Reviews

RoseAnn Fino

Fino detonates her recent past (life’s unyielding barrage of romantic chokeholds, boozy flings, writer’s block, artistic brownout) to rise like a phoenix with Out From Under, a mighty 4-song EP that has … Read more

Joe Ely

Take One:  Country music from the West Texas plains kicks up whorls of dust and settles souls in familiar, beautifully multicultural ways. Spanish guitars share space with beat up acoustics. … Read more

Dave and Phil Alvin

Why stop when you’ve got a good thing going? The reunion of brothers Alvin after thirty contentious years apart earned them Grammy and Blues Award nominations and packed shows for … Read more

Erroll Garner

Long ago, in a Salvation Army store far, far, away, a budding music critic & jazz fan was rummaging the bins and kept coming upon Concert By The Sea. I … Read more

Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown

Along with John Mayall, Cream and (to a lesser extent) the Rolling Stones, the band Savoy Brown pioneered British blues rock. Like Mayall, Savoy Brown—perhaps in an effort to constantly … Read more

John McLaughlin, 4th Dimension, Black Light

John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension

Guitar legend John McLaughlin has never made a sad album. Even when paying tribute to departed musical contemporaries, he makes sure his sounds convey the utmost jubilance. Here, McLaughlin unites … Read more

Ben E. King

When the news broke in April that singer Ben E. King had died at the age of 76, many reports announced the loss by referring to King as “the ‘Stand … Read more

Rhythm & Roots Festival

Photographs by Laura Carbone Rhythm & Roots isn’t the biggest or most high-profile festival of the year, but it’s still my favorite because, like Heinz ketchup, it has the perfect … Read more

Holly Golightly

Slowtown Now! is the latest release from British singer-songwriter, Holly Golightly. The 12-track album proves that Golightly can keep on keeping on with over 25 years in the business and … Read more