Archive for May 6th, 2011

Vinyl

Something Else! Reviews on the 2011 Blues Music Awards winners

The 32nd annual Blues Museum Awards ceremony was held Thursday night at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Produced by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, the event belonged to Buddy Guy. You May Also Like: It wasn’t the country music that made a key ‘Blues Brothers’ scene so difficult Denise LaSalle, Soul-BluesRead More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Mia Borders, "Try Me On" (2010)

Dominated by a dreamy wah-wah from guitarist Kyle Sclafani, Mia Borders’ “Try Me On” initially brings to mind all of the big-hat-wearing, too-tall-bootsy joys of 1970s funk. When her lyric, which starts out sexy and tough, gives way to Adam Matasar’s throwback turn on the Fender Rhodes, the lava-lamp lightningRead More

Vinyl

Benny Green – Source (2011)

Pianist Benny Green’s aptly titled new release Source can come off as a familiar conversation, since it’s filled with a number of jazz music’s notable voices — most of them, no surprise, key influences on his work. You May Also Like: Red Garland Trio, “On Green Dolphin Street” from Swingin’Read More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Aimee Mann – The Forgotten Arm (2005)

by Tom Johnson Aimee Mann, the former ‘Til Tuesday frontwoman, turned in yet another amazing performance, this time in the form of a concept album centered on boxing as a metaphor for relationships. Or something like that. It doesn’t really matter; what matters was that Mann’s songcraft is once againRead More

Vinyl

The Friday Morning Listen: Keneally/ Minnemann – Evidence Of Humanity (2010)

There are times when I’d love to kick myself right in the ass, mostly for being so slow on the uptake. You May Also Like: Mike Keneally, “Draconian Blump” from ‘Nonkertompf’ (1999): One Track Mind How Mike Keneally’s Comeback on ‘The Universe Will Provide’ Fulfilled All of His Promise Here’sRead More

Vinyl

Half Notes: Youn Sun Nah, "Same Girl" (2011)

You’d think the use of a music box on the title track from an interesting release by Korean jazz singer Youn Sun Nah — “Same Girl” was originally found on Randy Newman’s 1973 recording “Trouble in Paradise” — would imbue it all with this childlike wonder. (Elsewhere, Youn Sun NahRead More

Vinyl

King Kobra – King Kobra (2011)