“Mr. Clean”

Other names tend to pop up when you think of jazz trumpeters. Of course Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, and Louis Armstrong come to mind, as does Chet Baker and Lee Morgan. But there’s one cat that was born in Indianapolis, IN that for my money is one of the most underrated jazz trumpeters […]

Dr. Dog : Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog have been consistently putting out records for over 20 years now. The pop/rock/soul indie stalwarts from Philly started out as lo-fi, rough-around-the-edges rockers that combined soaring 4-part harmonies, Beach Boys earnestness, the Beatles knack for genre-hopping, and a touch of The Band for good measure. There was also touches of Pavement, Guided By […]

Lenny Kravitz : Blue Electric Light

Lenny Kravitz has had a long, successful career. 35 years to be exact. While never creating something truly original or singular, he’s successfully built a decades-spanning discography on the shoulders of innovators like Sly and the Family Stone, John Lennon, Prince, Stevie Wonder, and the list goes on. His take on 60s free love, 70s […]

The Black Crowes : Happiness Bastards

Sibling rivalry in rock bands is a long-standing tradition in the pantheon of rock and roll. The Kinks, The Jesus Mary Chain, Beach Boys, The Breeders and Oasis are just a few examples where siblings in a band had issues with each other from time to time. Something about that sibling rivalry, it would either […]

Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Return IN March With ‘Magnetic Sunshine’; Listen To Lead Single “La Séance”

Switzerland’s Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E. have vibrated into our timeline via some mid-to-late 60s ethereal slipstream. Locking into serious grooves that could just as easily be heard emanating from some underground club in 1967 or from some psychedelic 007 flick, these Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E. know how to groove a bongo and engage a fuzz pedal. And […]

Makaya McCraven : In These Times

Makaya McCraven is one of the most important musicians/composers working today. For sure in the world of modern jazz, but for modern music itself. The Chicago-based drummer/studio wizard has blended the worlds of jazz, soul, and hip hop and on his records makes music that feels very much grounded in the classic 60s/70s world of […]

Charles Stepney : Step on Step

Charles Stepney may not be a household name, but the Chicago-based producer, arranger, and composer was an enigmatic musical mind in the 60s and 70s. First as a staff producer at Chess Records in the 1960s where he was the creative force behind artists like Rotary Connection, Minnie Riperton, Marlena Shaw, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, […]

The Budos Band : Long In The Tooth

When I first heard The Budos Band I thought I’d come across some long lost relic from the 70s. Super tight and funky rhythm section, jazz-inflected horns, Latin percussion, and slinky guitar all coming together to give the impression that James Bond could’ve been a lot cooler had he been spying to this soundtrack. Imagine […]

Nevergrand : Things That We Should Fear

Sometimes all the day requires is a little shot of music sunshine. A bright spot to lighten up what feels like a perpetually dark day, and unfortunately those darker moments tend to pop up more than usual as of late. So if you need to shine a little light on your grimly shaded frame of […]

Aaron Space & His Terrestrial Underlings : Fishland

Occasionally you come across someone that possesses talent and creativity which seems to stretch way beyond their years on this earth. One such individual is Portland’s Elihu Knowles. Knowles is a 21-year old composer, jazz drummer, and vocalist, but he carries the confidence of a seasoned artist. Someone that seems to have stepped into the […]