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Vinyl

Half Notes: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – The Assassination of Jesse James (2008)

by Mark Saleski I came very, very late to the Nick Cave game. How late? 2004, and Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus. That album blew the top of my head clean off. I listened to almost nothing else for a couple of weeks, allowing the music to soak in deeply. InRead More

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Steely Dan Sunday, "Parker’s Band" (1974)

Going straight from a tribute to one jazz icon right to a tribute to another jazz icon. Ha, and they call themselves a rock band? You May Also Like: Steely Dan, “Carey” (circa 2001): Steely Dan Sunday Steely Dan, “Things I Miss the Most [Live]” (2021): Steely Dan Sunday

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Joe Moss Band – Drive Time: Live at Chans (2011)

Joe Moss starts in an eyeball-deep groove on Drive Time: Live at Chans, hitting the same gravy-dripped chord for a full minute on the opening “Black Boots.” You May Also Like: Linda and Richard Thompson, “The Great Valerio” (1974): One Track Mind Brownout – Presents Brown Sabbath Vol. II (2016)

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Buck Owens – Live in Scandinavia (1970)

Among some of my Internet friends, I’m known for being into “obscure” jazz. I suppose this is true, though given the average person’s engagement with the jazz world (face it people, it’s a pretty small number, percentage-wise), the definition of “obscure” is a slippery one. Maybe I just like obscureRead More

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Steve Kuhn with Strings – Promises Kept (2004)

by Mark Saleski I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of jazz “with strings” records that ‘work’ for me. This is a somewhat mysterious phenomenon as jazz and improvised music is food to me. You May Also Like: Steve Kuhn Trio – ‘To and FromRead More

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Half Notes: Megadeth – Greatest Hits (2005)

by Tom Johnson When a band has more than one “best of” in their catalog, it’s usually because one skimped on a portion of the band’s catalog that was really pretty signficant. This one, however, only fills in a few gaps of the previous best-of, Capitol Punishment, while mirroring aRead More

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Brian Settles/Central Union – Secret Handshake (2011)

There’s something odd I noticed about this record from the opening moments: there’s a piano on it. Why is that so bizarre you ask? You May Also Like: Chad Taylor Trio – ‘The Daily Biological’ (2020) Tom Tallitsch – ‘Message’ (2021)

Vinyl

One Track Mind: Sasha Masakowski, “Life on Mars” (2011)

For a moment, all you hear is James Westfall, playing a plaintive shape on the piano. Then jazz singer Sasha Masakowski slips in behind him, performing in another tongue – sounding like a passing thought that brings you all the way out of a daydream. You May Also Like: FutureRead More

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Half Notes: Eli Cook – Ace, Jack and King (2011)

An album that starts with this sparks-flying slide, on a song called “Death Rattle,” isn’t fooling around. This, friends, will never be confused with fern-bar blues. That’s obvious, even before Cook opens his mouth to sing — in a voice that’s one part gravel, one part Jack Black and oneRead More

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David Philips – The Rooftop Recordings (2011)

Making up tunes and whiling away the hours with an acoustic guitar on a roof terrace of a flat in an exotic locale like Barcelona, Spain seems like a dream way for one to spend their days. You May Also Like: David Philips – Get Along (2018) David Philips –Read More