by Mark Saleski I’ve love gamelan music. There’s just something about all of those interlocking instruments. And where should a person go to hear some great and authentic gamelan music? Why Denver, of course! Gamelan Tunas Mekar is a community orchestra based in Denver. They may be a long wayRead More

As a kind of companion piece to “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd St?”, the mood shifts dramatically here, trading all of that romantic positivity for stark reality … or at least a reality whose dark side is winning out. You May Also Like: No related posts.

Led Zeppelin’s image, dating back to the band’s debauched 1970s heyday, has grown so outsized that it sometimes obscures, well, the music. You May Also Like: Why ‘Celebration Day’ Provided the Perfect Farewell for Led Zeppelin

Immediately recognizable saxophone voices: Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane. To this list we must add Jan Garbarek.

So, what’s it like renting instead of owning? A friend of mine asked me this question, knowing that I’d been piggishly consuming a bunch of new (and old) music since signing up for Spotify. You May Also Like: For the Love of Vinyl: An Appreciation The Night When David CrosbyRead More

With ’21st Century Breakdown,’ Green Day wears their love of rock operas right out there in the open.

by Mark Saleski One of my favorite guitar players, Ribot defines ‘angular.’ While some of his finest stuff has happened as a sideman (good gawd, he’s all over the fricken place on Tom Waits’ Rain Dogs … and now that I think of it, he applies extra twangosity on ElvisRead More

A young Bruce flashes a lot of exuberance in a rambling, upbeat dedication to New York City. Reported points of interest on the song include Bruce’s dad working as a bus driver and Bruce taking a bus trip from Freehold to Manhattan to visit a girlfriend. You May Also Like:Read More

One day back in 1996, I was on my way to work and heard this terrific song … about a kid playing in the backyard? Refusing to wear a shirt? Huh?! You May Also Like: Joe Jackson’s Rain underscored a complete modern-era return to form

by Mark Saleski No fireworks here, just some very heartfelt jazz trio music lead by Israeli pianist Ari Erev. With a mix of original compositions, Israeli songs, and selected standards (including a beautiful “Turn Out The Stars” as program closer), Erev succeeds in displaying his love of this music. ‘HalfRead More