MUSIC
NEWS & NOTES SPOTLIGHT
JUNE
2010 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
20/20 MUSIC - Gifted multi-instrumentalist and rock music conceptualist,
Saul Zonana grew up a little from where I live now, in Bayside
to be exact. Moving slightly upstate N.Y. to record a couple mini-masterpiece
albums, especially 2007’s Love Over Money, Saul now lives
in the good old red state capital of Nashville, “T” for
Tennessee. After his underrated 2008 Blue Monkey album, Saul
is back up to his old tricks with the 2010 eclectic pop-rock fare
of his latest incarnation, Phatso. Saul always
cites prog-rock wunderkind and current Nashville neighbor Adrian Belew
as a musical hero and, as such fans of Belew’s eclectic Beatle-esque
pop brews will dig the groovy, swinging sounds and easy on the ear
hooks of Phatso. There’s even a touch of country on a
Phatso track or two, making Saul officially one of Nashville’s
hippest city slickers. Produced by Zonana, the twelve track
Phatso features Zonana’s guitars, synths, vocals and songs
backed up by some top session cats like Rob Arthur (keys),
Gordon Kennedy (guitars), Teddy Kumpel (electric guitar,
mando guitar) and Shawn Fichter (drums, percussion). When firing
on all cylinders, as he is on Phatso, Saul Zonana is an effective
pop-rock super-hero worth visiting with time and time again. www.SaulZonana.com
ARCHER RECORDS - Returning to the pop world after too many years,
producer genius Don Dixon worked with singer-songwriter Sid
Selvidge on the 2010 CD release of I Should Be Blue.
Released on the Memphis based Archer Records, the twelve track
CD features a mix of Sid’s breezy, easy on the ears rock and
roll originals, joined together by Dixon’s legendary production
skills and overall attention to sonic perfection. Recorded on magnetic
tape at Music + Arts Studio in Memphis, I Should Be Blue features
a range of top players enhancing Sid’s tracks, including Dixon
himself on bass guitars, Steve Selvidge on electric guitars,
backing vocals from Amy Speace and Paul “Snowflake”
Taylor on drums. Amid the Selvidge originals are some well done
covers, including warmly rendered covers of Donovan’s “Catch
The Wind” and Fred Neil’s evergreen “The Dolphins”—featuring
both tracks delivered with an uncanny sense of musical devotion, warmth
and intelligence. It’s been a while since Don Dixon produced
those first three groundbreaking Marti Jones albums for A&M and
with this release, it's gratifying to know Don hasn’t lost any
of his aptitude for being able to help extract more recording greatness
from clearly gifted pop artists such as Sid Selvidge. www.Archer-Records.com
BEAST MUSIC - No matter what your color is, what your language
is, your creed, your sex, whatever—the blues knows no borders
or boundaries. Case in point is Free Blues, the
2010 CD from Brazilian blues guitarist / singer-songwriter Nuno
Mindelis. While the 20th 
century
blues rock phenomenon may have started with Clapton joining John Mayall
back in the mid ‘60s, the sound just continues to grow into the
21st century. Who knew Brazil was a hot spot for blues-rock but Nuno
proves the skeptics wrong with the twelve track Free Blues. Kicking
off with the Rory Gallagher classic “Messin’ With The Kid,”
Nuno goes from good to better to best on an album that mixes blues
and rock classics from the pens of Rory Gallagher, George Harrison,
B.B. King, Dave Mason and more while kicking in a few of his own songs.
Both as a guitarist and singer, Nuno is sort of reminiscent of Clapton
while his low key, understated and bluesy singing style is sort of
a reminder of a modern J.J. Cale. The CD is great and with it’s
mix of classic bluesy rock and tasteful guitar work, Free Blues
will have you coming back for more. Some fine players assist Nuno
but the spotlight is right on Nuno’s guitar and vocals. www.CDBaby.com
/ www.myspace.com/NunoMindelis
CONCORD MUSIC GROUP - Featuring a sizzling live combo cranking
out a combustible mix of high octane soul, rock, R&B and even
gospel 
based
sounds, Live At The Ryman captures guitar slinger Jonny
Lang live in Nashville during the summer of 2008. Commenting on his
first live set, Lang adds, ‘I’ve wanted to do a live record
for a long time, because I feel like our band is strongest in the
live setting and an accurate reference for people who haven’t
seen us yet.’ With his five piece band spotlighting top players
like guitarist/vocalist Sonny Thompson and more, the CD is
quite impressive and offers a pretty darn accurate appraisal of Lang’s
compelling and electrifying, genre crossing rock and roll stage show.
www.concordmusicgroup.com
DAE
VAN MUSIC -
Singer songwriter / guitarist Rebecca Rippy is currently being
described as a seasoned, more mature sounding singer-songwriter in
the spirit of Taylor Swift. We’ll, perhaps more introspective
and less overtly image conscious than Taylor might 
be
a more valid description. Anyway, there’s a pretty cool country
style pop-rock groove in play on Rippy’s 2009 CD, her second
solo release entitled Telling Stories. To help
execute her sound, Ms. Rippy has enlisted support from a number of
top players, including electric guitarist Douglas Barnhill and
the album’s producer Jamie Hoover, who also picks up bass
chores here. Renowned for his impeccable work in the band the Spongetones,
Hoover is a bona fide musical hero with American pop fans, and clearly
some of his studio savvy has apparently rubbed off on Rippy’s
latest release. Even though it’s primarily built around a breezy
sort of songwriter vibe, some of the tracks here—”I’m
Leaving” and especially track eight, the way cool “Time”,
which is very kind of Spongetones / Marti Jones inspired—picks
up the pace and lets her music cut loose and rock out a bit more.
All in all, Rippy’s Telling Stories is a fine choice for
country rock / pop listeners. Extra credit here for the fine production
work of Hoover and the exemplary CD design and packaging. Her next
album, her third, will be a much anticipated release. www.rebeccarippy.com
DECCA
RECORDS - Having worked with Ricky Martin and Sergio Mendes, singer-songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist Debi Nova is making waves with the
2010 Decca Records CD release of Luna Nueva. A
mix of Latin rhythms and Anglo pop smarts, the Luna Nueva album
tastefully crosses over from World Beat style dance grooves to a more
straight ahead pop as evidenced by, say on track two, “We Were
Young.” Performing piano, guitar, bass and more, Ms. Nova combines
a colorful hybrid pop sound that she often refers to as ‘Spanglish’
while adding, ‘The idea of singing in both English and Spanish
on the album wasn’t planned. I found myself naturally blending
the two because it’s something I do every day.’ Working
with a range of high profile producers, Ms. Nova strikes a chord for
World Beat pop with the colorful grooves on Luna Nueva. Another
new diva recently signed and released on Decca, NYC singer-songwriter
Nikki Yanofsky rises to the fore with her 2010 CD simply called
Nikki. On the 13 track Nikki CD, Ms. Yanofsky
serves up fresh versions of jazz classics from the pens of jazz giants
including Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Harold Arlen, while also
blending in some original music, in addition to new covers of Feist,
and even Jimmy Page & Robert Plant. Having already recorded a
tribute to her main influence Ella Fitzgerald, Ms. Yanoksky doesn’t
consider herself primarily a jazz singer adding, ‘I consider
myself an ‘everything’ singer. Jazz is definitely my first
love, but I also love to sing pop, R&B, blues, and everything
else.’ Clearly, Yanofsky’s colorful approach to both jazz
and pop comes into focus on the Decca Records CD release of Nikki.
An artist who needs no introduction to fans of modern pop, Rufus
Wainwright released All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu,
his 2010 Decca Records studio album. Usually a colorful figure known
for his outrageous kind of broadway meets pop and rock approach, Rufus
is in a pretty sobering mood for his latest release. A solo album
in every sense of the word, Songs For Lulu was written and
produced by Rufus and Pierre Marchand, who also mixed the album.
Commenting on the fact that the album was one of the most difficult
things he’s ever done, Rufus adds, ‘With this album, when
the curtain is raised, it’s me on my own.’ Fans who catch
the early pressings of the Songs For Lulu release will be amazed
by the ultra cool black vinyl look of the CD pressing. www.DeccaRecords-US.com
NEW FOLK RECORDS - One of the best releases from the vaults of
the Minnesota based New Folk Records is a fitting compilation from
the rock meets instrumental band Lehto & Wright entitled
Between The Jigs And The Reels. Described in
the CD liner notes as 
an
all instrumental compilation featuring previously released and unreleased
recordings, the twelve track set features some rocking electric guitar
as well as acoustic guitar work from Steve Lehto with bass
handled by his partner John Wright. The band smokes their way
through a number of instrumental rock cuts recorded between 1999 and
2006 put together for this compilation. Although the vibe is almost
Celtic rock in places, the group sounds somewhat inspired (at least
to the ears of this writer) by Swedish folk fusion guitarist Kenny
Håkansson, who worked with space music pioneer Bo Hansson. More
mainstream influences here include U.K. rock bands like Steeleye Span
and Jethro Tull, albeit in an instrumental kind of rock meets folk-jazz
meets Celtic setting. The cover art is great while track by track
credits provide some kind of backdrop to this most unusual instrumental
collection. For an up to date check up on what Lehto & Wright
are up to in 2010, take a listen to their latest, a double disc release
called Children’s Songs, also released on
New Folk. More rock than their instrumental collection on New Folk,
the double CD/DVD set kicks off with a very rocking track called “Wasn’t
That A Time” and the CD goes on to feature several cuts, including
the 32 minute “Children’s Songs” title track. Recorded
in Minnesota, the CD features guitarist Steve Lehto and bassist John
Wright backed up in the studio bass with drummer Matt Jacobs.
With Children’s Songs, L&W continues on with their
modern approach to merging instrumental and vocal folk and rock. In
fact one of the tracks here, “The Broomfield Hill” is borrowed
from the version arranged by esteemed U.K. folk-jazzers Martin Carthy
and Dave Swarbrick of Steeleye Span. Again, Tull is a good reference
point in various places on this very hot mix of rock, and electrifying
folk-rock guitar-centric sounds. As for the second half of this double
set, the DVD half of Children’s Songs features a good
mix of interview segments and live performance footage that makes
for an up close and personal look at the unique sound of this instrumental
/ rock band. www.LehtoAndWright.com
/ www.NewFolkRecords.com
NUTONE
MUSIC - There’s something childlike and innocent in the music
of singer-songwriter Donna DeLory, who explores her sound and
vision to the max on the 2009 CD release of Sanctuary.
Inspired by her love of Indian and World Beat music—and specifically
Sanskrit mantras and healing guru Joseph Campbell—for the 2009
release of Sanctuary, Ms. DeLory teams with some guest players
including Bowie guitarist Gerry Leonard, drummer Dave Allen
and many more. Truly mystical and ethereal in places, Sanctuary
follows her recent releases The Sky Is Open and The
Lover & The Beloved. For those just hearing her for the first
time, you can file Donna DeLory’s music under spiritual / New
Age vocal. DeLory rose to fame as a back-up singer and dancer for
Madonna—from 1987 to 2006—and minus the material girl’s
over-saturation of endless dance beats, DeLory’s voice even sounds
a bit like Madonna too, though on record she's way more harmonious.
Commenting on her music she claims, ‘Playing music is my yoga,
it is my bliss.’ Finding the inner light through writing, singing
and recording her own unique blend of spiritual / devotional music
on the superbly recorded Sanctuary, Ms. DeLory is primed to
stake out a unique place in the hearts and minds of adventurous music
lovers worldwide. Check her out on the 2010 Lilith Fair tour. www.DonnaDelory.com
ODDS ON RECORDS - The Bee Gees are dormant and Paul McCartney
doesn’t really write silly loves songs anymore, so why not lighten
up with the new Air Supply album called Mumbo Jumbo.
Still featuring early members Graham Russell and Russell
Hitchcock, the fourteen cut CD is the first new album from Air
Supply in eight years. In the nostalgic spirit of late period Bee
Gees, the Mumbo Jumbo album kind of takes off in a kind of
positive torch song / dance pop spirit that Air Supply are renowned
for. 
Recorded
at Graham Russell’s home studio in Utah, and mixed by one time
Pink Floyd comrade Sean O’Dwyer, Mumbo Jumbo finds
the roomy pop sound of Russell and Hitchcock backed up by a number
of electric guitarists and a big drum sound, along with the keyboards
of Russell and string arrangements of Frankie Moreno. Commenting
on the impressive history of Air Supply, lead singer Russell Hitchcock
adds, ‘We had twelve songs recorded for the album, which to me
seemed like plenty, but Graham came to me with two more he wanted
to record, and I had an equally positive reaction to those. When he
said, okay, now we have everything we need, I knew instinctively that
we had a finished project. We’ve been around nearly 40 years
and are not only holding our own out there but firmly believe, with
albums like Mumbo Jumbo, that our best days are still ahead
of us.” Long time fans will dig it and those who missed it the
first time around can catch up on the timeless big pop sound of Air
Supply with the 2010 CD release of Mumbo Jumbo. The CD is quite
well recorded and the packaging complete with imaginative CD booklet
design. www.AirSupplyMusic.com
PLANNED EFFERVESCENCE - Syracuse, New York native Maura Kennedy
steps into the pop spotlight with the release of her 2010 solo
album Parade Of Echoes. The 13 cut CD captures
all the warmth and excitement of her work with her band The Kennedys
and then some. Handling all the vocals, acoustic guitars, electric
guitars, lead guitar solos, bass, drums and more (whew!), Maura gets
some back up here and there by her partner in The Kennedys, Pete
Kennedy, who adds guitars solos and drums on a few cuts here.
Also on hand is drummer Tommy Allen, who plays on a couple
tracks in addition to Rocky Roberts, who adds lap steel on
a track too. The CD is really well packaged and the studio sound—featuring
Maura producing and mixing—is top notch. Some of Parade Of
Echoes might be categorized as folk-rock or even country and western
but clearly with so many great pop hooks and impressive guitar solos
at hand, this is a very notable pop-rock effort. Track two here “New
Way To Live” would make a great single and is one of the catchiest,
most upbeat tracks of the 21st century. www.MauraKennedy.com
PYNOTIC - Although they haven’t released a lot of albums
over the years, The Rubinoos nonetheless have cultivated kind
of a grass roots fan base since ‘70s era recordings. I mean these
guys were on The Dick Clark Show back in the ‘70s and had albums
produced for them by Todd Rundgren and Kevin Gilbert! There was a
2007 3 CD set released entitled Everything You Always Wanted To
Know 
About
The Rubinoos and following a Japanese double CD set and a 2009
Spain release called Hodge Podge, The Rubinoos are back with
a new Stateside CD release that features all their quirky pop resolute
on an album they've geared for younger fans too. In fact, I was thinking
their new album reminded me kind of grown up version of The Archies
even before I heard the CD closing cover of “Sugar Sugar”,
the Archies’ standard from the early ‘70s! Still featuring
founding Rubinoos members singer/guitarists Tommy Dunbar and
Jon Rubin, 2010 release of Biff-Boff-Boing! covers
a wealth of pop and feels moods—from ‘50s sock hop sounds
to Brian Wilson’s colorful California flavored pop bent to a
mid late ‘60s pop eclectic that yielded the formation of prefabricated
pop sensations like The Archies and even The Monkees. The CD closing
cover of the Archies’ “Sugar Sugar” is great as is
a cover of the John Entwistle classic with The Who, “Boris The
Spider,” with The Rubinoos joined by singer Susie Davis.
The Rubinoos are a pop wunderkind and as they prove on Biff-Boff-Boing!
they can cover anything and everything and make it sound cool.
The cover art of Biff-Boff-Boing! is a real hoot too, recharging
the musical atmosphere with some of the excitement from back in the
‘60s, when the answer really was out there somewhere around the
dial. www.rubinoos.com
STARK RAVEN RECORDS - A legend of the American music scene,
singer-songwriter and keyboardist Suzi Ragsdale earned a stellar
reputation singing backup for almost everyone, including a ton of
classic singer-songwriters like Tom Paxton, Randy Travis, Darrell
Scott, rock twins Nelson, Hank Williams Jr. and more. At 5 she sang
backup for country music superstar Ray Stevens on his amazing “Everything
Is Beautiful” hit! Fans just tuning in to Suzi’s music can
rejoice with the 2010 double CD release of Best Regards backed
here with Less Of The Same. Some top players
assist Suzi’s countrified rock and roll sound including pedal
steel / slide guitar ace Dan Dugmore, Jerry McPherson (slide
guitar), producer Tim Lauer (acoustic guitar, keyboards). Essentially
two albums on two CDs combined in one superb and specially packaged
release, Best Regards / Less Of The Same is a great introduction
to Ms. Ragsdale’s, rocking yet countrified sound. www.SuziRagsdale.com
WHAMMO RECORDS - With groups like The Who and the Kinks as musical
signposts through the years, England has an illustrious pop past and
one current U.K. group carrying on the spirit of the ‘60s is
Spygenius. Having released Songs From The Devil’s Typist
a couple years back, singer-songwriter Peter Watts and
company make an even stronger showing with their 2010 CD Red
Lounge. First off, that bizarre cover art looks just
like my late great cat Rudy, that’s a big old Maine Coon cat
for sure! Modern influences like XTC and Glenn Tilbrooke abound throughout
the album and Watts sometimes comes across like young Ray Davies joining
up with Crosby & Nash on a bunch of uptempo and moody mod rockers.
The harmonies are great and a bunch of gifted backing musicians help
Watts flesh out his Spygenius pop imagery. Whatever you think of this
groovy pop-rock pastiche, at least you can say that it’s decidedly
British! www.Spygenius.co.uk
JIM WOLF MUSIC - Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jim Wolf
strikes a blow for high quality pop-rock sounds in the 21st century
with the 2010 CD release of Sleeping With Strangers.
With Wolf singing his own tracks and playing guitar and synth,
he gets 
further
backing from a fine band of players including Rob Maresca on
electric lead guitars. There’s a fine sonic sheen to Wolf’s
tracks which includes his myriad of influences—from mid ‘70s
Fleetwood Mac and ELO to Chicago and John Mayer—even though the
whole is often more rewarding than just the sum of his parts. Commenting
on bringing his big pop sound into the groove of the urban jungle
of New York, Wolf adds, ‘Living in Brooklyn has been so incredibly
amazing. I live in an artist community and everyone here is an artist.
The people in this community have taught me how to be more of a risk
taker and that’s really helped me grow as a musician.’ His
label people say that Sleeping With Strangers is now set for
release on August 17, 2010 so try to track it down as soon as you
can. www.JimWolf.com
INSTRUMENTAL
BLUE
CANOE RECORDS - Commenting in the liner for his 2010 CD release
To Africa With Love, bass guitarist Joseph
Patrick Moore states, ‘Music has no boundaries and cannot
be separated by oceans, governments and principalities. Music has
the power to 
uplift,
connect, heal and create universal harmony for the human race.’
Performing electric/fretless/double bass, loops, beats, keys, pads,
strings, synth bass, bells and acoustic guitars (whew!), Moore gets
a ton of valuable help on his CD from top players like guitarist Brian
Carl, Wayne Viar (drums), Tyrone Jackson (keyboards)
and more. Recorded between June 2008 through it’s completion
on February 11, 2010, To Africa With Love is a magical combination
of Moore’s African musical inspirations with his own American
music heritage. The original compositions, arrangements and production
are offered as Moore’s own kind of personal audio diary of his
musical and spiritual state of mind. Some of the tracks are vocals,
featuring a kind of African/American influenced sound, while others
offer a solid combination of cool jazzy instro fusion with worldly
New Age vibes, case in point being the excellent sound and vision
of track seven and eight respectively, “Stained Glass Aura”
and “Bumpy Ride,” which sounds like Hank Marvin on safari!
All in all—from the excellent CD sound and packaging—To
Africa With Love is one musical expedition worth taking, plus
you don’t have to leave your living room! www.BlueCanoeRecords.com
CRESCENT
RECORDS - Oregon based acoustic guitar guy Don Latarski is
what players usually refer to as a musician’s musician. Having
shared stages with top players like Mason Williams, Bobby McFerrin
and more, Latarski is also the head of guitar studies at the University
of Oregon. I first heard Don’s unique approach to solo guitar
work on his brilliant 2004 CD Fab 4 On 6, which, along with
it’s subsequent volume two follow up is an acoustic guitar tribute
to the music of The Beatles. Several more albums were released—including
a 2006 trio CD called Rue D’Acoustic recorded with
a trio Don worked with from 1993 to 2006—and then in 2010 
mwe3.com
got back in touch with Don, just in time for the review of his latest
solo album entitled Acoustica Funkus. Kicking
off with one of my favorite songs of all time—the jazz classic
”Watermelon Man”, written by genius jazzer Herbie Hancock—the
ten track Acoustica Funkus is Don’s self-styled tribute
to funk and bluegrass with a favorable nod to Motown. As a matter
of fact, Don actually covers several other Herbie Hancock tracks here
including “Cantaloupe Island” and “Chameleon.”
Also covered here—along with several Latarski originals are Joe
Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”, a Miles Davis favorite
called “So What”, a Jose Feliciano track called “Affirmation”
and last but not least a funky, solo acoustic take on the Average
White Band’s “Pick Up The Pieces,” a track heard everywhere
back in the mid ‘70s. In lesser hands, this might not have worked
as well but Latarski’s unique blend of acoustic stringed instruments
bring out the inherent percussive natures of these tracks. With string
bass performed by Mark Schneider, Acoustica Funkus features
Don solo, in full flight performing Nashville-tuned guitar, octave
guitar, baritone uke, Collings D1A acoustic guitar, 6 string banjo
and classical guitar. All in all, Acoustica Funkus is a fine
addition to Latarski’s already formidable repertoire and impeccable
musical reputation. www.DonLatarski.com
HOMEFRONT RECORDS - He may look like a man possessed on the front
cover art, but the music inside features a range of beautiful and
impeccably performed Spanish flavored classical guitar music. We’re
talking about The Wild Romantic, the 2010 solo
CD from Australian born / U.K. based classical guitar ace Roland
Chadwick. Although the music sounds like it could have been written
a hundred or two hundred years ago, in fact, Chadwick composed all
the music here to fit the sound of the 2010 CD release. Over the course
of his career, Chadwick has received praise from revered guitarists
like John Renbourn and Tommy Emmanuel and, having recorded with legends
like Steve Vai and famed Jethro Tull drummer Barriemore Barlow, Chadwick
is clearly no new comer to the guitar world. He has a number of classical
based guitar albums on his label and web site but for a glimpse into
just how impeccable and masterful Chadwick is, solo on the nylon string
guitar, look no further than the sublime sounds on the nine track
release of The Wild Romantic. www.RolandChandwick.com
M.A.J. RECORDS - Progressive rock fans will remember the name
Jeff Berlin thanks to his outstanding bass guitar work on the
first solo albums by founding Yes drummer Bill Bruford. It’s
been 30+ years since Berlin’s fantastic playing on Bruford’s
Feels Good To Me but in the intervening years, Berlin continued
on playing, teaching and recording and as his latest solo album points
out, he’s still in great form. Far from the fusion frenzy on
the late ‘70s Bruford group albums, High Standards finds
the bass great in the company of top players including founding Metheny
group drummer Danny Gottlieb and piano ace Richard Drexler.
In a mellow mood, Berlin and his comrades reinvent standards from
the great American songbook including classics from jazz legends like
Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. The ESP and musical chemistry of
these players is pretty remarkable and overall, the instrumental CD
sheds new light on Berlin’s fondness for reinterpreting these
classic standards. Even in this mellow, traditional jazz setting,
Berlin’s bass playing maintains a remarkable presence all its
own and—here coupled with Gottlieb and Drexler—High Standards
adds up to one of the most engaging examples of mainstream, modern
jazz in recent memory. www.JeffBerlinMusic.com
NEW
FOLK RECORDS - One of America’s most innovative guitar-centric
acoustic and instrumental music labels, Minnesota based New Folk have
a number of rewarding album releases in their catalog including a
2009 smooth jazz CD from Steve Miller Band guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis
and a number of titles from guitar rockers Lehto & Wright—a
group that specializes in eclectic instrumental and vocal guitar-centric
rock and folk-jazz. Fitting in perfectly with the eclectic New Folk
musical vision is guitarist Greg Herriges, whose latest CD
is entitled Telluric Currents. On the fourteen
cut CD, Herriges is primarily center stage with his acoustic guitar
while receiving select support from Lehto & Wright’s John
Wright (bass, guitar), Troy Berg (exotic percussion) and
Indian vocals on three cuts from singer Pooja Goswami. With
his album title described as natural electrical currents flowing beneath
the earth’s surface, Herriges combines a number of musical currents—from
Asia and the Middle East infused within the context of his North American
roots—into one cohesive musical trip-tik that covers a vast of
array of World Beat and folk-jazz influences. With the exception of
the three vocals featuring Ms. Goswami, Telluric Currents is
an exotic foray into the land of instrumental music, where boundaries
are meaningless and anything and everything is possible. www.GregHerriges.com
/ www.NewFolkRecords.com
NEW WORLD MUSIC - Introduced to American ears as the guitarist
in the early ‘70s Elton John band, during the period before Davey
Johnstone took over, U.K. bred / California based guitarist Caleb
Quaye is back with a great new 
album
called Out Of The Blue. Most fans of the finest
classic U.K. rock of the ‘70s have heard him play and perhaps
my favorite Caleb Quaye guitar sound was featured on the great Kongos
album by the brillliant and now Arizona-based South African singer-songwriter
John Kongos, whose sons have a great new band called Kongos, by the
way. Years after seemingly falling off the rock radar screen, Caleb
is back with his new guitar based jazz-rock group called the Faculty
and together they’ve done a smashing job on Out Of The Blue.
Although Caleb’s background is rock, on this all instrumental
set he sounds equally inspired by Pat Metheny, Carlos Santana, Dicky
Betts, Stax guitar great Steve Cropper and Phil Upchurch. Clapton’s
funky mid ‘70s sound is another signpost and even Clapton himself
is admittedly a big Caleb fan. With his mastery of the electric guitar
speaking for him, Caleb’s religious devotion rises to the surface
on these sonically sublime instrumental arrangements. Out Of The
Blue should have wide appeal with guitar lovers and jazz fusion
fans. www.NewWorldMusic.org
NOWHERE
QUEST RECORDS - The guitar-based instrumental rock art form is
in fine form on the 2010 release of Door 15 by Little
Muddy. Featuring the fine electric lead guitar work of Rich
Goldstein—ably backed up here by Jeff Obee (bass)
and Mark Abbott (drums)—Little Muddy incorporates both
new music and covers of time honored classics from the pens of John
Barry, Neil Diamond, 
Quincy
Jones, Nino Rota and Don Black & Mark London, the latter two,
the writers of the song classic “To Sir With Love”, one
of the cool cover songs also featured on Door 15. Decked out
with haunting cover art, the CD sounds great and the brilliant mix
of covers and Little Muddy originals clearly makes it of interest
to instrumental rock fans—spanning icons such as Hank Marvin
& The Shadows to modern practitioners like Bill Frisell and others.
Guitar fans can take a look and a listen to Door 15—and
the other fine Little Muddy CDs available on silver disc CD, as well
as available on downloads through iTunes—on the band’s well
designed web site. www.LittleMuddy.com
PETUNIA
RECORDS - Having lived and worked as a guitarist, bandleader,
sideman, composer and educator, NYC based Ethan Mann is making
waves with his 2010 CD It’s All About A Groove.
Featuring the trio of Mann on guitar, recording in the studio
with veteran jazzers Albert “Chip” Crawford (piano
and organ) and Greg Bandy (drums), the eleven cut CD puts together
a winning cross section of instrumental guitar/organ jazz with more
than a nod to giants like Jimmy Smith with Kenny Burrell and even
Steve Cropper with Booker T. Funky grooves, sizzling improv and top
playing. Mann covers a cross section of tracks here, including group
originals and fresh takes on classics from Burt Bacharach, Michel
Legrand and three unexpected covers from the pen of Thom Bell writing
for the repertoire of ‘70s Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics.
A good bet for fans of guitar giants like Montgomery, Burrell, Benson
and Martino, Mann & company brings the sound of vintage instrumental
mainstream jazz up into the here and now with the 2010 release of
It’s All About A Groove. www.EthanMann.com
R.AUSTIN RECORDS - A guitarist on a mission, N.J. based Rich
Tozzoli comes alive on the 2010 release of Rhythm Up.
Featuring Tozzoli firing on all cylinders in the studio, the ten
track Rhythm Up features Tozzoli on both electric lead and
acoustic finger-style guitar tracks, getting primo backup from a number
of players including a round of top drummers in Ray Levier and
Shawn Pelton. Also kicking in fresh energy is engineer and
album co-producer / drummer Vincent Miraglia. Tozzoli’s
sound is clearly instrumental rock based fusion although several of
the acoustic guitar flavored tracks are really atmospheric and the
sonic grandeur of track seven “Palisades Parkway” is a definite
keeper. Fans of stately guitar instrumentals from giants like Hank
Marvin and Sandals fretboard genius John Blakeley should hunt this
CD down. There’s also a good Steve Morse comparison knockin'
around in there. With his nimble fretboard touch, Tozzoli’s calling
card as a top guitarist, producer, mixer, composer and sound designer
is no doubt shaped by his love of the fine guitars and vintage amps
in abundance here. Decked out in fine digi-pak design, the CD sound
is also enhanced by additional string arrangements by David Henry
capped off by mastering at NYC’s fabled Sterling Sound. An amazing
sounding, state of the art sounding instrumental jazz-rock fusion
album that will blow you away, Rhythm Up yields some very positive
musical results indeed. MWE3.com proudly presents Rich
Tozzoli - Guitars Center Stage. www.RichTozzoli.com
SLICK SOUND STUDIOS - Progressive rock fans will flip for the
self-titled 2010 CD from composer / bass player Julie Slick.
Slick has earned her reputation recording and performing in recent
years along side top artists like Eddie Vedder, Stewart Copeland,
Alice Cooper and Jon Anderson of Yes. In 2005, Ms. Slick and her brother,
Eric Slick joined up with Adrian Belew’s power trio and have
so far recorded three albums together. With a very cool assortment
of instrumental prog flavored rock, jazz-rock fusion, avant garde
and even World Beat influences, the fourteen cut Julie Slick has
truly got something for progressive music lovers, across the board.
Tastefully packaged and well recorded, the CD features a number of
guest artists backing up Slick’s eclectic instrumental rock vision
including King Crimson founder Robert Fripp, drummers Pat
Mastelotto and Marco Minnemann—in addition to Slick’s
brother Eric Slick on drums / keys—along with stick man
Michael Bernier and guitarists André Cholmondeley
and Jordan Del Rosario. There’s a solid ‘90s era
Crimson-esque edge in Slick’s edgy, insto rock sound, and that
fact, coupled with the superstar musicians here, makes Ms. Slick’s
CD time well spent for progressive music lovers. www.JulieSlick.com
ZEN
MASTER / ROCKADILLO - In 2007, Finland’s vibraphone
master Arttu Takalo released Dark.Dark.Dark to critcal
acclaim and keeping on the dark side of the music he follows up in
2010 with his latest Rockadillo release The Truth In Dark Phrases.
Arttu featured Finnish guitar ace Marzi Nyman on his ‘07
CD and likewise Marzi makes a showing again on a pair of tracks here,
but dominating the guitar slot this time out is yet another genius
guitarist from Finland, Mikko Kosonen. A number of players
assist and one gets a feeling throughout that the mood is somber,
especially when reflecting back on the November 2008 passing of Finland’s
greatest rock instrumental composer / bass guitarist Pekka Pohjola.
No doubt, Pekka would have liked Arttu’s 2010 CD and yet, it
almost sounds like Arttu is paying a tribute to Pohjola’s groundbreaking
influence on the Finnish sound from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Look
no further for the Pohjola influence permeating the sound here than
track two here, a somber, steady rock instrumental called “I
Wish I Knew.” The influence of classic Finnish rock musicians
such as Pekka Pohjola and Jukka Tolonen is legendary on the recent
generations of Finnish musicians and suffice to say, from the international
perspective of his fans in far away countries, with the release of
The Truth In Dark Places, Arttu Takalo carries on the fascinating
legacy of Finnish instrumental rock. www.rockadillo.fi
REISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
ANGEL
AIR RECORDS - With a massive catalog of great U.K. pop and rock
spanning 40+ years, Angel Air takes the vault plunge and comes up
with Do You Dream? U.K. Pop And Psychedelia 1965-1970.
Culled from the Angel Air catalog, the 21 track CD fits in well
with any number of great U.K. psych-pop vault trips released in recent
years from fellow labels like Sunbeam, Cherry Red and also EMI’s
great look back at '60s pop, the Insane Times comp from 2007.
With so many great ‘60s pop classics to choose from, a few highlights
on the Angel Air CD include new rediscoveries from the vaults of noted
U.K. pop producer Mike Hurst including his ‘67 production
of “Come On Babe” from Double Feature, “Number
One” by Phillip Goodhand-Tait & The Stormsville Shakers,
early music featuring Mick Ronson and his early group The
Treacle and more. Other essential cuts taken from the Angel Air
vaults include music from The Alan Bown, Freedom, Outer
Limits, Family, Atomic Rooster, Phil Cordell,
another Mick Ronson related track here with The Rats and much
more. A fantastic overview of the extensive greatness of the Angel
Air catalog—especially from a ‘60s perspective—Do
You Dream? was expertly compiled by Stefan Granados and
is capped off by some pretty bizarre cover art courtesy of Peter
Lewis. www.AngelAir.co.uk
CONCORD
MUSIC GROUP / FRANK SINATRA ENTERPRISES - A year after
he made a most impressive showing on the Billboard and Cashbox pop
charts with his brilliant ‘60s 
singles—”Strangers
In The Night” and “That’s Life”—music icon
Frank Sinatra teamed with the renowned early '60s Brazilian
composer/guitarist Antonio Carlos Jobim. The resulting Lp—simply
entitled Francis Albert Sinatra / Antonio Carlos Jobim—saw
the chairman of the board in the studio, reinterpreting some of Jobim’s
most sublime bossa nova standards. Although released on Frank’s
own Reprise Records label back in 1967, the album was reissued in
a completely new way in 2010 thanks to Frank’s latest record
deal with the ever growing Concord Records. The twenty track 2010
Concord CD called Francis Albert Sinatra / Antonio Carlos Jobim—The
Complete Reprise Recordings features the original ten track ‘67
album along with seven songs from a planned, but never released, second
Sinatra / Jobim album along with three unreleased tracks. As evidenced
by this historic album, the recordings from January 30, 1967 through
February 1, 1967 featured Sinatra in the company of producer Sonny
Burke and string arranger / conductor Claus Ogerman and
the rest of the orchestra including session guitar great Al Viola.
Two years later, Sinatra and Jobim returned to Western Recorders for
a second album set for release in the Fall of ‘69 but at the
last minute, Sinatra decided to stop the release. Although the tracks
from the second session were later released on the ‘71 Lp Sinatra
& Company, Concord’s CD release of The Complete Reprise
Recordings is the first time all the Sinatra / Jobim tracks have
been compiled on one CD. The new mastering for the 2010 CD is excellent
and period piece photos of Frank and Jobim, from the sessions are
further underscored by in depth January 2010 liner notes from Stan
“Underwood” Cornyn. www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
/ www.Sinatra.com
EAGLE
ENTERTAINMENT - Finally a Doors DVD that fans can be proud
of, well almost. Eagle comes really close with the 2010 DVD release
of When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors.
A film by Tom DiCillo, with narration from genius actor
Johnny Depp, When You’re Strange covers the Doors’
story with a myriad of true to life tales of America along with a
subplot fantasy that really underscores the magic The Doors brought
to rock music starting out in 1967. It’s an accepted fact that
during the late ‘60s The Doors were the greatest and certainly
the most innovative and challenging of all America’s rock bands,
perhaps even more important than The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield.
Throughout this 96 minute DVD, there’s such a brilliant mix of
Doors music—tailored with plenty of music video footage—that
accompanies the various triumphs and tragedies that plagued Morrison’s
haunted sociological / musical visions.
Although he died in Paris at age 27, Morrison’s proved to be
wise beyond his years, and fittingly, DiCillo’s movie impeccably
captures the essence of Morrison’s tortured genius. Additionally,
the DVD is very well packaged with a neat-o movie poster and a DVD
booklet filled with color pics and succinct liner notes from DiCillo,
Depp and exec producer Dick Wolf, who succinctly states here,
‘This film has been a labor of love for everybody involved. It’s
the story a band, but it’s also an insight into a moment out
of time that will never be repeated.’ In fact the only
thing slightly wrong with this excellent film, at least from this
writer’s opinion, is the balance of sound. At least as noticed
while using the speakers on my wide screen DVD TV combo and also my
Apple laptop with built in computer speakers, the narration from Depp
is often lower than the music of The Doors that accompanies the movie
and often follows the narration bits. Even in the touching bonus track
interviews here featuring with Jim’s sister and father—his
dad discussing this for the first time before his own passing is very
moving indeed—when Jim’s father coughs slightly it's much
louder than his spoken word parts. I don’t know if this sounds
better in 5.1 or DTS, but in regular stereo sound when just using
the built in speakers on the computer and TV is slightly irking. Amp
it up a little more next time! Even so, Jim’s father, Admiral
George C. Morrison—who passed away in 2008, nearly 30 years
after his famous son—should be proud of the momentous songs and
one of a kind contributions Jim Morrison and The Doors brought to
rock and roll music all those years ago. Minor quibbles aside (I'll
be using some add on speakers soon enough) the magic of the ‘60s
is expertly brought to light one more time in this brilliant DVD expose
on The Doors. www.TheDoors.com
/ www.WhenYoureStrangeMovie.com
/ www.EagleRockEnt.com
STAX
RECORDS - The premier soul and R&B label in the world, Stax
Records released a fabulous live album from the late, great soul music
icon Otis Redding entitled Live On The Sunset Strip.
Recorded live on April 9 and 10, 1966, the double CD set captures
everything that was brilliant about Redding’s unbelievable ability
to captivate an audience. Featuring three complete live sets, never
available before, Live On Sunset features Redding in peak form
backed by his hot band. Redding’s huge cover of the Stones’
“Satisfaction” was climbing the charts at that point so
the live show captures him at the height of his popularity. The double
CD set also features Otis rocking out on live versions of his all
time biggest hits like “Respect,” “I Can’t Turn
You Loose” and “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.”
Recorded live at the famous Whiskey A Go Go nightclub by famed engineer
Wally Heider, the sound is brilliant, right there in your face.
I can’t think of another live release with this music raw front
and center energy. Redding would attain even greatest heights in the
year that followed—including his huge hits “Dock Of The
Bay” and “Try A Little Tenderness"—yet on December
10, 1967 he tragically perished in a plane crash. Although Stax released
an Lp called, In Person At The Whiskey A Go Go, this first
ever comprehensive release of those historic Whiskey A Go Go shows—Live
On The Sunset Strip—offers the definitive sound of the immortal
Otis Redding live in concert. www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
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