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Art Songs, Folk Texts

In praise of POPULAIRES, a fascinating exploration of art songs with folk texts, by French Algerian soprano AMEL BRAHIM-DJELLOUL and pianist Nicolas Jouve, Reviewed by ROBERT HUGILL of Planet Hugill.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Hope, Redemption and a Sky Big as God

Having conquered his demons, MIKE ZITO explains how it all happened and what brought him back from the abyss on his powerful new album, GONE TO TEXAS
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Country, Western & Madeleine

CONNIE SMITH, HILARY GARDNER and MADELEINE PEYROUX make beautiful music.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Christmas As He Knew It

JOHNNY CASH's CLASSIC CHRISTMAS ALBUM is a sampling from the three Yule albums the Man in Black recorded for Columbia Records. Family and faith are the major, moving themes here.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Here He Is

BILLY ALTMAN considers what PAUL SIMON has wrought on the seven interwoven tracks of SEVEN PSALMS.
by David McGee
 

 
 
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‘It’s Where Your Life Makes Sense’

On his new solo album, Soo, HABIB KOITE goes home to Mali and draws together all the strands of his life--music, friends, countrymen. 'It's where your life makes sense,' says Habib.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Feelings Funny, Familiar and So Well Remembered

KACEY JONES is a funny gal, but she's also a singer who can bring it all back home vocally. She reminds us of this repeatedly on her first new music album since 2006, AMEN FOR OLD FRIENDS, concerning those funny, family and so ...
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Quoth the Bard…

AL BASILE, one of contemporary music's most literate artists, reaches new heights of eloquence and musicality on B'S EXPRESSION, with production, for the 12th time, by DUKE ROBILLARD.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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But Beautiful

A pair of albums designed to spur reflection share ALBUM OF THE WEEK honors: NEARNESS, a classy batch of standards by TINA BRUHN and JOHNNY O'NEAL, and BEATLERIANAS by Carlos Barbosa-Lima & The Havant String Quartet
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Gabriel’s Got Wings

Blues guitarist PAUL GABRIEL think his new album, WHAT'S THE CHANCE, produced by DUKE ROBILLARD, is his best yet. We second that emotion.
by David McGee
 

 

 
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Ain’t That Good News? Man, Ain’t That News!?

Fresh off being named Best Guitarist at the 35th annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis in early May, Ronnie Earl delivers a most personal and moving album in Good News,
by David McGee
 

 
 
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Coasting With the Blues

THE NICK MOSS BAND with DENNIS GRUENLING spans the continent on one of its finest outings.
by David McGee