by Fred Phillips When I reached into the envelope from B Side Music Group and felt something fuzzy, I wasn’t sure what, exactly, was going on. It soon became clear You May Also Like: Steven Tyler – We’re All Somebody From Somewhere (2016)

John Zorn’s Masada is an interesting group. The way I’ve come to describe them is “Ornette Coleman-listens-to-klezmer.” While that’s not the only way to get there, it’ll do. You May Also Like: How ‘Wish’ Scuffed Up Joshua Redman’s Initial Melodicism Why You Should Give Pat Metheny’s ‘Rejoicing’ Another Listen

Stan Killian’s Unified is an attractive album right from the first listen. Actually, even before that first listen. Checking out the names of horn players playing alongside Killian listed on the back cover of the CD case, I saw there was already a recipe for success You May Also Like:Read More

by Mark Saleski As the era of Classic Rock shrinks into the musical and cultural rear view mirror, it’s been enlightening to see how the stars have dealt with aging. You May Also Like: Why ‘Draw the Line’ Signaled the End of Aerosmith’s Blazing First Era Why I’m Still DisappointedRead More

Canned Heat, the doomed boogie-blues revivalists, only made a lone appearance at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival. Yet they still managed some star-crossed magic. You May Also Like: William Shatner and Canned Heat, “Let’s Work Together” (2020): One Track Mind

I remember seeing the first ones. They were behind the glass at the front desk at Strawberries Records. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even know what they were. You May Also Like: Bill Lloyd – Feeling the Elephant (1987): Forgotten Series King Crimson, Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp + Others: My TopRead More

Tommy Keene is still making what sounds like lost power pop gems from decades back, except they are brand new. You May Also Like: Tommy James and the Shondells – Cellophane Symphony (1969): Forgotten Series The Doughboys – ‘Running For Covers’ (2019) The Click Beetles – ‘Pop Fossil’ (2020)

by Mark Saleski Listeners come to jazz from many directions. They may have a natural attraction to it. Jazz may have been the predominant music playing on their parents’ home stereo You May Also Like: Bill Lloyd – Feeling the Elephant (1987): Forgotten Series Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr. – MimosasRead More

Much of the soundtrack to my college years was set to the tune of Dash Rip Rock, one of Louisiana’s premier party bands. It’s unfortunate that every time I mention the band to someone not from Louisiana or the surrounding states, I’m usually met by a blank stare, or maybeRead More

Rockpile (maybe the first neoclassicist rockers?) opened the door for every throwback moment of the coming decade — not to mention new wave. Yet this late 1970s-era rockabillying power-pop supergroup came and went so quickly, they rarely get their due. You May Also Like: For ELO’s Jeff Lynne, Meeting GeorgeRead More