Christine McVie: RIP, Songbird
Sean MurphyShe was beautiful, preternaturally cool (has any singer of so many incandescent and indelible hit singles sounded so effortless and laid back?), and her graceful vibe was crucial to this…
The Killer: He Didn’t Want to Miss Out on Great
“If I had it all to do over, I'd do the same thing again. I think I would, because if I didn't, I'd miss out on something great. I've had…
Deliver Me From Nowhere: Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ at 40
Perhaps because of what followed—the next album, the acclaim—Springsteen’s decision to make the ultimate lo-fi album seems even more prescient, appropriate, and perfect. If Darkness on the Edge of Town was a,…
Steadfast and Inimitable: The Sound & Vision of Pharoah Sanders
Not a fan of Led Zeppelin, The Clash’s Paul Simonon once opined: “Just looking at their album covers makes me want to throw up.” When it comes to Pharoah Sanders,…
Yes: Close to the Edge at 50
Listening to Yes is like listening to opera: the words are, or may as well be, in a different language. It’s all about the sounds: that voice, those instruments, that…
Sy Johnson: RIP
Let's face it. There were few human beings who could give Charles Mingus what he needed (what he wanted? the universe can't contain such multitudes and appetites); there were a…
Roger Waters: Shining On
There are so many musicians I admire, a smaller circle I adore, a smaller one still I revere, and a relative handful I’m grateful for. Artists whose work has changed…
Aug 4, 1967: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
8/4/1967: It was 55 years ago, today. With any discussion of 1967 (in general) and The Summer of Love (in particular) Sgt. Pepper soaks up so much (oh so much)…
Original Poem: Howlin’ Wolf’s Harp
It was a huge thrill to have my poem "Billie Holiday's Deathbed" published (and nominated for a Pushcart Prize) by Decolonial Passage and I'm equally happy to see my new…
The Centennial of Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus had many things to say, and he used his mouth, his pen, his fists, and mostly his music to say them. Of the myriad words that describe Mingus, passionate would…