[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvpoiiBW9bc&w=500&h=305] We’ve each already had our say, individually. Said our piece. Then came time to meet over the remnants of the egg nog and hammer out a consensus — before we go over the disc-al cliff into 2013. You May Also Like: ‘Fanfare For the Uncommon Man: The OfficialRead More

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6TEcqDkTS0&w=500&h=305] This list is necessarily all over the map. Heck, in a lot of respects, there’s no map at all. You’ll find it in tatters down on the passenger-side floorboard. Delving into unsigned bands is like that. You May Also Like: The Turtles – Present the Battle of theRead More

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuNlDW35VH4&w=500&h=305] The Second Mechanism is, for all intents and purposes, the tale of a band reborn. The band is Diagonal, a UK progressive rock outfit. The rebirth came about as the result of some major line-up shuffling You May Also Like: Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Pat Mastelotto, David TornRead More

When compiling my lists of best jazz records, broken up into 3 distinct areas of jazz, I used three criteria for inclusion on one of these lists: 1. Is it good enough? (duh) 2. Is it jazz? (duh) -and- 3. Have I already reviewed it in some form or another?Read More

<<< Part Three, Whack Jazz In the final piece of these exhaustive, four-part salutes to the top releases of 2012, the fusion jazz records are surveyed. You May Also Like: Jeff Lorber: The Albums That Shaped My Career Jeff Lorber Fusion – ‘The Drop’ (2023) Jeff Lorber Fusion – ImpactRead More

In one way or another, each of these recordings confounded and delighted me. Pushed me to new vistas, either in the way I approached the artist, their own original work, or the tunes they covered. Made me think, and feel differently. You May Also Like: Robert Cray – Robert CrayRead More

An all-star trio of jazz-rock veterans, HBC offers resourceful, focused, and — turn it up! — often ferocious take on the old-school fusion of Weather Report, Billy Cobham and Herbie Hancock. You May Also Like: Jeff Berlin, Ben Sidran, Jeff Denson + Others: Five for the Road Jeff Lorber: TheRead More

Damn … damn! That’s the kind of reaction I have when hearing an artist who left us with still a lot remaining to give. You May Also Like: Vincent Meissner Trio, “Young Folks” from ‘Wille’ (2023): One Track Mind Nils Landgren Funk Unit – ‘Funk Is My Religion’ (2021) GardenRead More

Given his astonishingly varied and accomplished music career, the kickoff track from Jeff Babko’s fresh new release Crux can be just about anything, and it’d likely be good. You May Also Like: Jeff Babko: The Albums That Shaped My Career Jeff Lorber Fusion – ‘The Drop’ (2023) Kneebody – Anti-Hero (2017)

I don’t know too many jazz-fusion bands out of Indonesia. As a matter of fact, I only know of one, and if one is a good enough sample, then I’m ready to state that this nation out of Southeast Asia is a hotbed for vital, dynamic and just plain greatRead More