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Oscar Jordan
Tinsley Ellis
Screaming On The Inside
“Red clay is what you see here in Georgia,” says Tinsley Ellis of the inspiration behind his new album, Red Clay Soul. “That’s what the ground looks like. I wanted an album that depicted the sound, look, and feel of the region.” Saturated with that ambiance, the disc brings together Ellis’ signature heart-crushing lyrics, stinging
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Oscar Jordan
Toronzo Cannon
Blues The Chicago Way
“I’m not trying to be a starving artist at 48 years old,” says blues man Toronzo Cannon when asked if he’d consider playing blues full-time. A bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority by day, as a guitarist he headlines local blues clubs, plays festivals, and goes on frequent tours to Europe. He recently signed
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Oscar Jordan
Eric Gales
This is the kind of album only Eric Gales could make. It’s full of fiery lines and repentant testimonials about rebirth and sobriety. He forsakes his adventurous rock personality in favor of the blues. Though his straight-a-head blues material has never been cookie cutter, the CD delivers the same kinds of clever twists and turns
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Oscar Jordan
Felix Martin
Sometimes six strings just ain’t enough. Venezuelan Berklee alum Felix Martin uses 14 and sometimes 16 strings to explore the contrapuntal galaxy of progressive melody and rhythm. Sounding like a Chapman Stick player, Martin totes a real guitar – but with a lot more strings! A left-handed guitarist, he designs his own instruments to create
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Oscar Jordan
Gretchen Menn
Magnum Opus
Gretchen Menn stands alone. One might argue that she’s the female counterpart to Steve Morse. Both are aviators, both play ungodly guitar, and both are ersed in the European traditions of the Classical period. This was the era that spawned composers Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Salieri, and so on. Both Menn and Morse are also big
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Oscar Jordan
Prince
Rhapsody In Purple
A year after his death, VG remembers Prince, a musical revolutionary, whose emergence was jarring, even for the most youthful and open-minded. Supremely talented on several instruments, guitar was an early and obvious love.
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Oscar Jordan
Fender Bassbreaker 45 Combo
Hybrid Love Child
Fender’s new nine-product Bassbreaker series combines popular traditional amplifiers with modern technology. Classic tones and flexibility are the name of the game, which means a plethora of wattages and sizes providing the kinds of tonal succulence guitarists have come to know and love. The Bassbreaker 45 Combo is the series flagship, and it has a
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Oscar Jordan
Steve Hackett
Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett’s new album brings together musicians from all over the world in the spirit of unity, multiculturalism, and diversity. The project joins singers from Palestine and Israel, along with the sounds of Iraq, India, Peru, and the U.S. Hackett’s eclecticism – and his belief that the world needs to come together
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Oscar Jordan
Otis Taylor
Otis Taylor has no concern for your discomfort with racial issues. It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times, and there’s plenty to reflect upon. He skips the antiquated blues coding about devils and mojos, and looks you in the eye with the truth. Taylor’s latest is a recording about the varying levels of racism
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Oscar Jordan
Nathan East
Nathan East’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing in 40 years. Offered gigs with Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Daft Punk, he’s crisscrossed genres from pop to jazz. His smooth yet percolating bass lines have underpinned a generation of music. As a founding member of Foreplay, he has an indelible foot print within contemporary
