The deeply underrated Nancy Wilson nails the sense of hopeful anxiety that surrounds Dec. 31 every year.

‘Smoke Sessions’ is one of Nicholas Payton’s standouts because in paying homage to some of his idols, Payton does so in an offhand manner that reveals his own inimitable musical personality.

Arnold M discusses the debut album from Karate School Dropout, a fun blend of new wave, dreampop, techno and shoegaze.

The versatile Richard Turgeon’s “Seven Stories” shows he not only has the ambition to dive headlong into uncharted waters, but succeeds when doing so.

Every Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber project was treated as a major work by the late Greg Tate, and with ‘Angels Over Oakanda,’ he leaves intact his legacy of leading a band of boundless imagination and chops.

‘Bluesiana II’ arrived 30 years ago missing a key figure from the band’s all-star lineup in the recently deceased Art Blakey. I didn’t have high hopes.

Preston Frazier’s Best of 2021 Rock, Pop and R&B also includes Henry Bateman, Toto’s Joseph Williams, Lucas Lee, Dire Straits’ Alan Clark, and others.

Released 55 years ago this month, ‘A Quick One’ saw the Who exploring unusual themes to great effect. ‘Tommy’ and ‘Quadrophenia’ were just over the horizon.

“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” Steely Dan’s most popular single, doesn’t consistently make it on the set list. Are they bored with it too?

“Crazy Happy” is not an avant-garde old-school Chicago piece, but it possesses just enough jazz elements to prove that Robert Lamm still has the goods.