Recent Articles
 

 

The Truth of the Blues, Simple and Direct

Two veterans aging gracefully in the blues field get together with their voices, their instruments and a general aim to honor the late, great piano master Pinetop Perkins, and proceed to make a thoroughly delightful album of ea...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Expressing the Power and Beauty of Difference

A powerful commentary on migration, refugees and human rights, the multicultural RAFIKI JAZZ's third album, HAR DAM SAHARA, speaks eloquently to our time.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Skip James Made Manifest

In the fifth and final volume of her Mentor Series, RORY BLOCK makes SKIP JAMES manifest on HARD LUCK CHILD: A TRIBUTE TO SKIP JAMES.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Going Mobile

Marty Raybon might well want to consider re-titling his album Southern Routes & Branches, given how many roads he travels in its dozen songs. To be clear, some of these roads he’s traveled before—nine of the songs are c...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Surf in Verse, 2021 Edition

Return to one of our most popular summer features, SURF IN VERSE, four evocative poems about the surf experience. This year's edition includes the oldest known surfing poem, THE SONG OF THE SURF, circa 1867, by ADAM LINDSAY GORDON
by David McGee
 

 
 

Otherworldly Sensations of Time and Space

A COSMIC RHYTHM WITH EACH STROKE, by VIJAY IYER and WADADA LEO SMITH, is grounded in human feeling and promises to stand the test of time.
by David McGee
 

 

 

My Summer Romance: Laughter, Tears & Tenderness

MY SUMMER ROMANCE: LAUGHTER, TEARS & TENDERNESS in three stories and a poem about summer loves. Music by MEL CARTER, SPANKY & OUR GANG, et al.
by David McGee
 

 
 

The Enigma Variations: Living with Lawrence

December 2012 was the 50th anniversary of David Lean's epic, Academy Award winning Lawrence of Arabia. Contributing editor Christopher Hill was nine when he first saw the movie. Herein he reflects on that life altering event.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Pandemic Passover: A Moment of Rupture May Lead to a New Path

RABBI MICHAEL ROTHBAUM, reflecting on Passover's history of being recreated in 'inhospitable worlds of exile,' sees the traditional as having lessons to teach a COVID-19 planet.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Make That ‘Loving Tribute’

Honoring important people in his life and career, ace jazz guitarist LARRY NEWCOMB adds BUCKY PIZZARELLI to his Quartet and delivers on LIVING TRIBUTE
by David McGee