Warning: Listening to the Joe Jackson Band’s ‘Volume 4’ may give you a strong urge to dig out your skinny tie.

This week, Boston’s Berklee College of Music hosted the Rethink Music Convention. The official conference subtitle was “Creativity, Commerce, and Policy in the 21st Century.” An NPR segment on the conference featured a terrific quote You May Also Like: Matthew Shipp, Mat Maneri – ‘Conference of the Mat/ts’ (2018) RodRead More

One of ECM’s rising stars is back three years after knocking it out of the park with a sensational album the last time around. Marcin Wasilewski leads a trio from Poland You May Also Like: Marcin Wasilewski Trio feat. Joe Lovano – ‘Arctic Riff’ (2020)

Buddy Guy is a finger-licking wonder on the forthcoming 2-CD Chicago Blues: A Living History; The (R)evolution Continues, an old-blues-meets-new-blues set scheduled for a release on June 7 by Megaforce/RED. You May Also Like: How Muddy Waters Came Roaring Back With ‘Hard Again’

On this special edition of Something Else! Reviews’ One Track Mind, we hand the reins over to keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, who rose to fame as a composer and sideman alongside Eric Clapton and George Harrison. You May Also Like: ‘All Things Must Pass Away: Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted LoveRead More

by Mark Saleski Over the years I have spent many pen scrawls, pencil swipes, and keystrokes trying to describe what it is about ‘out’ music that moves me so much. Sometimes it’s pretty easy You May Also Like: Matthew Shipp – Zero (2018) Matthew Shipp – ‘The Intrinsic Nature ofRead More

Bobby Whitlock reflects on Derek and the Dominos’ ‘Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,’ and other career highlights.

A new offering from Sade’s forthcoming 28-track two-disc ‘The Ultimate Collection’ turns every candle-lit romantic notion about her music on its ear.

Don’t get me wrong, I love jazz guitarists who derive their inspiration from guys like Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and Pat Metheny, but it’s so refreshing to hear a new guitarist come along who excels by taking the road less traveled. That’s former child prodigy guitarist Julian Lage, who seemsRead More

South Carolina’s Stella by Starlight is an entertaining electropop amalgam of modern and distinctly old-school sounds, one part mixtape-from-your-dad’s-vinyl-collection and another part post-modern-hipster-songcraft. You May Also Like: Eri Yamamoto, Chad Fowler, William Parker + Steve Hirsh – ‘Sparks’ (2022)