CD Reviews

Ted Hefko has been honing his skills as a musician for at least two decades, with an apprenticeship of several years in New Orleans. On his new CD, Down Below, the singer, guitar slinger, songwriter, and sax player, along with his modestly prosperous band, the Thousandaires, dips into the well-dipped-into wellsprings of American pop, southern […]

Jazz Words is the seventh CD release from Chicago-based pianist Steve Million, which includes eight original tracks featuring vocalist Sarah Marie Young to accommodate his lyrics along with a solid rhythm section of John Sims on bass, Juan Pastor on drums, and the musically mercurial Jim Gailloreto on sax and flute. It’s an eclectic compositional […]

Nicole Henry is a rare talent. She deftly combines jazz, pop sensibilities, and soul, all with an informed sense of the traditions of Broadway and the Great American Songbook. The eastern Pennsylvania native has established herself as one of the leaders among the young singers now interpreting standards and classic tunes, performing thousands of concerts […]

It’s been 15 years since Grand Canyon Sundown released their self-titled album in 2007. Fast forward to their December 2021 release of Saudade, 13 original tracks of Americana-flavored tunes, all written and sung by Paul Cruz and Jason Postelnek on various tracks. The album is dedicated to David R. Morgan, who passed away recently but […]

Outside of Jeff Beck, it’s hard to think of a guitarist who’s kept exploring new musical ground into his seventh decade as thoroughly as Tommy Castro. His new album, Tommy Castro Presents: A Bluesman Came to Town, is organized as a concept album tracing the life and career path of a young blues musician. Beyond […]

From the 1920s old-timey, barroom vibe of the title track that opens the disk, through the other nine original tunes on Inside Out, the attitude of the band is retro. Jackslacks have developed a sound that draws on, to varying degrees, Americana, country, rockabilly, folk, and old-style rock ‘n’ roll. On Inside Out you can […]

We’ve all been advised to never judge a book by its cover. For that matter, you can extend that dictum to include titles as well, (although I have to admit that I picked up The Unbearable Lightness of Being from the bookstore for that very reason). So, I have to admit that when I received […]

Sandé Lollis is the embodiment of country. She’s soulful, with that pitch-perfect cry in her voice. When the award-winning vocalist belts out one of her tunes, you can feel the sawdust on the floor and taste the redeye the bartender is serving up with some cold Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. For several years Lollis has […]

For nearly 40 years Al Ross and the Planets have been rocking London and much of the rest of Britain. Their latest CD, Blue Crystal, offers up nine original nuggets that continue their tradition of mixing soul, rock, and pop to create catchy and memorable music. There’s no mistaking that these guys are British. While […]