Night Crickets

A Free Society

Omnivore, 2022

8/10

Listen to A Free Society

An all-star outfit consisting of David J (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets), Victor Delorenzo (Violent Femmes) and the multi-instrumentalist Darwin Meiners, this debut album as Night Crickets was born out of the excess of time the pandemic lockdown provided, and digs deep into the varied influences from the artists.

The trio start the listen with the warm tone and punchy drumming of “Black Leather On The Inside”, where glowing bass lines help cultivate a cryptic yet playful display of dark alt-rock, and “Candlestick Park” follows with more focus on guitar as a slight jangle enters the atmospheric, post-punk leanings.

Further down the line, the title track showcases thumping drums and hypnotic bass alongside the vivid storytelling, while “Soul Wave” resides in a haze of mystery and ominous tones of calm intimacy.

Deeper yet, “The Unreliable Narrator” showcases throbbing bass and playful drumming amid the cryptic spoken word, and “I Want My Night Crickets!” exits the listen with a swirling melody and atypical atmosphere that radiates much creativity.

Considering the vast skill and experience from these three, it’s really no surprise that this is an unclassifiable listen that touches on art-rock, throwback pop, psychedelia, New Wave and post-punk, and it unfolds in a way that’s unpredictable, unassuming and very exciting.

Travels well with: Matthew Sweet- Catspaw; Peter Laughner- Peter Laughner

Rain Perry

A White Album

Precipitous, 2022

9/10

Listen to A White Album

The 5th collaboration between the singer-songwriter Rain Perry and the multi-instrumentalist Mark Hallman, the 7 originals and 2 covers here welcome a few guests as Perry explores her own family history.

“Melody And Jack” opens the listen with much beauty and grace, as soft, expressive singing is met with folk and pop friendly instrumentation, and “The Money” follows with playful drumming and a cozy spirit that showcases much melody and timelessness amid some funk tendencies.

In the middle, “None Of Us Are Free” brings a bit of soul into the equation with help from BettySoo, while “Indian Hill, Ohio. 1967” is a bare, dreamy display of poetic songwriting that’s soaked in beauty and warmth.

Nearing the end, the sophisticated strings of “Lady Of The Harbor” welcomes the Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus to the mature piano and gorgeous singing, and “This Is Water” exits with Ben Lee’s contributions on the lush vocal harmonies, punchy drumming and reflective tone.

Somewhere between rock, pop, folk, blues and soul, Perry’s own brand of Americana is wise, intelligent and resonates a confessional, absorbing quality that is quite charming.

Travels well with: Vanessa Peters- Modern Age; Lynne Hanson- Just Words

The Left Banke

Strangers On A Train

Omnivore, 2022

8/10

Listen to Strangers On A Train

Originally released in 1986, this 3rd album from the baroque pop pioneers The Left Banke features 3 of the 4 original members, Steve Martin Caro, Tom Finn and George Cameron. Michael Brown, the final original member, does appear on the 6 bonus tracks here, which were laid down in 2001, when Brown was hoping to revive The Left Banke.

The title track opens the listen with warm piano alongside crisp drumming as the soulful, expressive singing guides a very lush version of rock that gets pretty forceful, too, and “Heartbreaker” follows with breezy strumming and both grit and melody entering the emotive landscape.

In the middle, the spirited guitar riffs and piano acrobatics of “Hold On Tight” suit the vocally strong album highlight, while “And One Day” lands in balladry amid the poetic singing and graceful climate.

“Only My Opinion” and “Queen Of Paradise” exit the original album, where the former builds into a tense yet cautious rocker and the latter uses strings strategically with a groove friendly, retro appeal.

Of the bonus tracks, “Airborne” is particularly interesting with its mesmerizing keys and well timed strings, though “Buddy Steve (Long Lost Friend)” is the best from this portion, and illustrates their inimitable brand of baroque pop at its finest.

Sadly, none of the members of The Left Banke are alive today. Though they’ll always be best known for their 2 radio hits, “Walk Away Renee” and “Pretty Ballerina”, Strangers On A Train proves that they were capable of writing the complete album, too, and these largely unheard bonus tracks hint at what could have been if another LP were released.

Travels well with: The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One; Dave Davies- Decade

The Magic Bus

Το Κάστρο/The Castle

Self-Released, 2021

8/10

Listen to Το Κάστρο/The Castle

The debut album from the Greek rockers The Magic Bus, the 11 tracks here flow with agile guitars and no shortage of melody in the raw yet tuneful formula.

“Konto Fitili / Short Fuse” starts the listen with a warm thumping as plenty of enticing grooves guide the melodic rock climate, and “Taksidi Entos / Inner Journey” follows with a more firm approach as a thicker delivery borders on hard rock with some mysterious singing.

“To Kastro / The Castle” lands in the middle and emits a driving energy that’ll have you bobbin’ your head and tappin’ your toe to the dynamic rhythm section, while “Paramithi / Fairytale” lands in calmer areas that border on prog-rock with a poetic quality.

Deeper still, “fadokosmos / Weaveworld” swirls with a psychedelic demeanor that’s equal parts beauty and grit, and “To Plio ton trelon/ The Ship of Fools” exits the listen with a bouzouki appearance thanks to Mantis Savvidis, which give the finish some culture mixed into the busy and progressive execution.

An excellent starting point, it will be exciting to see what comes next from the quartet, cause this is some great, diverse and memorable rock’n’roll.

Travels well with: Going Up North- Waiting For The Sun; Alwanzatar- Den Glemte Dalen

Oz Noy/Ugonna Okegwo/Ray Marchica

Riverside

Outside In Music, 2022

9/10

Listen to Riverside

A trio of esteemed musicians who come together for a very exciting interpretation of standards that were fleshed out during the group’s spontaneous outdoor jams during the pandemic lockdown, Oz Noy, Ugonna Okegwo and Ray Marchica bring their inimitable jazz fusion formula to these 10 tracks.

“All The Things You Are” starts the listen with Noy’s spirited guitar alongside Okegwo’s bouncy bass as the warm climate gets quite frisky, and “Anthropology” follows with Marchica’s proficient drumming anchoring the playful landscape.

At the halfway point, “Riverside Blues” bops and shakes with no shortage of rhythm as Noy’s meticulous guitar work shines bright, while “6/8 Lunch Break” showcases the diverse and detailed drumming that few people could replicate.

Approaching the end, the gliding melody of “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big” helps make this one of the album’s best, and “Sunny” exits the listen with Clifford Carter on Fender Rhodes as the trio finish on a dynamic and highly versatile version of the Bobby Hebb tune.

Noy, Okegwo and Marchica all have impressive resumes of their own, and this first outing together is about as great as you would expect. Let’s hope they find other ways to collaborate soon, cause their combined talent sure is impressive.

Travels well with: Mathis Picard- Live At The Museum; Grant Richards- Ballyhoo

Ruth Hertz Weber & Emilia Lopez-Yanez

I Had A Dream: Songs Of An Immigrant

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to I Had A Dream: Songs Of An Immigrant

A mother-daughter effort where Ruth Hertz Weber soundtracks the poems of her later grandmother, Betty Karon Hertz, together with her offspring, Emilia Lopez-Yanez, the pair use their classically trained history for a very lovely, sophisticated listen.

“Mushrooms” starts the listen with an incredible amount of beauty as gorgeous singing aligns with dreamy, classical sounds, and the title track continues this elegance with vivid storytelling and brings soothing guitar, oboe and keys.

Further along, “The Six- Day War” displays meticulous oboe prowess amid the impressive vocal range, while “Dear Ruth” moves gently, with much emotion as the mesmerizing keys complement the twinkling winds.

Moving towards the end, “My Darling” emits a romantic demeanor in its heartfelt delivery, and “Why Am I Here?” exits the listen with brief but impactful songwriting that’s timeless.

Ruth and Emilia have previously explored children’s music with much success, and this story of Ruth’s impoverished childhood in Russia, escape during the Bolshevik Revolution and immigration to the United States recruits classical, orchestral and chamber ideas for an inspiring and uplifting listening experience.

Travels well with: The Lowell Chamber Orchestra- The Suite; Mark John McEncroe- Fanfare Suite

Tyler Kline

Orchard

Neuma, 2022

8/10

Listen to Orchard

The composer Tyler Kline takes on a substantial project here, where he commissions pieces for over a dozen pianists, as themes of fruit are explored across 50 brief tracks.

“yuzu”, by Mijung An, opens the listen with haunting, mysterious keys that are manipulated so delicately and with much beauty, and “mangosteen” follows with a more flowing approach that’s somewhere between intimate and dreamy in Kline’s very capable hands.

Elsewhere, the firm playing of ‘watermelon’ resonates much emotion in his creative vision, while “persimmon” displays a hypnotic approach of an agile progression that’s quite mesmerizing from Grace Huang. “Peach”, one of the album’s best, then shimmers with a radiant glow of cautious melody thanks to Megasari Honggokusuma.

Much further down the line, “ghost pepper” recruits plenty of atmosphere amid the unpredictable climate that uses Christy Sallee’s piano in unconventional ways, and ‘carambola” exits the listen with Kline’s vision of ambience that’s precisely played by Eunmi Ko.

A very diverse and exciting venture, the 14 players on hand each contribute much skill and warmth to the listen, and just like each fruit represented, the different textures, flavors and scents make for a sweet treat for the musical palette.

Travels well with: Daniel Pesca- Promontory; Richard Carr- Over The Ridge

Jane Rigler- Curtis Bahn- Thomas Ciufo

ElectroResonance

Neuma, 2022

8/10

Listen to ElectroResonance

A very meticulous record that was recorded live, Jane Rigler, Curtis Bahn and Thomas Ciufo each perform a range of unique computer extended instruments on this expressive and sonic adventure.

“Hearing The Bell” opens the listen with the sound of a bell, as the mysterious and alluring setting unfolds over 6 minutes of intrigue, and “Calm” follows with a haunting meets soothing quality that seems like the sound of air being pushed and pulled with an eerie tension.

“Boundless” occupies the middle spot and emits the sound of water, incoherent voices and with the flute, keys and drum sounds manipulated in atypical ways, while “Listening” meshes blurry, almost sci-fi sounds from the instruments into an otherworldly setting.

“Compassion”, the final track, then offers perhaps the most exploratory tune, where the synthetic instruments mesmerize and blend with an improvisational spirit that few, if any, could replicate.

A performance that is so unclassifiable, you might think it’s so esoteric to only appeal to a small handful of ears. However, the dynamic and inventive landscape invites the listener to mull over their relationship to sound, space, each other and the world we reside in, and will certainly strike a cord with those who appreciate the unconventional.

Travels well with: Thomas DeLio- Transparent Waves; James Dashow- Archimedes

Thomas Delio

Transparent Waves

Neuma, 2022

9/10

Listen to Transparent Waves

The composer and theorist Thomas DeLio puts an entirely new spin on experimental music, where clicks, silence, and sound events are pieced together into a very curious brand of isolation meets music.

“and of “of”” starts the listen with 10 minutes of bare, sometimes very faint, electronic flourishes alongside wordless vocals as the sparseness is manipulated in a very unorthodox fashion, and “e,nm” continues with several short pieces that recruits flute, cello, violin and clarinet, but it’s so sparing, you might have a hard time noticing.

Closer to the middle, “Tangier” brings the sounds of water to the light, strategic ambience, while “India” manipulates mood with flashes of warmth amid bouts of tinkering.

Nearing the end, “Transparent Wave VIII” uses thumping and booming drums for a quick burst of louder sounds, and “as though, again” exits the listen with flute, violin and percussion acting atypicalyl, hardly even recognizable, in the unusual finish.

A truly innovative mind that turns minimalism into an art form, expect nothing but iconoclastic ideas here, and be prepared for an experience that transforms how we percieve music and sound.

Travels well with: James Dashow- Archimedes; Daniel Pesca- Promontory

Matt North

Bullies In The Backyard

Round Badge, 2022

9/10

Listen to Bullies In The Backyard

The sophomore album from the singer-songwriter and drummer Matt North, the aptly titled Bullies In The Backyard contains 10 tracks penned while North’s family won a lawsuit against their son’s public school due to special needs violations.

“The Last Angry Man” opens the listen with thumping drums, as Paul Thacker, Kirk Donovan and Diego Vasquez bring bright brass to the upbeat, rootsy climate, and “Hollywood Forever” follows with calm acoustic guitar as North’s soulful singing is complemented by the elegant piano.

“Holding It Together” arrives at the halfway point, and welcomes pop and rock ideas into a bit of twang amid North’s forthright wordplay, while “Firing Squad” is R&B flavored with playful rhythm that benefits from sax, trombone and trumpet. “Stay On The Outside”, one of the album’s best, then brings gritty guitar and smooth vocals to the warm melodies.

Near the end, the buzzing guitar and bouncy bass of “Burial Grounds” embraces some garage rock ideas, and “Plan B” exits the listen with emotive piano and spirited guitar populating the unique Americana finish that illustrates much timelessness.

North has a diverse resume that includes playing in bands all over the country, and his wide interest in music certainly lends itself to his eclectic vision that welcomes Stuart Mathis (guitars), Chris Donohue (bass) and Michael Webb (keyboards) plus several backing vocalists. Now residing in Nashville, North continues to prove he’s one of the most exciting songwriters that exists today in the area of Heartland rock.

Travels well with: Hushdrops- The Static; Steve Almaas- Everywhere You’ve Been

James Dashow

Archimedes

Neuma, 2022

9/10

Listen to Archimedes

An opera that was performed in a planetarium, the electronic music pioneer James Dashow illuminates the life of the Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, where live voices and pre-recorded instruments collide with adventurous, eletronic manipulation.

“Act I: Begin” opens the listen with expressive and expansive singing and talking that is met with quick bouts of winds, percussion and keys, and “Act I: Prologue 1- Prime Mover” follows with an atmospheric and haunting beginning that emits a booming voice amid the fascinating storytelling.

Further on, “Act I: Scene III- Eureka” welcomes several female voices alongside the sounds of random object that give it a sci-fi feel, while “Act I: Scene IV Hieron’s Syracuse” exits this portion with deep vocals against bright winds and tense percussion.

Deeper yet, “Act II: Scene II Chorus 1, Then Archimedes” is all over the place with firm keys, mysterious percussion and plenty of otherworldly sounds, and “Act II: Scene III- Archimedes At War” continues this exploration with a busy, nearly frantic display of soaring vocals and diverse, cinematic instrumentation.

The listen ends on “Epilogue”, where, fittingly, a stream of hazy ambience unfolds with elegant harp populating the calm, charming execution.

A project that took 9 years to complete, Dashow brings on Michael Kelly (Archimedes), Martin Bakari (Marcellus) and Adrian Rosas (Hieron), among many others, for the unorthodox chamber listen, where computer noises are used strategically and the rhythms, harmonies and textures all float around the planetarium in a way that adds an entirely new dimension to the journey.

Travels well with: Daniel Pesca- Promontory; Pan Project- Pan Project

Babel

Yoga Horror

PME, 2022

10/10

Listen to Yoga Horror

The Finnish duo of Karin Mäkiranta and Mikko Pykäri, as Babel the pair bring ethereal pop ideas and reverb heavy sounds on this stunning debut album.

“Eden” starts the listen with warm ambience before shimmering melodies and dreamy vocals, and “Honeyspell” follows with cozy strumming and a hazy quality that’s quite surreal and spiritual.

The middle tracks are among the best, and include the beat friendly and dizzying textures of “Promise”, while “Teeth” offers a light and airy display of dream-pop meets indie-rock. “The Only Thing” is then tailor made for the club with its charming buzzing and pop fueled energy.

“Fake Tears” and “Leo” exit the listen, where the former emits a gorgeous intimacy amid the poetic keys and light singing, and the latter uses acoustic guitar strategically as the pair shift into folk-friendly areas with their alluring brand of song craft.

Both Mäkiranta and Pykäri have esteemed resumes, including playing in Regina, Shine and Karina, and this new venture certainly expands on their past greatness with some exceptional and stylish modern pop.

Travels well with: Astral Swans- Astral Swans; Adna- Black Water

Grady Spencer & The Work

Wait

Self-Released, 2021

8/10

Listen to Wait

The Texans Grady Spencer & The Work are back with their 4th album, and it’s an extremely thoughtful listen that was born out of Spencer’s decision to pursue music full time and walk away from a 60 hour a week job.

“Find You” opens the listen with much warmth as a radiant spirit of thumping Americana unfolds with much emotion and playfulness, and “Therapy’s Good” follows with a more firm approach of crisp roots rocks that benefits from sharp riffs.

“Heart Of Mine” occupies the middle spot and is full of dreamy melodies that also embrace grit in the crunchy climate, while “Good Ol’ Days” moves softly, with no lack of beauty amid the sublime, cautious landscape.

Later on, the cozy guitar of “The Flame In Wait” accents the reflective tone of the album’s best tune, and “New Year” exits the listen with perhaps their most mature tune yet, where the band layer the atmosphere with an inimitable chemistry of rugged yet pretty song craft.

Unfortunately for Spencer, his decision to leave his job for music happened just before the pandemic, and this album was recorded during those frustrating months of 2020 that shut down the world. It must have sparked a significant creativity in him, though, cause this funky, bluesy and folky version of Americana makes it very clear that music should be his full time focus.

Travels well with: Bo Armstrong- Chasing Ballads; Mac Leaphart- Music City Joke

Albrecht Mayer

Mozart: Works For Oboe And Orchestra/Piano

Deutsche Grammophon, 2022

9/10

Listen to Mozart: Works For Oboe And Orchestra/Piano

This Extended Edition of Albrecht Mayer’s Mozart album comes with 6 additional tracks, including new arrangements from Die Zauberflöte and Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

“Allegro for Oboe and Orchestra in F major K” opens the listen with the dancing strings and soothing oboe working together with much grace and agility in the flowing climate, and “Ave verum corpus” follows with a calmer approach of emotive and warm orchestral sounds that tugs on the heartstrings.

Deeper into disc 1, “Rondo in C major” emits a radiant meshing of oboe with the sublime strings that’s quite cinematic, while “Exsultate, jubilate” glides swifly with a breezy and trimphant spirit of poetic and sophisticated instrumentation.

The 2nd disc benefits much from fluid piano, and showcases the quick yet intimate “Martern aller Arten”, as well as “Lungi le cure ingrate”, where the meticulous key progressions suit the moody strings. “Gran Adagio” exits the listen, and moves gently, with both beauty and awe present in spades.

A listen inspired by Mayer’s lifelong interest in Mozart, the contributions from the harpsichordist Vital Julian Frey and Fabian Muller’s piano, among others, makes for some of the best interpretations of Mozart’s work yet, which is no easy task.

Travels well with: Anna Netrebko- Amata Dalle Tenebre; Daniil Trifonov- BACH: The Art Of Life

Mathis Picard

Live At The Museum

Outside In Music, 2022

8/10

Listen to Live At The Museum

Recorded in 2019 at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, the pianist/composer Mathis Picard brings us his sophomore outing, and it’s a solo piano effort that touches on jazz, classical and electronic sounds.

“The Creation Of The World” opens the listen witih Picard’s quivering keys that are both intimate and exploratory in his captivating performance, and “Cuttin’ Out” follows with the keys dancing amid a meticulous and charming display.

Further on, “Snake Song” emits much melody as a mesmerizing climate unfolds with a bit of mysteriousness, while “Le Gibet” glides with a soft and sublime quality that is quite pretty.

Moving towards the end, “Clouds” offers a playful and emotive highlight that illustrates very skilled progressions, and “Woodland Fantasy” exits the listen with Savannah Harris on drums for the swift and dynamic exploration into a very creative mind.

A very absorbing performance that honors artists like John Lewis, John Williams and Bix Beiderbecke, among others, there’s also several originals, and Picard certainly illustrates how versatile he is with both serene and firm bouts of unparalleled piano playing.

Travels well with: Cecil Taylor- The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert; Shedrick Mitchell- What Do You Say?

Scott Burns/John Wojciechowski/Geof Bradfield

Tenor Time

Afar, 2022

9/10

Listen to Tenor Time

Scott Burns, John Wojciechowski and Geof Bradfield all bring their esteemed tenor sax playing to this fascinating and precise jazz listen that’s not short on solos or improvisation.

“Valkyrie” opens the listen with swift acoustic bass from Clark Sommers and playful drumming by Greg Artry as the saxes emit a souful yet adventurous spirit, and “Monday Waltz” follows with Richard D. Johnson’s mature keys complementing the very sophisticated and warm brass interplay.

“Some Other Sunday” occupies the middle spot and pairs twinkling keys with emotive sax prowess in the ballad climate, while “Altar Blues” bounces and shuffles with a dance friendly spirit that’s rich with timeless jazz and blues.

“Curioso” arrives near the end, and emits a busy and rich display of melodic jazz ideas, and “Corea” exits the listen with the keys, saxes, bass and drums meshing into a dizzying execution of meticulous but loose musicianship that you can’t help but admire.

The brass trio all bring originals to the affair, as does Johnson, and it makes for an energetic and absorbing journey that, amazingly, was recorded in just one day- a true testament to the talent present.

Travels well with: Ron Carter/Gonzalo Rubalcaba/Jack DeJohnette- Skyline; Ben Tiberio- Rare Peace

David Desmelik

Clues Of My Existence

Self-Released, 2021

8/10

Listen to Clues Of My Existence

The long running singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dave Desmelik returns with his 16th release of all originals, and he’s got an all-star cast with him for the meshing of Americana, folk and alt-country.

“What If?” starts the listen off with warm guitars and a breezy Americana feel as Desmelik’s raw vocals suit the vivid storytelling and rootsy climate, and “Ivar The Boneless” follows with a dreamy quality that’s focused on mood and with plenty of folk-rock ideas present.

Entering the middle, the cozy strumming of “Sabotage” and light drumming from Ron James would soundtrack a campfire perfectly, while “Rain Love” uses Steve Mayone’s lap steel strategically amid hazy harmonies and sublime beauty.

Arriving near the end, “Revealed” employs mesmerizing guitar and calm rhythm to tell a romantic story, and “Poetry Solution” exits the listen with Tim Hogan’s electric bass adding much to the layered and melodic finish.

Deeply personal and highly poetic, Desmelik excels at both fuller, rock inspired moments just as he does bare intimacy, and Clues Of My Existence certainly holds its own against his impressive catalog of well thought out song craft.

Travels well with: Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters- Live At The Grey Eagle; Dave Desmelik- The Calendar Album

Cameron Carpenter

Bach & Hanson

Decca Gold, 2021

8/10

Listen to Bach & Hanson

The American organist Cameron Carpenter brings us a pair of really meticulous pieces here, where his inimitable skill interprets J.S. Bach’s “The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988” and Howard Hanson’s “Symphony No. 2 in D-flat Major, Opus 30, W45, "Romantic" .

“The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1741)” opens up the listen in 31 chapters, where Carpenter’s extraordinary playing starts soft and full of atmosphere, and eventually flows with grace and classical inspired energy, but is also capable of rumbling with a firm presence, too. Carpenter weaves in and out of the composition with incredible dexterity, and his unpredictable nature sure is welcomed.

Hanson’s “Symphony No. 2 in D-flat Major, Opus 30, W45, "Romantic" (1930)” is other half of the record, and is a more haunting affair, where intimacy is present and appreciated, as is a cinematic and mysteriousness that showcases Carpenter’s ability to adapt to an ever changing mood.

Carpenter illustrates just how versatile his instrument can be, and his custom made organ allows for tonal variations and harmonic and melodic variations that truly breathe new life into these classic compositions.

Travels well with: Anna Netrebko- Amata Dalle Tenebre; Daniil Trifonov- BACH: The Art Of Life

Reddog And Friends

Booze, Blues And Southern Grooves

Survival South, 2022

8/10

Listen to Booze, Blues And Southern Grooves

The southern blues guitarist and singer Reddog sure does have some talented friends, and together they deliver a cozy soul and blues album that’s a lot of fun to listen, too.

“Love, You’ve Got To Spread The Word” opens the listen with warm guitar and soulful vocals from Reddog, as backing vocals add a gospel quality alongside Clayton Ivey’s agile keys, and “The Blues Will Get You Everytime” follows with proficient drumming from Justin Holder, where a hypnotic beat and playful blues flows with both melody and grit.

Further on, “Simple Song” benefits much from Bill Stewart’s drums, David Hood’s bass and, of course, Reddog’s poetic singing in the sublime balladry, while “Searching For Some Soul” bounces and shakes with intricate and mesmerzing guitar amid some frisky thumping.

Approaching the end, “Old School Blues” certainly does bring a retro flavor with its stylish and spirited song craft, and “Honest Man” exits the listen with congas thanks to Stevie Hawkins in the breezy and timeless finish.

The backing vocalists, Carla Russell, Mary Mason and Angela Hacker, sure do accent the climate well, and Reddog’s influences like Freddie King, Duane Allman and Otis Rush are never far from the surface, and it sure makes for a southern rooted affair that people all over the globe will enjoy.

Travels well with: Chickenbone Slim- Serve It To Me Hot; Chris Badnews Barnes- Badnews Rising

Harmony Of Dissonance

Traces Of Croatian Traditional Singing

Navona, 2019

8/10

Listen to Traces Of Croatian Traditional Singing

A record that brings together the vocal prowess of the Dalmatia region, the polyphonic singing is showcased brilliantly between the Harmonija Disonance Ensemble and the Jazz Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Zagreb.

“Ispod Panja Javorova/Izvir Voda Izvirala” starts the listen with keys and horns working together on an exploratory jazz adventure, and this continues to the vocally expressive, a cappella, and playful “Procvitala Kitica Fiole”, as well as the frisky, festive brass of “Sve Se More U Valove Dalo”.

Although there’s 31 tracks here, many hover around the 30 second mark, though fuller tune like “Zapjeval Mi, Jaranice Moja” recruit tubas, piccolo, and saxophones for a dynamic effort where mystery and mood are key, while the nearly operatic “Moj ragane, zvore od Drine” uses percussion acrobatics to really illustrate the power available from the ensemble.

An extremely varied listen that’s not like any other big band record you’ve heard, there’s countless genres, textures and ideas unfolding here, as guitars and clarinets are used alongside violins and trombones. Although it may seem like a niche release, those who are open to cultured, jazz influenced sounds will find themselves in awe.

Travels well with: Sirius Quartet- Playing On The Edge; Arcadian Winds- Windswept