This page will feature record and concert reviews from our DJs. John Hammel (Mozart To Motörhead) and Jeff From Oxford (The Perfumed Garden) get the ball rolling.

February Edition

Things We've Been Listening To Lately

Annahstasia – Tether – drink sum wtr Records – An enormously gifted singer/songwriter- Beautiful timbre to the voice and the story goes that various vocal teachers tried to change it ‘cause it was “wrong.” They were wrong. Beautifully emotive with songs of great depth and character to match. Gorgeous acoustic arrangements make this an easy recommendation. A stunning debut – JH

Yunchan Lim – Rachmaninoff Piano Cto No. 3 – Decca Classics - Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra -  Marin Alsop -  Yunchan Lim - Recorded: 2022-06-17

Recording Venue: Bass Performance Hall, Ft. Worth, TX – Sergei Rachmaninoff is generally considered by many critics to be the greatest pianist of all time and his own compositions played up to his superlative technical mastery and rich emotional conceptions. Yunchan Lim spotlights the piece that won him the 2022 Van Cliburn Competition with aplomb & profound musicality. His is a unique new pianistic voice that appears undaunted by this challenging music as he takes total command in the virtuosic finale, daring the orchestra to keep up. He is being compared to the keyboard greats already and the evidence is in the pudding if you will. – JH

Martin Wind – Stars – Newvelle Records - Martin Wind – bass/composer - Kenny Barron – piano - Anat Cohen – clarinet - Matt Wilson – drums

Beautifully crafted swinging tunes from master bassist/composer Martin Wind with strong outings from all the players involved. Anat Cohen takes the lead on most of the tunes but when it comes time to step into the spotlight Kenny Barron, naturally doesn’t fail to utterly delight with his signature light fleet fingered filigrees beautifully constructed solos. Matt Wilson is a great drummer and has been since the onset of his career. A terrific record & you’ll delight in their wondrous cover of "Stars Fell on Alabama" - JH

Wednesday – Bleeds – Dead Oceans Records – Karly Hartzman – lead vocals, guitar - Jake Lenderman – guitar, vocals - Xandy Chelmis – lap steel, pedal steel - Ethan Baechtold – bass guitar, piano - Alan Miller – drums

I love Southern Gothic anything. Books, literature, acting, whatever. Flannery O’Connor & William Faulkner are two of my favorite writers. Drive By Truckers, one of my favorite bands. Add Wednesday to this list. Distinctive vocals by Karly Hartzman combined with a mishmash of grueling & shoegaze contemplation with expert grinding production and playing make this one of the best records released last year. Tales of broken relationships & vulnerability, personal struggles & catharsis. - JH

Ben Rosenblum's Nebula Project – The Longest Way Round - One Trick Dog Records - Ben Rosenblum – piano/accordion/composer - Trumpet/flugelhorn -  Wayne Tucker – soprano/alto/clarinet/bass clarinet/flute - Jasper Dutz -guitar -  Rafael Rosa – bass - Marty Jaffe – drums/percussion - Ben Zweig percussionists - Gustavo Di Dalva – 1,6,7,10 - Brad Dutz -2 – Pianist/accordionist

Rosenblum adds to his growing body of work and significant oeuvre with this beautifully crafted and executed new record. Plangent & exultant melodies compete for your attention and all is infused with jazz & world folk music influences add to the charm and accessibility of this new music. - JH

Benjamin Appl – Lines of Life Schubert & Kurtag – Alpha Classics -

Benjamin Appl (baritone), György Kurtág (piano), James Baillieu (piano 2,4,6,7,14,15,) , Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano 16-19), Csaba Bencze (trombone 8-13), Gergely Lukác (tuba 8-13).

“New” singers come along every generation and there is always someone or something new to marvel at. Benjamin Appl is certainly no exception. His touchstone is possibly the greatest lieder singer of all time Dietrick Fischer-Dieskau, and any comparisons would be apt. Appl enjoys a beautifully resonant vocal instrument with strength, beauty of line and highly nuanced emotional capabilities all brought to full fruition in this fine program. The selections span centuries and juxtapose the melodic fecundity of Schubert with the more starkly rigorous compositions of Gyorgy Kurtag. Not that Kurtag isn’t emotional, it’s simply of a different nature. Whereas Schubert’s lines flow like a swiftly flowing but non-treacherous river, inevitably towards the sea; Kurtag’s melodic meanderings take a more jagged flow to what ultimately proves to be a equally fulfilling ocean of song. Both piano accompanists are accomplished soloists in their own right, and their commitment to the singer and the text underlines this wonderful program and collaboration. - JH

Brandon Seabrook Quartet – Hellbent Daydream - Pyroclastic Records -

Guitar/banjo/composer - Brandon Seabrook – piano/synth - Elias Stemesder – bass - Henry Fraser – violin - Erica Dicker

A new quartet for Brandon featuring the artists above, providing an eclectic sound to capture these more outré compositions, most dealing with the dream fugue-y ability of the human spirit to capture and encapsulate weird and fantastic stories & works of art. This fits the bill and the new members are operating with B. S. on a lightning fast almost subliminal level. This is a blend of styles & musical influences that works again and again on every track, with the emotional content veering away from and colliding into each other in compelling fashion. Sort of like those old looney tunes cartoons where anything went and the most outlandish seemed to make an oddly captivating sense. Great record with some of the best titles on a jazz record in age. Sample, besides the title track:  Existential Danger Infinite Ceiling. - JH

Warren Zevon – Epilogue - Live at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival – Omnivore Records - August 9, 2002 – Zevon’s Final Concert – Gallagher Park -

Warren on guitar, harmonica, and piano - Matt Cartsonis - guitar, dulcimer, fiddle, harmonies and more!

Stripped down acoustical versions of Warren’s last concert with friend & multi-instrumentalist Matt Cartsonis helping out. Zevon was one of the most gifted songwriters of our era & his untimely death robbed friends & fans alike of his discerning wit and sardonic humor. Some have criticized his diminished vocal abilities at times & wavering tuning but for god’s sake he was dealing with his devastating health death sentence. This is an astonishing document, not just for hard core fans, & evidence of the indomitability of the human spirit. Good to have. JH

Ingrid Jensen – Landings – Newvelle Records - Ingrid Jensen – trumpet - Gary Versace (organ), Marvin Sewell (guitar), and Jon Wikan (drums) – George Coleman – tenor sax – Ingrid Jensen is a top-flight trumpeter & composer. Her new album kicks off with Amsterdam After Dark, a George Coleman composition on which the legendary saxophonist guests, trading solos with Jensen, and it’s a scorcher. This album is a new take on organ jazz. Most organ led groups (of which this is not) are trios with guitar & drums, but in this expansive lineup we have Jensen floating and alternately sizzling her solos above the musical fray, adding depth & warmth. There is tasteful use of electronics which serve this music superbly. Superb. That’s an apt word for this outing. – Versace’s organ work is exemplary and this album features excellent textures & playing from Sewell & Wikan. Great covers of Carla Bley’s Ida Lupino & terrific new originals from Jensen, Sewell & Versace. – JH

Brad Mehldau – Ride into the Sun – Nonesuch Records – Brad Mehldau continues to astonish with his incredibly far-reaching taste and expansive musical interests & sensibilities. He expands on the music of the people whom he admires and emulates. This outing its Elliott Smith’s turn to garner exposure in the Mehldau universe. He takes the warmth & intimacy of Smith’s writing and with an orchestral ensemble augmenting a core rotating trio of bass & drums manages to take your breath away with the beauty and depth of these compositions. He adds a few of his own complimentary songs, most notably, Sweet Adeline Fantasy and juxtaposes Smith’s work with two tracks from musicians Smith admired. So, we are graced with covers of Big Star’s Thirteen and Nick Drake’s Sunday. It took me a while to get to this record, and I only wish I had arrived at it sooner. A big beautiful humanistic record of the year for 2025. - JH 

Quinsin Nachoff – Patterns from Nature – Whirlwind Recordings - Quinsin Nachoff – sax – pianist Matt Mitchell, trombonist Ryan Keberle, clarinetist François Houle, percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, bassist Carlo De Rosa. Molinari String Quartet: Olga Ranzenhofer – violin - Antoine Bareil – violin - Frédéric Lambert – viola - Pierre-Alain Bouvrette – cello.

Carazzy man! There are those probing musical minds that seem to easily shed genres & preconceptions. Quinsin Nachoff is one of these composers. Is it jazz? Is it classical? Well, it’s a genre bending new record with a large ensemble and a string quartet that simply defies categorization. The music, basically two large pieces, Patterns from Nature in four parts and Winding Tessellations, a saxophone concerto in three parts. This is ambitious music that succeeds on every level, offering not only depth & complexity but rigorous melodic accessibility. I should add that it is the soundtrack for a film dealing with emergent patterns of flow and fracture. – JH

Geese – Getting Killed – Partisan/Play It Again Sam Records - Max Bassin – drums - Dominic DiGesu – bass - Emily Green – guitar - Cameron Winter – vocals, guitar, keyboards

I believe this is Geese’s third full length and as good as they have always been this is a quantum leap forward. Anchored by the highly distinctive vocals and lyrical songwriting of frontman Cameron Winter these tracks combine punk, indie, art-rock, prog, jazz & the kitchen sink to make a compelling case for this to be the hot “new” band of the moment. They have the talent to make this a long-term affair of musical excellence. The new record explores many of the existential themes of the current societal & political moment. Potential leaders of the pack. - JH

Shawn Lovato – Biotic – Endectomorph Music – Bassist/composer Shawn Lovato - tenor saxophone - Ingrid Laubrock - drums - Henry Mermer

A unique trio outing from composer/bassist Shawn Lovato. Tenor sax, bass & drums. You know this music is going to be challenging and it certainly makes the case for advanced musical sensibilities & attentive listening. Plenty of give & take, push & pull going on in this music and the trio pulls it off admirably. Attentive listening doesn’t mean off-putting or inaccessible as this music is certainly capable of drawing you into Lovato’s singular sound world. His bass playing almost acts as intriguing morse acting as counterpoint to more expansive journeyings on the part of his collaborators.  – JH

The Mountain Goats – Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan – Cadmean Dawn – John Darnielle had a dream. Not that one. A dream about Captain Peter Balkan & others surviving a shipwreck & a fire. Out of that dream came this carefully crafted record exploring themes of sharing, care, struggle through travail & confrontation of fate. In order to make art out of the chaos of his own and his character’s visions, Darnielle employs not just a rock band but strings and other orchestral forces which imbue this music & story with a theatrical richness & emotional depth. There is a plethora of guest musicians, most notably Lin-Manuel Miranda as additional vocalist on a quarter of the album’s tracks. - JH

Cecile McLorin Salvant – Oh Snap – Nonesuch Records – Yawn, yet another genre bending release designed to show off an artists wide ranging influences and ability to synthesize and forge these elements into music new and exciting. Wait! That’s not a good thing, it’s a great thing! Salvant even employs auto-tune & electronics better than just about anyone out there and even sings in a retro style, well just to show she can do that to. Terrific new record showcasing, at times, a lighter more effervescently playful side. - JH

Kronos Quartet – Forgive Us For – Phenotypic Records - David Harrington, violin - Gabriela Díaz, violin - Ayane Kozasa, viola - Paul Wiancko, cello

What a brilliant record. Kronos collaborating with three distinctive composers creating musical stories of injustice, exile, and resilience from Palestine, Iceland, & Ukraine. First up is Rim Banna who sings on a pre-recorded tape to a short, traditional Palestinian folk song Ya Taali’een el-Jabal, a plea for liberation. We next hear from Hildur Guðnadóttir who pens an arrangement of Fólk fær andlit, whose solemnity is imbued with icy fervor, as Kronos is joined by accordionist Jeanne Velonis. An apt imagining for music based on a tale of forced deportation of Albanian families. Finally, we hear from Mariana Sadovska, composer, vocals & harmonium, in her four-part piece, Chernobyl: The Harvest. This piece juxtaposes and takes us on a journey encompassing the destructive devastation & surprising resilience of nature. The four parts are titled The Road, The Harvest, Lamentation & finally Paradise. Some critics have described this record as challengingly listenable. Indeed. Kronos, of course, are up to their usual high standards. – JH

Mayuko Katakura - The Duality of My Soul – Mayuko Katakura Music - Piano - Mayuko Katakura – bass - Takumi Awaya – drums - Noritaka Tanaka – Seven Katakura originals & one cover, Abbey Lincoln’s Being Me. A gently muscular outing from Katakura with fine syncopated dynamism from the trio. Most of the music & playing is on the contemplative side & features fine interplay between the three musicians in both articulation & interpretation. A beautiful workout and not surprising as Katakura has cited McCoy Tyner as a major influence. - JH

Oneohtrix Point Never – Tranquilizer – Warp Records – Daniel Lopatin has been doing this a long time. And he’s good at it. So, when he describes the music (electronic composition, found sounds, etc.) as tranquil, I guess you have to wonder what serene universe he is living in. Not that the music is intensely overdriven, just that’s it powerfully propellant with a core of restless ambiguity. As always, the unexpectedness and shifting sands of sounds are compelling. Kudos to him for his recent Golden Globe win for the Marty Supreme score. - JH

Thomas Ades – Orchestral Suites – London Philharmonic Orchestra Records - London Philharmonic Orchestra – Thomas Ades – conductor/composer

The composer conducting three suites from his own works is an opportunity for further insight into the creative innerworkings of Ades. He is a masterful composer and his orchestrations are filled with excitement and vivacity. The Luxury Suite from his opera Powder Her Face is full of delicious dancing atmospheres and jig-saw rhythmic swerve. The next suite of music Five Spells from his opera The Tempest conjures swirling dynamism and adventurous energy. Finally, Ades presents Inferno Suite from his ballet Dante, and is, as to be expected, a convulsing piece full of drama & playful metrics. A fine recording by the always excellent London Philharmonic, superbly conducted by the composer and offering a peek into his musical imagination. – JH

Thomas Strønen – Time is a Blind Guide - Off Stillness – ECM Records - Thomas Strønen – Drums - Ayumi Tanaka – Piano - Håkon Aase – Violin - Leo Svensson Sander – Violoncello - Ole Morten Vågan - Double Bass – Drummer led ensembles are usually rhythmically complex and this is no exception with the caveat that most of the underpinning pulse is provided by bassist Ole Morten Vågan allowing Strønen’s drumming to create & inspire some uniquely facile phrasing. This is exceptionally contoured music with contrasting sections tweaking the ear as Strønen uses silences and deletions rather than overloading the senses as most would. Not minimalistic by any means but masterful usage of space and time. – JH

Zack Browning – Rock Galaxy – Neuma Records - Zack Browning is a new composer to me but he has been around for a while. We are age contemporary and I’m disappointed in myself for missing him prior to this excellent release. He possesses a singular creative vision that encompasses both rigorous classical music training fused with the palpable energy of rock. This is unique music well worth exploring as Zack Browning himself explores space, rhythm & harmony in visionary ways. The 8 pieces comprising this release are for various configurations from Woodwind Quintet (Jupiter LVB) to solo piano (Upscale Jammer) but all the music on this recording is intriguingly beguiling. JH

Patti Cudd – Cyanotypes – Neuma Records - Patti Cudd - percussion and electronics – Not a new recording, but new to me. This album came out a year or so ago and arrived via an email from a publicist for the Neuman record label. See the review above. Very impressed with what I’ve heard so far from far-reaching expansive minded artists. Patti Cudd is talented performer utilizing percussion and electronics to create energetically charged performances that captivate your senses & imagination. 5 compositions from female composers exploring sonic soundscapes designed to draw you in and carry you along on a high musical tide of creativity. – JH

Michael Jackson – The Gal from Ochi – JackoJazz Records – Smooth pop jazz that can morph into some hard charging bop and free at the drop of a hat from saxophonist Michael Jackson with a plethora of rotating core players sprinkled throughout. Makaya McCraven on drums/percussion; Xavier Breaker on drums; Aaron Koppel on guitar; et al. Cool vibes and other percussion aid in giving this a breezy Caribbean flavor at times and all goes down like a balmy summer day on the sands beside undulating wavelets breaking on a sunny shore. – JH

Alfie Jackson – The Peacocks – JackoJazz Records – Terrific debut album from vocalist (and guitar on one track) with her band of erstwhile young players. Leo Milano – tenor sax - Sam Roberson – guitar – Chase Wilkins – drums – Daniel Ellis Perez – bass – Wayne Williams – vibes.

An accomplished vocalist beyond her years, she imbues these covers with a fine musical sensibility. Daughter of the saxophonist in the review above, he must be a proud papa with this fine outing, and offers his support with a fine solo on the Nina Simone cover Do I Move You? – Jackson scats easily and has a nice tone which I anticipate will fill out with age & experience. The only caveat is she doesn’t seem to inhabit the heart of these songs as well as I’m sure she will in the not too distant future. An outstanding choice of covers underscoring a precocious jazz sensibility Coltrane’s After the Rain, Corea’s 500 Miles High, Cedar Walton’s Ugetsu et al. – JH

Rempis – Adasiewicz – Corsano – Dial Up – Aerophonic Records - Dave Rempis – soprano/alto/tenor/baritone saxophone - Jason Adasiewicz – vibes - Chris Corsano – drums

An intriguing and exhilarating new trio. Reeds, vibes and drums. Nothing could go wrong and it doesn’t. This is a gorgeously creative outing of five improvised pieces recorded in “real” time. The players are all non-plussed, weaving tensile magic out of thin air and releasing arcs of structure and time, form & line, combined with melodious & harmonic patterning sure to delight the engaged listener. Strength, vigor & superlative musicianship make this an astonishing document of hypnotically infused sound worlds. Echoes of Coleman, Coltrane & Sun Ra only in the sense that it is within the same experimentally spacious sensibility.  – JH

Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love – Warner Brothers Records – Fifth record from Earl Sweatshirt. Hard to believe he burst upon the scene as a prescient teenager and is now married, with two kids and approaching his 32^nd birthday. This is a short recording, less than 25 minutes long, but bursting at the seams with narratives & visions of personal growth; an extension of his own experience(s). Since his early days as part of the Odd Future conglomeration of artists (think Tyler the Creator, et al) he has forged his own singular path with an affinity for dream like word play and imagery. That still stands but now with accreted maturity which lends even more relevance to his observations. Being a parent can do that to you. – JH

January Edition

Luke Marantz & Simon Jermyn – Echoes – Chill Tone Records - Luke Marantz – piano/synth/Rhodes & Simon Jermyn – guitar/bass - Josh Dion – drums – An impressively beautiful soundscape of color and nuance from these three marvelous musicians. Fans of King Crimson wouldn’t be disappointed, although I find this music even more melodious. All the music permeates your being, enveloping one in a miasma of serene creativity, even when the drums are pushing and the guitar is nipping its way into your soul. JH

Rosalia – Lux – Columbia Records – Rosalia Vila Tobella is one hell of an artist. What a mindbender this album is. This is like no other record I heard in 2025. Genre defying in it’s blend of rock, electronica, classical (symphonic & operatic), flamenco, et al. Also utilizing the talents of hot classical composer Caroline Shaw and old school avant-gardists like Bjork, this record should be a must listen for all inspiring artists, although it just might intimidate some out of the arena! It pretty much deals with themes that plague all of us to greater and lesser degrees depending on you intellectual and emotional make-up; divinity, the ability to transform oneself, sainthood, and most especially how to make sense out of an increasingly chaotic or non-sensical world. She is pushing her fan base and envelopes like virtually no other artist out there. The record of 2025. JH

John Vanore & Abstract Truth – Easter Island Suite – Acoustical Concepts Records – Trumpeter John Vanore has composed a big 4-part suite that marries small group intimacy with big band sensibilities. Richly inventive & expressive writing and execution elevate this disc beyond the purview of most efforts in the big band genre. The giant stone sculptured heads on Easter Island have enthralled both archeologists & tourists alike for centuries and this music shares in the sense of awe that these manifestations inspire. This record might well evoke memories of the great Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaborations and easily is able to stand up to the comparison. JH

Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World – Anti-Epitaph Records – Eighty-five and still singing as if our lives depended on it. What an artist. One of planet earths sublime interpreters of song, navigating the darkness of human existence with grace, dignity and forgiveness. Always finding the goodness in life in spite of so much evidence to the contrary. Emphasizing the good over the evil, pushing, prodding and bending the arc of  the universe to her own sense of light & goodness. The key to this album is in her astonishing interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s Anthem. Finding hope among the hopeless situations in life. “There is a crack in everything. That is how the light gets in.” Oh God, continue to shine a light on Mavis Staples. May she live and sing to one hundred years old. JH

Kris Davis & the Lutoslawski Quartet – The Solastalgia Suite – Pyroclastic Records - Kris Davis – piano/composer; Lutoslawski Quartet: Roksana Kwasnikowska – violin; Marcin Markowitz – violin; Artur Rozmyslowicz – viola; Maciej Mlodawski – cello. Something new to learn. This suite’s music deals with solastalgia, a condition which deals with the distress caused by environmental change. Eight movements that aim to encapsulate the shadowy feelings of dread, yearning and hope that partially define the condition. This is a profound composition by Kris Davis, not merely jazz or classical, but an intense synthesis of the two genres. Certainly not just jazz with strings, this is a completely successful amalgamation of the two genres. A commission of the Jazztopad in Poland, it provides a showcase for the uniquely talented Ms. Davis in which she creates a rich narrative composition that is both driven and exultant. Extraordinary playing by all the members of the Lutoslawski Quartet & Davis. JH

Fred Hersch – The Surrounding Green – ECM Records - Fred Hersch - piano/compositions; Drew Gress - double bass; Joey Baron- drums. This trio recording is masterly. Nuance, depth, brilliant use of space and silence and phenomenal interplay between the three players provide us, the listener, with an opportunity to enjoy this highly sophisticated yet accessible music to the fullest. Always the most sensitive of composers & pianists, Fred Hersch draws you into this quiet firestorm of an emotional musical persona with his usual warmth and sensitivity. A plus plus. JH

Raphael Pannier Quartet – Live in Saint Louis Senegal – Miel Music - Raphaël Pannier – drums; Thomas Enhco – piano (and Rhodes); Yosvany Terry – saxophone; François Moutin – double bass - Khadim Niang & Sabar Group – drums & percussion; Mouhamed Niang; elder Cheikh Ndiaye Baba; Abdou Salam Sy, Bathie Gueye, Fallou Gueye, and Khadim’s two sons, Papa Madiodio Niang and Yoro Niang. An album of firsts, most notably, the first time a Senegalese sabar percussion group has worked with a piano jazz quartet. What a magnificent dialogue it is! Jazz returning to it’s cultural roots in Africa. The complex African rhythms blend seamlessly with Pannier’s quartet and the results should be enough to intrigue & lift anyone’s spirits. Mission accomplished. JH

Khruangbin - The Universe Smiles Upon You ii - Dead Oceans Records - Laura Lee Ochoa – bass guitar, vocals - Mark Speer – guitars, percussion, vocals - Donald "DJ" Johnson – drums, percussion, keyboards, piano, organ, vocals. – A rich re-imagining of their 2015 debut album, this recording magnifies the growth in both confidence, nuance & sound sculpting. My oldest son turned me on to this group when they first appeared and his ear is impeccable. There is nothing quite like this band of extremely talented musicians who excel in the slow burning groove orientation inherent in music of this type, employing style & silence better than 99% of shredders. Almost every sound they make fills your ears & soul with a buttery warmth. JH

Vance Thompson – Lost and Found – Moondo Records (www.vancethompsonmusic.com) - Vance Thomspon – trumpet/composer - piano - Taber Gable – guitar - Steve Kovalcheck - bass - Tommy Sauter – drums - Marcus Finnie – Vance Thompson leads a tightly swinging set with his new quartet reveling in a batch of his own tunes and two covers. They hit the musical pavement running with a nifty number entitled Tell It Like It Is. Not the Aaron Neville classic, but instead an energetic piece that lays the foundation for all to follow. Vance is telling it like it is with imagination & courage. Suffering from focal dystonia, an affliction which affects brass players and causing uncontrollable muscle contractions around the mouth, face and jaw, Vance took matters into his own hands. After a highly successful career of over 25 years as a leading jazz trumpeter, he took a few years off to study the vibes. The result is what we hear here. A heady mix of new compositions that stand comfortably beside two covers, and expertly played by all. Their cover of Arlen’s Over the Rainbow is beautifully rendered and I particularly enjoyed their cover of a Donald Brown number entitled My Three Suns. Donald is an underrated & excellent pianist & composer. JH

Wu Wei – Martin Stegner – Janne Saksana – Pur Ti Miro – ECM New Series

Wu Wei – sheng - Martin Stegner – viola - Janne Saksala - double bass – Pur ti miro in Italian means "I still gaze at you." It is a sensual declaration of love between the Roman Emperor Nero & Poppea from Monteverdi’s opera, The Coronation of Poppea. The music of Monteverdi, Vivaldi & Bach rendered anew with richness & vibrancy in this exacting trio recording utilizing instruments that expand rather than restrict the music. The sheng in particular, a Chinese mouth organ, integrates expertly with viola and bass to inform this music with colors I had not previously imagined. All captured with ECM’s fine recording standards. JH

Moor Mother – Analog Fluids of Sonic Black Holes – MDG Gold Records - Beethoven Orchestra Bonn – Dirk Kaftan – conductor - Wooden Elephant -  String Quintet – Aoife Ní Bhriain (violin), Hulda Jónsdóttir (violin), Ian Anderson (viola), Stefan Hadjiev (cello), and Nikolai Matthews (double bass) - Moor Mother – Camae Ayewa – This extraordinary composition from Moor Mother, originally released in 2019, has been stunningly re-imagined for full orchestra and string quartet. Dear God this is an amazing record. This composition dares you to look away from the horrors of human bondage and man’s inhumanity to man & the consequences that ensue for generations & hundreds of years. Powerfully visceral, it incorporates core elements of hip-hop, jazz, classical, electronica, industrial, geez, name a genre it doesn’t tap on the shoulder in its quest to pull everyone into its darkly honest artistic vision. Listen to this record at your emotional peril. That’s half a joke. Just listen to this record. JH

Theo Bleckmann – Love and Anger – Sunnyside Records - Theo Bleckmann – vocals - Mike King - piano & organ - Matt Penman – bass - Ulysses Owens, Jr. – drums - Timo Vollbrecht - saxophone & flute (1, 4, 5, 12) - Ben Monder - guitar (1, 5, 12) – Theo Bleckmann has always surrounded himself with top notch musicians and this has enhanced both his sound & appeal. This is primarily an album of covers and Theo is out to showcase his versatility and interpretative abilities. He is a nonpareil translator of other people’s material and in this case brings his imaginative abilities to the fore. Wonderful accounts of Kate Bush, The Beatles, disco icon Sylvester, Henry Purcell and more are both to new life with able support from his musical associates. JH

Suzanne Baca – Live at WOMAD 2023 – Real World Records - Susana Baca – vocals - Oscar Huaranga – Musical director, bass - Jonathan Mendoza – Acoustic guitar - Renzo Vignati – Electric guitar - Miguel Díaz – Percussion - Alexandro Quijandria – Backing vocals - Recorded at the WOMAD Festival 28 July, 2023, Charlton Park in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. This perennially great Peruvian singer has been gracing us with her hypnotically infectious music making for over 60 of her 81 years. Her style if laid back and alluring. The voice intimate and gently emotional. This document from the 2023 WOMAD festival is an essential addition to her expansive catalog. She is backed by a terrific group of bandmates who complement her singing & story-telling as if they’re connected by DNA. JH

Keith West - Cross That Bridge - The Anthology 1965-1999 (Strawberry)

Keith West secured his place on the British psychedelia pedestal as singer and composer (with Ken Burgess) of Tomorrow’s legendary eponymous album. This 46-track compilation selects six tracks (including the recently-discovered ‘My White Bicycle’ acetate) and adds the entire output from their mid-‘60s mod/soul progenitors Four + One and The In Crowd. The former’s two covers ape the Stones’ versions right down to West’s Jagger impersonation, but The In Crowd’s raucous proto-punk banger ‘Things She Says’, the Sonny Bono-via-Barry McGuire ‘Why Must They Criticize’, and two outtakes from the Blow-Up soundtrack spotlight West’s versatile vocals encompassing blues, soul, and garage screamers.

West’s solo debut (the theme from Mark Wirtz’s aborted Teenage Opera project) was a #2 smash but the follow-up ‘Sam’ and the brilliant shouldabeen a hit ‘On A Saturday’ failed to excite, and West concentrated on production and songwriting.

Disc two focuses on “1970s Recordings Plus.” Following two Deram solo efforts with a decidedly mellow CSNY/Brinsley Schwarz/Mighty Baby vibe, he released his lone solo album, the German-only Wherever My Love Goes, most of which is included. Featuring all-star backing from members of Stealer’s Wheel, Jeff Beck Group, Strawbs, Misunderstood, and Animals, it continues that stony Flying Burritos/Traffic style. Highlights include the magnificent ‘West Country’ (an even-better demo is on Disc 1), a heavy-lidded ‘Leitmotiv’, ‘Hope You’re Feeling Better’ (with its surprise ‘My White Bicycle’ coda!), and the dreamy ‘Sad Song.’ Favourable comparisons with Action singer Reg King’s solo albums would not be misplaced.

His next venture was the one-off Moonrider with Family guitarist John Weider and future Attractions bassist Bruce Thomas. Four tracks are on offer: earlier single ‘Having Someone’ gets a fresh coat of countrified paint and the funky ‘Living On Main Street’ are my favourites. Overall, more of the same excellent laidback grooves with hints of Plainsong to enjoy. Weider’s solos are particularly tasty.

The set concludes with several unreleased demos, the best being the Dylanesque Moonrider outtake ‘Baby Blue’, and two collaborations with Tomorrow cohort Steve Howe. The title track is an upbeat pop banger demo rejected by Robert Palmer, but Dylan’s ‘Lay Lady Lay’ is rather pedestrian. JFO

Moonrider - Moonrider (Think Like A Key)

It's a Keith West bonanza this month! Following his brilliant work as singer/songwriter in the much-loved Tomorrow and a German-only solo album with a stoney Brinsley Schwarz vibe, Keith West (aided by Animals/Family guitarist John Weider and future Attraction Bruce Thomas) released this one-off venture. Weider’s guitarwork is exemplary, West’s melodic songs evince a relaxed, West Coast vibe a la Help Yourself, Mighty Baby, and Plainsong, and the whole album is a buried treasure ripe for rediscovery. This 50th anniversary remaster appends live BBC performances of most of the tracks demonstrating the band were a formidable live act. ‘Having Someone’ and ‘I Found Love’, the hit singles that never were and the funky ‘Living On A Main Street’ are highlights, but Thomas’s bubbly basslines (‘Too Early In The Morning’), the Dead-infused ‘Ridin’ For A Fall’, and the dreamy ‘Danger In The Night’ are worth a few extra spins. JFO

The Black Watch - Varied Superstitions (Blue Matter)

John Andrew Fredrick and his revolving band of merrymakers’ twenty-sixth album continues a long line of power pop confections with psychedelic overtones, Beatlesque nudges, literate lyrics (Fredrick is also a novelist), and a whole lotta great music. Seven-minute opener ‘It Is What It Isn’t’ questions reality while delivering crystalline guitar lines that shimmer like the sun on the ocean. The title track is an eponymous litany set to a toetapping dance beat while ‘Living Backwards’ encourages us to forsake the past and concentrate on making the future a better place. While a sense of frustration with the world we live in permeates some lyrics (“Have we all gone insane?”, ‘Some People Will Believe’), Fredrick paints them with such tender brushstrokes of shoegazing guitars (‘Jolly Melancholy’, ‘In This Town’) that we’re whisked away to safer environs where only the music matters. JFO

December Edition

Brandon Sanders – Lasting Impression – Savant Records - Brandon Sanders: drums - Stacy Dillard: tenor saxophone -  Eric Scott Reed : piano 1-7 - Eric Wheeler: bass – 1-7 - Warren Wolf: vibraphone - Jazzmeia Horn: vocals (on tracks 2 and 7 – Ameen Saleem – bass 8 – Tyler Bullock – piano – 8.

Although strongly rooted in prior jazz traditions, Sanders et. al. revel in energetic expression and strongly accessible new paths to enliven and push forward the old ways. The rhythm section pushes and pulls this session along with expert synchronicity and drive. Mixing well established covers with two new compositions from the leader, 'Lasting Impression' and 'Tales of Mississippi,' this is a highly listenable set that satisfies and leaves you hungering for more at the same time. JH

Warren Haynes – The Whisper Sessions – Fantasy Records - Warren Haynes: Vocals, Guitar - John Medeski: Keys - Kevin Scott: Bass - Terence Higgins: Drums -  Greg Osby: Saxophone.

Profound emotional depth and feeling permeate this release. Talk about stripping yourself down to the bone. A brave excursion into a blend of southern rock, soul and blues from a whisper to another naked whisper. I never appreciated Haynes’ vocal abilities until this record. Fine, fine songwriting contributes to a magnificent release. The record is augmented with some fine players & playing by those listed above and they contribute accordingly, subtly adding nuance where appropriate. JH

Amanda Shires – Nobody’s Girl – ATO Records – A terrific mix of genres. This is Shires’ emotionally confessional “comeback” album, if you will, displaying a deeply personal and emotional tale of her breakup and self-recovery after a traumatic breakup. Her fiddle playing and vocals augment and underscore the lyrics' profound honesty. This is a kitchen sink production with orchestral strings, pedal steel, rocking rhythms & heartfelt vocalizing. A strong "A" album. JH 

John Edwards  Luis Vicente  Vasco Trilla - Choreography of Fractures – FSR Records  - John Edwards - double bass - Luis Vicente – trumpet -  Vasco Trilla – percussion - all music by Edwards, Vicente, Trilla.

Soft dynamics, nuance, subtlety, exquisite technical control.... What could go wrong? Absolutely nothing! Myriad textures teem on this record of combined improvisation and exploration. The music shapeshifts constantly segueing into various forms and formulations; phrase by phrase and song by song. Great use of silences with deftness & sensitivity and space invigorate this outstanding release. JH

Brandi Carlile – Returning to Myself – Interscope/Lost Highway Records – Brandi Carlile has matured as a major artist about as well as anyone can. Vocally, lyrically and musically. Some critics have carped about this album being on the safe side. I love that fact that she wears her likes & dislikes as well as her influences on her sleeve. She is taking complexity and breaking it down to easy-to-digest levels while synthesizing her sound to incorporate country, pop, synth, et. al. The album may be more mellow than some of her rockier outings, but there is nothing not to like here. I, for one, can’t get enough of Brandi Carlile. JH

Ivo Perelman & Army Anderson - 12 Stages of Spiritual Alchemy - FSRecords  - Ivo Perelman - tenor sax - Ray Anderson – trombone.

Two great players showing off their improvisational and technical skills at levels of virtuosity & imagination that few could imitate or emulate. Highly experimental, but not for the uninitiated. I’m not sure that the casual listener will find this music compelling. This is stuff for folks who like to stretch their brain cells a bit. I love doing so but I’m an anomaly in the sense that I like pop fluff and the avant-garde in almost equal measures. JH

Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska ’82 – Expanded – Columbia Legacy Records – If you’re a serious fan of the Boss, this is beyond essential. A boldly courageous performance at the time of its release, not only for its stripped-down settings but for the way in which he laid his persona & emotions this bare for the first time. This release expands on that initial proffering by incorporating outtakes, full band versions and a live outing with several close members of the E Street assemblage. This release is a validation of Bruce’s instincts that this was the right record at the right time AND also showcases the timelessness of the material. As resonate today as in 1982. The live versions are at least as good as the source material and in some ways surpass them. It is also wonderful to hear demo versions of songs which did not appear on Nebraska but would be absorbed into his next record, Born in the USA. A superlative re-issue. JH

Spinifex – Maxximus –Trytone Records -  Evi Filippou - vibraphone, percussion, Elisabeth Coudoux – cello - Jessica Pavone – viola - Bart Maris - trumpet, piccolo trumpet - Tobias Klein – alto saxophone, bass clarinet - John Dikeman - tenor saxophone, bass saxophone - Jasper Stadhouders – guitar - Gonçalo Almeida – double bass - Philipp Moser – drums, percussion.

A larger ensemble on this outing, fleshed out with guest musicians, allows Spinifex to engage in more complex, sonically engaging architecture. Improvisation is still crucial to this band’s raison d’etre and is on full display here with the band shape-shifting rapidly and at will in order to fulfill their sonic mission. Creative tone painting adds to the overall enjoyment. JH

Wolfgang Muthspiel – Tokyo – ECM Records - Wolfgang Muthspiel (electric guitar) - Scott Colley (double bass) - Brian Blade (drums).

A fluidly lyrical guitarist, Muthspiel, here with his long-established trio, plays in a richly evocative manner. Seemingly simplistic melodic lines are augmented with highly sophisticated harmonies that captivate and wash over you like a warmly efflorescent early summer’s day. This is a gorgeous record weaving complex music out of genre-defying blends of folk, rock, jazz & classical. Easily one of the best jazz records of 2025. JH

Mark Sherman – Bop Contest – Miles High Records - Mark Sherman – vibes – Donald Vega – piano – Ron Carter – bass – Carl Allen -drums - Joe Magnarelli – trumpet & flugelhorn – 2 & 5.

A stellar lineup of musician’s heralds a return to vibes for leader Mark Sherman after years concentrating on piano. He’s apparently never missed a beat as his vibes skills have survived intact on this excellent outing of classic jazz & bebop. Some might carp about a lack of adventure but for me this is a vibrant set of covers and two originals from Mark 'Love Always, Always Love' & the title track, capped by his duet with himself on piano & vibes on the Hoagy Carmichael standard 'Skylark.' JH

Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream – Polydor Records – Wow! Raw, cathartic & highly emotional. Perhaps the most visceral of Florence Welch’s career. Most of the lyrics cover trauma and recovery specifically dealing with her recent ectopic pregnancy. She has courageously shared her experience of female oriented physical problems with deep urgency. The album kicks off with the brilliant 'Everybody Scream' urging listeners to allow their emotions to surge out rather than keeping them inside and thus deepening angst & trauma. The entire production serves her lyrics well with a powerfully edgy soundscape. This is strongly uplifting album and on my top ten list for the year. JH

Convergence – Reckless Meter – Capri Records - Eric Gunnison (piano), Greg Gisbert (trumpet and flugelhorn), John Gunther (saxophones), Mark Patterson (trombone), Mark Simon (bass), and Paul Romaine (drums).

Recorded live in Denver, Colorado in 2019 it certainly captures the live energy of performing for an audience rather than the confines of a muted studio. This is music firmly rooted in tradition yet pushing against the walls of modernism. Fine interplay between all the players makes for an enlivening achievement of improvisation and spontaneity. Reckless Meter indeed w/o losing their sense of balance. JH

Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl – Republic Records  - Taylor is incapable of making a weak album. She’s just in “that” category of artist. So big that she it is impossible to ignore her or criticize by “normal” standards. That said, this is another very good outing from Ms. Swift with her usual genius pop instincts firmly intact. Lyrically I’ve never found her to be especially artistic or poetic. More confessional and colloquial and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The production is what you would expect from an artist of her stature. Big, showy, impressive mixing and powerfully exhilarating. For me, her outsized appeal eludes me. Like her male counterpart Ed Sheeran, I don’t fully get it. Appreciate it and can see the appeal but doesn’t rock my universe. JH

Lena Bloch – Marina – Fresh Sounds Records - Lena Bloch tenor & soprano saxophones - Kyoko Kitamura vocals - Jacob Sacks piano - Ken Filiano bass Michael Sarin drums.

Lena Bloh, expat Russian, continues to impress with her magnificent musical imagination and technique coupled with her ongoing inspiration with the poetry of Marina Tsvetaeva. The album is titled Marina and Bloch translates several of the great poet’s works into English for stunning vocalist Kyoko Kitamura to interpret, which she does so gloriously. Tsvetaeva was a tragic figure, losing her husband and two daughters, eventually taking her own life. The music of this tribute is a whirling incandescence of free jazz buoyed by strongly attenuated structure accompanied by powerful melody & harmonic structure. Great record. JH

Erkki-Sven Tüür - Aeris – ECM New Series - German Hornsound - Christoph EßFrench Horn - Marc Gruber - French Horn - Stephan Schottstädt - French Horn - Timo Steininger - French Horn - Estonian National Symphony Orchestra Orchestra -  Olari Elts - Conductor.

Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür is a marvel of poly-stylistic writing. He has from the start synthesized elements & sounds of rock, classical, Minimalism, Gregorian Chant, et. al. along with loud/soft, tonal/atonal methods side-by-side and somehow has made it all work. The sound quality of this ECM release is up to their usual superlative standards and works well to establish the nuanced sound world conjured by Tüür & ably executed by this orchestra & conductor. The HornSound Quartet augment the full orchestra for the intensely energetic symphony 'Aeris.' 'Phantasma', with its roiling back and forth in the orchestra is modern ear candy. 'De Profundis' is an instrumental take on the Old Testament psalm which builds softly & slowly to a turbulence which finally resolves to transcendent peace. All-in-all a superb record of a vital modern composer and proof that one does NOT have to reside in the realms of the old masters to find incisively cogent and easily accessible music. JH

Satoko Fujii Quartet – Burning Wick – Libra Records - Natsuki Tamura – trumpet – Satoko Fujii – piano/voice/compositions - Hayakawa Takeharu – bass/voice – Tatsuya Yoshida – drums/voice.

A high-intensity, genre-busting outing from the Satoko Fujii Quartet! Great, great interaction throughout the recording by this group with stop-on-a-dime shifts of energy, nuance & volatility. Terrific atmosphere and perturbation. All the music is composed by Fujii and every track is a standout. This is about as adventurous as one can get and still retain accessibility. All of the instrumentalists shine on this record, particularly Tamura who pulls out all the stops in his explorations of the material his wife has presented for the band to delve into. JH

James McMurtry – The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy – New West Records – Nothing to see here. Move along, move along. Just the usual world class songwriting standards from one of the most literate songwriters ever. Most of the thematic material concerns aging and mortality. Yup, that’s happens and becomes a running theme for folks of a, ahem, certain age. You learn to grapple with it & find acceptance and grace. This is an impactful album with astonishing depth and acuity. There are two covers which fit in with the originals neatly. Kristofferson’s 'Freedom Song' and Jon Dee Graham’s 'Laredo (Small Dark Something).' The production is nonpareil and McMurtry’s vocals are balanced front and center, which is as it should be. Another record of the year. JH

Jussi Reijonen – Sayr – Kaiho – Live in Helsinki -  Unmusic Records – This record is a companion piece to Jussi’s recording Salt, released shortly prior and is not for general public consumption. It is a unique guitar workout. Like my friend Peter Biedermann whose music is also highly original & unique, Reijonen creates a music soundscape & vision that is almost unduplicatable. Also, like Biedermann, this music is deeply contemplative & spiritual. One must concentrate to garner the full enjoyment inherent from this challenging but ultimately rewarding music. JH

Jeff Tweedy – Twilight Override – dBpm Records  - I haven’t seen a double (or triple) release in my life that the majority of critics didn’t lament the sprawling nature of and offer advice on how it coulda, shoulda been a shorter record and all the better for it. And then. Years later those same critics laud the release as one of the greatest of all time. So I’m not going out too far on a limb to label this Tweedy release a masterpiece and the three CD/LP/DL set is perfect just the way it is. Great variety & songwriting. Jeff seems to be in a contemplatively introspective mood on this record revealing more about himself than on most outings. Less bombastic than Wilco records, Tweedy is content to draw you closer into his world. The music making is concise and to the point with fine interplay between Tweedy’s pere & fils, along with several other guest multi-instrumentalists. JH

Keith Oxman – Home – Capri Records - Keith Oxman: Tenor Saxophone - Derek Banach: Trumpet • Clint Dadian: Guitar - Bill McCrossen: Bass • Todd Reid: Drums.

A finely-oiled hard bop session from Keith Oxman and bandmates. Nothing earthshaking here, just a collection of well-crafted compositions and a few covers executed to the nth degree with precision and expertise. Music you could listen to all night and leave for home with a snug musical belly full of satisfying tunes done to perfection. JH

Saul Williams / Carlos Nino Aja Monet – The Water is Rising – as we surpass the firing squad – International Anthem Recs – There is simply nothing to criticize here. Only praise. This is exemplary poetry rendered sublime with gorgeous music, both underscoring the words brilliantly & added color and nuance. The spoken word by Monet & Williams is raw & meaningful, with thematic material addressing colonialism, racism, environmental concerns and deeply humanistic spirituality that rises on the wings of these performances to inspire hope, always hope. Instrumentation is augmented by the presence of giants like Carlos Nino, Aaron Shaw & Kamasai Washington. JH

Joe Morris / Tyshawn Sorey / Peter Evans – COMPREHENSIVE – FS Records
Peter Evans - trumpet, piccolo trumpet - Joe Morris – bass - Tyshawn Sorey – drums.

This is the way genius improvisation is supposed to work, with the music evolving in the moment as if in spontaneous composition. It’s heady stuff and not for the uninitiated. Sharp, taut, stratified, & dynamic. This is music for the chess-playing set of musical aficionados. Three masterful players having tons of fun and not giving a whit whether you’re in on it. They’re just doing what they must do. Elegant, improvisatory creation. JH

Jonathan Richman – Only Frozen Sky Anyway – Blue Arrow Records – The fresh-faced insouciance of Jonathan Richman’s oeuvre continues unabated with this superlative new release. If you are not charmed by JR’s honesty and intimate musings, you are an unfeeling beast! I have always delighted in his lighthearted positivity. Even his cover of the Bee Gees 'Night Fever' is a blast of introspection and digging for hopefulness in the oddest of places. The depth of Jonathan Richman’s creativeness ofttimes creeps up on you and before you know it, you’re tapping your toes and nodding along and wondering where the hell that warm glow permeating your entire being is coming from. That is part of the magic of JR. JH

Salvatore Mercatante - Stega III Dianus Of Doorways – Library of the Occult Records - Stega III: Dianus Of Doorways is the final part of Mercatante’s trilogy based on the Italian dreamwalking spirits, the Benandanti. New York-based Mercatante is a master of synth manipulation. He is capable of making music out of the most disparate of sounds and sources. This is the final part of a trilogy focusing on the dark adventures of a coven of young witches. The music dances & shimmers & shivers along creating a darkly intriguing & alluring sound world. This is the stuff of Giallo legend. JH

Luke Haines & Peter Buck – Going Down to the River to Blow My Mind – Cherry Red – Two guys rough and edgy, complementing each other beautifully. Some of the lyrics might strike one as eerie or perhaps eerily familiar if you are so inclined. All in all this is a rich album of vivid writing and playing. A diverse outing with Buck laying down guitar playing which shows off his eclectic stylings. JH

Robert Plant – Saving Grace – Nonesuch Records – You don’t need me to inform you of the overall greatness of the vocal talents of Robert Plant. One of the greatest of all time, any genre. This phenomenal album of duets with Suzi Dian recalls his triumphant re-imaging as a highly nuanced, intensely personalized singer. Their voices blend like magic on these cuts of mainly traditionals and covers. Suzi shines like a bright star in the firmament on her feature, 'Too Far From You.' The instrumentation is spot on with special mention going to banjoist Matt Worley. JH

Majid Bekkas / Nguyên Lê / Hamid Drake – Gnawa World Blues – ACT Music - Majid Bekkas - guembri, oud & vocals - Nguyên Lê - guitar & backing vocals, Hamid Drake – drums.

A masterly blend of global music. Everything from African, jazz, rock, and folk all coalescing into a melodious stew of exhilarating sounds that will get your feet moving, toes tapping, hips swaying and before you know it, you’re jumping around the room, glad to be alive. Uniquely left-field takes on John Lee Hooker’s 'Boom Boom' and Hendrix’s 'Purple Haze' should bridge any gaps in a deep appreciation for what this trio has pulled off. The fact that it is all pulled off in front of a live audience is too mahvelous for words dahlings. JH

Radiohead – Hail to the Thief – Live Recordings 2003-2009 – XL Records  - C’mon we’re talking Radiohead here. One of the greatest musical bands of all time. I don’t care if you don’t like them. That’s your problem. I’ve met my share of folks who can’t stand the Beatles and the world's still spinnin’. These are stunning & powerful versions of classic Radiohead material. Pumped-up versions of the album's tracks with subtle & not-so-subtle re-workings illustrate that these musicians have their antennae extended so much further out than most bands. I still recall a co-worker who turned me on to them after their second album and they continue to knock me out with every release. JH

Mozart - 1  2  3  4 Solo Duo Trio Quartet – Harmonia Mundi Records - Julien Libeer – piano - Pierre Colombet – violin - Máté Szücs -  viola - Eckart Runge  - cello.

This is Herr Mozart, one of the most talented musical geniuses to ever grace this planet rendered with virtuosity, & with beautiful sensitivity whether in quartet, trio or duo formats. These performers outshine many of their contemporaries in capturing the overall nature of each piece; the darkness of the quartet; the sheer brilliance of the solo violin sonata, et. al. Cellist Runge can be a bit overbearing in spots but this is a small caveat for an otherwise outstanding addition to the Mozart catalog. JH

Kristina Marinova – The Bus Came By and I Got On – Navona Records – Kristina Marinova – piano.

I heard the superb interview that our own DJ Easy Wind (Signpost To New Space had with pianist Kristina Marinova and had to rush out to get this record. What a joy of crossover genius. Classical & Grateful Dead. Yowser! Although classically trained, Ms. Marinova is not only uninhibited but inhabits these interpretations from the inside out. What a fabulous record. She extrapolates from the source material a wealth of insight and variety. If you weren’t already a convert to the Dead’s unique genius, perhaps this record could convince you of their innate musicality & genius. JH

Terrapin Gun - Transformations, Visions, Incarnations, Ascension - Infinite Spin Records

Terrapin Gun is the multi-instrumental duo of Sterling DeWeese and Scott Levine and this is their sophomore release following a reconnect two decades on from a compilation of 1998-2003 recordings. Opening with a song called 'Queasy' signposts your trip, with Levine's decidedly gloomy/doomy vocals floating around an iceberg flow synth backing. Andrew Eldritch fronting Spacemen 3? Perhaps, but there's more to come once you glue your skull back together. (It's companion 'Ultra Queasy' adds a headswiriling touch later on in the trip.) The minimalist terror of 'Sideways' bleeds (I use the term advisedly) into the soporific strum of melancholic head nodder 'Candy Coated Telekinesis.' 'Can't Get Love For Nothing' gets an echoey, wah-wah vocal treatment, adding to an already trippy vibe, and 'Won't Wait For You' imbibes me with a baggy-trousered Happy Mondays Madchester groove.

I'll be dipping into the 'Sugar Bowl' more than my doctor would like, but its sweet melody and vibrato guitar solo is too good to avoid. 'Get Fucked' and 'Holy Operator' wear their Jesus and Mary Chain/Primal Scream influences on their proverbial sleeves - psychedelic garage anyone?  I broke into my whirling dervish happy dance for these before 'Turiya' levitated me to that "fourth state" of consciousness that I typically assume before spinning some Brian Jonestown Massacre. I think I saw Anton Newcombe out of my third eye grooving over in the corner of the room.

As the needle hits the final track, 'Deh Deh Deh' is all I could manage to mumble out of my satisfied mind, which is just as well, because this freaked out Stooges-meets-JAMC mindfuck will need some chill out time to come down from. The pair own up to an affection for Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spacemen 3, and Jesus And Mary Chain with a side order of the Stooges and Pretty Things, so if that floats your boat as much as it does mine, you know what to do. But do it fast, as only 125 LPs and 50 CDs are available. JFO

Great Lakes - Don't Swim Too Close (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)

Ben Crum co-founded Great Lakes over 30 years ago but a move to Athens, Georgia found him falling in with the Elephant 6 crowd, with members of Apples In Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal, et. al. contributing to the early records. Now based in New York, Great Lakes' eighth album features the steady lineup of Crum on guitar and bass, Suzanne Nienaber on vocals, and drummer Kevin Shea that have been together for about 15 years. Assorted friends continue to contribute keyboards, bass, guitars, and drums, but the whole project seamlessly gels throughout.

We were very excited about their previous release (2022's Contenders) and Don't Swim Too Close justifies our earlier reaction. I have to admit to an agreeable Tom Petty-ish groove to opener 'Another Klaxon Sounds', although its distinctive "oogah" is mercifully omited! 'On The Way Back' revisits the Neil Young and Crazy Horse fuzz-driven guitar workouts I enjoyed on Contenders, and there's a subtle 'I Feel Fine' guitar figure  permeating 'Carry The Message' that also drags a little 'Mr. Soul' riff along for the ride. Add a little wah-wah guitar and Dead-ish jam and we're off to a great (pun intended) start!

Is that 'Seeds and Stems (Again)' peeking out behind the slow nodder 'Like An Open Grave'? Kyle Forester's barrel house piano accompaniment is particularly tasty on this one. The title track is a nice country rocker with a steady toe-tapping beat and smooth vocal backing from Nienaber, while instrumental 'San's Blues' is a nice, slow-burning detour to end Side 1.

Forester propels 'Seeing Through Her' through its slow-dancing-swaying-to-the-music paces, Petty's ghost drops by to add atmosphere to 'The Freer Heart,' and Nienaber's soft vocals, not unlike John Prine and Kris Kristofferson's duets with their respective wives, soothe the sarcastic humour of 'Meant To Fly.' 'Song For The Old Man' is a tender, heartfelt tribute to Crum's late father, reminding me favourably of the similar sentiment in Five Chinese Brothers' 'My Dad's Face,' Graham Gouldman's 'My Dad,' and Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon)'s 'I Love My Dad.'

'Are We Here Accidentally' ends the album on an eloquent, existential note with a gospel-inflected chorus that induces goose pimples and discussion points while you flip the album over and enjoy it all over again. JFO