Articles by: Jimmy Nelson

Buena Vista Social Club Captured Already-Lost History on 'At Carnegie Hall'

Buena Vista Social Club Captured Already-Lost History on ‘At Carnegie Hall’

Released 10 years ago this month, ‘At Carnegie Hall’ remains the most complete testament to the Buena Vista Social Club’s sizzling mid-1990s Cuban revival.

'Survivors Guide to Prison' Goes Beyond Numbers to Expose Our National Disgrace

‘Survivors Guide to Prison’ Goes Beyond Numbers to Expose Our National Disgrace

Activist-filmmaker Matthew Cooke’s new documentary ‘Survivors Guide to Prison’ is about more than the rudiments of making it on the inside.

Maceo Parker's Roots and Grooves was half genius, half missed opportunity

Maceo Parker’s Roots and Grooves was half genius, half missed opportunity

Released 10 years ago today, this album found Maceo Parker trying another fun experiment with history and sound, but with mixed results.

After Years of Struggle, Robert Finley's Finally 'Got a Thing Going On'

After Years of Struggle, Robert Finley’s Finally ‘Got a Thing Going On’

Robert Finley stopped to talk about different things but mostly, he just played, accompanied only by the rattling window unit.

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Denise LaSalle, Soul-Blues Belter (1939-2018): An Appreciation

We loved the sexy, hard-as-nails Denise LaSalle for creating a series of titanic grooves, and also because we were never certain that she couldn’t have kicked our ass.

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Alan Parsons Project somehow remains faceless, despite hitting big with Eye in the Sky

It didn’t help that a different singer was featured on each single from the Alan Parsons Project’s smash album, which arrived in June 1982.

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Ella Fitzgerald, “Perdido” (1949): Appreciations

“Perdido” was supposed to be a live showcase for Charlie Parker. Then Ella Fitzgerald – who would have been 100 today – stepped up to the mic.

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Alphonse Mouzon (1948-2016): Tribute to an Endlessly Versatile Fusion Legend

Alphonse Mouzon was a seminal force in the birth of fusion, and also had a notable impact on rock.

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Greg Lake (1947-2016): How His Childhood Song ‘Lucky Man’ Got That Crazy Moog Solo

Greg Lake was recording Emerson Lake and Palmer’s “Lucky Man” alone. Then Keith Emerson returned from the pub – and Lake had an idea.

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Leon Russell (1942-2016): The Last of the Bird-Flipping Genre-Busters

This gravelly marvel of a singer, Leon Russell leaves us as the consummate musician – and a never-ebbing rebel.