S. Victor Aaron’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Modern and Mainstream Jazz): Steve Lehman, Jamie Saft, Matthew Shipp, Joe Beck
The future of jazz looks blindingly bright.
Something Else!
Fred Phillips’ Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Hard Rock and Metal): Anti-Mortem, Down, Lacuna Coil
10 early favorites, plus some great stuff to look forward to later this year.
Chicago – ‘Chicago XXXVI: Now’ (2014): Something Else! Sneak Peek
This may well be Chicago’s first great album of new material in a generation.
Yes – Heaven and Earth (2014)
More often than not, Yes’ ‘Heaven and Earth’ amounts to prog for the easy-listening set.
S. Victor Aaron’s Mid-Year Best of 2014 (Non-Jazz): Jack White, Me’Shell Ndegéocello, Drive-By Truckers, Lucinda Williams
Here are the seven best albums outside of realm of jazz so far in 2014. So says me.
Jeff Beck’s ‘Happenings Ten Years Time Ago,’ ‘People Get Ready,’ others: Gimme Five
On Beck’s birthday, we select five examples of his frisky genius.
Intelligent Music Project II, with Joseph Williams, Simon Phillips and John Lawton (2014): Something Else! exclusive premiere
Joseph Williams and Simon Phillips worked together in Toto for four years.
Peter Van Huffel’s Gorilla Mask – Bite My Blues (2014)
From a punk attitude comes jazz aptitude; Gorilla Mask does it again.
‘He’s like our hidden weapon’: Neal Schon on the overlooked vocal talent of Journey’s Deen Castronovo
A Castronovo-sung single from Schon’s new solo album shot into the Top 5.
Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio – Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio (2014)
Ready or not, here comes 2013’s Monk International Competition saxophone winner Melissa Aldana. ‘Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio’ marks a solid first step in the post-Big Win phase of her young career.
