Posts by Doug Collette

It’s a measure of their respective willingness to experiment that the shows Gov’t Mule perform with John Scofield can take on such totally distinct character. The initial night in Port Chester, New York might be seen as the great guitarist sitting in with The Mule, as the latter offered their inimitable blend of vintage originals, […]

[rating=8.00] Papa Mali’s latest album Music Is Love is proof that positive eccentricity can be a definite a virtue in the realm of music. The Louisiana native, whose given name is Malcolm Welbourne, collaborates with producer John Chelew (Blind Boys of Alabama, Charlie Musselwhite, John Hiatt) on a set of tunes as spooky as they […]

[rating=9.00] Is it really any coincidence (some of) the best live playing in the Grateful Dead’s career took place during 1974? This period represented a culmination of the burst of creativity that produced two fine studio recordings (Wake of the Flood and From the Mars Hotel), both released on their own independent record label, at […]

Rediscover My Morning Jacket in all their glory with majestic new single, “Big Decisions.”

As depicted in its chronological delineation of recordings, True to the Blues illustrates how the recently deceased Johnny Winter became one of contemporary blues’ most formidable guitar heroes. Rising above more than a little hype when he signed with Columbia Records for a sizable bonus in 1969, after a somewhat formulaic label debut, he resumed […]

[rating=9.00] Ol’ Glory provides vigorous affirmation—as if any was needed—of the level  of sophistication to which JJ Grey and Mofro have progressed from their days as an earthy little swamp blues band. Collaboration with long-time producer Dan Prothero, a road-honed band with real muscle and some contributions from kindred spirits in the form of Luther […]

One of the pre-eminent guitarists of contemporary jazz, John Scofield brings an unassuming enthusiasm, not to mention palpable pride, to everything he does. Whether he’s playing in the cozy (but ultimately expansive) realm of a trio with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart, paying tribute to Ray Charles or experimenting with horns, leading his […]

[rating=8.00] Even though Bob Dylan’s Shadows in the Night may not wholly please die-hard fans or satisfy the curiosity of dilettantes, his latest studio album is already one of the most noteworthy records in his lengthy discography. Comprised of material closely associated with the archetypal crooner Frank Sinatra, these ten tracks are the definition of […]

[rating=8.00] The easy going picking that begins “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” on Jorma Kaukonen’s latest solo album, Ain’t No Hurry, is perfectly in keeping with its title even as it belies how prolific Kaukonen has been in recent years. This is the guitarist’s fourth record under his own name since the […]

[rating=8.00] Paul Kelly’s extraordinary gifts as a songwriter are rooted in a musical expertise, virtues that  turn what was originally a series of 7-inch singles released into a full length album that’s deeply affecting from start to finish. On The Merri Soul Sessions, a gracious humility allows Kelly to become part of a band populated […]