Jamey Johnson is confident and solid, offering straight-ahead country music that’s performed with conviction.

Never has anyone made spunky roots rock go down so easy like Robert Randolph and his Family Band. All that’s needed is a heapin’ helping of soul and, of course, maximal pedal steel guitar. There’s plenty of both on ‘Got Soul.’

From their first, self-titled album of 2005, Kneebody has been bringing a fresh conception to fusion or electric jazz.

What does the Beatles’ first film have in common with ‘Star Wars,’ Alfred Hitchcock and ‘The Avengers’? Mike Tiano reveals this surprising link.

“N.T. Bag” isn’t played by a trio where one player dominates over the others. With the AMP Trio, everyone dominates.

The sextet Trouble Kaze and their debut album ‘June’ is an inspired way to extend and expand on the ideas first put forward by the Japanese/French quartet Kaze.

In understanding the vital, father-son sax-drums core of Rich Halley’s ensembles, ‘The Wild’ is revelatory.

It seems the magical, minimum number needed to qualify as a rock ‘n’ roll band is three. So, let’s pit some famous rock trios against each other.

Victor Assis Brasil left behind several quality works to explore but his Jobim tribute ‘Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim’ now reissued is a fine place to start on that journey.

The Beatles’ “Martha My Dear” incorporates other genres into rock, but also subverts the typical verse-chorus form.