As a protege of Connie Crothers, Jeff Pearring learned the importance of finding his own voice. ‘True Story’ is what happens when that inner voice comes pouring out.

Preston Frazier’s Best Rock and Pop of 2017 list touches on projects from established legends, as well as up-and-coming and criminally under-appreciated acts.

Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr.’s ‘Mimosas’ brings in disparate colleagues and disparate composing pens, and molds them into a united musical statement that one can sense portrays the complexion of its singular leader.

Albert Ayler’s violent alchemy of Africa and Europe imbues ‘Copenhagen Live 1964’ with historical importance because more than fifty years hence, these ideas put into practice sound as radical today as they did back then.

Full of vigor and moxie from start to finish, ‘Sing Me Some Cry’ harnesses the savvy of its participants, but that vast potential is reached only because Eric Revis has the insight to get so much out of them, and they in turn get the most out of Revis’ compositions.

Spurred by his wife Pam’s terminal illness, singer, songwriter and guitarist Guy Capecelatro III translated his emotions onto tape.

Varied, inviting, unpredictable but never jarring, the Mark Zaleski Band’s ‘Days, Months, Years’ is anything but boring.

Preston Frazier’s Best Jazz of 2017 list touches on Lara Bello, Nick Finzer and Chris Greene, as well as other favorites from Joe Jackson sideman Vinnie Zummo and Lucas Pino.

Kelly Moran’s ‘Bloodroot’ is not your common minimalist record, and even those who hadn’t embraced that style of music could be drawn to the strange peacefulness wrung from a prepared piano.

Ron Miles deconstructs through his accomplished art the complex emotions of protracted strife both within society and within a person, and makes compelling music from it. The added sense of purpose propels ‘I Am A Man’ to the upper echelon of his discography.