Monthly Archives: October 2008

A new disc featuring the wonderful keyboardist Larsen and a great band, with Robben Ford on guitar, recorded live to two-track with 12 songs that are memorable for various reasons. Most of this is some form of fusion, and Ford is in fine form. Whether it’s a percolating funk like the title cut, with an [...]

James offers his own tunes (including a wonderful title cut) as well as classic covers of songs by Sleepy John Estes, Robert Johnson, and Willie Dixon, among others. He even manages to slip in a Bob Dylan tune. But the beauty of this disc is the way he rearranges, or more accurately recreates the feel [...]

“I always knew I would record again someday,” Weiss writes in the liner notes. But who knew it would take 40 years? In the mid ’60s, Weiss was lead singer of the Shangri-Las – quite possibly the baddest bad girls of the “girl group” era (sort of the white Ronettes). With hits like “Remember (Walking [...]

Ed DeGenaro is a Seattle-based session cat and bonafide guitar monster with great ideas and chops. His music is a fusion of musical styles and influences that often intermingle within the same composition. DeGenaro concocts an eclectic arsenal of sonic delights (fretted, unfretted, electric, acoustic and guitar-synth) that sporadically brings to mind Scott Henderson, Shawn [...]

The genetically superior team of drummer Virgil Donati and keyboardist Derek Sherinian return to continue the next chapter in their metal-fusion saga. It’s been five Earth years since the release of Moon Babies, and Quantum powers up and takes us to new and unexplored regions beyond the outer rim. Rufus Philpot and Jimmy Johnson share [...]

James McMurtry has always been a fine songwriter, but he has matured in many ways since the late ’80s, when John Mellencamp produced his first record. His playing, especially on electric guitar, is on par with many notables. His songwriting is clear and precise, and he proves once again that he is not afraid to [...]

It was good news, hearing that audiophile record label AIX was releasing a deluxe John Gorka performance DVD/CD. But this disc is surprisingly somber given that Gorka is normally an animated, highly amusing live performer. Most of The Gypsy Life (excluding a live cut from McCabe’s) was recorded December 18, 2006, at the Zipper Auditorium [...]

It’s been awhile since we saw and heard any vinyl, but these welcome guitar releases come courtesy of the fine folks at Sundazed. The sound, as you’d expect is wonderful. Everything’s big and full with that warmness that comes from a record. And, the choice of music is a perfect set for guitarists. Green’s His [...]

Pop quiz: What was the most important and influential live set in the history of pop music? Your choices are Elvis on Ed Sullivan, The Beatles at Shea Stadium, Jimi Hendrix at Monterey, The Rolling Stones at Altamont, or Bob Dylan at Newport in 1965. If you’re apt to pick Dylan at Newport, you might [...]

Old-timey music isn’t a particularly attractive or commercially viable musical genre. Uncle Earl may change that. This foursome of twenty-something women may not be quite as foxy looking as The Coors, but they still manage to effectively de-whisker old time music. Uncle Earl consists of Kristin Andreassen on guitar, harmonica, clogging and vocals, Rayna Gellert [...]