What does the Beatles’ first film have in common with ‘Star Wars,’ Alfred Hitchcock and ‘The Avengers’? Mike Tiano reveals this surprising link.

“Somewhere Tonight” features a familiar, though well-told story of lost love. Toto’s musical approach is what makes this an enduring deep cut.

“N.T. Bag” isn’t played by a trio where one player dominates over the others. With the AMP Trio, everyone dominates.

The sextet Trouble Kaze and their debut album ‘June’ is an inspired way to extend and expand on the ideas first put forward by the Japanese/French quartet Kaze.

“Ordinary Day” makes a fine first impression for Canadian metal/prog veteran Mark Anthony K’s Projekt Gemineye.

Robert Lamm contributes a stand-out cut from the last album (except for parts of ‘VII’) where Chicago is truly an experimental band.

In understanding the vital, father-son sax-drums core of Rich Halley’s ensembles, ‘The Wild’ is revelatory.

It seems the magical, minimum number needed to qualify as a rock ‘n’ roll band is three. So, let’s pit some famous rock trios against each other.

Victor Assis Brasil left behind several quality works to explore but his Jobim tribute ‘Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim’ now reissued is a fine place to start on that journey.

The Beatles’ “Martha My Dear” incorporates other genres into rock, but also subverts the typical verse-chorus form.