Preston Frazier’s Non-Jazz Best of 2015 list also includes Shemekia Copeland, Grupo Fantasma, Luke Reynolds, Public Service Broadcasting, the Westies and others.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2015’s non-jazz albums, including Erykah Badu, Shememkia Copeland, the Blind Boys of Alabama’s Sam Butler and others.

There’s no let up in Shemekia Copeland found on ‘Outskirts of Love’; her hold on the Queen of the Blues crown is as firm as ever.

The forthcoming centennial tribute ‘Muddy Waters 100’ finds a series of guest stars adding new dimension to his stirring blues legacy.

He never stops experimenting, never stops surprising, and never stops entertaining.

Part 2, Mainstream and Modern Jazz >>> For the sixth straight year, it’s time to look back on the year in music to recollect which albums I really, really liked this year and make a list. You May Also Like: Were the White Stripes Actually a Bad Thing for JackRead More

Hitting the age where you’re a third of the way to 100 years old is evidently a milestone to some; certainly it was for George Harrison. You May Also Like: No related posts.

In an election year, there are a lot of political issues being discussed, argued, spun and distorted. You May Also Like: No related posts.

Tribute records are a tricky things; star-studded tribute projects even more so. It takes a strong unifying voice, some central character beyond the featured composer, to save them from sounding like choppy compilations. Steve Cropper, on today’s 429 Records release Dedicated, is that voice. Co-founder of Booker T and theRead More

by S. Victor Aaron It’s no throwaway phrase to say Shemekia Copeland was raised on the blues; her Dad Johnny Copeland established a proud tradition of quality blues as a singer, songwriter and guitarist and put out a slew of notable records in the 80’s and 90’s until his deathRead More