Hurricane Music
Sean MurphyTen songs to weather the storm. First and foremost, a nod to Alex Chilton (and Alan Vega!), remembering 2003 and the soundtrack from the last hurricane. Some Floyd for the…
Elvis Is (Still) Dead, Long Live The King!
Poor Elvis. The one-time king is now more often the (big) butt of jokes (see?). But his musical and cultural imprint remains huge and will forever be impossible to escape…
In Defense of Good Sax, Part Five: The (Ongoing) Evolution of a Masterpiece
1959 was a watershed year for jazz music (arguably the greatest single year for jazz in all history–which is saying a lot). Here’s a taste: Miles Davis Kind of Blue,…
In Defense of Good Sax, Part Four: Separating The Best of The Best
Best sax solos ever? That is kind of like choosing the best sunset; it's impossible. But some do stand out apart from the rest, and beauty is always in the…
In Defense of Good Sax, Part Three (The Joy of Saxless Jazz)
Starring John Zorn and Marc Ribot. So what happens when one of the most prolific and staggeringly gifted sax players (and composers) of our era, John Zorn, conducts his music…
In Defense of Good Sax, Part Two
Wherein five jazz saxophonists "slum" and make truly indelible contributions to five well-loved and much-played rock songs. Considering one of the all-time ALL TIME greats (Sonny Rollins) is on this…
In Defense of Good Sax, Part One
A writer whom I respect recently made an offhand observation that I'd like to challenge --not because his opinion isn't valid but rather because it seems representative of a casual…
Bill Evans: The Definitive Bill Evans on Riverside and Fantasy
The way the piano was played, like almost everything else in jazz, changed during the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. With a new crop of young virtuosos churning out one…
Garage A Trois: Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Skerik & Co. do it again. One of the great things about supergroups is that they are…great (or super—take your pick). The reason so many so-called supergroups have flamed out,…
Amy Winehouse: Lack of Love is a Losing Game
Last year, when I was making the list of what I considered the 50 best (rock) albums of the decade, I had this to say about Amy Winehouse's Back To…