peter and wolf featured

Heightening Prokofiev’s Inherent Eloquence

On PETER AND THE WOLF IN HOLLYWOOD, GIANTS ARE SMALL, with help from ALICE COOPER, offer a clever, charming prequel to SERGEI PROKOFIEV's beloved children's classic from 1936
by David McGee
 

 
 
holy night featured

‘O Holy Night’

Attacked for his opposition to inequality, slavery, injustice and other kinds of oppression, French poet PLACIDE CAPPEAU insinuated his unpopular thoughts into an 1847 poem that became 'O Holy Night'
by David McGee
 

 

 
setzer rockin rudolph

The Man With All the Toys

BRIAN SETZER and his ORCHESTRA return for his sixth Christmas blowout, ROCKIN' RUDOLPH, which lives up to the warm , virtuosic and rockin' high standard the Stray Cat has set for himself at Yuletide
by David McGee
 

 
 
suns ding dong

Ding Dong, Merrily On High, Indeed!

Returned to print by Real Gone Music, THE THREE SUNS' amazing 1959 seasonal effort, A DING DONG DANDY CHRISTMAS, is lounge exotica run amuck, a genuine Yuletide gem.
by David McGee
 

 

 
song of banjo

The Big Land

Ever more ambitious, ALISON BROWN returns with THE SONG OF THE BANJO, with KEB' MO outstanding on 'What's Going On,' and our reviewer likening the instrumental portions to Smetana's 'The Moldau.' Really.
by David McGee
 

 
 
our christmas best spotlight

Consumed with ‘Kudo’: Real-Life Superhero Is Animal Abusers’ Worst Nightmare

When it comes to animal abusers, especially those running illegal slaughterhouses, RICHARD 'KUDO' COUTO is unforgiving and merciless in bringing the miscreants to justice. Exclusive interview.
by David McGee
 

 

 
silver lining

The Common Language of the Heart

Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap are together again, now in a relaxed, refined, reflective and altogether classy survey of the songs of Jerome Kern, 'the angel at the top of the tree.'
by David McGee
 

 
 
duke acoustic

Deep Roots

Deploying his vast collection of acoustic guitars, Duke Robillard and some high-profile friends (such as Maria Muldaur and Jay McShann) work out on some classic tunes from the '20s through the '40s.
by David McGee
 

 

 
sam butler raise

Tested In the Furnace of Affliction

SAM BUTLER, former lead guitarist with the Blind Boys of Alabama, makes his solo debut with a most unusual spiritual album--with songs by Springsteen, Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Johnny Cash, et al.
by David McGee