TOM CHAPIN: 70
TOM CHAPIN 70 Sundance Music 027 www.tomchapin.com I‘ve been a Tom Chapin fan ever since I heard him at a midwest folk festival years ago. His personable stage manner and impeccable songwriting chops impressed me … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Reviews
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Myths and Heroes
FAIRPORT CONVENTION Myths and Heroes Matty Grooves 053 www.fairportconvention.com Wow! Forty eight years and still going! Fairport Convention is now an institution in their native England; they host an annual festival which attracts around … Continue reading →
DELLA MAE: Della Mae
DELLA MAE Della Mae Rounder 613637 www.rounder.com This four-piece Americana band kicks ass on a variety of songs, from thoughtful ballads to up-tempo bluegrass. Produced by Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Buddy Guy), every arrangement … Continue reading →
MONOSWEZI: Monoswezi Yanga
MONOSWEZI Monoswezi Yanga Tugboat 1090 www.worldmusic.net The second release from Monoswezi builds on their impressive debut. With a sound built on the unlikely twin foundations of Zimbabwean mbira (thumb piano) and Scandinavian jazz. Fronted … Continue reading →
THE KROPOTKINS: Portents of Love
THE KROPOTKINS Portents of Love Mulatta Records www.cdbaby.com/large-river-music Named after the Russian anarchist prince Peter Kropotkin, this New York City and Memphis-based sextet was created in 1994 by singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and neuroscientist Dave Soldier … Continue reading →
VARIOUS: Rhythms of Labour
VARIOUS ARTISTS Rhythms of Labour Cambridge University Press 9781107000179 www.cambridge.org/large-river-music www.rhythmsoflabour.com Can you imagine it? Noon rolls around and office workers begin to sing: “Boss man called a meetin’ / At a time I should … Continue reading →
NORMAN BLAKE: Wood Wire and Words
NORMAN BLAKE Wood Wire and Words Plectrafone www.westernjubilee.com Blake opens this album with “Savanna Rag,” a loose, syncopated instrumental that shows off his low key fingerpicking virtuosity. Descending bass runs and meandering flurries of … Continue reading →
LOST LEADERS: Lost Leaders
LOST LEADERS Lost Leaders Lost Leaders www.lostleaders.net Lost Leaders is a trio of Byron Isaacs, Peter Cole and Justin Guip. Isaacs and Cole split the songwriting almost evenly on the set’s ten songs. Guip is … Continue reading →
JONATHAN EDWARDS: Tomorrow’s Child
Jonathan Edwards Tomorrow’s Child Rising Records www.jonathanedwards.net Jonathan Edwards partnered up with Darrell Scott to helm his new album. That news alone had me expecting a wonderful album, and the result is even better … Continue reading →
KENDRICK LAMAR: To Pimp A Butterfly
KENDRICK LAMAR To Pimp A Butterfly Top Dawg / Aftermath / Interscope www.kendricklamar.com American popular recording artists’ coming-of-age have often produced works of simultaneous high creativity and crystallized style. Think Coltrane’s Love Supreme, Dylan’s … Continue reading →