Something Old, Something New, Lots of Blues

MARIA MULDAUR's 40th album, one of her best yet, is a tribute to a woman who was one of her early inspirations, Memphis Minnie. Guest performances include solid turns by BONNIE RAITT, RORY BLOCK, KOKO TAYLOR and PHOEBE SNOW.
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Royal Family of Guitar In a Festive Mood

After a half-century at the pole position of the guitar quartet, Los Romeros have finally recorded their first Christmas album. If ever an ensemble was capable of making you believe in the validity of Christmas again, this is it.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Thanks All Around

For some 30 years Lou Pallo was the steady rhythm guitarist supporting Les Paul's incandescent leads in the Les Paul Trio. Now Pallo pays tribute to his boss with an all-star tribute featuring the likes of Keith Richards, Slash...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Hep Cats

Since making their recording debut in 1999, North Carolina’s Grass Cats have become accustomed to their albums residing in the top 10 of bluegrass charts; with their newest, The Mountains My Baby And Me, they may well find th...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Cool Blues. Really Cool Blues.

In Blues in Other Colors,, blues pianist David Maxwell has hit a high note in a most distinguished career.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Michael Bram Goes Yard

Michael Bram's new Suitcase In the Hall is a tape-measure home run of soulful singing, inspired playing, terrific songs and great vibes from first to last.
by David McGee
 

 

 

She Loves, But Does He Love?

BLOSSOM & BEE, Sara Gazarek: Our Album of the Week follows Connie Evingson's Sweet Happy Life in being a tour de force of classic pop-jazz vocalizing, with some original songs complementing aesthetic investigations of Great Ame...
by David McGee
 

 
 

And Here’s To The Life

In a long overdue tribute. pop-jazz vocalist Connie Evingson does wonderful things in honoring the lyrics of Norman Gimbel on SWEET HAPPY LIFE, this week's ALBUM OF THE WEEK. Talk about killing us softly with his songs...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Ever Fresh: A Half-Century of ‘Green Onions’

In honor of the 50th anniversary of ‘Green Onions,’ we salute BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s’ reissued debut album of the same name, along with the group’s reissued-remastered 1970 Beatles tribute, McLemore Avenue, all-instrumen...
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Perfect ‘Storm’

One of our great contemporary gospel singers has returned from a four-year recording hiatus with her strongest album yet. 'Til The Storm Passes By captures the versatile Lynda Randle at her testifying best on a powerhouse colle...
by David McGee
 

 

 

One Humanist Touch

The second album from singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Mike T. Lewis and his wife and musical partner MaryBeth Zamer–collectively known as the Twangtown Paramours–is a solid advance over the couple’s 2010 debut.
by David McGee