Spotlight Album

Kind Of, Sort Of…No, Really Good. Exceptional, Even.

Joanne Shaw Taylor’s artistic growth continues unabated since her dramatic debut in 2008 with White Sugar. Her third solo long player, Almost Always Never, is another triumph,. one of the best blues albums of 2012.

Spotlight Album

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 seasonal classic is our Album…

Spotlight Album

A Proper Homecoming

Memphis bluesman DARREN JAY returns to the U.S. this month after being deployed to Kuwait with the U.S. Naval Reserves. He's coming back Stateside to rave reviews for his first album with his band The Delta Souls,DRINK MY WINE, a collection of tough, bare-knuckled electric…

Spotlight Album

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.

Spotlight Album

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.

Spotlight Album

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, Bucky Pizzarelli, Blondie Chaplin and others.…

Spotlight Album

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 their efforts climbing as high as is…

Spotlight Album

Cool Blues. Really Cool Blues.

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

Reviews

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.

Reviews

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 American Songbook chestnuts and contemporary numbers by Leonard Cohen, Joni…