Moran and band are definitely an organ trio steeped in the tradition, but they aren’t afraid to mix things up a little. That’s immediately made clear on the opener, “Strange Brew.” Yes, it’s the Cream classic, and it’s the only non-original here. It’s deconstruction and reconstruction by the band works incredibly well. The funk wouldn’t [...]
If you like your rock and roll loud and with no-frills, you’ll love The Steepwater Band. A trio with plenty of great influences, the 14 cuts on this live disc touch on blues, pop, and plenty of soul. Guitarist/singer Jeff Massey is the focal point, and his slide playing is the predominant element much of [...]
“Mixed bag” would be an understatement regarding this tribute to the Texas trio. Two important elements that you have to understand to do ZZ Top’s music: humor and sex. Some of the artists here get that. The M.O.B., a super group made up of Steven Tyler, Jonny Lang, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie, winks their [...]
Poxon might present a dilemma for some listeners. He was only 16 years old when this material was recorded, and considering the mix of blues, country, rock, and funk he presents, it’s easy to immediately assume he can’t handle it for many reasons. But, aside from some vocals that occasionally sound like a 16-year-old, Poxon [...]
Like-minded co-founders Perry Smith and John Storie were students in the music department of U.S.C. and have been playing together since 2005. They recently added Jeff Stein, and the trio makes a kind of music that is unique on today’s music front. “Textures” is an apt description. There are elements of jazz, folk, country, rock, [...]
The music of Brazil has always had a strong pull on jazz musicians, and Israeli guitarist Yotam, who has spent the last couple of years establishing himself on the New York jazz scene, is no exception. His tone is perfect and his chops topflight on this rundown of songs written by some of the biggest [...]
To translate one of the touchstones of popular music is not something most guitarists would attempt, but Timmons and his trio take the Beatles’ classic and turn it into an instrumental rock album that stands on its own merits. In the liner notes, Timmons says he arranged the tunes without going back and listening. Doing [...]
Cutler’s latest release perfectly navigates that land between jazz and blues that puts it firmly in both camps. It’s an organ-trio record for the most part, with Cutler’s lead and rhythm guitar parts creating nonstop grooves. That’s evident from cut one, “No Greater Love,” with his jazzy jabs and occasional octaves displaying an affinity for [...]
Essentially a super-group of players that just want to have some fun with the music they grew up with, Norah Jones, Jim Campilongo, Lee Alexander, Richard Julian, and Dan Rieser serve up lots of old songs that are plenty worn, but their considerable talents make this sophomore release more than just a fun listen. From [...]
Blues guitarist Chris Antonik seems determined to prove the adage that every note counts. While his song structures are familiar, his playing keeps them from being cliche. The opener, “More To Give,” is nothing fancy – just a ninth-chord funky blues. But Antonik’s punchy fills and his solo immediately show his innate ability to pick [...]
