Reviews

Return to Forever

Along with bands that helped define fusion music—Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, Larry Coryell’s Seventh House, Weather Report in the late ’70s and ’80s—Return to Forever helped bridge the divide … Read more

Sxip Shirey

Sxip Shirey is awesome. There’s no other way to put it. He’s worked with (and is a founding member of) the Luminescent Orchestrii. He tours the world composing for and … Read more

Art Pepper

Laurie Pepper, the wife of the late alto saxophonist, Art Pepper, continues to mine the rich vault of material recorded between the 1977- 1982, the last years of the jazz … Read more

Judith Owen at the Iridium

Photos by Ebet Roberts The irreverent, ebullient and irrepressible Judith Owen won the hearts and minds of an industry-only show at New York’s famed Iridium Jazz Club recently. Thanks to … Read more

Rose Cousins

As quiet and somber as a funeral, but also elegant and profoundly moving, Natural Conclusion— produced with loving care by Joe Henry– is a procession of songs dressed in black … Read more

Gurf Morlix

There’s a dark intimacy to Gurf  Morlix’s albums, which, at times, become so spooky and real that you’d swear he’s in the same room with you. And, as you sink … Read more

The Soul of John Black

John Bigham, the force of The Soul of John Black, is back with his sixth album, his first since 2013. Bigham navigates the rhythms and textures of blues and R&B, … Read more

Travis Linville

Long-time Hayes Carll sideman, Travis Linville, steps out as a front man to deliver an album of engaging melodic tunes. The multi-instrumentalist displays his chops on vocals, guitars, lap steel, … Read more

Buck Owens

When Americana aficionados talk about “The Bakersfield Sound,” they mean Buck Owens. Honky Tonk and heartache, twangy guitars and dreamy steel, hillbilly harmonies and pop hooks. Yup, that’s Buck. Together … Read more