The second single from Steve Porcaro’s second solo album, ‘The Very Day,” brings in Michael McDonald on lead vocals. McDonald, who contributed lead vocals on
Powerhouse saxophonist Ron Blake follows up his critically acclaimed 2023 release, ‘Mistaken Identity’, with a profoundly personal and evocative release, ‘ SCRATCH Band featuring Reuben
The pairing of a multi-instrumentalist/jazz scholar, Colin Hancock, with a multi-Grammy-nominated vocalist, Catherine Russell, is a match made in heaven. Russell, fresh off her 2024
Beto Martinez, guitarist with Brownout, joined Preston Frazier for a Sitdown covering everything from the band’s latest – titled Brown Sabbath Vol. II – to his early musical experiences
Produced by Willie Colón | Released on Fania Records | Reissued by Craft RecordingsHéctor Lavoe’s sixth solo album, El Sabio (“The Wise One”), originally released
The second and final Best Live / Reissues of 2017 honorable mention goes to Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou. Better known as Vangelis, he has already made his
There must be at least two other Richard Thompson box sets, not to mention a greatest hits compilation. This raises the question of whether the
The Miami-based trio Fat Produce and the infectious groove-laden track, “No Way”. The single, out now on F-Spot Records, pairs the funky in-the-pocket drumming of
Steve Howe released at least three releases in 2017, and all of them are great. His second Anthology could have easily been divided into two. At 56
Yes produced their greatest live album ever this year. It’s a remarkable feat, considering this is the first not to feature founding member Chris Squire. Topographic Dramadocuments, in
The Walter Becker-produced original recording from 1985 is already a masterpiece and a gem among China Crisis’ stellar albums. How can you make a great
Craft Recordings continues with its series of essential salsa reissues. “Guisando” by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe is a vibrant and classic album that showcases
BOB DYLAN – TROUBLE NO MORE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES, VOL. 13 1979-1981 (ROCK/FOLK ROCK): A pre-release review of this box set questioned how good this would be. Don’t believe my
Short Cuts: 5 Fleetwood Mac songs by Christine McVie who was born July 12, 1943. 1. “Oh Daddy” – ‘Rumours’ (1977) “Oh Daddy” is one
‘ Waves 7’ stays the course of the Waves series as we enter the dog days of summer. Multitalented producer and guitarist Fernando Perdomo delivers
Maestro Steve Porcaro helped make the holiday weekend extra special by releasing the first single from his upcoming album, ‘The Very Day’. “Miss Jane Sinclair,”
British Prog-Metal multi-instrumentalist Joe Bailey follows up his epic 2023 release ‘Splinters’ with ’Torrential Pain’, which is out now on Reficul Records. Not that Joe
Initially released in 1981, ‘Celia y Willie’ returns remastered and available in high-quality vinyl. The reissue, part of Craft Recordings’ celebration of Cruz’ Centennial is
Projekt Gemineye concludes its single series of releases with the soaring “The Silent Flight”. Mastermind Mark Anthony K ups his keyboard/synth game with expressive patches
Louisiana-born soul-singing sensation Durand Jones got started, long before his debut album Durand Jones and the Indications was even a dream yet, in the church. That laid
Down Under prog rocker Ben Craven has been a favorite of mine since his exquisite 2016 album, ‘Last Chance to Hear’. While Craven has produced
The third of Projekt Gemineye’s single series, “Hold Your Head High,” is full of Gibson SG goodness, which supports the direct, and dare I say,
It seems Projekt Gemineye mastermind Mark Anthony K intends to release four singles in rapid succession from his singles collection. Song #2, “ Rides The
“Force Of Nature”, the first of four non-album cuts to be released by Mark Anthony K’s dynamic Projekt Gemineye, has a familiar yet different feel.
I randomly landed on the Durand Jones song “Now I’m Gone,” recorded live in Boston, when I was shuffling my iPhone and I remembered why
I always have a high level of anticipation for a new Jon Herington release. His Jon Herington group has released excellent record after excellent record.
Champlin (lead vocal), was expecting a big hit from the first single from the album. The #13 showing of the song on the old people…ah,
When Lyle Lovett and His Large Band was released in 1989, it was clear that Lovett, for his third album, wasn’t interested in playing by
– Preston Frazier I have the great pleasure of interviewing producer, guitarist and writer Fernando Perdomo. We last talked in June of 2024 about his
The sixth installment of Fernando Perdomo’s critically acclaimed Waves series picks up where Waves 5 left off, and that’s a good thing. With ten distinctive
City Life, initially released in 1975 and now expanded and remastered, is a defining album by The Blackbyrds, a jazz-funk group formed by trumpeter Donald
Thelonious Monk’s solo piano album Thelonious Himself gets a new life with Craft Recordings’ reissue. The album, part of Craft’s relaunched Original Jazz Classics, features
– Preston Frazier Jaime, Nice to meet you. I’m a fan of your band, Superfonico. This album is your first solo album.
Ben Tweedt and his trio mates, Tom Buckley on drums and Justin Dawson on bass, have cracked the code for delivering a powerful yet nuanced
Jaime Ospina, working with a powerful group of musicians for five days in the Lechehouse Music studios in Buda, Texas, produced a challenging and innovative
Fernando Perdomo’s Wave series of albums keeps coming out, and this month’s release, ‘Waves 5,’ is no exception. It’s another deep dive into the producer,
I know I should quit my bitching. I was excited by the prospect of live recordings from the Steely Dan band featuring Donald Fagen and jazzed
Part of the joy attached to the new reissue of China Crisis’ 1985 album Flaunt the Imperfection is the inclusion of so much bonus material. The expanded
Yes, I love Donald Fagen. Yes, I love The Nightfly, but I’d rather listen to the album that beat it for album of the year, Toto IV.
Former model Rosie Vela jumped into music in a big way here, enlisting Gary Katz as her producer. The result is a release with a
:“The Horses,” written by Rickie Lee Jones and her Flying Cowboys producer, Walter Becker, is one of my favorite songs. But Jones’s fourth LP is
CHINA CRISIS – DIARY OF A HALLOW HORSE (1989): China Crisis always had a knack of obtuse lyrics. When he hooked up with Steely Dan’s Walter Becker for
Hot on the heels of his fantastically insightful book, Steely Dan FAQ comes Anthony Robustelli’s interpretation of Steely Dan songs. If you’ve picked up his book, you’ll
Listening to Ben Craven’s prior album, Last Chance To Hear, nearly endangered my driver’s license. No surprise, then, that the album made my year-end ten list, with its
Evanston, Illinois-based Chris Greene’s music always makes for great road music, and Boundary Issues is no exception. Greene and his long-term band blend stunning new compositions like
I wore out my vinyl copy of this long ago, and never thought Greg Phillinganes’ Pulse would be released on CD and digital. Well, here we are
Southern Pacific’s Killbilly Hill is a vibrant and dynamic blend of country rock that perfectly showcases the band’s tight musicianship and knack for crafting infectious
The fourth installment of Fernando Perdomo’s all-instrumental progressive rock series doesn’t yield any musical surprises. That is a good thing, as the quality of this
Out now on Craft Recordings is Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco’s album Tremendo Caché, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, having been released in
Jazz guitar hero Bobby Broom continues to march forward while also looking back. His ten-song collaboration with the famed Chicago Jazz Orchestra, led by Artistic
The last genuinely new Toto album was released on March 20th, 2015. I’ll admit it left me a little underwhelmed upon its initial release. Upon
Preston : How did the band start? Tom Welch:The band as I guess many have as a project at the start of lockdown during Covid.
I’m doing great. Thank you so much for all that you do, not just for having this chat with me but for all the independent artists that you feature. It’s appreciated to have somebody who takes the time to listen Thoughtfully and ask questions and discuss, and it’s really building the community, and we it’s really
Appreciate it.
In 1998, Dennis was preparing for a tour of the Midwest—I believe it was your first tour with your group. The piano player you had lined up pulled out at the last minute, so you needed a new one.
Bassist Shem von Schroeck had already had an impressive career with gigs with with Kenny Loggins, Don Felder, Steve Perry, Gary Wright and Ambrosia, among many others.
‘I Made It This Far’ is available now as a download and CD. It’s quite a journey. Thank you for your time.
‘My Magical Wonderland’ is this creation of a selection of songs that I wrote, very personal experiences, and it’s my solo album; it came out in 2021, and now it’s coming out again but in a new way in 2025.
‘Reissued on heavy, high-quality vinyl in honor of Craft Latino’s celebration of Celia Cruz’s centennial, ‘Son con Guaguancó’ is a vibrant and rhythmically rich album
March brings us to the third in a series of twelve albums by Fernando Perdomo. The progressive rocker continues to raise the bar in his
“Nothin’ But The Blues (featuring Theresa Needham” is a perfect opening to Terry Blade’s first full studio album since his award-winning 2023 release, ‘Ethos: Son
Deborah Holland is a jack of all trades and the master of several. A member of the musically talented trio The Refugees, Holland, along with
I’m hardly a fan of greatest hits collection. However, the artists and songs on this collection make it worth repeated listening. Fania Records is synonymous
Perhaps guitarist, singer/songwriter, and producer Fernando Perdomo should have slowly ramped up his twelve-album series. ‘Waves,’ released in January 2025, is an inviting and daring
The third release by the Omar Thomas Large Ensemble is just as bold as the group’s last release, ‘We Will Know: An LGBT Civil Rights
Holding Space is a musical collaboration between two musical titans that is long overdue. Wallmann and Mitcheltee have been musical and personal friends for almost
Only Yes’ Billy Sherwood could get me to listen to yet another Christmas album—and only Sherwood could pull off such a strong release with such a diverse group of prog-rock artists.
“This Christmas,” written and originally recorded by soul legend Donny Hathaway in 1970, seems like an unlikely candidate for 2003’s What’s It Gonna Be, Santa?, the expanded version of Chicago XXV.
This statement in no way diminishes Champlin’s vocal chops or his keyboard and organ talent. There are also a few great examples of Champlin’s excellent fretwork with Chicago.
Bill Champlin brings his usual vocal-arranging expertise, stacking his voice with Scheff’s in the background harmonies. The result is a joyous and heartfelt rendition of this holiday classic.
Remember the Audio, and I’m trying to put my finger on the evolution of Monkey House. How would you describe the change from True Winter to Remember the Audio?
Preston Frazier: It’s great speaking with Andrew Synowiec about Recreational Substance , his album with fellow guitarist Oz Noy, which is out on January 17, 2025.
On Track…Crowded House: Every Album, Every Song is more than just a guide; it’s a celebration of Crowded House’s enduring artistry.
Hot off one of the stronger rock albums of 2024, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer Fernando Perdomo released the prog-rock instrumental album ‘Waves.’ Out now and
California-based James Booth and The Return have returned with their first full-length album since Postcards From The New Frontier in 2022. The band continues to
Juan Dhas’ third full album Aether reflects the journeyman’s continued exploration of jazz guitar and continued acumen as a writer and producer. Dhas has released several singles since
East meets West in this joyous live-in-studio recording by two guitar greats. Oz Noy, a New York-based jazz icon, and Andrew Synowiec, a Los Angeles
Emerald City Council boasts members who descend from rock royalty: Vocalist Jake Livgren is nephew of Kansas co-founder Kerry Livgren while drummer Noah Hungate is
Do we need another cover album? When is this well done, This well played, and produced this well played the answer is a resounding YES!
‘’…to be arranged by New Jersey based singer-songwriter the ajjancy is a weird, captivating, and off-kilter collection of mash-ups that will leave you scratching your
PRESTON FRAZIER: My first exposure to your music was the album Catharsis.JUAN DHAS: Yes, my second album, Catharsis, came out in 2018. I moved to Dubai for about a year
Infidelity, bottle-throwing, love and loss swirl around the great album produced by the soon-to-be-divorced duoof Richard and Linda Thompson in November 1981 at Olympic Studios in
I’m pretty sure the vinyl will be in my hands after Christmas, probably after New Year, and probably in January.
New Orleans-based bassist Max Moran brings 10 original songs which combine his formidable jazz chops with a good dose of swampy down-home funk. Max Moran & Neospectric has groove
Yet it’s only a tease a Garfield plans 3 more Outside The Box releases covering contemporary jazz, voice and fusion. If Jazz Outside The Box is any indication, we are in for a treat.
King and Queen by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas; One Night Stand! by Sam Cooke; and (a close sixth) Sweet Touch of Love by Allen Toussaint. Sorry, I had to add one more. These type of questions always get me!
I was unfamiliar with Bogata, Colombia-based jazz guitarist Juan Dhas until a friend mentioned his 2014 debut Embracing Clarity in a post. I was immediately captivated. His just-released
Mi Nuevo Tumbao…Cañonazo by Johnny Pacheco, also known as El Gran Pacheco, is an essential album in the development of salsa music. Released in 1964,
Accomplished song stylist Catherine Russell changes things up just a bit on her April 1, release, Send For Me. Not that the Steely Dan band
‘Canada – Stories and Legends’ is the second 2024 release by Projekt Gemineye. The album takes a thematic turn from ‘What’s On You Mind’. This
Calling trumpeter, composer, producer and bandleader Micheal Leonhart a musical journeyman would be an understatement. Maybe genius is over used in this day and age,
Bassist/composer Marc Piane’s composition “Diver” kicks off PlaySPACE 2: Play Harder, out via Bandcamp on May 6, 2022. It’s an adventurous jump into Chris Greene Quartet’s
Ozomatli bassist Wil-Dog Abers provides his gifted ear as a producer to the debut album of Sonny Singh. Chardi Kala, out on May 13, combines
BenCraven, the best one-person band this side on Lindsey Buckingham, knows something about the art of making albums. Sure, hes a excellent composer and an
One of the delightful elements that jumped out of Walter Becker’s Japanese-only version of “Medical Science” is the undeniably infectious groove. Similar to most of the songs
Thirty-one years seems to be an unusual gap between new music. However, Animal Logic’s unlikely reunion single “Can You Tell Me” makes the wait worth
I mentioned how much I loved the fact that Night On The Town was the first and only proper group album Hornsby did with the
I was purging my hard copies of rock factoid books when I came upon my Pink Floyd section. Saucerful of Secrets by Nicholas Schaffner seemed horribly outdated,
Craft Recordings and Bluesville Records have a series of recent premium 180-gram vinyl and CD/digital releases just out. “Last Night Blues,” featuring the legendary blues
It’s hard to believe that the last studio album the Chris Greene Quartet released was 2017’s ‘Boundary Issues.’ That’s not to say the Chicago area
Projekt Gemineye is never easy listening. The brainchild of conceptionalist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Anthony K is always compelling. The single “Lost Generation” from the forthcoming
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