In Heavy Rotation: Roots & Blues

Rounding up a quartet of must-hear recent releases: NORMAN BLAKE, Day by Day; MARK O'CONNOR, Markology II; MIKE ZITO, Resurrection; and TIFFANY POLLACK, Bayou Liberty.
by David McGee
 

 
 

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
 

 

 

Very Mary Indeed

Unquestionably the top new Christmas release of 2013, A MARY CHRISTMAS, the DAVID FOSTER-produced holiday long player from MARY J. BLIGE, is an instant soul Christmas classic.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Love Remembered, In the Heart and On the Front Lines

In a selection of songs by British composers of the first 50 years of the 20th Century,mezzo-soprano KATHRYN RUDGE, with pianist JAMES BAILLIEU, uncover some lost gems and revitalize familiar ones.
by David McGee
 

 

 

You Have Come to The World. I Pour Out Praise for You.

BENEDICTINES OF MARY, QUEEN OF APOSTLES have created their third classic Christmas album in CAROLING AT EPHESUS. All proceeds go the order's building projects.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Chronicling a Spiritual Exodus from Modern-Day Anxieties

One of the first great albums of 2019, GOSHEN, by DONALD LAWRENCE PRESENTS THE TRI-CITY SINGERS, is a concept album ranging from worship songs to topical numbers to rages against the machine--and the power of faith.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Bluegrass Speaks to The Moment

A bluegrass trifecta: three new albums, by DALE ANN BRADLEY, THE DILLARDS and PHIL LEADBETTER AND THE ALL STARS OF BLUEGRASS (featuring Steve Gulley) all speak to the moment, addressing a variety of current hot-button issues in...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Ascending: Jazz Trios

Two fine albums by two of the finest jazz trios extant, led by DAVE STRYKER and ANDY PRATT.
by David McGee
 

 

 

With Purpose and Passion

"We were just raising some funds for this amazing junior high school on two Sunday afternoons with the student body and teachers also in attendance,” Darrell Scott writes in the liner copy. It may indeed have been as casual a...
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Songs Linger On…

Multiple JUNO award winner OLD MAN LUEDECKE has one of the sleeper albums of 2013 in TENDER IS THE NIGHT. Produced by TIM O'BRIEN, its songs linger in memory and beg repeat listens.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Claire in Autumn

Although Claire Lynch’s exceptional Compass label debut, Dear Sister, was released at the end of May, at the height of Spring, it has the reflective, contemplative feel of an autumnal missive.
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