Deep Roots Magazine

Deep Roots Magazine

Roots Music and Meaningful Matters

 
 

 

A Christmas Story For All Seasons, And For The Ages

From its opening hosanna, 'I See the Light of the World' to its closing exaltation, 'Morning In Bethlehem,' DONNA ULISSE's song cycle All The Way to Bethlehem is not merely close to perfect, it's a work of art. An instant seaso...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Torn Between Two Bosses, Not Feeling Like a Fool

BOB AUSTIN and SID PARNES were partners as the owners of RECORD WORLD magazine but otherwise had no use for each other. As RW editor, MICHAEL SIGMAN had to get along with both.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Big Brass Ones for Christmas

On its fifth holiday album, CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE, CANADIAN BRASS honors the music of animated Yule favorites and the arrangements of LUTHER HENDERSON and BRANDON RIDENOUR.
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
 

 

 

Stranger On the Shore

In 1962 British jazz clarinetist ACKER BILK penned a haunting instrumental for his daughter Jenny, changed its title and saw it sell a million copies. Here's how YouTube commenters remember it.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Tartit: Tuareg Life Through a Woman’s Eyes

TARTIT, the female ambassadors of Tuareg traditional culture, return from a prolonged absence with messages of peace and social cohesion for all cultures on Amankour/The Exile
by David McGee
 

 

 
Maria Muldaur featured

Channeling Victoria, Remembering Johnnie

MARIA MULDAUR honors VICTORIA SPIVEY in another tribute to pioneering female blues singers, and we honor JOHNNIE JOHNSON's artistry in previously unreleased sessions featuring BONNIE RAITT and JOHNNY RIVERS, among others.
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Few Answers About ‘Answer Me’

'ANSWER ME, MY LOVE' is a classic pop song with a complicated history. CARL SIGMAN wrote the lyrics, and herein his son MICHAEL SIGMAN relates the tune's fascinating backstory.
by David McGee