David Foster: “We haven’t recorded together in 17 years so we thought it might be time to do it again! Kat has the most beautiful voice and she doesn’t know how to deliver less than a perfect vocal every time! When you make Christmas music, you literally get a free pass to do whatever you … Continue reading
Category Archives: Music
New Blues/Soul/Rock Sax: Eric Demmer — ‘So Fine’
It’s all about the song. Well, it’s all about how the band plays that song. Alright, alright… technically, it’s all about the effect the band has on the listener. And, using that criterion, Eric Demmer‘s new album — So Fine — is powerful stuff. I dare you to play these twelve tracks and not get … Continue reading
New Roots Rock: Justin Saladino Band — ‘Honest Lies’
Honest Lies, the new album from Montreal-based blues/rock guitarist, and songwriter, Justin Saladino is out now. It suggests that the band has continued its evolution into the roots-rock and blues realm. Saladino’s guitar playing has a free, expansive style that works well by contrasting the song’s compact lyrics. The ten original songs on the album … Continue reading
New Blues/Rock: The Rusty Wright Band — ‘Hangin’ At The DeVille Lounge’
This album, the latest from Rusty Wright Band, is an imaginative expression of the tried and true elements that make blues/rock the genre that you can count on to please. At first listen, you might think it’s going to be the perfect Halloween party soundtrack — (There’s an eerie narrator and a definite haunted vibe … Continue reading
New Blues: Blue Moon Marquee — ‘Scream, Holler & Howl’
There’s something undeniably sophisticated about the soulful growl and wail of A.W. Cardinal on Scream, Holler & Howl, the latest release from blues duo Blue Moon Marquee. It’s an album that transports the listener to other dimensions, and Mr. Cardinal is a trustworthy tour guide through the musical carny underground terrain. All in all, it’s … Continue reading
New Holiday Music: Handsome and the Humbles — ‘That’s A Mitzvah!’
“A Holiday’s a fine time for a mitzvah… whether you’re a Gentile or a Jew!” If you’ve been thinking that it’s about time someone came out with a new Jewish-Appalachian holiday song, you’re in luck. We can thank the band Handsome and the Humbles for answering our prayers. They’ve released the song “That’s A Mitzvah!” … Continue reading
New Jazz: Duduka Da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal – “Yes!!!”
The exclamation marks in the title of Duduka Da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal’s new album — Yes!!! — are a fair warning. By the time you’re listening to the first track, however, you realize that they are unnecessary; each note played is an exclamation mark. The musicians at work here are Vinicius Gomes (guitars), Helio … Continue reading
New Jazz: Kirsten Lambert — ‘From A Window To A Screen’
From a Window to a Screen, the new album from Kirsten Lambert is described as a “new classic” jazz recording. It is that, and more. It is an invitation to enter a magical world of song, guided by an assured voice of the utmost clarity who interprets each note with a purposeful intimacy. The songs … Continue reading
New Blues: Rory Block — ‘Ain’t Nobody Worried’
There’s always a feeling of immense anticipation when Rory Block releases a new album. Her latest, Ain’t Nobody Worried, does not disappoint. There simply is no blues guitarist and singer around who covers as much territory (musically and emotionally) and with as much artistry as Ms. Block. She has an authority that allows her to … Continue reading
New Folk/Americana: Ethan Daniel Davidson — ‘Stranger’
Label: Blue Arrow Records Ethan Daniel Davidson knows how to establish a mood, how to sustain it, and how to explore every emotional space in it. He knows how to create and inhabit a musical world that makes total emotional sense to the listener. He does this on his new album, Stranger. His luminous vocals … Continue reading