Mose Allison’s ‘American Legend, Live In California’ reminds us that we’re lucky to have him because he’s the first and the last of the line.

As a subversive within the musical realm, Aram Bajakian connected with a subversive director and like the film, effectively said much without any words at all.

For ‘Oscalypso’, Erik Friedlander makes the case for cello as a lead jazz instrument the same way his hero Oscar Pettiford once did.

Michael Hedges did nothing less than bring the acoustic guitar into the New Age realm and completely conquer it within the space of this record.

The rootsy realism of Hall and Oates’ ‘Abandoned Luncheonette,’ released on Nov. 3, 1973, is a source of inspiration for John Oates, too.

Toto aimed for a streamlined feel on ‘Turn Back,’ and this opening track is a competent – though not exactly perfect – execution of that strategy.

Dave Morrell paints a vivid picture of the 1970s music business, punctuated by memorable hangs with musical idols like John Lennon and Ron Wood.

Jeff Lynne, the Electric Light Orchestra frontman, had met old friend Dave Edmunds for dinner when George Harrison’s name suddenly came up.

With fearless players like Jon Irabagon and Joe Fonda at his side, that old school guy Barry Altschul remains on the edge of jazz as much as he ever was.

With ‘Problemas,’ Grupo Fantasma continues to seamlessly blend Latin, funk and rock in a manner which is distinctively their own.