Reviews

Octogenarian drummer and NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart continues to make inspiring music, whether with his own quartet or as a sideman in several groups. Just is the third album and first since 2013 for Hart’s quartet of pianist Ethan Iverson, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, and bassist Ben Street. The gap between albums just points to […]

For whatever reason, the public has always been open to actors personifying musicians and actually singing their parts. This is especially top of mind lately as music nerds endlessly debate Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, and Jeremy Allen White is gearing up to be Bruce Springsteen in a new biopic. […]

Upon the release of their first album, Magnolia, it was tempting to consider it piano trio jazz in the conventional swinging or even avant-garde sense, it is not, nor is it an imitator of the early The Bad Plus sound or the kind of R&B you associate with the major group comprising pianist Steve Okonski and […]

It’s rather hard to believe that the jazz supergroup Artemis has been together, albeit in different configurations, for nine years. The label ‘all-female jazz supergroup’ was used almost universally when they first emerged. Yet, in some ways, that diminishes the power and the status they have attained, having been voted the finest working group in […]

With the release of his album Manning Fireworks, the young Asheville, North Carolina guitar slinger Jake Lenderman aka MJ Lenderman has experienced a meteoric rise. Lenderman has been chugging along for a handful of years with a reinvigorated interpretation of the sort of alt-country and indie rock that caught fire in the late 80s and […]

The Los Angeles-based folk-punk artist/activist Sunny War’s seventh studio effort, Armageddon In A Summer Dress, continues her sonic evolution following 2023’s breakthrough Anarchist Gospel.  Coming off touring for that record, Sunny moved into her late father’s house in Chattanooga and began conversing with ghosts, writing the album about their presence. It turns out that major gas leaks in the old […]

After a six-year hiatus, The Young Mothers returns with their long-awaited third album, Better If You Let It. The band is a genre-agnostic supergroup influencing music in Austin, New York, Chicago, and Scandinavia. They began when Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten moved to Austin, TX, in 2009,  a melting pot of music styles that encouraged him to form […]

John Prine was able to craft strong messages in rather constructed songs. Although singer-songwriter Paul Thorn carries Prine’s torch, let’s not yet crown him Prine’s successor. Prine stands alone, and Thorn would be way too humble to consider such. But let’s credit him for absorbing Prine’s inspiration and delivering messages in his singular fashion. Thorn […]

Trevor Powers, Youth Lagoon’s producer/singer/songwriter, has established himself as a modern mystic. Powers’ music consistently has his personality at its core, bending his own truths into poetic anthems for all. His writing never fears vulnerability, and his production exceeds the norms and rules, allowing the vivid imagery he depicts to become palpable and swallow the […]

Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is one of the most exciting acts on the blues scene today, exciting both hardened blues fans and younger music fans. The band name lets you know that he doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is always good.  The “Big” comprises just three people: the Reverend on vocals and finger-picked […]

For this performance from Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, the sextet presents sixteen selections before any significant improvisations are made. However, to the group’s great credit, their self-restraint generates definite dividends through the economic concentration the psychedelic warriors apply to tunes like “Candyman.”  On the latter, for instance, Donna Jean Godchaux harmonizes ever-so-sweetly with Jerry Garcia, […]

The day after Boston and its neighboring cities and towns were hit with a frustrating storm fueled by wet snow, rain, and sleet, the sun rose again and delivered a clear, dry day that welcomed people back out of their homes. And, on this frigid Monday night of February 17th, fans of Jack White’s music […]

The title Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams reads as a most likely fit for The Drive-by Tuckers’ Southern Rock Opera. Still, nothing save for Patterson Hood’s distinctive voice, and perhaps one song resembles the sound of Hood’s main band on his fourth and first solo effort in over 12 years. Defying almost any expectations, this project […]

It seems that 30-year-old singer-songwriter Jesse Welles, a DIY-er at heart,  just burst on the scene from nowhere. The Nashville transplant grew up in Ozark, Arkansas, a town with a population of 3,590 that boasts a turkey plant, an engine plant, one or two gas stations, and a couple of restaurants. From those humble beginnings […]

For over half a century, Fania Records has been synonymous with Latin music’s evolution, tracing the heartbeat of salsa, boogaloo, and Latin soul from New York’s barrios to dance floors worldwide. Fania Records: The Latin Sound of New York (1964–1978) is a definitive collection that encapsulates the label’s immense cultural and musical impact. Featuring 16 […]

Ron Pope is a multi-platinum singer-songwriter who doesn’t fit easily into one category. On some songs, he exudes distinct 90s vibes to remind you of artists like Blues Traveler and Counting Crows. The album Last Call is good proof of that. On other songs, he embraces more of a warm and soulful sound that recalls […]

Denison Witmer has carved out a quiet but profoundly resonant niche in the folk world for over two decades, crafting songs that shimmer with intimacy and introspection. On Anything At All, his latest album, Witmer, refines that delicate artistry even further, finding profound meaning in life’s smallest, most routine moments. Produced and arranged by longtime […]

Heralded pianist Sullivan Fortner, widely considered one of the best of his generation, steps out for a somewhat surprising project,  acknowledging his musical roots in New Orleans. However, don’t be too concerned, as his trademark ballad fare and exploratory excursions are represented. He has been nominated for three GRAMMY Awards, including in the Best Jazz Instrumental […]

The Boulder, CO-based rock trio The Velveteers’ sophomore album A Million Knives touches on several subgenres while exploring songs that veer toward the sad and brokenhearted. Recorded in Nashville with Dan Auerbach on Easy Eye Sound, the group has expanded its sonic palette while maturing.  The band comprises singer/guitarist Demi Demitro and drummers Baby Pottersmith and Jonny […]

For over four decades now, bassist John Patitucci has proved his mettle with some of the most iconic artists in the history of jazz.   “Spirit Fall,” harkens to the classic saxophone trios of the late ‘50s and ‘60s featuring Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Joe Henderson. That’s not to say there have not been […]