On Second Thought

Tracy Chapman Smartly Updated Her Approach on ‘Our Bright Future’

Tracy Chapman Smartly Updated Her Approach on ‘Our Bright Future’

Tracy Chapman stayed true to her narrative vision on ‘Our Bright Future,’ issued 10 years ago today. She just added a few intriguing musical wrinkles.

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Christian Scott Confirmed His Vision for Jazz With ‘Live at Newport’

Released 10 years ago today, Christian Scott’s ‘Live at Newport’ bravely fought back against the treatment of jazz as an academic affair.

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Susan Tedeschi’s Varied ‘Back to the River’ Set the Stage for Greatness

Released 10 years ago this week, ‘Back to the River’ once again blended blues, R&B, gospel and rock. But Susan Tedeschi was headed toward something big.

Frank Sinatra’s ‘Lite-Up Time’ Shows Were the Last of Their Kind

Frank Sinatra’s ‘Lite-Up Time’ Shows Were the Last of Their Kind

Released 10 years ago this month, these vintage Frank Sinatra performances preceded a career-threatening throat hemorrhage.

Boz Scaggs Didn’t Take the Standard Approach to Standards on ‘Speak Low’

Boz Scaggs Didn’t Take the Standard Approach to Standards on ‘Speak Low’

The West Coast jazz-inflected ‘Speak Low,’ released 10 years ago today, was a nifty reinvention of the Boz Scaggs aesthetic.

Ry Cooder’s ‘The UFO Has Landed’ Finally Put His Amazing Career in Context

Ry Cooder’s ‘The UFO Has Landed’ Finally Put His Amazing Career in Context

Released 10 years ago this month, ‘UFO Has Landed’ was definitive in a way the always-restless Ry Cooder never quite allowed himself to be.

Sonny Rollins Became a Colossus Once More With ‘Road Shows Vol. 1’

Sonny Rollins Became a Colossus Once More With ‘Road Shows Vol. 1’

Released a decade ago this month, ‘Road Shows Vol. 1’ reframed Sonny Rollins as jazz’s most important living saxophonist.

Buena Vista Social Club Captured Already-Lost History on ‘At Carnegie Hall’

Buena Vista Social Club Captured Already-Lost History on ‘At Carnegie Hall’

Released 10 years ago this month, ‘At Carnegie Hall’ remains the most complete testament to the Buena Vista Social Club’s sizzling mid-1990s Cuban revival.

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Eric Carmen – ‘Eric Carmen’ (1975): On Second Thought

Wearing his heart and influences on his sleeve, Eric Carmen created a cherished debut album that was true to his soul.

John Mellencamp’s Dark, Down-Home Life, Death, Love and Freedom Still Resonates

John Mellencamp’s Dark, Down-Home Life, Death, Love and Freedom Still Resonates

Ten years ago, John Mellencamp confirmed a late-career renaissance with the T Bone Burnett-produced ‘Life, Death, Love and Freedom.’