Monthly Archives: September 2008

The first successful African-American-owned record label, Vee-Jay, was formed in 1953, six years before Berry Gordy formed Motown. Its catalog eventually boasted a wider stylistic range than Chicago rival Chess Records, but initially concentrated on doo-wop and blues. Shout! Factory’s four-disc, 86-track anthology is the first serious retrospective of this integral chapter in rock, pop, [...]

The ’60s produced some mighty weird bands, perhaps none odder than the Electric Prunes. The group is primarily known for its 1967 hit “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” and the album Mass in F Minor, a Catholic mass sung entirely in Latin. 1968′s Release of an Oath was the band’s forth release, [...]

This U.S. release of Hunter’s ’96 U.K.-distributed album shows Hunter honing the skills that would lead to his new album, People Gonna Talk. If you’re familiar with that one, this mix of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and touches of blues won’t surprise you, but will make you smile. His voice captures the essence [...]

Jerry Reed’s “Guitar Man” is the perfect opener for Steve Trovato’s sophomore release – not only thematically (the song made famous by Elvis is about a “swinging little guitar man”) but stylistically. His 2001 debut, About Time…, was an eclectic mix, running the gamut from Django to B.B. This time out, the L.A.-based guitarist concentrates [...]

Mike Martin is a player with considerable chops who started on the East Coast before moving south. He has played with various bands of different genres and released this collection of instrumentals that show his love of fusion and pop music. While there is no denying his chops, his compositional skills on some tracks here [...]

Roth was 17 when she started recording this project, 19 when she finished, and it’s testament to her talent and maturity that you can’t tell where the performances fell chronologically. Her six originals also more than hold their own alongside three tunes written or co-written by Jon Gershen and producer/guitarist (and father) Arlen Roth – [...]

We’ve discussed Gil’s playing in these pages several times, and this DVD reinforces that use of ink. Shot at the Irvington Town Hall Theater in Irvington, New York, it’s obvious Parris is among friends, not just on stage, but in the crowd. He takes them through a set that features saxophonist David Mann, Paul Schaffer, [...]

The fascinating, and moving, concept behind Give Us Your Poor differs from previous fundraising, conscious-awareness efforts, in that established musicians are teamed with talented people who have been, or are currently, homeless. So Jon Bon Jovi backs blues singer Mighty Sam McClain (once indigent but thankfully no longer) on the brass-band gospel of “Show Me [...]

The story of Canned Heat has more twists and turns than Spinal Tap’s evolution from the Thamesmen to Spinal Tap, Mark II. Which is why some of the dramatic, lofty claims in the documentary contained in this double-DVD undermine the amazing tale of the band’s actual achievements and history. “In all history,” the narrator intones, [...]

Patty Larkin is one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the world. On her 12th release, Watch The Sky, she focuses on her songwriting, singing, and multi-instrumental talents. The final results are as stellar as her guitar playing. Unlike prior recordings, usually group efforts involving other musicians in a commercial studio environment, Watch The Sky [...]