Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack’ Took Chances Steely Dan Never Did
Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack,’ released on Sept. 27, 1994, is both a neglected minor treasure and a delightfully peculiar album.
Articles by: S. Victor Aaron
Ben Folds’ Way to Normal pointed the way back to a few %*@#-ing Five-era successes
Ben Folds’ ‘Way to Normal,’ released in September 2008, found him recalling past glories, even as he became ever more potty mouthed.
John Scofield – Past Present (2015)
The bop delight ‘Past Present’ is a new classic to go alongside those vintage John Scofield Quartet classics.
Animation featuring Bob Belden – Machine Language (2015)
Animation’s ‘Machine Language,’ a final gift from Bob Belden, leaves no doubt that his adventurous spirit lives on. Hopefully, forever.
Jeff Lorber Fusion – Step It Up (2015)
‘Step It Up’ is not merely a title just as ‘The Jeff Lorber Fusion’ isn’t merely a name. It’s a challenge and Lorber with Jimmy Haslip rose up to meet it.
AndersonPonty Band, “I See You Messenger” (2015): Something Else! exclusive stream
AndersonPonty Band’s “I See You Messenger” is a meeting of the minds between two still-vibrant and visionary musicians from the ’70s.
Kari Ikonen Trio – Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories (2015)
Full of moments of beauty and offbeat explorations, Kari Ikonen Trio’s ‘Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories’ goes beyond their sublime prior release ‘Bright’.
Jon Irabagon – Inaction Is An Action (2015)
There’s more than a little satisfaction in hearing the champion of perhaps the most prestigious individual award from the straight jazz world stray way, way off the reservation.
Porcupine Tree offered a more approachable kind of prog with The Incident
‘The Incident,’ released this week in 2009, helped establish Porcupine Tree as a melodically inclined, less wank-inclined progressive rock band.
Mahavishnu Orchestra – ‘Birds of Fire’ (1973, 2015 Audio Fidelity reissue)
The Audio Fidelity version of ‘Birds of Fire’ makes the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s combustible fusion jazz innovations a little more manifest.
