The Chicago-based duo from Poland Mikrokolektyw (a Polish play on the word “micro collective”) only makes music out of thin air, and like a skilled magician pulling a rabbit out of thin air, makes it look so effortless and fluid. You May Also Like: Anteloper [Jaimie Branch and Jason Nazary]Read More

During the latter half of the 1960s, Willie and the Walkers experienced phenomenal success throughout their home turf of Western Canada. To give you an idea how special the band was, they nabbed a deal with Capitol Records You May Also Like: Willie Nelson Found a Worthy Foil on theRead More

Fellow Mike Keneally freaks rejoice: there’s a surprise release on the horizon! April 9, 2013, brings the release of Wing Beat Elastic, a disc of demos, “remixes” and outtakes You May Also Like: Mike Keneally, “Draconian Blump” from ‘Nonkertompf’ (1999): One Track Mind How Mike Keneally’s Comeback on ‘The UniverseRead More

It’s not just that Chicago doesn’t sound like old Chicago anymore. In fact, nobody does. Or, more correctly, nobody did. What’s left of the original band, having now issued just one original album since 1991, has been supplanted. You May Also Like: Chicago, “Questions 67 & 68” from Chicago TransitRead More

Here’s a band so obscure and long forgotten that even the most voracious vinyl collector probably isn’t even aware of their existence. Formed in 1980, the Pencils featured singer and guitarist Tony Skeggs, singer and bassist Den Pugsley, keyboardist Rick Birmingham and drummer Andy Wells. You May Also Like: TheRead More

Don’t cry, indeed. For Ben Sidran — producer of Van Morrison and Rickie Lee Jones, co-writer of “Space Cowboy” with Steve Miller, sessions man with the Rolling Stones, NPR radio voice — being a hipster seems like such an effortless thing. You May Also Like: Jeff Berlin, Ben Sidran, JeffRead More

I’m a sucker for the storyteller. Sure, the swinging hooks and catchy riffs are great, but for all the various attributes that make an artist or band stand out, the bard card is generally what lures me into month-long catalog benders. You May Also Like: ‘Memories of a White Magician’Read More

A memorial gathering for Peter Banks has been set for 4 p.m. April 7, 2013 at the 12 Bar Club in London, offering those who loved and knew him best a chance to give the seminal Yes guitarist a proper send off. You May Also Like: Robbie Dupree, Chicago, Yes’Read More

Last week marked the 50th anniversary of a cultural revolution: the release of the Beatles’ Please Please Me. Their first effort, recorded over 12 hours on a single day, stands as one of the most impressive debuts in rock history. You May Also Like: The Beatles, “Boys” from Please PleaseRead More

Serendipity is, to put it succinctly, a forty-three minute improvisation among Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker and Gerald Cleaver. You May Also Like: Ivo Perelman, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver – The Art Of The Improv Trio, Volume 4 (2016) Daniel Carter, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver – ‘WelcomeRead More