Posts by Doug Collette

Five new jazz albums you need to hear

The three remaining members of the original R.E.M. lineup have been more than just dutifully loyal to their legacy since the departure of drummer Bill Berry in 1997 following New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Their respectful attitude–as much as an implicit acknowledgment of their chemistry –compels recognition of their history in the 25th Anniversary packages such as this one devoted to Life’s Rich Pageant.

An unsung member of the late 60's guitar gods including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher’s profile has risen dramatically in the years following his untimely death in 1995. His stubborn integrity, combined with the furious immersion in his live performances, won him a staunch following that has compelled the remaster of his entire original catalog. Uniformly excellent, even if a bit similar from album to album, these recordings capture the essence of what blues-rock was intended to be, a genre unto itself honestly derived from its roots.

If the phenomenon of “The Next Big Thing” remained in our age of Internet ephemera, Dawes would be the most likely candidate.

Peter Case takes nothing for granted, no doubt why he keeps so busy with touring (solo and in collaboration with assorted like-minded musicians), his songwriters workshops, recurring reunions with The Plimsouls and since his recuperation period, the researching of his archives; the first fruits of which are The Case Files collection just out in May. He qualifies as a renaissance man.

While this initial edition of Peter Case’s archival efforts contains its share of the sharp contemporary folk (“Steel Strings #1”) and blues (“(Give Me) One More Mile”) that dominate his live shows these days, the greater portion of The Case Files demonstrates the genuine rock and roll swagger that Case first displayed with The Plimsouls (and still does when they reunite).

Astutely produced by David Lemieux and Blair Jackson, the only material duplicated within the three disc set is the venerable “Truckin’”, which should placate those music lovers who rue the availability of bonus discs with such packages

Dawes were mighty impressive opening up for Brett Dennen at Higher Ground, so much so that the headliner must’ve been more than a little intimidated at the prospect of following them on stage.

One of the most anticipated albums of 2011 thus far, My Morning Jacket’s Circuital is one of those ever-so-rare instances where inspiration meets expectation.

In Doug Collette’s conversation with Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux. Lemieux’s enthusiasm is so highly infectious for his work in general and in specific about his current project Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings, that it only takes one statement or interrogatory for him to head off on another charged explication of the process behind that project, the general checklist for an archive title or the thought behind the genesis of complete Dead runs in the wake of Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings.

If you’ve ever seen and heard Warren Haynes perform Otis Redding and Delbert McClinton covers, you know he has more than a passing interest in both soul and rhythm and blues.  But the passion in this man’s singing on “Save Me,” the final cut on Man in Motion, borders on desperation: arguably the most confessional vocal he’s ever done, this single performance alone is enough to redeem the inconsistencies that otherwise afflict the exercise in style that constitute his second solo album.

All props to Chamberlin as an engaging young band, but they may not have done justice to themselves or their music in the small room at Higher Ground, due in part to the sound in the house and an odd choice of material.

Virtually as impenetrable as it is alluring on first listen, Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues ultimately becomes one of those albums that reveals something new about the music and the band that made it on each successive hearing.

Jeff Beck’s Rock 'n' Roll Party is worth having even though it constitutes a marked digression from the fusion forays the British guitarist began with 1975’s Blow By Blow. Even more than the main concert footage, the bonus segments give varied perspective on the heartfelt sentiment involved in this tribute to Les Paul as well as valuable insight into the psyche of Jeff Beck.

In the 20 plus songs and slightly less than two hours Toad the Wet Sprocket played in the Ballroom at Higher Ground 3/31, virtually none of the tunes sounded appreciably different than the original recordings some of which date back 25 years. Yet, based on the scattered but nonetheless hearty acclamation so many of those tunes received, the band still hits a chord with their audience, perhaps for that very familiarity.

Robbie Robertson credits Eric Clapton for much of the original impetus behind the recording of his new album, so it’s no coincidence that How to Become Clairvoyant is remarkably reminiscent of Slowhand’s studio productions as heard on 1998’s Pilgrim.

Recordings such as In Concert Brandeis University 1963 are the source of a charisma Bob Dylan still commands today, the likes of which continues to resonate with generations far removed from his own demographic. Originally available only as a value-added piece to The Witmark Demos, this composite of a live show documents the power of Dylan’s performances as well as his compositions of that period, just prior to his breakout beyond the folk genre he would soon redefine.

Despite the erratic nature of his solo output, John Lennon garnered almost as much respect and reverence on his own as he did as a Beatle. It’s arguable that his extra-musical activities, such as the peace advocacy that raised the ire of the establishment, had as much or more to do with the admiration accorded Lennon, but that doesn’t deny the force of the best work he did once the iconic band dissolved in 1970

There’s a beautiful logic to Jerry Garcia’s rediscovery of his roots in these late Eighties recordings that belies Sandy Rothman’s casual tone in writing “The Definitive History” of The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.  The initial recording Almost Acoustic hasn’t been available for over two decades, but now newly remastered, it’s easy to hear where Garcia learned the precision that informed his guitar (and pedal steel) work with the Dead and JGB. No sequel was ever released until recent archiving exhumed a collection of live tracks, Ragged But Right, that display the same collective joie de vivre as its predecessor.

If the measure of a good autobiography is the extent to which the writing reflects the progression of the life under inspection, then Keith Richard’s Life is an exceptional piece of work. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a stunning read all the way through, but only that it reveals the true nature of its subject, blemishes and all.