by Mark Saleski Several years ago, I happened upon a book called A Pattern Language. It was an odd purchase for me, because I’m not really an architecture person, at least not in the grand “Oooh, majestic building!” sense You May Also Like: Gareth Lockrane – Fistfight at the BarndanceRead More

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

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

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

So here we are, heading toward the end of another summer. This one seemed particularly quick. You May Also Like: Wilco (The Album) echoed, but didn’t quite live up to Sky Blue Sky Johnny Winter Refined His Hell-Raising Brand of Texas Blues on ‘Guitar Slinger’

by Mark Saleski It was at a small Japanese restaurant north of Boston (or south of Concord, New Hampshire, depending on your level of Hub-centricness). Sushi. Never had it before. You read about things like this for years. Suddenly, it’s your turn. You May Also Like: John Scofield – ‘SwallowRead More

Relationships heading toward their end can often impart a kind of repelling force between the couple involved. In “For You,” a relationship has run off the rails and there’s no small amount of soul searching. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E StreetRead More

John Zorn’s Masada is an interesting group. The way I’ve come to describe them is “Ornette Coleman-listens-to-klezmer.” While that’s not the only way to get there, it’ll do. You May Also Like: How ‘Wish’ Scuffed Up Joshua Redman’s Initial Melodicism Why You Should Give Pat Metheny’s ‘Rejoicing’ Another Listen

by Mark Saleski There are a handful of female voices out there that’ll cause me to stop, listen, and be amazed: Bjork, Diamanda Galas, Rickie Lee Jones, The Roches. Those women rule the landscape with oddball cadences, insane textures, and emotional tones ranging from delicate sensuality to raw violence. ButRead More

by Mark Saleski As the era of Classic Rock shrinks into the musical and cultural rear view mirror, it’s been enlightening to see how the stars have dealt with aging. You May Also Like: Why ‘Draw the Line’ Signaled the End of Aerosmith’s Blazing First Era Why I’m Still DisappointedRead More