Surf in Verse — June 2014

Riding the waves has inspired some surfers to break out in verse to explain their connection to the waves and Mother Earth. Dick Dale and the Del-Tones provide the soundtrack.
by David McGee
 

 
 

‘It’s No Surprise that Mother Earth is What’s Bringing Us Together’

The Cowboy Indian Alliance and Native American tribes (and Neil Young) unite to save sacred lands from the ravages of the Keystone XL pipeline
by David McGee
 

 

 

A Spasmodic Active Region on the Sun…

Ol' Sol has been putting on a show lately, with a dazzling variety of dozens of spurts and eruptions and an equally dazzling magnetic display known as coronal rain.
by David McGee
 

 
 

‘Constantly Moving Between the Centuries…’

As they did on 2013's Mediterraneo, CHRISTINA PLUHAR & L'ARPGIATTA take a different approach, this time on the 17th century music of England's greatest composer, HENRY PURCELL
by David McGee
 

 

 

‘Isn’t That a Lovely Thing?’

From his 1960 book MY FATHER, CHARLIE CHAPLIN, JR. remembers his father's 'ruthless determination for perfection' and its effect on the family when Chaplin pere was writing 'MODERN TIMES'
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Music of Nature

From his outstanding 1878 book MUSIC AND SOME HIGHLY MUSICAL PEOPLE, the distinguished African-American author JAMES M. TROTTER exults in 'the music of Nature'
by David McGee
 

 

 

Bob Marovich’s Gospel Picks — May 2014

‘…still traveling the gospel highway…’ JUST LOOK AT ME NOW Brooklyn All Stars Just Look At Me Now 4 Winds Records www.malaco.com Founded in the late 1950s, the Brooklyn All Stars are still traveling the gospel h...
by David McGee
 

 
 

It’s Small’s World After All

Adhering to a '1 guitar, 1 voice, one foot format,' MARK T. SMALL's solo acoustic collection of mostly blues songs, with a taste of country and bluegrass for variety, is a low-key, honest effort that leaves a good feeling in it...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Those Mean Woman Blues

A stomping groove, a steely, slice-and-dice guitar attack and a growling vocal greet listeners to CHRIS LORD & CHEATIN' RIVER's CHUNKABILLY BLUES, and this Seattle-based power trio never lets up from there.
by David McGee