 19, 2018The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yes and a host of others have written winter-themed songs over the years. But which was best?
The Rolling Stones – Sucking in the Seventies (1981): On Second Thought
July 11, 2018Mainly consisting of lesser-regarded tracks from 1973-79, the Rolling Stones’ ‘Sucking in the Seventies’ serves as a rather interesting memento.
Iron Butterfly, UFO, Humble Pie, Kansas + Others: Lost Hard Rock / Prog Recordings
June 15, 2018The list is by no means exhaustive or definitive: Most people have their own personal choices for what they consider to be great lost recordings.
Pink Floyd: Album By Album, by Martin Popoff: Books
June 30, 2018Martin Popoff manages to make the often-written-about story of Pink Floyd new again. That’s quite an accomplishment in itself.
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Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre: New Book and Podcast
June 10, 2018 -
All That’s Jazz, by Sammy Stein (2017): Books
December 11, 2017
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956): Movies I’ll Never Forget
July 3, 2018Of the countless movies I’ve seen throughout my life, Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ stands as a huge milestone. Here’s why.
Moody Blues’ Ray Thomas (1941-2018): An Appreciation
January 16, 2018The Moody Blues have an unusual hold over fans, with many believing the group has mystical, otherworldly powers. And maybe they do.
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Denise LaSalle, Soul-Blues Belter (1939-2018): An Appreciation
January 9, 2018 -
The Wild One, Forever: In Appreciation of Tom Petty
October 5, 2017
Mystery Discs by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fleetwood Mac, INXS + others: Gimme Five
March 25, 2018I found a bunch of albums – including Lynyrd Skynyrd, INXS and others – that I didn’t know I had. In fact, I can’t say why I wanted them in the first place.
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Joan Baez, Queen of Folk Songwriting: Gimme Five
December 1, 2017 -
Songs of Thanksgiving from Bob Dylan, Joan Baez + others: Gimme Five
November 23, 2017
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