Articles by: Nick DeRiso

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Half Notes: Jennifer Cuttings' Ocean Orchestra – Song of Solstice (2011)

An uplifting shard of Celtic sunlight amidst the shivery glimmerings of winter, Jennifer Cutting’s rousing Song of Solstice is garland of emerald-island legacy pieces, serenely beautiful carols and majestic folk songs — all performed with age-old instrumentation of accordion, fiddle, whistle and bagpipes. Themes focus not just on the joysRead More

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Martin Sexton – Fall Like Rain (2012): Something Else! sneak peek

Not so much so-called “new folk” as an interesting distillation of country, blues, gospel and soul, Martin Sexton since his out-of-nowhere self-produced 1991 cassette debut has become the very definition of modern-day troubadour. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Danny Seraphine on Chicago, California Transit Authority and David Foster: Gimme Five

Danny Seraphine discusses a pair of signature tracks he co-wrote while in Chicago, and a rambunctious remake of one of their best-known early rockers.

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Danny Seraphine, formerly of Chicago: Something Else! Interview

Chicago co-founder Danny Seraphine discusses the formation of California Transit Authority, and how it all went wrong with his old band.

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One Track Mind: Jeremy Schonfeld, "Yet" (2011)

At its core, Jeremy Schonfeld’s new Iron and Coal is the singer-songwriter’s devastatingly effective memorial to his late father and the millions of Jews who suffered and died under the brutal Nazi regime in World War II-era Germany. You May Also Like: Jeremy Morris and the Lemon Clocks – ‘OpenRead More

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Nick DeRiso’s Top Albums for 2011: Live and Reissues

Live albums and reissue projects often do much to shape the broader idea we have about a musical legacy, and this year was no different — with impressive sets devoted to Ray Charles, the Beach Boys, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings and the Smiths You May Also Like: No related posts.

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One Alternative – Air Sculpture (2011)

One Alternative again bursts through convention with Air Sculpture, moving well outside the bounds of typical acoustic ensembles by incorporating not just classical music forms but also the boisterous attitude of roots rock and the improvisational intrigue of jazz. You May Also Like: Björkenheim, Sopko, James, Laswell, Yamaki (Inaugural SoundRead More

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Nick DeRiso’s Top Albums for 2011: Mainstream and Modern Jazz

We saw our share of standout instrumentalists, from Julian Lage to Rudresh Mahanthappa to Pat Martino. But, as this lists attests, 2011 might rightly be called the Year of the Big Band. You May Also Like: Julian Lage – ‘Squint’ (2021)

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One Track Mind: Bob Seger, "Sock It To Me, Santa" (1966; 2011 reissue)

One of the more interesting moments on the new collection Cameo Parkway: Holiday Hits comes at the very end, as an impossibly young Bob Seger and an early band called the Last Heard scurry through this original Christmas romp. You May Also Like: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band,Read More

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Something Else! sneak peek: Eddie Daniels, with Roger Kellaway – Live at the Library of Congress (2012)

Clarinetist Eddie Daniels, appearing last February at the Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium, displays an almost telepathic symbiosis alongside pianist Roger Kellaway. You May Also Like: Robert Walter’s 20th Congress – ‘Spacesuit’ (2018) Here’s Chippy – Things We Left Behind (2018): Something Else! Sneak Peek TV Tunes by Tame Impala,Read More