Guys like Tab Benoit and Kenny Neal are testament that the blues are still alive and kickin’ in South Louisiana. But when it comes to making the blues come alive in the bayou country, those guys have their match in a sixty-two year old blind white guy from Wisconsin. ThatRead More

From “Don’t Stop Believin’” to konnakul. What does that mean, you ask? Allow me to explain. Journey, a band mostly known for gargantuan stadium anthems from the late-seventies to the mid-eighties, had a secret weapon in their ranks. Those who didn’t take their toilet breaks during the individual solo segmentRead More

In February, 1968, before departing for an ill-fated trip to India for an extended course in transcendental meditation, the Beatles convened at the Abbey Road studios to cut a single that would keep them in the public eye while they were away. That single eventually became John Lennon & PaulRead More

David Witham is one of those figures in jazz who is hardly a household name to the general public, shoot, even to the jazz public. But just behind the curtain, Witham has been a major contributor to the scene. A pianist who likes to dabble in the electronic stuff, he’sRead More

by S. Victor Aaron When you put the words “Paul Motian” and “Live At The Village Vanguard” together, most jazz fans can’t help but to think of of the time this legendary drummer played at that very venue one magical Sunday in June, 1961. But there were many other enchantedRead More

  Now that Rolling Stone magazine has recently anointed him a “guitar god,” cutting edge guitarist Nels Cline has progressed far beyond his minor icon status of the 1990’s in the Los Angeles experimental music scene to become something of a known quantity among followers of progressive-minded electric guitarists likeRead More

by S. Victor Aaron There’s often a certain poignancy inherent in the last recordings of great musicians, and last October we examined notable final recordings of such jazz legends such as Bill Evans, Clifford Brown and John Coltrane. In that article, Goin’ Home by alto saxophonist Art Pepper was citedRead More

by Pico With the release last month of Truth And Beauty by jazz organ wunderkind Sam Yahel, we find a maturing talent finding his own voice in the crowded field of Hammond B-3 players. But how does Yahel sound when he’s just jammin’ with the boys? The same boys foundRead More

by S. Victor Aaron Maybe Nick’s covered a couple of “various artists” albums on this blog, I don’t remember. But until now, I’ve stayed away from them. It’s hard to assess these kind of albums as a whole, when there’s so many styles and approaches coexisting on the same record.Read More

by S. Victor Aaron Whether it’s for gigging with Joshua Redman, opening for Steely Dan, sessioning with Norah Jones or forging a new approach to the jazz organ, Sam Yahel deserves your notice. Find out what sets Yahel apart from other Hammond B-3 players and get his insights on whyRead More