Random Groover Notes

Best cd's of 2011...

2012-01-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Below is a list of my favorite music of 2011. This list and individual reviews are my opinions only, and yours may vary, and that is okay. Also, there are a couple things I would've listed here, but excluded them instead for the reasons noted:

* Bruce Piephoff - Still Looking Up At the Stars

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/brucepiephoff3

I have a production credit on this, so I can't include it in my top 20 with a clear conscience (conflict of interest). I can say though, this cd is fan-f*cking-tastic, and I listened to this disc more than anything else this past year. It's introspective music with vivid lyrical imagery that would probably be in the folk section of your record store, but crosses over into many other genres (country blues, electric blues, roots rock, free jazz/spoken word, Latin jazz); and it was produced by and features heavily my bro, Scott Sawyer. I am just as proud to be associated with this cd as I was with Scott's "Go There" cd which featured Kofi and Oteil Burbridge, and everyone who heard that one knows how great a cd it is… So, if you know me, and trust my judgment when it comes to great music, and like to and have the means to support the working artist, buy yourself a copy if you haven't already :-)

* Medeski Martin and Wood - 20

http://medeskimartinandwood.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=124_2098

Each month during 2011, MMW released new, never-released tracks, for a total of 20 tracks to celebrate their 20th year anniversary. It's roughly 105 total minutes in length; and if it would've all been released at one time as a "hard copy" cd, instead of 20 individual tracks to download, then it definitely would have made my top 20!

Here we go… Without further ado, my top 20 cd's of 2011, in alphabetical order:

* Gregg Allman - Low Country Blues

http://www.amazon.com/Low-Country-Blues-Gregg-Allman/dp/B004AHNIGM

As a longtime hardcore Allman Brothers Band fanatic, this is the cd on this list I consider myself most qualified to critique. Gregg Allman has had a very long career (40 plus years), with his share of mostly ups and a few downs. Now 14 years since the last studio recorded cd, and a year since receiving a liver transplant, Gregg Allman has released this fine effort. First off, it was produced by T-Bone Burnett, who seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to making albums (10 time Grammy winner!). This cd is no exception - The musicians are Gregg on vocals, B3, and some acoustic guitar, T-Bone on guitar; along with Doyle Bramhall III, Dr. John, and T-Bone's "go to" rhythm section of bassist Dennis Crouch and drummer Jay Bellerose, and a horn section. Gregg Allman is 64 years old, his voice is weathered, and when he sings the blues you believe him. This cd is song oriented, a nice contrast to the long jammy improvisations of the Allman Brothers live concert experience. One song Gregg co-wrote with Warren Haynes; the rest are covers of tunes written by the likes of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Little Milton, BB King, Amos Milburn, Otis Rush, and Sleepy John Estes. Gregg doesn't flub any of the lyrics like he has become prone to doing (on stage) these last few years, and I only wish the Allman Brothers Band would release a studio album of this caliber in 2012. This cd has been nominated for a Grammy, best blues cd of 2011.

* Tab Benoit - Medicine

http://www.amazon.com/Medicine-Tab-Benoit/dp/B004QDCY3S

Blues from the Bayou... This music is beautiful, tasteful, sometimes dirty, Cajun blues; drenched in soul. Tab's voice reminds me of Jimmie Vaughan and his brother Stevie, he is spokesman for the Voices of the Wetlands Activist group; and some of his lyrics are regarding Louisiana's rapidly shrinking wetlands, while he also sings of love, joy, loss, and heartbreak. This is Tab's best effort yet, not that his other releases haven't been top shelf; but this is more or less a Nola supergroup of a band - Tab on guitar and vocals, Anders Osborne on guitar (and he co-wrote 7 of the 11 songs), Michael Doucet on fiddle, Ivan Neville on Hammond B3, and Brady Blade on drums. This band rocks it - Anders Osborne continues (see my best of 2010 list) to play guitar like a man possessed, and is on the verge of "breaking out" and each and every one of Michael Doucet's notes is perfect!

* Black Country Communion - Black Country Communion 2

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Country-Communion-2/dp/B004Z185RU

This is a very strong sophomore effort from the supergroup that is Joe Bonamassa on guitar, Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals/from Deep Purple Mark III, Jason Bonham/son of Bonzo on drums, and Derek Sherinian of Dream Theater on keyboards. Like their previous cd, this is more 70's style hard rock that fits firmly in the Zeppelin/Deep Purple camp. If you're looking for something new sounding, you've come to the wrong place. If you prefer the classic rock sounds of the 70's, sit back and enjoy the ride. Their style may be seasoned, but they do it with much finesse. This is great summertime crank-up-your-car-stereo music, and I suspect a Black Country Communion concert would be filled with air guitarists!

* The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual

http://www.amazon.com/Ritual-Black-Dahlia-Murder/dp/B004XD04IS

This is the heaviest, rawest, most punk inclusion on this list. I have been following this Michigan band off and on for the last decade. Their sound seems to have gotten more melodic over time; but it's still very heavy death metal, with lots of cookie monster vocals, and at times it is aurally brutal. I consider this BDM's best cd yet. The production to me sounds better than their last couple albums, the tunes are a little more "finished" sounding. This is the 2nd Black Dahlia Murder cd with new guitarist Ryan Knight, and they have really stepped it up.

* Endangered Blood (self titled)

http://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Blood/dp/B004LE10J6

This is a NYC downtown acoustic jazz supergroup of sorts; Trevor Dunn on contrabass, best known for Mr. Bungle and also his work with John Zorn and Mike Van Patton. Longtime friends and collaborators Chris Speed (tenor sax) and Jim Black (drums), who have worked extensively with such NYC heavyweights as Tim Berne, Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, and Kurt Rosenwinkle. Lastly, Oscar Noriega on alto sax and bass clarinet, who is best known for his recent work with Paul Motian, Lee Konitz and Tim Berne. All tunes were written by Chris Speed with the exception of TS Monk's Epistrophy. This music is hard to describe, it's all blowing, no chords; but despite their name, the entire cd is not wall-shaking free jazz - Although there is a substantial free jazz vibe, there are also bits of straight-ahead and contemporary jazz, and some rock.

* Bill Frisell - All We Are Saying

http://www.amazon.com/All-Are-Saying-Bill-Frisell/dp/B005F9CORS

Bill Frisell is a true Beatles fan, obviously… That thought springs to mind immediately when you hear him playing this collection of John Lennon tunes. This is another of his projects where jazz meets blues meets pop meets folk meets Americana. This band has uncovered many fine jewels deep in the terra firm of these songs I've heard hundreds of times. Lots of unworldly tones, swells, and twangy guitars can be heard on these very interesting arrangements; where sometimes the melody is so subtle it's almost hidden and other times it's very pronounced. I was one of the lucky few that caught this set live with the same lineup (Bill on guitar, Greg Leisz on steel guitar, Jenny Scheinman on violin, Tony Scherr on bass, Kenny Wollesen on drums), which makes this cd even more special to me. Bill Frisell can do no wrong. Also worthy of a listen or three is Frisell's other 2011 release, Sign of Life, music for his 858 Quartet > http://amzn.to/ysApgO

* Morgan Agren / Henry Kaiser / Trey Gunn - Invisible Rays

http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Morgan-Agren-Henry-Kaiser/dp/B005L3HLCQ

Trey Gunn on bass and Warr guitar (an instrument similar to the Chapman Stick), Henry Kaiser on guitar, and Morgan Agren on drums. Morgan is from Sweden and has been associated with Zappa family side projects since the mid 90's. Henry Kaiser is a bay area guitarist who has played with everybody everywhere (first musician to record in Antarctica), and is recognized world-wide as a leader of the second generation of free improvisers who came of age in the '70s. He's been doing soundtrack work for the last decade too (He collaborated on Warner Heezog's "Grizzly Man"), and he's also a professional video camera operator (his underwater sequences have been used in "Wild Blue Yonder"). I actually met him randomly when he was filming Bill Frisell @ Yoshi's a couple years, ago for a documentary that I haven't seen officially released yet… Anyway, his playing and use of effects at times reminds me of both Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. Trey Gunn was a member of King Crimson from 1995 through 2003 and also was involved in various KC related projeKcts. This music is very intense, a later 2000ish King Crimson like frenzy with a large dose of avant-garde experimentation. The opening track is nearly 23 minutes in length. This is another cd for the musically adventurous, I Love it!

* Warren Haynes Band - Man in Motion

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Motion-Warren-Haynes/dp/B004R0MF34

What a surprise, another Allman Brother is on my list this year. Like Gregg's new one, this cd (his first studio band recording that is not Gov't Mule, in 18 years) has also been nominated for best blues cd of 2011 Grammy, which I find a bit odd, as Warren was going for more of a soul/R&B thing on this cd. While the cd is great and worthy (to me) of making this list, it's not a blues cd. However, genres aside, there is plenty of formidable guitar playing all over this cd, as expected… Also, the casual Warren Haynes fan might not have realized that he is also a great vocalist and songwriter, as he amply demonstrates on this cd. His band is top shelf as well, Ron Holloway on tenor sax in particular sounds great! So, yeah, not as heavy as a Mule cd - This is mainly soul and R&B with sprinkles of funk, blues, and gospel - but still a gift to the legion of Warren fans out there, and a great listen for all.

* Eric McFadden - Bluebird On Fire

http://www.amazon.com/Bluebird-Fire-Eric-Mcfadden/dp/B004UHSIF8

This latest Eric McFadden cd is a bluesy cd; but stylistically all the songs are very different. This is no surprise if you're familiar with his guitar playing, as Eric is a virtuoso musician (and a great singer/lyricist) equally adept in many, if not all, music genres. The supporting cast on this cd is no joke either: James Whiton on a song, Dave Schools on 5 songs, and Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) on 3 songs; and that's just the bass players! EM is vastly underrated, he consistently releases great music, and his live shows are always off the hook (and the best deal in the bay area). On this latest cd, I hear traces of Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Hendrix, and a little Scotty Moore, to name a few… Bluebird On Fire is all killer, and no filler! My favorite tune is the meltdown that is It Takes a Man.

* Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood - In Case the World Changes Its Mind [Live]

http://www.amazon.com/MSMW-Live-Case-World-Changes/dp/B005O64VVE

John Medeski (keyboards), John Scofield (guitars), Billy Martin (percussion), and Chris Wood (bass). Intense, dark, crazed, electric, out, textured, discombobulated… These are adjectives that come to mind while listening to this excellent live double cd set. Most music heads I know are either: (A) fanatical about MMW, or (B) don't care for MMW… Then regarding the hardcore MMW-heads (I've interacted with on listservs and email lists), a lot of them don't like Sco with the band, they prefer just the trio; or if there must be a guitarist, Marc Ribot… Sco's musical personality seems to be too loud for some folks, they like Ribot because his voice is less prominent in the MMW plus 1 mix. Anyway, while I love seeing the Trio, I am also a huge John Scofield fan, and for me, MSMW is a match made in heaven. Sco has said in recent interviews that MMW is his favorite band, period, and this sounds to me like a band having a lot of fun on stage. But jazz purists and fans of John Scofield's traditional straight-ahead side, be warned; this isn't your grandfather's jazz, this is very jammy groove-heavy avant-garde stuff… I bet Wynton Marsalis hates it.

* Megadeth - Th1rt3en

http://www.amazon.com/TH1RT3EN-Megadeth/dp/B005LRWRZ8

50 year old Dave Mustaine is one of the most intense and interesting personalities in today's musical universe, metal or any other genre. Megadeth has been making music since 1985; and despite Dave's ups and downs, and whatever personnel changes have occurred over the years, nothing has deterred Dave from executing his mission - which is to consistently deliver the tightest loudest shred-guitar-heavy bone-crunching most real metal imaginable. The nickname world's state-of-the-art speed metal band has been used to describe Megadeth's sound, as well as the critic penned term intelligent metal and this cd is no exception. If any of you are worried that Dave's recent religious conversion has dulled his perspective or his lyrics, worry not, that has not occurred. Megadeth has been, and still is, simply the best working metal band for the last couple decades. Also, I highly recommend Dave's autobiography "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir" published in 2010.

* Buddy Miller's Majestic Silver Strings (self titled)

http://www.amazon.com/Majestic-Silver-Strings-Buddy-Miller/dp/B004I2EWMI

Buddy Miller has been pretty huge in Nashville since the mid 90's. He's been on my radar for a few years now, but my first time seeing him was a very special night of this band (mostly) playing this material at Yoshi's in Oakland, in April of 2011. That was followed a few weeks later with Robert Plant's Band of Joy at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, with Buddy Miller on guitar. I've since listened to some of Buddy's back catalog, and I have deduced that he has been more than a minor influence on Bill Frisell's technique this last decade, as Frisell's Americana excursions have become more frequent. This cd is a Nashville/Downtown (NYC) Superband Masterpiece. Buddy Miller, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, and Greg Leisz on strings, that same Bellerose and Crouch rhythm section that plays on the above-listed Gregg Allman cd, and different guest singers (including EmmyLou) appear on this cd. Ribot's contributions to this music are prominent, this could easily be a Marc Ribot cd instead of Buddy Miller's. It also includes a DVD with a 21 minute documentary on the making of the cd, plus one live song on video. The music is mostly old country music covers along with a couple Ribot and Frisell penned tunes. Track 6 is a brilliant rendition of Roger Miller's Dang Me with Marc Anthony Thompson/Chocolate Genius on lead vocals - If I had to pick my favorite song of 2011, there it is. This is not straight up country music, traditional country music fans and Buddy's wider fanbase might not get it; but fans of Ribot and Frisell and guitar in general will dig this music immensely.

* North Mississippi Allstars - Keys to the Kingdom

http://www.amazon.com/Keys-Kingdom-North-Mississippi-Allstars/dp/B004GX18OO

NMAS cd's have been hit and miss for me. I thought Shake Hands With Shorty and also Electric Blue Watermelon were both excellent cd's that will continue to get spins in my stereo for the foreseeable future, and same thing applies to this latest release; which is pretty much 2 son's eulogy for their father. It's not the furious electric guitar jams of past NMAS albums, it's more stripped down roots rock and unplugged, with guests from Jim Dickinson's generation, not Luther's and Cody's… Alvin Youngblood Hart is on board for a song, Mavis staples, Spooner Oldham, and Ry Cooder. Ain't no Grave (with Ry) is as heartfelt and poignant a goodbye as I have ever heard. Although death is one of the subjects of this cd's lyrical content, overall it is a celebration of life. Most of this material was written while Jim Dickinson lay dying in a Memphis hospital, and Luther's wife was pregnant with their daughter; and in the months following Jim's death they went in the studio and recorded this cd. Consequentially, it's the most personal collection of songs this band has released, and this cd ranks among the best of the NMAS.

* Opeth - Heritage

http://www.amazon.com/Heritage-Opeth/dp/B004G25V9S

Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth's 10th studio release has certainly generated a lot of online discussion/debate. The cookie monster growls are gone; thus they have shifted away from their signature death metal sound, to something more reminiscent of 70's progressive rock. Think 70's Yes, 70's King Crimson, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd; and Mikael Akerfeldt's non-death vocals remind me of Greg Lake. This equates to a huge bummer for a lot of entitled metal fans, who feel the band owes them something; whereas the other camp of fans mostly dig the music and the experimental nature of this cd. It was mixed by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, who also produced the 2003 Opeth cd, Damnation... Not coincidentally, Damnation was also too mellow for a lot of Opeth's fanbase; I thought it was great. Anyway, Heritage still has plenty of Opeth's trademark lightening fast intricate musical passages, and they demonstrate their masterful use of dynamics/space and silence with plenty of contrasting electric and acoustic instrumentation. This is the best Opeth cd yet, and I look forward to hearing what they do next.

* Primus - Green Naugahyde

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Naugahyde-Primus/dp/B005633FRQ

Primus is back! Their 1st studio cd in 12 years sounds like what I expected it to sound like, a whole lot of Les Claypool wackiness :-) Plenty of indulgent very badass bass, some songs about fishing, very tight musical interludes that reek of Frank Zappa and 80's King Crimson, and the odd lyrics and quirky vocal delivery of Les Claypool; it's all there! I'm not a hard core Primus fan, my favorite cd's by the band are from early on in their career - Suck on This, and Sea's of Cheese - Green Naugahyde is just as good if not better .

* Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

http://www.amazon.com/You-Red-Hot-Chili-Peppers/dp/B0054N73EY

I discovered the RHCP via Mother's Milk, I then went back and discovered their early catalog, the 3 cd's featuring founding guitarist Hillel Slovak (great music!) and by the time Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out, I was fanatical. For me, Blood Sugar was the RHCP's musical peak. Afterward, guitarist John Frusciante left the band and was replaced by Dave Navarro for the luke-warm One Hot Minute cd. Frusciante was back for the next one, Californication, and the RHCP fell off my radar after that. By the Way just didn't press my buttons. It sounded like rehashed versions of material they had previously recorded, and was a little too mainstream for my tastes; and what little I heard of Stadium Arcadium sounded like more of the same. When a band's albums begin to bore me, even a band I love, they generally fall off my radar then… Anyway, now in 2011, I'm happy to report the Peppers are sounding fresh and energized, following an extended hiatus; during which Flea returned to school (University of Southern California) to study music theory, composition, and jazz trumpet. John Frusciante is gone, again, and Josh Klinghoffer is the latest Chili Pepper guitarist. For what it's worth, Josh is a friend and collaborator of Frusciante's, having appeared on 4 of his cd's between 2004 and 2009. His style is less frenetic than Frusciante's, not quite as edgy. That has a lot of RHCP fan crying foul. I personally feel it's their best work since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Less flashy guitar has them in a more experimental funk post-punk direction that is reminiscent of their early days. The hiatus and college experience seem to have inspired Flea; his bass playing is sounding better than ever, and his musical voice is strong and pronounced enough in the vibe to compensate for Josh's understated guitar work. The more I listen to this cd the more I like it.

* Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator

http://www.amazon.com/Revelator-Tedeschi-Trucks-Band/dp/B004RSCWZ2

'Are there any other Allman Bros related cd's nominated for a best blues cd of 2011 Grammy this year?' Actually, yes, there is! There are 2 Allman Brothers on the Tedeschi Trucks Band's Revelator cd, Derek Trucks on guitar and Oteil Burbridge on bass, and indeed, it has been nominated for a Grammy, best blues cd of 2011... Add Kofi Burbridge on keys and flute, and already you have a slam dunk! No, this is not a Stax Records release, although it could easily be mistaken for one. This was recorded in Derek and Susan's home studio in Jacksonville, FL with an 11 piece band. Less jazz/out than the Derek Trucks Band, and less straight blues ala Susan Tedeschi Band, means a nice common ground that is mostly roots rock, retro soul and R&B, and copious amounts of Burbridge funk. Same as Derek's previous DTB cd's, I like the instrumental songs best (Shrimp and Grits, and the final hidden track). Hardcore Derek Trucks Band fans: I do feel your pain. I miss their live shows too. However, this cd does stand up to Derek's recent releases, plenty of killer guitar and ethereal tones all over it, plenty of Kofi and Oteil, and this is definitely not some sort of Yoko Ono like project… It is a real working touring band, and this is the next chapter in this current phase of Derek Truck's continued evolution towards guitar god status, for which he is destined. Also, for the record, in a live setting, Tedeschi Trucks Band is burning up the stage!

* Trombone Shorty - For True

http://www.amazon.com/True-Trombone-Shorty/dp/B005CAAVVQ

I first stumbled upon Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews when his band played the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park in 2010. I don't have HBO and don't follow Treme, otherwise these fat funkified grooves surely would have been on my radar. Anyway, I was pretty blown away by their HSBF performance, and went on to buy the cd Backatown, and that cd wound up making my best of 2010 list. This cd is the same funky Nola sound, with his same band (Orleans Avenue), along with some special guest musicians: Jeff Beck, Warren Haynes, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz (he was in Lenny's touring band in '05), Stanton Moore, and Rebirth Brass Band. This is happy music, and if it doesn't make you tap your foot or shake your ass, then you must not have a pulse!

* Tom Waits - Bad As Me

http://www.amazon.com/Bad-As-Me-Tom-Waits/dp/B005IGVX0M

Tom Waits is such a prolific artist, his album/cd output is vast, I'm pretty sure I haven't heard all of it. I do know that my favorite Tom Waits cd's are Nighthawks at the Diner, Mule Variations, and Rain Dogs… Is there any better whiskey drinking music than Rain Dogs? This is Tom's first cd new of new material in 7 years. The roll call of musicians backing him on this cd is impressive, it includes: Marc Ribot, Keith Richards, David Hidalgo, and Will Bernard on guitars - Flea, James Whiton, and Les Claypool on bass - Tom's son Casey Waits on drums, and Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica. Even with all these wonderful musicians on this cd, Tom's voice and storytelling/lyrical imagery is still without a doubt the star of the show. The music is equal parts blues and ballads. The subject matter/lyrical content is too broad and simple yet sophisticated, for me to begin to expound on… Let me just say, listening to this cd is like reading a newspaper with everything written by your favorite classic American literature authors; and its message/statements/observations are very relevant to what is going on today, socially and politically. This is my favorite cd of the year.

* Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning

http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Drowning-Steven-Wilson/dp/B0058WFO06

Steven Wilson is the busiest guitarist on my radar, even busier than Warren Haynes. Here is a list of most of the stuff he currently is involved in:

1. Porcupine Tree's front man and creative force.

2. His side project, Blackfield (they released a cd in 2011).

3. His side project No-Man.

4. His side project Bass Communion

5. He mixed Opeth's 2011 cd, Heritage.

6. He is currently doing the 5.1 surround sound remixing of King Crimson and Jethro Tull's back-catalogs of music.

…And on top of all that, he still found time to release what I consider to be a progressive rock masterpiece. This was initially meant to be 2 separate cd's, but instead it was released as a double cd set. There are special guests galore: Tony Levin, Trey Gunn, Pat Mastelotto, Steve Hackett, and Jordan Rudess, to name a few. It's somewhere in between Porcupine Tree's heavy side and Bass Communion, which is more ambient. It reeks of King Crimson and Dream Theater (see the featured guests), early Rush, and even Pink Floyd to some degree. I know, same description could be applied towards Porcupine Tree, although I tend to think PT has gone less experimental in the last 10 years or so; less of the Floydian sound that the Radioactive Toy and Voyage 34 era's had going on. Anyway, back to this Grace For Drowning cd - It is possibly my favorite Steven Wilson cd yet, definitely my favorite SW cd since PT's Deadwing (2005).

Honorable Mention

* The Cars - Move Like This

http://www.amazon.com/Move-Like-This-Cars/dp/B004NTMNB8

The Cars 1st studio album in 24 years! The original bass player/lead singer Benjamin Orr died in 2000, from pancreatic cancer. The remaining 4 original members are all on this cd (bass now provided by keyboardist), Ric Ocasek now on lead vocals. Amazingly, it picks up right where they left off, with the same short hook-laden songs with their now signature (to me) synthesizer heavy sound… This music instantly transports me back to the early 80's when I was a young teenager and the Cars were all over the radio and MTV. I don't listen to commercial radio, so I don't know whether or not this is getting any airplay, but it wouldn't surprise me if this cd has some radio hits.

* Jane's Addiction - the Great Escape Artist

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Escape-Artist-Janes-Addiction/dp/B004VF68AQ

JA's first cd since 2003's Strays got a lot of mixed reviews from press and fans. I considered Strays pretty good, with more elements of metal than their run of albums from 1987-1990. On this new one, the Great Escape Artist, they've gone back to a more art-rock sound; but it's definitely minimalist compared to any other JA recording… While listening to Nothing Shocking for the first time was akin to unexpectedly being kicked in the teeth, the Great Escape Artist listening experience is more subdued. I guess the band has mellowed/matured in the last 25 years. It makes sense to me, I was a little wilder at 22 years of age, and lacking wisdom, compared to me at 45… I still hear the Zep influence, but I also hear Radiohead, and maybe some early U2. After the initial listen, I've been going back to this cd often. Less Dave Navarro flash, but he still gets his moments to shine; same thing applies to Stephen Perkins tribal drumming, and Perry Farrell still has something to say.

* Oz Noy - Twisted Blues, Vol. 1

http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=25295

Oz is an Israeli guitarist who relocated to NYC in '96, and since then has been a fixture in the scene there, playing regularly at venues like the 55 Bar and the Bitter End. Oz is a musician's musician; like Mike Stern, Allan Holdsworth, etc, the majority of Oz Noy fans are guitar geeks. I hear a lot of John Scofield influence in his playing, as well as Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan. There are a lot of great musicians playing on this cd; including Vinnie Colaiuta, Anton Fig, Will Lee, John Medeski, Reese Wynans, and Eric Johnson to name a few. I would classify this music as blues fusion.

* Planet of the Abts

http://www.hittinthenote.com/cart/p-1325-planet-of-the-abtsbrcd-and-download.aspx

Planet of the Abts is a Gov't Mule side-project, born this year when Mule was on hiatus while the Warren Haynes Band toured. The band is Mule's rhythm section (Matt Abts/drums and Jorgen Carlsson/bass), along with Jorgen's friend T-Bone Andersson on guitars and keyboards; and Mule's Danny Louis blows some horns on the opening track. I bought this cd at the live show, and it greatly exceeded my expectations. I hear a strong Gov't Mule influence, obviously, and Led Zeppelin too; but also a strong progressive rock flavor that I didn't expect, like a hybrid of Wish You Were Here era Pink Floyd and Ozric Tentacles. This cd was a nice surprise, I highly recommend it.

* Todd Rundgren - Johnson

http://www.amazon.com/Todd-Rundgrens-Johnson-Rundgren/dp/B004RIACAE

Runt's 21st album! This is a collection of Robert Johnson tunes. There is nothing new here, just TR's stripped-down interpretations of these classic RJ songs, with very little polishing. If I didn't know it was all just TR (guitar and drums) and Kasim Sulton on bass, I would've guessed this was recorded live in the studio. The blues purists probably don't appreciate this cd as much as the guitar heads - Todd definitely tips his hat not only to Robert Johnson, but also to RJ's British blues rock disciples like Eric Clapton and John Mayall; speaking of which, at 63 years old, Todd Rundgren still has a set of pipes on him, his voice sounds great, especially singing these old blues songs. Also, I didn't recall him being such a proficient guitar player, this is a nice reminder.

* George Thorogood and the Destroyers - 2120 South Michigan Ave.

http://www.amazon.com/2120-South-Michigan-George-Thorogood/dp/B0051YKU6Y

First off, never in a million years did I think that George Thorogood would appear on this list. He became irrelevant to me not long after his I Drink Alone video (1985). I checked out this cd after reading a positive review of it somewhere on the web. 2120 South Michigan Ave was home to Chess Records, and it was the Stones song with that same title, that turned a young George Thorogood onto the magic that is Chicago Blues. This collection is mostly a bunch of covers from the classic Chess blues catalog, along with 2 originals; and Buddy Guy sitting in on 1 tune, while we're graced with Charlie Musselwhite's harmonica on 2 more. The cd was produced by Buddy Guy's drummer, Tom Hambidge, and the band's love and respect of the Chess label's history rings through loud and clear. I have no idea what his recorded output has been for the last couple decades; and I must say I am amazed at how natural he sounds, singing these songs you've heard countless versions of, countless times before. This is the cd that George Thorogood was born to record.

2010-12-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

20 Best cd's of 2010 (in alphabetical order)

* Jeff Beck - Emotion & Commotion
http://amzn.to/e0SUBZ
JB delivers the goods on his first studio recording in 7 years. He's still a badass, he still says more with one note than all the Yngwie wannabe's say with fifty 64th notes. This cd is short (40 minutes) but sweet, and it left me wanting more. You know you're in for a good ride when it opens with a cover of Jeff Buckley's arrangement of "Corpus Christy Carol." The personnel vary from track to track, but musicians accompanying Jeff include Tal WIlkenfeld, Joss Stone, Pino Palladino, Vinnie Colaiuta, Imelda May, and others, plus a 64 piece orchestra. I am not hip to Joss Stone, aside from the fact she is mainstream, but I don't blame Jeff if he's trying to cash in… She does nail it on "I Put a Spell On You." Then again, he's been recording and touring with women since at least as far back as his "Who Else!" cd released back in 1999 (Jennifer Batten), and either Tal or Imelda have been part of his touring band since 2007. So, yeah, if you're a fan of Jeff Beck or electric guitar in general, then you owe it to yourself to give this cd a spin.
* Black Country Communion (Self Titled)
http://amzn.to/fst1o5
I hate the term "supergroup" but that is what this album's been described as. Joe Bonamassa on guitar/the up and coming "guitar god," Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals/from Deep Purple Mark III, Jason Bonham/son of Bonzo on drums, and Derek Sherinian on keyboards/a heavyweight in the metal and progressive rock worlds. This is music that begs to be played loud. You can definitely hear the Zeppelin and Deep Purple roots, actually this album sounds like it could have been released in the 70's, stylistically that is... You won't find any nu-metal or rap-rock or other subgenres here, just good old (mainly blues based) rock and roll that would fit right in on a playlist from any classic rock radio station.
* Lois Deloatch - Roots: Jazz Blues Spirituals
http://bit.ly/gLhUG7
Lois on vocals, Scott Sawyer on guitar, Gabe Evens on piano, John Brown on bass, and Beverly Botsford on percussion. This is NC jazz, from the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). Fans of vocal jazz and blues, ala Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn, will find a lot to like here. The band sounds excellent and all get ample opportunity to stretch it out at times. Top notch production too, this cd sounds excellent. There are 4 original tunes, the other 8 a mix of covers and traditional songs. The entire cd swings but my favorite tracks are Wade in the Water, Queen KoKo Blue, Pennies From Heaven, When The Saints Come Marching In, Steal Away, and Someday Soon.
* Bill Frisell - Beautiful Dreamers
http://amzn.to/gfFT08
Bill on guitar, Eyvind Kang on viola, Rudy Royston on drums, and produced by the great Lee Townsend. Not the standard instrumentation as most trio's, but not at all a surprise from the shy bespectacled One… It works, and a lot of the tunes definitely groove, and there is plenty of odd timing, use of dynamics and space between the notes, along with more of the out weirdness that Bill Frisell is known for. This cd is mainly original tunes, but there are some interesting covers too, including Nobody's Fault but Mine, Keep On the Sunny Side, and Goin' Out of My Head (I'll admit I caught myself off guard the 1st time I noticed myself singing the words to this Frank Sinatra classic, while driving my truck). Bill Frisell isn't for everybody, but if you're a fan, this is pretty much a must hear cd. Lastly, kudos to Bill for his shout out to the late great Vic Chestnutt, RIP.
* JJ Grey & Mofro - Georgia Warhorse
http://amzn.to/eJlOCN
JJ is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Jacksonville, FL. I have been following him since I caught his late night set at High Sierra Music Fest a few years ago. This is his 3rd release on Alligator Records, and in my opinion he has hugely stepped up his game. This is swampy greasy southern music, and he has a great band backing him. He is joined by his neighbor Derek Trucks on "Lullaby," and the great Toots Hibbert joins him on "The Sweetest Thing." I will go so far as to proclaim this JJ Grey's breakout cd. Good stuff!
* Buddy Guy - Living Proof
http://amzn.to/dYE6Iq
Buddy Guy is 74 years old, just 4 years younger than my Dad! This autobiographical cd is his best since his coming out (to the masses) party, "Damn Right I Got the Blues" - Not that he has anything to prove, but he hasn't lost a thing, he can still solo with complete reckless but perfect fury and abandonment. His voice sounds great too. Check out the opening track, "74 Years Young," damn! He comes out of the gate strong and doesn't let up for the next 54 minutes... Like all his albums these last few years it seems, there are guests; on this one BB King plays on a track, as does Carlos Santana track. As far as I am concerned, Buddy Guy is today's undisputed unified "heavyweight champion" of the blues, whether he wants it or not (I am sure he'd disagree and point to BB). He's earned it, he's a master of his craft; and anything he does usually sounds light years better than anything done by Cats 20, 30, 40, and 50 years younger.
* Charlie Hunter - Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid
http://amzn.to/hlsyjh
Consider me biased, I have been a Charlie Hunter fan for 17 years and his cd's are always among my favorites of the year, every year. Same thing applies to this release (a mono recording!); Charlie on 7 string guitar (simultaneous guitar and bass lines), Eric Kalb on drums, Alan Ferber and Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Eric Biondo on trumpet. In my opinion Charlie continues to "hone" his voice, and evolve and cross over into different genres; and this cd is as heavily influenced by blues, as it is jazz. Like his other cd's, the band is top shelf, great compositions and great production. Also very worthy of mention is his just released extremely excellent solo cd, "Public Domain" which as of now is only available at live performances and from his website (http://bit.ly/btGVHd).
* Los Lobos - Tin Can Trust
http://amzn.to/918JCf
Los Lobos: The most underrated American band ever. This is their first studio album of original music in 4 years. Nothing revelatory compared to 2006's "The Town and the City" cd, which I also thought was killer, but I do rank this up there with their best: Kiko, Colossal head, This Time… They have perfected their groove, which happens after making music together for 35 plus years… They continue with their signature sound and production here. Wolves fans won't be disappointed with this latest effort. 11 tunes in all, 2 of which are in Spanish, and a cool rendition of the Robert Hunter penned Grateful Dead's "West LA Fadeaway," plus a new Robert Hunter/Cesar Rosas composition. Viva Los Lobos!
* Pat Metheny - Orchestrion
http://amzn.to/ieXyRS
I suspect this is Pat's most controversial work since his noise album "Zero Tolerance for Silence." To me, it's definitely the most interesting inclusion on my list this year… This is a solo album, but do not be deceived… In this particular context, solo equates to Pat Metheny on guitar, and via MIDI triggers and a series of pneumatic assemblies and solenoid switches; Pat Metheny on piano, orchestra bells, marimba, vibraphone, bass, guitarbots (?), percussion, cymbals, drums, and other custom-fabricated acoustic instruments… His inspiration for this was memories of player piano (automatic, self-playing) from his youth. There is plenty of info on the web on all the prep work, the process, and the inventors Pat worked with to record this album and follow it with a tour. While the description could lead one to believe this cd sounds sterile and is lacking soul, this is not the case at all. You can hear Pat's voice, it has an organic sound/human element, it does groove at times, and there's plenty of great guitar. I would say the opening "center piece" 15 minute long title-track "Orchestrion" is the most ambitious tune on the album, as far as the compositional complexity and number of instruments being played simultaneously. Techo-Geeks and gearheads especially should dig this cd.
* Stanton Moore - Groove Alchemy
http://amzn.to/gjDn9B
Galactic's Stanton Moore on drums, Will Bernard on guitar, and Robert Walter on B3 and piano; all heavyweights. This cd owns anything Galactic has released in recent memory. Yeah it's a drummer's project, but this is a band cd all the way. The music is funky, and although Stanton's from New Orleans, this is not strictly a Nola affair. I will say this trio plays their collective ass off on this cd; and I hope they collaborate more in the future, in the studio (they did play a run of live shows, the night in San Fran was great - a double bill with Anders Osborne).
* Willie Nelson - Country Music
http://amzn.to/ieQwqL
First off, this is Willie's 81st studio cd in 49 years! That is simply a mind-boggling stat, period. To be doing it for half a decade, and still be as relevant (artistically) as he is, well that just doesn't happen often. This cd was produced by T-Bone Burnett, and features plenty of Nashville heavyweights; including Buddy Miller, Stuart Duncan, and Ronnie McCoury, to name a few… This is great country music, easily the best I have heard since Willie's "Asleep at the Wheel" cd from last year; but take that comment with a grain of salt, because I am not a huge country fan and am pretty selective in that genre of music. Anyway, 15 tunes, some Willie Nelson originals, some covers (Ernest Tubb, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, George Jones and Ray Price, and others), and some old school traditional tunes; including a sweet "Nobody's Fault but Mine" to end the cd with.
* Anders Osborne - American Patchwork
http://amzn.to/hdvzMs
Anders is new to me, I am still discovering him… On one hand he is a gifted guitarist, a musician's musician, capable of blistering frenzied slide runs; and on the other hand he's a singer/songwriter from New Orleans whose other gig is professional songwriter in Nashville since the mid 90's (country star Tim McGraw had a #1 hit with one of his songs, and he co-wrote 2 songs with Keb Mo on Keb's Grammy winning "Slow Down" cd in 1999) . This is his debut release on Alligator Records; and joining him is Robert Walter on various keyboards/keyboard bass, Pepper Keenan on guitars and vocals, and Stanton Moore on drums. This cd has a little bit of everything: Blues (the opening track, "On the Road to Charlie Parker" is burning), rock, funky Nola grooves, even some reggae/calypso; with great, sometimes dark, and introspective lyrics. This is Anders' homage to New Orleans.
* Robert Plant - Band of Joy
http://amzn.to/gmQpfx
At 17 years old, I was a bona fide Led Zeppelin fanatic. If I wasn't driving all over the state of TN to record conventions, in order to buy bootleg concert albums; I was trading cassette copies with people all over the world, via classified advertisements in Goldmine magazine. My daily attire for several years was completed with a brown light-weather army jacket, with a large Swansong winged dude airbrushed on the back. I have seen both Page and Plant solo and together (no live Zep for me though) a number of times, starting in 1983 to most recently 2005. At one time I considered Robert Plant pompous and arrogant for not wanting to go on tour with a new Led Zeppelin. Now I completely understand his logic. Bonzo is dead and buried for 31 years, and Mr. Plant continues to grow as an artist. His music is still evolving and I can understand why he would consider a Zep tour a step backwards. Incidentally, "Band of Joy" was a band he was in prior to Led Zeppelin, along with John Bonham. While Robert is accompanied by all Nashville Heavyweights, like the Allison Krauss collaborated "Raisin' Sand" cd, "Band of Joy" is more rock and roll… I still hear roots and Americana, but it's less folkie. Produced by Buddy Miller, Robert on lead vocals, Buddy on guitar, Patty griffin - vocals, Byron House on bass, Darrel Scott on various stringed instruments, and Marco Giovino on drums. By the way, and in case you didn't know it, Buddy Miller is badass. Only 1 Plant penned tune here (co-written with Buddy Miller), some of the covers are traditional, some are more well known than others; and the cd opens with "Angel Dance" by Los Lobos.
* 7 Walkers (Self Titled)
http://amzn.to/i4Sllm
Let me start by saying I am pretty heavily into the Grateful Dead, and GD drummer Bill Kreutzmann is on this; so I am biased. However, this cd was produced by singer/songwriter/guitarist Papa Mali, a New Orleans area native now based in Austin, and he is a heavyweight himself. The full lineup is Papa Mali (guitar and vocals), Matt Hubbard (keyboards, harmonica, trombone), funky George Porter Jr. (bass, 1 track), and Reed Mathis (bass, the rest of the tracks), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums). Willie Nelson also sings and plays guitar on "King Cotton Blues." All words were co-written by Papa Mali and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. In my humble opinion, this is by far the best album featuring any Grateful Dead member since Jerry died. However, this music veers much more in the direction of New Orleans music then it does the Grateful Dead; although I bet fans of both will like this. Papa Mali's 2007 release "Do Your Thing" was one of my favorites that year, and I was wondering if he would be able to top it with his next release… Well, this is the closest thing to his next release and I believe he has.
* Soulive - Rubber Soulive
http://amzn.to/haULd2
Soulive cd's have been hit or miss for me. I prefer their straight guitar/organ/drums instrumental side, versus horn sections and guest vocalists and MC's…. This one is straight trio, doing all Beatles tunes; and yes, it's a hit. If you've been "on the fence" regarding Soulive these last few years, like me, you should give this one a listen; especially if you're a Beatles fan.
* Triple Fret - Songs in Borrowed Time
http://bit.ly/fmla6v
More NC music here. Triple Fret is Mike Babyak's Band. I am pretty sure He wrote 11 of the 12 tunes (at least the lyrics), although the whole (very tight) band is credited on the cd, speaking of which: Mike Babyak on guitar, lapsteel, and vocals - Mike Rosado on drums - E. Scott Warren on bass. Also, guest appearances by Jim Kost on keyboards, John Metcalfe on miscellaneous percussion, and several background vocalists. This cd straddles a lot of different genres, there's a bit of everything here... I hear blues, roots and Americana, some reggae, straight rock and roll, jamband like vehicles, even a little Afro-Caribbean. If you are a fan of lapsteel then this cd should be moved immediately to the top of your queue, as there is plenty of it all over this excellent recording. Are you a Steve Kimock fan? David Lindley? If so, you will very much dig this music. Lyrically, the cd covers a lot of different subjects, some serious, nothing too heavy, some just fun. Vocally, I do hear North Carolina, Mike's voice is sometimes raspy, and at times I am reminded of John Bell and maybe Lowell George. This cd is a great listen and highly recommended.
* Trombone Shorty - BACKATOWN
http://amzn.to/gzZACz
I got turned onto Trombone Shorty when he played a set @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival back in July. As good as their live show is, this excellently produced studio effort matches it, musically and "energy wise" too; killer Nola funk and soul/R&B, this is music designed to make you shake that ass! All but 1 tune are originals, and the cover was written by Allen Toussaint. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews has a great band backing him (and some heavyweight guests sitting in); whether they're laying down a thick groove, or going off on an instrumental jam, this band brings it.
* The Derek Trucks Band - Roadsongs
http://amzn.to/hpLDgC
If you know me, any dTb inclusion on my list is no surprise; especially a live recording, as I have been preaching about this particular lineup of the dTb for several years now. In my opinion this is/was consistently the tightest touring rock band out there - Derek Trucks on guitar, Todd Smallie on bass, Yonrico Scott on drums, Kofi Burbridge on keyboards/flute, Mike Mattison on vocals, and Count M'butu on percussion; and on this particular night in Chicago they were augmented by a 3 piece horn section. Although dTb is a rock band and this is a rock album, stylistically the dTb crosses over many genres; and my favorite moments take place during the jazz tunes. This cd is worth picking up alone for the killer version of "Afro Blue..." But less adventurous ears not so much into the out stuff will find plenty to like here too. In closing, any live dTb is top shelf… Speaking of which, anybody heard anything about this band ending their hiatus and going back on the road?!?
* Doug Wamble (Self Titled)
http://amzn.to/eAKPmQ
I am not sure if this recording falls under rock, jazz, or pop; but at the end of the day Doug Wamble is another relatively unknown and very badass guitarist from TN, now living in NY. This cd is yet another Lee Townsend produced masterpiece, and I heard about it via a plug from Charlie Hunter (who plays on one track)… Although he's better known for his acoustic and slide playing, there is some fine electric guitar all over this album. Doug also sings, and although there are plenty of great moments of lead guitar and improv, this is a song based cd. Definitely worth seeking out, as is his '05 release "Bluestate" on Branford Marsalis' record label (http://amzn.to/etGTqJ).
* Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence
http://amzn.to/el9KyG
Heavy music from Chicago… I found this cd at Reckless Records, which is a very cool store on the north side, Belmont and Broadway (3126 N. Broadway). Their "thing" is, in addition to the bins of cd's to browse through, their walls are literally covered with cd's in completely random order of varying genres, that have little index cards taped to them noting descriptions/recommendations from staff. I have discovered some great music from that wall, including this cd; and that is an experience that in no way can be reproduced when you buy all your music online… Anyway, back to this cd: It's pretty interesting stuff. This is their 5th album - I haven't heard the earlier ones. There are too many metal subgenres for me to keep up with, and my limited research found this album being classified under several different ones: avant garde progressive metal, post-apocalyptic hardcore, grindcore; with elements of jazz and world music. I read that the death metal cookie-monster vocals were more prevalent on their earlier albums, but Singer Bruce Lamont has eased up to focus on his secret weapon: The saxophone! Some of the more mellow tunes with heavily reverberated guitars remind me of Opeth, and the dominant berserk sax reminds me of 70's era King Crimson (a good thing); but overall this band sounds very unique, and at least on this particular cd, they have their own thing happening for sure.

Honorable Mentions

* Hill Country Revue - Zebra Ranch
http://amzn.to/h43ZsY
This is a North Mississippi Allstar's side project; including Cody Dickinson on guitar and vocals along with his drums and washboard/percussion, Luther Dickinson on guitar, and bunch of other Cats including Roosevelt Collier on pedal steel. I hear a strong southern rock influence, swampy Mississippi music, lots of slide guitar, a bit of funk; and parts of this remind me of Frank Marino, and Pat Travers (pre-Shrapnel records). They include a couple covers: Going Down, and Wild Horses. Incidentally, their father Jim Dickinson played on the original Wild Horses. The only reason this cd didn't make my top 20 is a couple of the more "radio friendly" tunes lyrically/vocally remind me a little bit too much of 38 Special, but that could just be me… Still, at the end of the day, I love this cd.
* Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King - Have Blues Will Travel
http://amzn.to/dMGW2B
These Cats have been recording cd's together for 20 years and are (IMO) unheralded royalty in the blues community. This is their 2nd Alligator Records release. There is plenty of tasty slide and lead guitar all over this latest effort. Nothing groundbreaking here - Just more Texas blues, but they are masters of their craft… The opening title track is reminiscent of early ZZ Top. Some of the lyrics on this cd are a little too "tongue in cheek" for me, but the strong guitarwork makes up for it… To summarize, Smokin' Joe and Bnois both play the shit out of the blues; and Texas blues aficionado's and fans of guitar in the vein of Hendrix, Freddie King (whom Joe backed up on rhythm guitar), Stevie Ray, Chris Duarte, etc will dig this cd.
* Railroad Earth (Self Titled)
http://amzn.to/hF8dKH
RR is one of the rare jamgrass bands that don't bore me senseless after 30 minutes (SCI?). In fact, I have been following these Cats for about 5 years now and own all their cd's. Although their product is usually and rightly in the bluegrass section, like their last release "Amen Corner" this cd is IMO more roots/Americana and less bluegrass compared to their earlier recordings. The band is still very tight, and there is plenty of great storytelling and jamming guitar, violin, and mandolin to treat your ears to.
* Widespread Panic - Dirty Side Down
http://amzn.to/dNcm0H
This cd didn't initially grab me; I got sucked in after listening to it quite a few times and then catching their 3 night run in Oakland back in October. The production is great, Jimmy Herring is continuing to gel with the band and sounding less like a hired gun… But as good as this cd is, it doesn't match what I still consider to be the best Panic cd's: Space Wrangler, Mom's Kitchen, Everyday, Ain't Life Grand, and 'Til the Medicine Takes - That is why it didn't make my top 20. That being said, most old school Panic fans AND Panic newbies should dig this music.
* Vinnie Zummo - Swinging Guitar Sounds Of Young America: Volume 2
http://bit.ly/ff5m0p
I discovered Vinnie around 2007, via Myspace! He's based in NYC and best known as Joe Jackson's guitar player. He is yet another badass NYC musician, one of the more unknown guitarists on my radar, deserving of wider recognition, and also a very adept drummer (he plays accordion and harmonica too). There are guests a plenty on this cd too. Too many to list all of them, but here a few of them: Shawn Pelton, Mark Egan, Mike Mainieri, and John Sebastian (Lovin' Spoonful)… I am still absorbing this recently released cd, it's a lot of different styles of music to take in. This cd is meant to be a tribute to his musical heroes, and it's fun to pick out who inspired which tunes. I am hearing some Jeff Beck, BB King, Cream, Jimi, some Beatles (nobody does the George Harrison slide sound better), Patsy Cline, John Abercrombie, and some Elvin Jones to start with... I also recommend his 2006 release SGSOYA Volume 1 (http://bit.ly/hCjTUw).

If I had to pick a favorite cd of 2010, I would say it's a tie between Anders Osborne, and Trombone Shorty; with the 7 Walkers not far behind.
Other realizations I made, or was reminded of, while composing this blog (aside from the fact I spend too much money on music):
* I Like Rounder Records (Willie, and Robert Plant)
* I Like Alligator Records (Mofro, Anders, and Smokin' Joe)
* 2010 was the year of Nobody's Fault but Mine (recorded by Frisell, Willie, and Vegas crooner Tom Jones).
* I still consider Lee Townsend a superstar producer.
* I should consider relocating to Nola, or at least try to make it to Jazzfest this year!

Jazz Record Mart, in Chicago, is f*#%ing awesome!

2010-07-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Jazz Record Mart, in Chicago, on 27 E. Illinois Steet.

Please forgive me for not remembering you these last few years; when discussions of best record stores came up, and I always endorsed the usual west coast suspects such as Amoeba and Everyday Music... Now I love those 2 stores, and Rasputin, Silver Platters, Easy Street, and Reckless Records are all great stores too; but I bet the farm there isn't a record/cd store on the planet (including Amoeba) with the selection of jazz and blues music (especially blues), available on both cd and vinyl, that Jazz Record Mart keeps in stock!

I was in your fine establishment on Friday July 2nd (1st time in a decade), and had to pull myself away within 45 minutes, otherwise I would be missing my rent and car payment this month. Not only is JRM's selection of music mind boggling, their staff is also very knowledgeable and helpful. No wonder this store still does business and has been run by the same owner for the last 40 years; while the trend of record/cd stores closing continues at a high rate in Chicago and elsewhere.

So next time somebody asks, my answer will be: My favorite record store is a tie, between Chicago's Jazz Record Mart (for their untouchable jazz/blues selection), and Amoeba Music in Hollywood; because man does not live on jazz and blues alone.

http://jazzmart.com
http://www.amoeba.com

P.S. For the record, my quarry from JRM on Friday 7/2/2010
* Taj Mahal - Mo' Roots
* Taj Mahal - The Real Thing
* Herbie Mann - Stone Flute
* Brute Force (I'd never seen this, produced by Herbie Mann, with Sonny Sharrock on 3 tracks)
* Jack McDuff - Screamin' Brother Jack McDuff
* Joe Farrell - Moon Germs
* Joel Paterson & Modern Sounds - Hold it Fellas / Stomp Stomp
* Derek Trucks Band - Roadsongs
* 1 JRM / Chicago Blues t-shirt

July 1999 - 12/31/2009, best musical multi-night runs...

2010-02-03T10:51:00.001-08:00

I have managed to see some epic musical performances. Sometimes it was just one night, other times it was 2 or 3 consecutive nights; and on rare occasion, a bit longer... Anyway, below is my list of the most memorable multi-night musical runs I have experienced these last 11 years, in chronological order. I chose summer 1999 as the starting point because there were some stand-outs then and the preceding couple years hadn't been as huge... While the majority of live music performances I have attended in my lifetime has been great, these multi-night runs stood out. Why, might some of you be asking, is there no mention of Widespread Panic's 1999 European Tour? Because I only caught 1 night (Paradiso/Amsterdam). As for the Beacon Runs, if I am going to list every one I've been to, whats the point of making a list here? That is why I was selective in which runs I chose (Allman or other bands). If my next 11 years on this planet are even half as interesting, from a music fan perspective, then consider me a damn lucky mofo :-)

* 6/12/99, 6/13/1999 - The Allman Brothers Band @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison, CO)
I came from another continent to be there that weekend; from Reading, Berkshire (UK)... The fact I crossed an ocean from Allman deprived Europe gave this weekend an extra double or triple dose of sweetness. There was a large tribe of Disreputables, we were all staying at the Marriott in Golden, and we took it over. It was a crazy couple of nights. This particular weekend, these 2 shows were the first with Derek Trucks as a full time permanent member of the band (replacing Jack Pearson). It was this weekend that really launched my "traveling obsession/fanaticism" of my favorite bands.

* 12/30/1999, 12/31/1999 - Phish @ Big Cypress Seminole Indian reservation (The Everglades in South Florida)
Another major effort to be there... This time I traveled from Brussels, Belgium. Millennium weekend. I was there with my best friend since junior high school (early 80's), Mike, and although he had initially turned me on to Phish 8 years before, these were the first shows we caught together... 2 nights of solid music, on NYE they played from approximately 11:30 PM until sunrise the next morning.

* 3/23/2001, 3/24/2001, 3/25/2001 - The Allman Brothers Band @ The Beacon Theatre (NYC)
Another major effort to be there... This time I traveled from Santa Catarina, Brazil, which I had been calling home for the previous 5 months. The day before my flight, I was hiking in some woods and got bitten by mosquito's... By the time my plane landed in NY approximately 20 hours later, both my ankles were swollen to the point I could have used some crutches. Anyway, I had excellent seats with very close friends for 3 consecutive nights (3/23, 3/24, and 3/25); and these were the final 3 nights of the extended Beacon Run... It was after this run they announced that Warren Haynes had rejoined the band on a permanent basis (He was "guest guitarist" for the run, replacing "interim guitarist" Jimmy Herring who had initially stepped in when Dickey Betts left the band)... Regarding the vibe that weekend: The energy in the air, being generated both on stage and from the audience, and back and forth, was incredible... This was my first Beacon experience too. All the familiar faces I saw in the theatre and/or neighborhood, and the huge tribe staying at the Beacon Hotel made it even more special... By the end of the weekend, I lost my voice. To this day this might be the best 3 nights, overall, of live music I have experienced, period. Not that the rest of this list wasn't as good, they were; but this weekend was the perfect overall vibe that can never be repeated.

* 12/30/2003, 12/31/2003 - Gov't Mule @ The Beacon Theatre (NYC)
This was a last moment deal... I found out a couple weeks before the shows that a friend was holding some extra's if I wanted them, and worked this weekend into my NYE plans. I stayed at the Beacon Hotel, more quality time with Disreputables; and since this was a present to myself because I had just annulled my marriage, after enduring a very unrewarding few months of marital non-bliss, I followed this weekend with a short week in Amsterdam ;-) If I remember correctly, on 12/31, Warren teased 20th Century Schizoid Man AND Hocus Pocus (I am such a prog geek).

* 10/22/2004, 10/21/2004, 10/24/2004 - MagnoliaFest @ Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak, Fl)
A sh*tload of bands over a 3 day period... The one though, that influenced me to pull the trigger on a ticket and be there was a Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit reunion show. Aside from this zambirrific band, other highlights were Peter Rowan's Crucial Reggae (with the Burning Spears Horns), The Codetalkers, Oteil & the Peacemakers, Derek Trucks Band, Railroad Earth, Blueground Undergrass, and Donna the Buffalo. Great music, a beautiful venue, and easy low stress not-too-crowded primitive camping.

* 4/15/2005, 4/16/2005 - Wannee Festival @ Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak, Fl)
This was the first annual Allman Brothers Band extended family musical orgy. Lineup was the Allman Bros, Derek Trucks Band, Gov't Mule, Oteil & the Peacemakers, Robert Randolph, Galactic; plus a few more. Another big showing of Disreputables from the tribe made this extra special; plus it wasn't too crowded, and we knew some people who had a cabin with warm water and AC if we needed a brief reprise from the weather and elements. The fact I got so drunk one mid day, almost passed out during Derek Truck's late afternoon daylight set, then recovered enough to the point I could communicate and be comprehended later that night; is the kind of tale of which legend is born :-) I also wound up backstage one night, and although it wasn't the first time back there, it was the first and only time I was introduced to Gregg Allman and got to personally thank him, for so much great music and memories over the years. We also had a crazy Matt Abts moment in a trailer I can't go into detail about here... The music wasn't bad either...

* 10/14/2005, 10/15/2005, 10/16/2005 - Steelin' & Slidin' (The Netherlands)
The Derek Trucks Band's 1st ever 3 European shows, with Sonny Landreth, Buddy Cage, Dan Tyack, and Dutch musicians Johan Jansen and René van Barneveld... The 14th was in Groningen, the 15th in Eindhoven, and the 16th @ Paradiso in Amsterdam. All 3 nights were small venues but very nice rooms, with very enthusiastic fans. I made some great friends on that tour, hung out with DTB a bit, met Derek's grandfather; and I had the honor of buying Sonny Landreth a pint of Guinness late one night ;-) The music was awesome, seeing Sonny and Derek on stage together was pretty incendiary, and unknown (to me, at that time) Dan Tyack was killing it on lapsteel. The overall energy, although smaller scale due to smaller crowds, was comparable to the ABB's 2001 Beacon run mentioned above. Sadly, I haven't been back to Europe since this run of shows... I hope to remedy this situation sometime in 2010.

* 1/20/2006, 1/21/2006 - Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit @ Fox Theatre (Boulder, CO)
A couple more Col. Bruce Bruce reunion shows with Jimmy, Oteil, and Sipe; always something to get extremely excited about. I was in the beautiful town of Boulder, I was seeing ARU twice, and I was with a couple very close friends who were ARU virgins. What more needs to be said?

* 4/19/2006, 4/20/2006 - David Gilmour (Los Angeles)
I caught the show 4/19 @ Kodak Theater, and 4/20 @ the Gibson Theatre. I enjoyed the 4/20 show just a tad more because our seats were better. But, being a long time Pink Floyd FREAK and David Gilmour FREAK, I thought both of these shows were off the hook. Band included Phil Manzarek of Roxy Music on 2nd guitar, and Floyd alumni Richard Wright on keys; and for these 2 LA shows we also got David Crosby and Graham Nash doing back up vocals... Not too shabby.

* 3/19/2009, 3/20/2009, 3/21/2009 - The Allman Brothers Band @ The Beacon Theatre (NYC)
Another ABB Beacon run... This one was extra special for a few reasons. I was able to book my bro Scott's band "Go There" at Sullivan Hall, in the Village, on 3/18. This was the first "Go There" show w/Oteil Burbridge on bass, since Scott had released his "Go There" cd the year before which did feature Oteil along with his bro Kofi. I was pretty damn proud of myself for helping to make that happen. Secondly, Eric Clapton sat in 2 nights for a full set, those were my first ever live EC experiences... To see him playing Layla with Derek Trucks playing the Duane parts, it was MAGIC. Thirdly, I was able to gift brother Scott with a 2nd row seat for the 3/19 show... It was his 1st ever live Derek Trucks sighting, his first time seeing the Allman Bros since the 70's, and I don't know if he had ever seen Clapton before that night. So, aside from the awesome music I heard 4 nights in a row, it was pretty rewarding to turn my bro onto this wonderful scene I am a part of.

* 4/15/2009, 5/8/2009, 5/9/2009 - Derek Trucks Band (NorCal)
I have seen the Derek Trucks Band a sh*tload of times since my 1st show in January of 2000... As good as every one has been, the next one is always just a little bit better. I pretty much try to catch whatever shows are reasonably nearby as often as they come through; and these 3 were the last ones I saw - Thus they are included on this list. 4/15 was at Regency Center in San Fran. Carlos Santana sat in. At one point he and Derek were soloing and trading licks, and while Derek was going off Carlos just kind of quit playing and was laughing at Derek, watching him play and point at him; it was obvious he was as mesmerized as the rest of us. Fast forward a couple weeks later - 5/8, the Crest Theatre in Sacramento. A nice old room I had never been in before. 5/9 was the Fountain Blues Fest on San Jose State Campus. Sacramento was fun (like every DTB show), good crowd, the band feeding off the crowd, an out version of My Favorite Things... You know the drill... San Jose was more a blues set, which DTB doesn't give you too often (it was a blues fest). There were a lot of Derek Trucks newbies at this festival, and it's always a lot of fun seeing their reactions and expressions when seeing the Derek Trucks band for the first time. This band is on a prolonged hiatus now; and while I am sad I won't get to see this particular group of artists on stage together for a year or longer, I am very excited about all the other possibilities this hiatus opens up for them

* 10/30/2009, 10/31/2009, 11/1/2009 - Phish @ Festival 8 (Indio, CA)
This was another spontaneous last minute deal for me... I had seen them the previous August here in the Bay Area; and a couple weeks before this festival I saw some cheap tickets for sale on craigslist. I asked for and was given a couple days of paid time off at work; so I snagged the ticket, booked a cheapo hotel room, and drove down to the Palm Springs desert. The music was exceptional, the festival was a trip, Halloween was particularly wacky. The album they covered was Rolling Stones "Exile on Main Street" and they had Sharon Jones of the Dap Kings doing backup vocals. We were also treated to Phish'es 1st ever acoustic set. It was a great time, a very well organized festival, and I hope they do it again in 2010.

* 11/12/2009, 11/13/2009, 11/14/2009 - Widespread Panic @ Fox Theatre (Oakland, CA)
I've been catching WSP shows since '92, but was never really motivated to do multi-night runs until the Jimmy Herring era... I would have loved to have done more runs earlier on with them, but it wasn't in my budget, or my work schedule didn't allow it... I was a bit of a Mikey snob, and even though I am a HUGE Jimmy Herring advocate (I am obsessed with his 1st band, ARU), it took me quite a while to really enjoy a Panic show without comparing them to their former and different 6 headed monster jam... They are still KILLER, but a less balanced band in my opinion, with sideman extraordinaire Jimmy Herring playing lead guitar. I did an LA Orpheum run in '06 I think it was, the Oakland Paramount run in '07, and this Fox Oak run back in November last year... After 3 plus years of Jimmy being in the band, this last run makes my list. I had a blast at these 3 shows! Still, long live the memory and music of Mikey Houser.

* 12/29/2009, 12/30/2009, 12/31/2009 - Phish @ American Airlines Arena (Miami, FL)
10 years later, back in South Florida seeing Phish play some NYE shows, with my old friend and partner in crime, Mike. We caught 3 nights of a 4 night run. More excellent music, and despite the fact Miami is a very weird city (There was a fight at Shakedown Street one night post show AND I saw a cop beating up a hippie for hitting a nitrous balloon - I know its illegal and bad for you, maybe I have been in Cali too long and thus I'm jaded), that weirdness added to the weekend overall, and this run still makes my list; because musically Phish is so on top of their game at this moment.

My belated picks...Best cd's of 2009

2010-02-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

Better late than never... Here is my list... But first, some disclaimers and notes... I stuck to cd's that are more or less commercially available in stores - I didn't include any Allman Beacon cd's, although all 6 of the ones I bought are killer, as are the other shows which I procured SBD's of... Same thing applies to the other live ABB cd's I got (Vegas and Fox) which also sound mighty fine. I also didn't include any downloads from muletracks.com or livephish.com - I also didn't include dTb's "Already Live" because it's an EP and not a full length show,and there are many complete excellent sounding dTb recordings on the LMA. Anyway, these are my choices, with a few comments thrown in here and there, (following a **). The list is in alphabetical order.

...Like Perry Farrell says: "Everybody has their own opinion..."

====================

Best of 2009

01- John Abercrombie Quartet - Wait Till You see Her
02- Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue ** Alice in Chains is back!
03- Pedro Arevalo - Pedro Aravelo & Friends Too ** Great cover of Jimi's "My Friend" - This cd reminds me of Hot Tuna, although I like it better than Jorma's 2009 album "River of Time"
04- Roy Buchanan - Live: Amazing Grace
05- Five Peace Band (Chick Corea & John McLaughlin) - Live ** This and the phish are my 2 favorites of the year.
06- Bill Frisell - Disfarmer
07- Gov't Mule - By a Thread
08- Ben Harper and Relentless7 - White Lies For Dark Times ** Ben Harper is so underrated as a guitar player.
09- Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway
10- Eric McFadden - Train to Salvation ** Awesome album, not the trio; more songwriter oriented, very dark.... Comes w/a live DVD. This album is a French import, and I had to order it from Switzerland, even though we practically live in the same zip code; because I was too impatient to wait.
11- Medeski Martin & Wood - Radiolarians (II & III, or the entire box set)
12- Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel - Willie and the Wheel
13- Phish - Joy ** This and the Five Peace band are my 2 favorites of the year.
14- Porcupine Tree - The Incident ** Still IMO the best post 80's prog band.
15- Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11 ** This is a burning album. If you're into the McLaughlin/DeLucia/Dimeola albums, then you'll dig this too.
16- John Scofield - Piety Street
17- Mike Stern - Big Neighborhood ** Guitar geek music. Guests on this cd include Steve Vai, Medeski Martin & Wood, Randy Brecker, Dave Weckl, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Eric Johnson (where has this cat been since he released "Tones" 24 years ago??)
18- Derek Trucks Band - Already Free ** Woohoo, 2009 Grammy winner :-)
19- Umphrey's McGee - Mantis ** It took a long while for UM to grow on me, but they finally did... I had them written off as phish wannabe's, but on this album IMO they now have their own musical voice. If you dig classic prog bands you'll probably dig this album.
20- Steven Wilson - Insurgentes ** Steven Wilson is Porcupine Tree's mastermind; or dictator, depending on how you read into it. This album is more out, textured, and lush; not as heavy as what PT is doing nowadays. This is closer maybe to Pink Floyd or Radiohead.

Top 20 CD's of 2008

2009-01-29T12:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I have officially joined the 21st century... Presenting my first ever blog. Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors. These are my Top 20 favorite CD's released in 2008. Hopefully, I didn't make any factual errors in my descriptions. As far as whether or not you agree; these are simply my opinions, and you know what they say about opinions... Anyway, here it is, for better or worse (alphabetic order).

* Jeff Beck - Live at Ronnie Scott's
JB is on top of his game these days, as evidenced by this excellent live set with wunderkind Tal Wilkenfeld on bass... This CD was recorded during an extended run of shows at Ronnie Scott's in London. Very nice production and has music spanning most of his career; Beck's Bolero, Wired, Blow by Blow, and There & Back albums, a few tunes from more recent albums; and even a few choice covers from the likes of the Beatles, John McGlaughlin, and Billy Cobham. There are also some bootleg soundboard recordings circulating from some of the other sets not on this CD. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Performing-This-Week-Live-Ronnie-Scotts/dp/B001GSV3EC

* Marco Benevento - Invisible Baby
Marco on a variety of keyboard instruments with Reed Mathis on bass, Matt Chamberlain and Andrew Barr on drums. Funky and experimental compared to the duo, perhaps a result of gigging with Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing... I prefer this over his duo project. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Baby-Marco-Benevento/dp/B0010ZR06Q

* Will Bernard - Blue Plate Special
Will's best recorded effort yet, in my opinion... Then again, how can you go wrong with Will Bernard, Stanton Moore, John Medeski, and Andy Hess? Lots of nasty funky groove, great musicianship, and no filler. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Plate-Special-Will-Bernard/dp/B001E08TC6

* The Black Crowes - Warpaint
I have never been a huge Black Crowes fan, but I've always liked them and have been catching live shows intermittently since I saw them open for Aerosmith in 1989. Luther Dickinson handles lead guitar duties on this release and brings a lot to the table. Nothing new really, but I personally think this is their best release since Amorica, which came out back in '94. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Warpaint-Black-Crowes/dp/B00112A6HS

* Bill Frisell - History, Mystery
Live recordings from 2006-07 with his octet, a 2 CD set - Kenny Wollesen (drums) and Tony Scherr (bass) rhythm section; along with cornet, sax/clarinet, violin, viola, and cello. This music blows me away! It's a recent buy, late-December, and it's better with each listen. Moves freely between classical, jazz, groove (Ex. "Struggle), blues, and out. Very well produced by Lee Townsend. The first adjectives that come to mind are beautiful, haunting, hypnotic, and abstract. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/History-Mystery-Bill-Frisell/dp/B0016OMGFG

* Garaj Mahal - w00t
The 3rd studio effort by Garaj Mahal. They are one of those bands who I prefer studio over live, and they definitely deliver on this album. Lots of funky moments and technical virtuosity, and 3 tracks feature Fareed Haque playing the Moog guitar. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Woot-Garaj-Mahal/dp/B001E1BO68

* Gongzilla - Five Even
In the past kind of jazz, kind of progressive rock; now Gongzilla has mixed things up and added vocals... The core of the band is still the same: Bon Lozaga on guitar, Hansford Rowe on bass, and Phil Kester on drums; along with guests David Fiuczynski, Chuck Garvey, Kai Eckhardt, and Jake Cinninger. They still have the textural abstract thing going on, and groove; but there's less percussion/marimba, and the songs are a little more structured with melodies and hooks, etc, versus their previous releases. Buy the CD here: http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=23888

* Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
In my opinion, all of Buddy's Silvertone releases have been keepers, and this latest effort is no exception. This release has a lot of nice moments featuring guests such as Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeski, Robert Randolph, and Eric Clapton. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Deep-Buddy-Guy/dp/B001870MES

* Charlie Haden: Family & Friends - Rambling Boy
Charlie has gone back to his roots on this fine release... Lots of guest vocalists and musicians; Jerry Douglas (dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin), and Stuart Duncan (fiddle) are all over this recording. The CD is worth the price alone for the burning solo's by Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Bela Fleck on the track "Old Joe Clark." Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Rambling-Boy-Charlie-Haden/dp/B001BCCPYK

* Jimmy Herring - Lifeboat
It's about time the jam world's most humble sideman released his own CD. The core band is Jimmy on guitar, Oteil Burbridge on bass, Jeff Sipe on drums, and Kofi Burbridge on piano. Then there are all the other great musicians contributing to different tracks: Derek Trucks, Greg Osby, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Ike Stubblefield, Matt Slocum, Scott Kinsey, and Tyler Greenwell. I was expecting this to sound similar to Aquarium Rescue Unit; but to my ears its closer to Weather Report. My favorite track on this CD is the "Jungle Book Overture." Buy the CD here: http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=23855

* Charlie Hunter - Baboon Strength
Charlie is one of my favorite artists... In the event you are not familiar with him, he plays a guitar with guitar and bass strings, plays bass lines and guitar lines simultaneously. If you haven't seen Charlie Hunter live, you most definitely should check him out; and if you're a musician, prepare to be amazed... On this trio recording he is back to 7 string guitar (I'm pretty sure he's been using an 8-stringer on his previous recent CD's). He's accompanied by Erik Deutch on keyboards and casio tone, and newcomer Tony Mason on drums... On his earlier releases, Charlie's music was more in the jazz vein - Like his more recent releases, this CD continues to go more in the rock and experimental direction. Buy the CD here: http://www.charliehunter.com/baboon-strength/index.php

* Eric McFadden Trio - Delicate Thing
Eric McFadden is the best kept secret in the Bay Area; he plays out fairly regularly, releases CD's regularly, and is one of the most versatile guitarists I have ever seen. This guy is equally at home playing Django style gypsy jazz, flamenco, solo acoustic songwriter type stuff, bluegrass mandolin, and shredding electric guitar. The fact he is not more well known boggles my mind... The trio is him on guitar, James Whiton on upright bass (using effects, and a bow); and a rotating cast of drummers - On Delicate Thing the drummer is Paulo Baldi. Songs on this disc run the gamut from slower tunes with interesting lyrics, to more rocking tunes that would fit right in on Headbanger's Ball, such as "Bigger Piece of You." Buy the CD here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/ericmcfadden5

* Medeski Martin & Wood - Radiolarians I
MMW's "Radiolarian" endeavor is this, in this sequence: In 4 months write new songs, perform songs live while on tour, record the songs, release the CD. Repeat 2 more times... So in a reversal from the normal trend, they are playing the music before making it available on commercial release; and this is the first of the 3 Radiolarian CD's to be released... Quite ambitious in my opinion... Since MMW is one of my favorite bands live and/or studio, its no surprise that this excellent CD is on my list. Based on the live performances I heard throughout 2008, I suspect the next 2 volumes will appear on my best of 2009 list. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Radiolarians-1-Medeski-Martin-Wood/dp/B001DUJNHM

* Ohm - Circus of Sound
Ex-Megadeth lead guitarist Chris Poland's instrumental progressive band, they've been making music since 1997. Along with Chris, there is Robertino Pagliari on bass, and 3 different drummers including Kofi Baker.... Nothing new or groundbreaking here, their 3rd studio recording, just more "metal-ish" fusion... What can I say? Old white guy music? Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Circus-Sound-Ohm/dp/B001BWQA6O

* Opeth - Watershed
Opeth's 9th album, and their first with a new lead guitar player and drummer. Like their previous efforts, I consider this death metal overall; but I also hear traces of different influences - 70's style progressive rock keyboards, lots of crunchy guitar solos and equally virtuosic acoustic guitar lines, intricate musical collaborative work-outs ala Rush and Dream Theater; and equal parts cookie monster unintelligible growls and soft ballad-like vocals. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Watershed-Opeth/dp/B0018CWWFK

* Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
I'm pretty particular about bluegrass/jamgrass music. String Cheese Incident didn't do it for me, nor do most of the like minded bands that came along afterwards. Railroad Earth is the exception to the rule. I saw them play at a festival a few years back and have been hooked ever since. More rock elements than bluegrass in my opinion. Great musicians in this band. My favorite track off the CD is "All Alone" which could easily pass for a "Jerry song" - A good thing... Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Amen-Corner-Railroad-Earth/dp/B0018OAOOO

* Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - Party Intellectuals
This CD is pretty out... The tracks are as diverse as his sideman gigs are... Although I classify this as a rock album, it covers a lot of different ground. The band is a stripped down 3 piece - guitar, bass and moog, drums and electronics; along with some guest vocalists on a couple tracks, and guest percussion on one track. Edgy, dark, and eclectic. I like their grunge punk version of "Break On Through." Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Party-Intellectuals-Marc-Ribots-Ceramic/dp/B0017LFKVU

* Rose Hill Drive - Moon is the New Earth
One of the better old school rock power trio's in my opinion. A Colorado band... Reminds me of Zeppelin, Cream, and also newer band Wolfmother. This excellent album is their 2nd studio release; I was skeptical it would match their debut album, and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a very young band, If they stay together I expect more great things from them. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Earth-Rose-Hill-Drive/dp/B00197U0N0

* McCoy Tyner - Guitars
This is a KILLER CD... McCoy along with the rhythm section of Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette along with guitarists Bill Frisell, Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Marc Ribot, and banjoist Bela Fleck. The package also includes a DVD of the studio sessions, which I haven't yet watched, so I can't comment on that... The CD though, is excellent. I like the Bela Fleck tracks best. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Guitars-CD-DVD-McCoy-Tyner/dp/B001D84S0Q

* John Zorn - Zaebos: Book of Angels 11
This is music composed by John Zorn, but performed by Medeski Martin & Wood; a continuation of Zorn's "Masada" theme. This CD is dark and dense compared to MMW's 2008 Radiolarians release, in my opinion. Buy the CD here: http://www.amazon.com/Zaebos-Book-Angels-Vol-11/dp/B0019R4TK0