Here’s a review of Joe Sample’s last album completed before his September 2014 death, the big band encounter ‘Children of the Sun.’

With or without the fourth player, the Core Trio exemplify what free jazz sounds like when the minds behind it are set free.

Another twist from an artist who gets a thrill out of kicking down genre walls.

A gateway to straight jazz? No, because if you embrace this music, you’ve already gone through gates and are heading down its fascinating corridors.

A past winner of the Mary Lou Williams Piano Competition, Helen Sung knows her way around eighty-eight keys, and after five well-received albums, this NYC residing, Houston, Texas native is bringing her talents to the Concord Music label. You May Also Like: Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, “Big Brother, Little Brother” (2016):Read More

I guess Houston-born Hamilton Loomis is compared a lot to Gary Clark Jr. but that’s not quite fair to Loomis. Sure, like Clark, he has formitable guitar chops. You May Also Like: Dave Clark Five – ‘All the Hits’ (2020) Gene Clark – Firebyrd (1984): On Second Thought

Carol Morgan is part of two jazz scenes, the NYC epicenter and the underrated Houston, Texas one. Her new, fifth release features this ace trumpeter with jazz luminaries from both towns. You May Also Like: Carol Duboc – Colored Glasses (2015) Lee Morgan – ‘I Called Him Morgan’ (2017, DVD)Read More

Coming to be in 1979 and known as the Flirts, this Houston, Texas-based band gained a rabid local following with their bang-up breed of rocking guitar pop. You May Also Like: B-Leaguers – Death of a Western Heart (2016) The Modulators – Try Try Try (2015) The Jeanies – TheRead More

“Conviction” is a powerful word, it connotes purposeful, assured and determined. And those are qualities that be ascribed to Kendrick Scott’s second album, Conviction. You May Also Like: Christian Scott Confirmed His Vision for Jazz With ‘Live at Newport’ Joey DeFrancesco, with Pharoah Sanders – ‘In the Key of theRead More

Hadden Sayers, the hard luck Houston, Texas bluesman, made an inspired comeback after a series of personal setbacks made him all but retire from the music business by the late 2000s. You May Also Like: Xander and the Peace Pirates, “Soul Sailing” (2016): One Track Mind Rolling Stones – BlueRead More