Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham are hardly household names, even though they’ve been a consequential part of the American popular music scene since the 1960s.

‘Focus 12’ is a lovely throwback to the progressive rock albums of the mid-to-late ’70s, with all of their hidden synaptic secrets.

Jimmy Barnes is an Australian icon. ‘Working Class Boy’ and ‘Working Class Man’ traced this amazing journey – in his own words.

Soft Machine’s peak roster playing at peak performance is reason enough to plunk down for ‘Høvikodden 1971’ if this boundary-pushing style of jazz-rock is your thing.

‘Live at the 188 Club’ from Aurora Nealand, Mark Helias and Tim Berne underscore the three-way interplay between sax, accordion and bass, and proves the concept works nicely when the right musicians are executing it.

Bobby Broom joined Preston Frazier to discuss his new concert recording, ‘Jamalot Live,’ touring with Steely Dan and the enduring power of ‘House of the Rising Sun.’

Eric Anders and Mark O’Bitz have worked together for more than 20 years in various genres but their musical home has always been in folk and Americana.

‘Old Main Chapel’ is a fitting epilogue in the rich, under-heralded output from the gently poignant brilliance of Ron Miles.

Fernando Perdomo joined Preston Frazier to discuss his ambitious LP ‘Self,’ what he learned from Todd Rundgren and what life’s like on the road with Marshall Crenshaw.

Chick Corea’s rejiggering the fusion jazz formula toward the jazz direction with generally sharper songwriting has made his Elektric Band II’s ‘Paint The World’ hold up well over the years.