When a vintage-minded guitarist recollects cracking open the case of a big ol’ hollowbody and catching a glimpse of flame, minds wander to dreams of Gibson ES-5 or Kay Jimmy Reed Thin-Twin axes. As one unboxes the Babicz Octane, many of the same emotions are stirred, given the classic look of the hollowbody beauty’s flame-maple [...]
AweSome Musical Instruments Stratocaster pickguards have the company’s Pickup Tone Multiplier (PTM) switching system. Using six switches, they produce 30 additional pickup tones. They are offered in four colors and made to fit a standard American righ…
On its third album, this Brooklynbased country/roots band pushes further into the darker side of Americana. Guitarist/lead vocalist Blake Christiana guides the band, with Trevor MacArthur on guitar and vocals, Andrew Hendryx on mandolin and harmonica, Rick Bugel on bass, and Jay Frederick on drums and percussion. Cameos by Jeremy Garrett on fiddle and Skip [...]
You might say Austin’s Freddie Krc wears a lot of hats. He has drummed with Jerry Jeff Walker, B.W. Stevenson, Carole King, and Ronnie Lane – not to mention anchoring that chair in the power-pop pioneering Explosives, who were Roky Erickson’s backup band for years. He also plays guitar and sings county in Freddie Steady’s [...]
There’s not a lot of precedent for albums featuring nothing but a female voice and a jazz guitar, but those that come to mind set a high bar. There was Al Viola with Julie London, Joe Pass with Ella Fitzgerald, and more recently, Martin Taylor with Alison Burns. Fast company, to say the least. Brown [...]
The Stryker/Slagle Band has been producing near-perfect quartet records for some time, and Keeper will not snap the string. While Dave Stryker (on guitar) and Steve Slagle (sax) supply memorable melodies and soulful solos, the backbone of the band’s sound is provided by Jay Anderson (bass) and Victor Lewis (drums). Except for a take on [...]
Bishop’s 2008 album, The Blues Roll On, was a landmark of sorts, as he surrounded himself with elder statesmen like B.B. King and James Cotton, as well as young guns like Derek Trucks and the Homemade Jamz Blues Band. His follow-up marks 45 years since his appearance on the self-titled debut of the Paul Butterfield [...]
Peter Ostroushko channels a mixture of Stephen Foster, Carter Stanley, and Doc Boggs to create unique music that sounds much older than it is. Here, he further expands his library of heartbreakingly beautiful songs performed with understated grace. Wistfulness and a sense of longing permeate most of the tunes on When the Last Morning Glory [...]
Brazilian jazz, when played by a native group such as Hamilton De Holanda’s quintet, is far more interesting than what usually passes for Brazilian jazz. Holanda combines his native Choro music with foreign styles such as Bossa Nova and fusion without losing its essential Brazilian nature. Holanda’s quintet has an unusual assemblage of instruments; 10-string [...]
From the outside, one could easily judge Dierks Bentley’s music too slick, his status as merely a phenom on country radio. But Up On The Ridge might slap you up-side the head. Recorded with a collection of hot young pickers and bluegrass icons, this may be the best acoustic album of the year; Chris Thile’s [...]
