Music
New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, “The Music of Allen Toussaint” (Storyville Records)
In one of those games where you have to guess the name of a song after hearing several notes, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s rendition of Allen Toussaint’s lovely “Southern […]
John Boutté, “a ‘well tempered’ Boutté” (Independent)
Let’s face it: if an album of John Boutté singing (mostly) standards with a jazz trio had turned out to be anything less than magnificent, anyone who knows the man’s […]
Martin Scorsese, “The Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story” (Netflix)
Bob Dylan’s musical career has taken many unforeseen twists and turns, with the period immediately following Blood on the Tracks remembered as anything but his best. As Dylan laughingly recalls […]
Keith Jarrett, “J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book I” (ECM)
In 1988 ECM released Keith Jarrett’s studio recording of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One. ECM has now released a live version of the same music. The live recording and performance […]
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, “Tuba to Cuba” (Sub Pop)
It’s been quite a few years since the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, under the leadership of tuba man/bassist Ben Jaffe, shook off the notion that it still played the same […]
Smoky Greenwell, “Blues and the Power of Peace” (Greenwell Records)
Smoky Greenwell was on his way to a yoga retreat in Tennessee when he visited longtime buddy Johnny Neel, producer of his first five albums, in Nashville. Greenwell, of course, […]
The Bummers, “Dairy Beach” (Independent)
Near daily heat advisories, algae choking the Gulf, sharks, flesh-eating bacteria … 2019 is not turning out to be a banner year for beach-going. So why not stay at home […]
Deacon John, “Crowded Shotgun House” (Independent)
Deacon John brilliantly digs into some new territory by recording a couple of tunes by Neil Finn, the leader of the now-defunct Australian band Crowded House, on this cleverly titled, […]
Keith Frank Presents the Soulwood All-Stars Vol. 3, “Legends of the South” (Soulwood Records)
Zydeco boss Keith Frank didn’t record much for a few years, admittedly hitting an artistic drought. But then the floodgates bust open with 2017’s One Night at Cowboy’s and 2018’s […]
NOLA is Calling, “Sewing Machine Effects” (Independent)
If you think the Mardi Gras Indian traditionalists out there were upset when the Wild Magnolias went electric and added funky bass and drums to their hand percussion-based music (way […]
