Avant garde jazz could use more joy and wit, which is Reut Regev R*Time’s secret weapon for making you want to listen.

Dig deeper into Grover Washington Jr. – who died 20 years ago today – and you’ll see why he retains the title of Mister Magic for us.

Walter Becker, the same guy who often came up with some cold putdown lines, wrote a dozen stanzas here full of aching poetry.

Udo Pannekeet’s wondrous ‘Electric Regions’ is rock; it’s jazz – and then it’s everything in between.

Preston Frazier’s Best Songs of 2019 list includes rock, jazz and R&B, with a shout out to the continuing resonance of an old favorite from Walter Becker.

Vinyl loving fans of the Beatles, rejoice: 2019 was your year. But we found plenty of books, movies, box sets and other fun stuff, too.

Fernando Perdomo lights votive acoustic-guitar devotion to the music of early King Crimson.

Enjoyable, well-honed and expertly delivered, Erodoto Project’s ‘Molon Labe’ is a really engaging recording.

Pat Metheny’s “You Are” is the scintillating second advance single from his upcoming album ‘From The Place.’

Released 25 years ago, ‘Ain’t Gonna Be Your Dog’ became a perfect companion piece to the huge Howlin’ Wolf Chess box – if you can find it.