by Pico He’s the son of folk singer Leon Bibb, nephew of Modern Jazz Quartet founder John Lewis, and was directly exposed to several legendary performers like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan growing up. It would seem that Eric Bibb was destined to go down a similar path as hisRead More

NICK DERISO: Go into this hidden-away New Orleans gem expecting blues — what with Jim Dickinson producing and East Memphis Slim as a sideman — and you’re in for a big surpise. The House Levelers were more of a thumpy roots-music outfit, one that was at once sharp as scissors,Read More

There’s been a plethora (love that word) of releases on the rock side of the genre ledger that has demanded by attention. You see, the rocksters listed here were all riding high back in the seventies, so naturally, I was curious to see if they still got “it.” In eachRead More

by Pico This version of Quickies focuses on new rock and old jazz. One thing they have in common: it’s all good. >Bennie Maupin The Jewel In The Lotus Multi-reedist Bennie Maupin first made his mark contributing that bad-assed bass clarinet to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and then joined HerbieRead More

James McMurtry, we know now, had only just begun making steel-toe tapping records that take a while to sink in.

Released in the time immediately following the Woodstock basement recordings (which wouldn’t see the light of day ’til the dawn — or is that yawn? — of disco), Bob Dylan goes twangy — and with resounding success. Folksy, without too much folk. “Rolling Stone” said “John Wesley Harding” helped setRead More

As noted, a “leak” of some new Dylan tracks from his own record label (ahem) got me back into the stacks – and back into Bob. We’re mixing and matching here, old and new, relevant and pee-yew. That’s Dylan for you … raising our sights, but occasionally frustrating our desires,Read More

Public Broadcasting always delves into its musical archives, come pledge-drive time, and this week was no different. The local station presented an edited version of “The Concert for Bangaladesh,” the early 1970s proto-benefit show organized by Beatle buddy and future Wilbury bandmate George Harrison – and it was a specialRead More

Recorded during Dylan’s songwriting rehab, after the 1966 motorcycle wreck, and not released until a decade later. These classic home recordings — done with The Band in the legendary old house known as Big Pink — showed even Bob Dylan throwaways were table scraps worth fighting over. Nick’s Pick: ARead More

Parts of Bob Dylan’s soon-to-be-released record “Modern Times,” his first in five years, were “leaked” by Sony last Friday – and while I get my mind around those tracks, I’ve begun my own never-ending tour of his old stuff. “TRAVELING WILBURYS, Vol. 1,” 1988 Recording a song a day, DylanRead More