Beatles drummer Ringo Starr has taken his share of knocks over the years. But we’d like to give the former Richard Starkey his due.

by S. Victor Aaron A side project of hip-hop artist Madlib, the music is pretty much what the ensemble’s name advertises. It’s loose, trippy and stretched out. There isn’t a whole lot of standout improvisation going on, because this is more of a groovy vibe based affair. But as farRead More

by S. Victor Aaron Shipp is one of the currently reigning giants of whack jazz, so that’s a good-sized hole we proud avant garde types left on this site. My short mention of his latest is merely a down payment to rectify that gap. This latest release, by the way,Read More

by S. Victor Aaron Guitar whiz Buckethead has built a loyal following primarily by virtue of his fretted pyrotechnics. Among the several records he makes every year are the mellower, dulcet types that range from ambient to instrumental pop. In some ways , this toned-down record by a fiery guitaristRead More

S. Victor Aaron I haven’t heard this band prior to this album, but was curious about them after reading they were some sort of a jam band, like Phish, Dave Matthews or Humphrey’s McGee. Man of The World doesn’t really conjure up memories of those bands at all except toRead More

by Mark Saleski Dan Ho wants to liberate you from your own house. From the many unnecessary items, chores and other stuff that in theory makes your life “better.” And just how would he know anything about this? Oh believe me, he knows. Dan and his wife were, as theyRead More

by Tom Johnson Two words: “yawn” and “sigh.” Could there be any more plot holes in this story? Of course, I can’t really relate the story in order to display those holes so as not to destroy what little surprise this movie has in store. In short, I saw itRead More

by Tom Johnson I have been a Titanic junkie since I was a teenager, falling deep under the ship’s spell when Dr. Robert Ballard discovered her battered hull lying on the ocean floor. I built model after model, each increasing in complexity, finally culminating in a large scale reproduction ofRead More

by S. Victor Aaron Vocalist Lucia Pulido is perhaps not well known in America, but she when it comes to the traditional music of her native Columbia, she’s a real keeper of the flame. Her new CD, the third of hers as a leader, uses both originals and traditional songsRead More

by S. Victor Aaron James Taylor went through most of his career without putting together records that have a strong, overall theme to them. That’s changed of late: in 2006 there was a Christmas album and last year it was a live album with little accompaniment. This time out, it’sRead More