With emotional directness, wit, and uncanny musicianship found on ‘One Drop of Truth,’ pure Wood Brothers translates into pure roots rock joy.

Expanded reissues from the Residents allow us to peer inside the earliest mad musical manifestations of possibly America’s most enigmatic musical troupe.

The baker’s dozen in this Best of 2017 list reveals that fusion jazz has expanded and diversified way past its ‘Bitches Brew’-era beginnings.

Released 10 years ago this month, ‘Rain’ confirmed that it was time to start paying attention to Joe Jackson again.

None of the great talent assembled here gets stretched near their limits for this Desertion Trio excursion, but this diversion is for an altogether different mood.

Jack Bruce and Robin Trower’s ‘Seven Moons’ arrived a decade ago this month, proving there was still a place in this world for vintage-sounding psychedelic blues-rock.

Here’s the part of the annual Best of 2017 lists that’s the most fun to pull together.

It was easy to find jazz records that deserved a year-end salute; maybe ‘too’ easy. The heavy lifting came from figuring out which stood above the rest for this Best of 2017 list.

Even in my jazz-centric world, I can come upon enough standout non-jazz records to put together a decent-sized Best of 2017 list.

Released 10 years ago this week, Left Lane Cruiser’s ‘Bring Yo’ Ass to the Table’ lunges straight for your soul and puts a stranglehold on it.