Grow up loving country music? Been missing it since, well, probably since you got your driver’s license? There’s good news. Ben Bostick‘s new album — The Rascal Is Back — makes it clear that all hope is not lost. It might not be what you expect (which is refreshing), but this collection will bring back … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: April 2023
New Jazz: Jason Kush — ‘Finally Friday’
Saxophonist Jason Kush’s Finally Friday is a tonic good for any day of the week. The album is a steadily building state of euphoria that features the Jason Kush Quartet: Jason Kush – tenor saxophone, Alton Merrell – piano, Jeff Grubbs – bass, and David Glover – drums. As a composer, Jason Kush covers territory far beyond what might be … Continue reading
New Jazz: The Las Vegas Boneheads — Sixty and Still Cookin’
From the very first notes on their new release —Sixty and Still Cookin’— the Las Vegas Boneheads lay it all out there. The song is “Al Cohn Tune,” and it is akin to a finely tuned and now rare classic racing car starting its engine and then going for a dizzying spin. There is a … Continue reading
New Folk/Roots: Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy — ‘Canvas’
A canvas is just about the most exciting thing there is. A blank slate upon which anything is possible. On their new album, titled Canvas, Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy — two of the world’s top Celtic fiddlers — bring a musical canvas to life, filling it with passion and drama, and making the disc … Continue reading
New Jazz: Roy McGrath — ‘Menjunje’
In Puerto Rico, a menjunje is a healing drink given to those who need to recover. After the pandemic, Roy McGrath’s new album of Afro-Caribbean jazz is just what we all could use. The collection of 8 tracks blends together the traditions and rhythms of Puerto Rican music with the playful sprit of jazz, and the expressiveness … Continue reading
New Jazz: Franglais — ‘Pairings’
This album of jazz duets from Franglais successfully fulfills a very specific need. If you know someone who has become a bit more of a wine expert during the recent stay-at-home period, this might be a perfect gift to bring them if they decide to invite you over for dinner once again. Ben Wood and … Continue reading
New Jazz: Chembo Corniel Quintet — ‘Artistas, Músicos Y Poetas’
Artistas, Músicos y Poetas is Chembo Corniel’s sixth album under his record company Chemboro Records, Inc. Everything about this project is extraordinary. The material, the structure, the consummate musicianship, and the album art (by Andres Chaparro and Charlie Rosario) all contribute beautifully to Corniel paying homage to his musical roots. It is a highly satisfying result. If … Continue reading
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