Deep Roots Magazine

Deep Roots Magazine

Roots Music and Meaningful Matters

 
 

 

Rev. Charles Brown Goes Home

Remembering REV. CHARLES BROWN, who sang with the VIOLINAIRES, and before that was promising soul singer CHARLIE 'COAL BLACK' BROWN.
by David McGee
 

 
 

‘He Accomplished Everything He Ever Wanted’

One of the greatest jazz guitarists ever, JOHNNY SMITH passed away on June 11. A tribute to the artist best known for 'Moonlight in Vermont' and 'Walk Don't Run!"
by David McGee
 

 

 

Suave, Like Nobody’s Business

We redress a great wrong in finally reviewing RAUL MALO's 2007 Christmas masterpiece, Marshmallow World + Other Holiday Favorites. This Yuletide essential is so suave it even offers 'Silver Bells' as a tango. Believe it.
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Bluer Shade of Christmas

An update of our 2019 review of four essential Christmas blues anthologies: Volumes 1-3 of BLUES, BLUES CHRISTMAS and Legacy Recordings' DEATH MIGHT BE YOUR SANTA CLAUS.--a bluer shade of Christmas, if you will.
by David McGee
 

 

 

To Shine Is Why You Came

VALERIE JUNE seems to have stepped out of some sort of enchanted forest, spreading powerfully delivered but gentle-spirited songs that are so filled with whimsy and wonder they seem to be borne more of pixie dust than musical n...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Aesthetically Unified as One Romantic Brotherhood

On RHEINMÄDCHEN, France's all-female vocal chorus ENSEMBLE PYGMALION, conducted by RAPHAEL PICHON, assays, with an invigorating twist, Wagner, Schubert, Schumann, Johannes Brahms and others.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Sounds To Silence The Din of Discord

Three JULIANA HALL-composed songs cycles--based on verses by Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson and Marianne Moore--are masterfully rendered on LOVE'S SIGNATURE.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Message Delivered

Chicago blues man DAVE SPECTER is back with his first album in four years, MESSAGE IN BLUE, and it's a keeper in the blues, soul and R&B categories all. Soul singer OTIS CLAY makes his Delmark label debut in spectacular fashion...
by David McGee