Buselli/Wallarab Jazz Orchestra The Gennett Suite Patois Please do not dust this off as just another big band/ large ensemble recording. You will likely learn something about the history of music recording in America if you invest a few minutes here. This writer was unaware of the importance of Gennett Records, and the first jazz […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Nelson Blanchard Nelson Blanchard was born on January 13, 1953. At the tender age of 10, he was already a performer in clubs with The Richard Brothers, a popular local group from the Pierre Part, LA area (Nelson’s birthplace). He studied music throughout elementary and high school, […]
Ray Blue #People Jazzheads Ray Blue is a NYC-based tenor saxophonist, who lived in Berlin for a decade, and has a global outlook like few others. On #People he plays in essentially five different contexts, leading his own sextet, leading a similar unit with NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron on piano instead on Blue’s bandmate […]
Pierrick Pédron & Gonzalo Rubalcaba Pédron Rubalcaba Gazebo This is as pure and masterful as music gets – an acoustic duet between the most renowned saxophonist in France, Pierrick Pédron, and one of the most respected pianists of our times, four-time Grammy winner Gonzalo Rubalcaba. You’d never know it by listening that this is the […]
Jan James TimeBomb It has been over thirty years since Jan James released her first album Last Train. That record gained her a rather large fanbase in Europe. With creative partner guitarist Craig Calvert by her side, her latest and twelfth release Time Bomb is drenched with feeling and soul. James’ musical-wheelhouse is centered in American roots, and embraces each petal: R&B, Soul, Country, Rock, […]
Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones Groovin’ at Groove Now Endless Records Recorded live in Switzerland, this is the follow-up recording to “Complicated Mess” on Eller Soul Records. After a short introduction from the band they open with an instrumental including solos from bassist Gohman and saxes played by “Sax” Gordon and Terry Hanck. Deming […]
Tremoloco Curandera Volume 1 Slo Poke Bandleader Tony Zamora has put together and infectious concoction of what he describes as Gulf Coast, Country, and Mexican music on Curandera Volume 1, and album recorded in two different studios involving seven engineers, and a collective of seventeen musicians who augment the core trio of multi-instrumentalist and lead […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Lady J Huston Lady J Huston is respected as one of the most spectacular entertainers on the music scene! She is renowned for her captivating vocals, trumpet and mesmerizing stage presence.Lady J toured as Music Director with Blues legend, Albert King performing on shows with greats […]
Boo Boo Davis Boo Boo Boogaloo At almost eighty years old, St. Louis bluesman James ‘Boo Boo’ Davis is still busy creating some of the most authentic blues being recorded today. Born in Drew, Mississippi in 1943, Davis grew up being surrounded by music, playing drums in a family band. In 1972, he landed an eighteen-year-long gig playing weekends at Tabby’s Red Room in East St. Louis. In 1999, Davis cut […]
Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Stone James of the Dead Show Dealers Stone James is no stranger to this show , unfortunately on this occasion we are speaking about the tragic events that robbed the world and friends and family of the Late Robert Wilson guitarist and band member of The […]
Ryan Meagher AftEarth Atroefy This writer has seen several integrated, cross-media projects recently. In fact, pianist Yelena Eckemoff issued one recently which you may have seen on these pages. Often musicians pair their songs with videos, though not usually for an entire album. In short, most multi-media projects are two dimensional. Enter Portland-based jazz guitarist/composer […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with The Dilly Dally Alley Dilly was formed with the intent of eternally seeking out the perfect groove, as well as repairing and re-embodying communal spaces that dissolved from the pandemic. The tunes from Make You Whole are meant to be interacted with live. Crowd games and […]
The Cowboy Junkies Such Ferocious Beauty Cooking Vinyl Such Ferocious Beauty is the third album of new material since The Cowboy Junkies returned from a six-year hiatus in 2018. Over a 35-year career, the band has released 29 albums and were doing this roots-Americana thing before people were even thinking in those terms. The original […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Willie West Willie West is one of the original Soul and Blues men. He was born Millard Leon West on December 8, 1941 in Raceland, Louisiana, a stone’s throw from New Orleans. He started singing at 15 when he and his cousins formed a band they […]
Dara Starr Tucker Dara Starr Tucker Green Hill Music That same Philadelphia-based Dara Tucker we covered on her 2021 Dreams of Waking: Music for a Better World (Green Hill) now releases the eponymous Dara Starr Tucker, her sixth album. As we pointed out last time, Dara Starr Tucker is a jazz/roots singer, notably contributing to […]
Jan Cronin I Thought About You Scootermusic Jan Cronin is a versatile vocalist who has performed in several genres, found success in pop/rock and blues, but has long desired to sing a collection of the Great American Songbook which she does here on the beyond intimate I Thought About You. Cronin’s album is deeply personal […]
Tracy Nelson Life Don’t Miss Nobody BMG Ms. “Mother Earth” may have taken a long break, but she sure hasn’t missed a beat. Tracy Nelson celebrates her calling with Life Don’t Miss Nobody, her first new album since 2011’s Victim of the Blues. Nelson began recording acoustic blues in 1965 in her hometown Madison, […]
Gaye Adegbalola Satisfied An Anthology Vizztone lable Group Gaye Adegbalola was a member of “Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women” from 1984 thru 2009. The Anthology includes selections from her nine solo projects. Songs include the classic blues of Ma Rainey “Prove It On Me” and “Jelly Bean Blues”. Born Gaye Todd, Adegbalola, got her […]
Dean Zucchero Electric Church for the Spiritually Misguided Originally from New York City’s East Village, Dean Zucchero now calls New Orleans his home. I first became aware of him through his work through the music of Ghalia Volt. I had reviewed two of her albums, and Zucchero had made a big impression on me with his performance on bass guitar. His debut album Electric […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Erika Olson Erika Olson, an American Expat, raises babies and write songs in the high weald of East Sussex. Erika combines vulnerable vocals, contemporary storytelling, and musical influences spanning indie, folk, country, blues, Americana and pop. When pressed to describe her music, Erika likes to call […]
Nick Schnebelen What Key is Trouble in Vizztone I’ve been a fan of Nick Schnebelen’s work for twelve years. His guitar mastery and song-writing make for some exciting electric blues. Schnebelen’s fourth album for Vizztone What Key is Trouble In was co-produced by BMA winner Chris Hardwick, featuring Nick being backed by drummer Adam Hagerman, and bassist Cliff Moore. Guest appearances from keyboardist Red Young, saxophonist Buddy Leach, and organist Aaron Mayfield lend […]
Brandon Seabrook and Epic Proportions brutalovechamp Pyroclastic Venture in at your own peril. Only truly adventurous and open-minded musical listeners could appreciate, not necessarily understand or even endorse but willing to take the bumpy ride offered by guitarist and banjoist Brandon Seabrook, one whose music lives on the edges. His is a mashup of punk, jazz, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with Jaime Kyle Before Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert, there was Jaime Kyle. Jaime was the first female rock artist to be signed to a major record deal out of Nashville. Her albums “The Passionate Kind” (Atco/Atlantic), “Back from Hollywood” (Now and Then, England) […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Johnny King Johnny King and Blues Legend Tony (TC) Coleman embarked on a musical endeavor to capture King’s catalog in its entirety. They discovered Skip Brown’s Final Tracks Studios in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, and started making musical history all over again! The Multi-Disk Project has grown […]
Eric Bibb Ridin Ridin’ the follow-up album to Eric Bibb’s award-winning Dear America continues to captivate me on a myriad of levels. His lyrical prowess and instrumental finesse are indeed a powerful combination. Ridin’ contains fifteen tracks, and an impressive list of guest musicians consisting of Taj Mahal, Jontavious Willis, Russell Malone, Amar Sundy, Harrison Kennedy and Habib Koite. I knew I was in for a treat as soon as […]
Jeff Beck Tribute Atco Released just in time for this week’s star-studded Royal Albert Hall concerts in honor of Jeff Beck, this Tribute EP serves as a tiny, tasty appetizer of what the late, groundbreaking guitarist was capable of. Everyone knows the name Jeff Beck for a reason. Organized by Eric Clapton, the shows […]
Michael Blake Dance of the Mystic Bliss P&M Michael Blake, a major force in the NYC creative music scene, is a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who assembled a new ensemble, Chroma Nova, for this album of original pieces, Dance of the Mystic Bliss. As the band name suggests, these instruments and players produce a varied […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Brad “Guitar” Wilson Cali Bee Music is excited to announce that Brad “Guitar” Wilson released his new album, Lovers Before Sunrise, on April 7, 2023. Produced by Quincy Jones’ engineer and Grammy-award winning producer Francis Buckley, with radio and publicity handled by the very successful and world renown […]
Fenton Robinson Somebody Loan Me a Dime Alligator Records Fenton Robinson first recorded his now-classic blues “Somebody Loan Me a Dime” in 1967, releasing it on one of the dozen or so singles he began cutting ten years earlier. Two years later, Boz Scaggs recorded the song for his self-titled debut album. Scaggs’ version […]
Mark Ciprut Blue House White Label New York-based guitarist and composer Mark Ciprut finds a sweet spot between electric blues, classic organ trio, and jazz-fusion sounds on Blue House, co-produced with bass legend Jimmy Haslip and drummer Tommi Rautiannen. Both of them play on the record which also boasts notable names in bassist James Genus, […]
Brian McCarthy AFTER|LIFE Truth Revolution Recording Collective Saxophonist/composer Brian McCarthy reconvenes his nonet for AFTER|LIFE, the follow-up to his widely acclaimed 2017 The Better Angels of Our Nature with an entirely different concept and theme. While the predecessor explored the Civil War and its music, this one goes into the outer realms, as he contemplates […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jennifer Lyn On the plains of North Dakota, USA nestled between the tall grass and the open prairie sky sits a recording studio. The sound of overdriven guitars with dueling lead harmonies and classic rock undertones rips through the air followed by vocals that reach you […]
Idle Hands Get a Grip Posi-Tone Jazz enthusiasts will associate the word “Idle” with Grant Green’s classic album Idle Moments and indeed that’s the concept behind the collective, made up of the same instrumentation on Green’s record. Get a Grip is the second installment for the group of musicians who often appear as leaders or […]
Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with Jonny Parry Living and working in Liverpool for a number of years now, he’s ‘living the dream’, playing the Cavern Club and Pub at various times throughout the week. Jonny has had the opportunity to work for many well established tribute bands throughout the years, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jake Pinto Jake Pinto’s eclectic musical story has shaped a charmingly honest solo debut rich in instinctive melodicism and cultured arrangements. To be released by Mother West on March 31, Sad Songs for Happy People is at once confessional and celebratory, marrying timeless songsmith instincts and […]
Joannie Pallatto Accidental Melody Southport Readers of these pages may be familiar with Joannie Pallatto by name, if not by music, as she and her husband Bradley Parker-Sparrow are the co-owners of Southport Records, and prime movers behind the recent surge of recordings and support for ninety plus year old blues/jazz guitarist George Freeman, a […]
Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke Lean In Edition Although the duo of vocalist-arranger Gretchen Parlato and guitarist-vocalist Lionel Loueke have performed together relatively often and have contributed to each other’s projects, Lean In is their inaugural recording. Written during the pandemic on two different continents, the project evolved between Luxembourg and Los Angeles, where the two respectively reside. […]
Robert Ellis Yesterday’s News Niles City After a string of five strong and truly varied albums for New West, Texas troubadour, the enigmatic Robert Ellis issues his first album, the richly intimate Yesterday’s News on his own label, Niles City Records. This writer once heard an artist state that every album should be different from […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jimmy Bratcher Bratcher’s passion for raw-but-exacting electric guitar sounds began in the ’60s when he fell under the spell of Eric Clapton, his first six-string hero. As a kid, Bratcher developed eclectic taste, culled from his large musical family, who would have sprawling jam sessions at […]
Joe Farnsworth In What Direction Are You Headed? Smoke Sessions In What Direction Are You Headed? is the third album as a leader on Smoke Sessions for “ Time to Swing,” drummer Joe Farnsworth. He has built his reputation as one of the best straight-ahead drummers in jazz for the likes of Wynton Marsalis, George […]
Lady J Huston Groove Me Baby Earwig/Unisun Productions Lady J Huston (pronounced like the city Houston) is a well-decorated though sparsely recorded woman who sings, writes, plays trumpet and flugelhorn, arranges, and produces. She has a Music Theory/Composition major from Howard University and at one point was the musical director for Albert King’s band. Her […]
Pat McDougall In the Key of Sorry Self-released Keyboardist, vocalist, and masterful songwriter Pat McDougall teams with co-producer Jimi Bott for his dozen originals on In the Key of Sorry. McDougall impresses this writer as the best blues lyricist today apart from Derrick Procell. Yes, McDougall has a gift for songwriting, especially in breakup songs, […]
Dominic Miller Vagabond ECM Guitarist Dominic Miller, a longtime member of Sting’s band, releases his third album as a leader for ECM as he fronts a quartet. His co-conspirators are pianist Jacob Karlzon, bassist Nicolas Fiszman, and drummer Ziv Ravitz. (More on them later). Miller’s first album, Silent Light (2017) was a solo venture and […]
Lil’ Jimmy Reed with Ben Levin Back to Baton Rouge NOLA Blue Pianist Ben Levin cut his fifth album last year while still attending his hometown University of Cincinnati. Guests on Take Your Time included Chicago blues luminaries Lil’ Ed Williams, Bob Stroger, and Rockin’ Johnny Burgin. Lil’ Jimmy Reed, one of the elder statesmen […]
Benny Green Solo Sunnyside The great pianist and Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers alum Benny Green has forged an excellent career in the decades since whether leading a trio or occasionally as a solo pianist. The pandemic inspired Green to pursue the solo route once again as he does here on Solo, his first […]
Pilc-Moutin-Hoenig YOU Are the Song Justin Time When we last visited pianist Jean-Michel Pilc it was for his energetic 2022 trio album, Alive, recorded in Montreal with bassist Remi-Jean LeBlanc and drummer Jim Doxas. While YOU Are the Song is also a piano trio album, the cast has changed and so has the timbre of […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Deb Callahan Philly’s blues and soul drenched singer and songwriter Deb Callahan recently celebrated the March 2023 release of her 6th studio album “Backbone”! The album consists of 12 songs including 10 original new tunes and recently charted #2 for the Roots Music Report Top 50 […]
Alabama Mike Stuff I’ve Been Through Little Village Blues fans should recognize the name of blues vocalist Alabama Mike, as he has guested on Little Village and other label recordings in recent years. Nonetheless, for many, Stuff I’ve Been Through, his fourth album, may well be his coming out party. Despite the “Alabama” moniker, (Mike […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Billy Evanochko of Billy the Kid and the Regulators Billy the Kid and The Regulators are a high powered, guitar driven, rhythm and blues band based in Pittsburgh. Lead singer Billy Evanochko is widely-known across the Steel City for his impassioned lyrics, seductive vocals, and […]
Dorian and Nayanna Holley DNA Ropeadope Sometimes it’s just refreshing to hear an album of familiar tunes, rendered by unfamiliar artists who put their own special stamp on the tunes. This is the case for the father-daughter team of Dorian and Nayanna Holley. Dorian was a backup singer for Michael Jackson and was the musical […]
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