Articles by: Nick DeRiso

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Larry Goldings, "In My Room" (2011)

Larry Goldings, the jazz organist and long-time James Taylor sideman, opens his second acoustic piano solo release with this update of “In My Room,” a Beach Boys’ 1963 pop masterpiece You May Also Like: Scary Goldings, feat. John Scofield – ‘IV’ (2021)

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Pink Floyd – ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ (1967): Half Notes

Pink Floyd’s 1967 debut ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ is, quite simply, the greatest psychedelic album ever. Don’t bother writing, ‘Sgt. Pepper’ fans.

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Zigaboo Modeliste – ‘New Life’ (2011)

New Life arrived amidst much anticipation of something in keeping with drummer Zigaboo Modeliste’s mythically groovetastic tenure with the Meters. And, bless him, I got it. But that wasn’t all. Take the title track. “New Life” doesn’t mimic the expected grease-fire funk of his old band, so much as forcablyRead More

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Half Notes: Chris Taylor – Nocturnal (2011)

Guitarist-composer Chris Taylor, at once, brings in familiar fusion influences like Weather Report, Pat Metheny and the Zawinul Syndicate, even while adding these fearless flashes of next-gen electronics — samples, voices, weird keyboard programming, chants, scronks, blips, scratches. It’s jam-packed with aural pokes, the kind of album where Taylor, frontingRead More

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ZZ Top – Live in Germany (2011)

When ZZ Top, tearing through “Waiting for the Bus,” howls “have mercy!” in tandem, I’m right there with them. You May Also Like: ZZ Top’s “El Diablo,” “Thunderbird,” “Rough Boy” + Others: Gimme Five

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Half Notes: Treme Brass Band – Treme Traditions (2011)

From the first honking strains of Roger Lewis’ sax on “The Treme Song,” amidst a howling group of happy singers led by David Montana and Fred Johnson Jr., the intentions of Treme Traditions are clear: Party. This album is like a street parade crammed inside of a shiny disc, courtesyRead More

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One Track Mind: Annie Dressner, “Strangers Who Knew Each Other's Names” (2011)

Annie Dressner’s voice has a twilight poignancy, this majestic loneliness, and nowhere on her forthcoming release Strangers Who Knew Each Others Names is that more true than on its title track. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Irvin Mayfield – A Love Letter to New Orleans (2011)

Putting together a luxe coffee-table book honoring the city of his birth clearly got Irvin Mayfield in a nostalgic mood. You May Also Like: The Blind Boys of Alabama’s Down in New Orleans added a new musical wrinkle New Orleans at 300: In Search of Jazz

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Forgotten series: Royal Crescent Mob – Good Lucky Killer (1993)

Royal Crescent Mob, a punk-funk quartet from Columbus, Ohio, seemed at the peak of the powers with this, its most cohesive, mature record. So, that was, of course, the end of that. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Swingadelic – The Other Duke: Tribute to Duke Pearson (2011)

Better known for helping shape the Blue Note Records hard bop sound as a producer in the 1960s, pianist Duke Pearson also led his own big band before succumbing to the ravages of multiple sclerosis at age 47. You May Also Like: Glenn Zaleski – Fellowship (2017) Nick Finzer’s ThoughtfulRead More