Something Else!

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Mongorama, "Tin Marin" (2011)

Inspired by an early Cachao album, “Tin Marin” is the rousing closer on Mongorama’s new self-titled project on California-based Saungu Records. A thrilling exposion of classic charanga-jazz, the album features a nine-piece all-star band You May Also Like: How ‘Live: Oy Vey, Baby’ Reminded Us That We Never Deserved TinRead More

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Churchwood, "Vendidi Fumar (I Sell Smoke)" (2011)

Guitarists Bill Anderson and Billysteve (yep, one word) Kopri turn the blues inside out on Churchwood’s “Vendidi Fumar,” then wear it around like Lady Gaga’s meat dress. Theirs is a sound — sudden, bright and menacing — not unlike a car crash You May Also Like: No related posts.

Vinyl

Richard Pinhas and Merzbow – Rhizome (2011)

Last fall, we saluted the arrival of a new Richard Pinhas CD, Metal/Crystal, one that supplemented his trio with fellow experimentalist warriors Merzbow and Wolf Eyes. You May Also Like: Richard Pinhas, Tatsuya Yoshida & Merzbow – Process & Reality (2016) Richard Pinhas & Barry Cleveland (feat. Michael Manring &Read More

Vinyl

Forgotten series: Infectious Grooves – The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move (1991)

by Fred Phillips Converting a huge CD collection to digital as I’ve been doing slowly for the past couple of weeks can be tedious, but it also has its rewards: Namely, stumbling across very cool records that you haven’t spent any quality time with in years. You May Also Like:Read More

Vinyl

Grayson Capps – The Lost Cause Minstrels (2011)

What Grayson Capps brings to country music, if you can call it that, is a real sense of danger. From the first of “Highway 42,” a tune that jangles like a loose fender, I was thinking about those long-haired rebels of the 1970s You May Also Like: No related posts.

Terence Blanchard - Malcolm X: The Original Motion Picture Score (1992)

Terence Blanchard – Malcolm X: The Original Motion Picture Score (1992)

If you stop eating popcorn mid-munch during the opening strains of the film ‘Malcolm X,’ that’s just fine with trumpeter Terence Blanchard.

Vinyl

Jerry Granelli Trio – Let Go (2011)

Everytime I’ve examined a Jerry Granelli record, like Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing or News From The Street, I’ve marveled at how a guy who drummed for all those Charlie Brown children’s TV specials with Vince Guaraldi ended up being such a creative risktaker as a leader. YouRead More

Vinyl

The Friday Morning Listen: Bruce Springsteen – ‘Born to Run’ (1975)

One of the things I love about our 24/7 “news” cycle is the daily “Which new technology is going to kill you or otherwise screw your life up”-type story. Cell phones cause brain tumors. Facebook is leading people to have extramarital kokey pokey. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’sRead More

Vinyl

Harrison Bankhead – Morning Sun Harvest Moon (2011)

As far as I can tell, Chicago bassist Harrison Bankhead doesn’t have a publicist or a website, and he hasn’t hauled a large band around Europe playing Curtis Mayfield songs. He does, however, have a record out at long last. You May Also Like: Harrison Bankhead and Paul de JongRead More

Vinyl

Lenny White, of Return to Forever: Something Else! Interview

Lenny White’s life away from Return to Forever, a band he’s played with off and on since the early 1970s, has remained as hectic as it is varied.