Suzanne Pittson

Emerge Dancing

Vineland, 2024

9/10

Listen to Emerge Dancing

The 4th album from the creative jazz vocalist Suzanne Pittson, her husband and son also perform across the 12 diverse tracks.

Pittson’s spouse, Jeff contributes mature keys amid the flawless vocals that starts the listen with the warm “Blackbird”, and “Everything I Love” follows with upbeat keys and playful singing that radiates much beauty.

Further along, “Blues And The Abstract Truth” features Pittson’s son, Evan, on viola for the rumbling mood and vocal acrobatics, while “Never Never Land”is the the piece where Pittson plays piano solo alongside her inimitable voice and exciting scatting.

Near to the end, “Love’s The Thing” brings back Evan’s sublime viola, as his mother’s romantic voice makes for a stirring album highlight, and “What Can I Do?” exits with the keys and strings interacting with sophistication and timelessness.

Trained as a classical pianist and a long running performer on the New York City jazz scene, Pittson brings much talent and experience to these re-imagined songs that are cautious, meticulous and charming.

Travels well with: Synia Carroll- Water Is My Song; Jacqui Naylor- Treasures Of The Heart

Steve Sieck

Crazy That Way

Accordant, 2024

8/10

Listen to Crazy That Way

The esteemed vocalist Steve Sieck pens 12 original tunes, where a large cast helps him steer through diverse influences for a timeless affair.

“The Mystery Of Love” opens with Sieck’s emotive voice alongside Rene Camacho’s warm bass and Gene Coye’s agile drumming, and “Crazy That Way” follows with Dave Richards’ bright trumpet and Eric Jorgenson’s soulful trombone that complements the expressive singing.

Further along, “You Are Everything To Me” welcomes Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim’s gorgeous pipes to the romantic spirit, while “Only Human” benefits much from Dori Amarillo’s light guitar amid Sieck’s matter of fact lyrics.

Close to the end, the coziness of “I Still Want You So” puts Nicolas Beade on lead vocals via the intimate and touching album highlight, and “We Can Get Together Again” exits with Kevin Axt’s frisky bass and Ray Brinker’s meticulous drums that illuminate Sieck’s humble voice and charming scatting.

Influences from Donald Fagen, Stevie Wonder Bob Dorough and Kurt Weill are present, as Sieck and company bring us through pop, R&B, swing and Bossa Nova traces that will stand the test of time.

Travels well with: Chad Edwards- Wyoming Roads; Ricky Alexander- Just Found Joy

Strat Andriotis

Exits

Dekatria, 2025

8/10

Listen to Exits

The Canadian guitarist Strat Andriotis returns with 2 different trio settings for 8 new tracks that explore his diverse jazz prowess.

The frisky “Dominions” starts the listen with Vincent Water’s precise drums complementing Andriotis’ glowing guitar progression, and “Far Away Tears” follows with Joel Banks’ charming bass lines that suit the warm guitar tone of the fluid delivery.

The middle track belongs to “Between You And I”, where Tom Altobelli handles bass for the introspective climate, while “While We Wait” comes with an infectious energy that includes Alex Karcza’s agile drumming.

“Will It Ever Be The Same” and “Exits” round out the record. The former pairs Andriotis’ intricate guitar with Altobelli’s bass acrobatics, and the latter is an animated and exciting finish that spotlights plenty of rhythm and timeless jazz dynamics that we could never tire of.

A highly versatile effort that’s unpredictable and exciting. Andriotis makes the most of his esteemed company for these creative and memorable jazz tunes.

Travels well with: Strat Andriotis- Night Manager; The Gabrielle Stravelli Trio- Beautiful Moons Ago

Steven Mackey

Memoir

Bridge, 2024

8/10

Listen to Memoir

The revered Composer Steve Mackey presents work that combines narration, string quartet and a percussion duo that stems from the unpublished memoir written by his mother, Elaine Mackey.

The emotive strings and playful percussion of “Act 1” starts the listen with 4 diverse chapters that welcome vivid storytelling amid the bright tones that can get quite busy.

“Act II” continues the story with tales of employment, marriage and travel, where dreamy keys, animated percussion and tense strings suit the descriptive narrative. The final portion, “Act III”, sorts through domestic life, as Steve’s voice enters the dialogue that’s soundtracked by subdued and intimate gestures that complement the narrator conquering alcoholism.

Natalie Christa Rakes provides the bulk of the narration, and the Dover Quartet and arx duo flesh out the music that illustrates Mackey’s creative and timeless vision of this unique project.

Travels well with: David Starobin- Virtuosi; George Crumb- Complete Edition, Vol. 21

Stumbleine

Deleted Scenes

Monotreme, 2024

9/10

Listen to Deleted Scenes

The 8th album from the ambient music luminary Stumbleine, the 9 detailed tracks here reside deep into dreamy textures, where beats are also in attendance.

“I Can Stop Anytime I Like” starts the listen with soft textures and pretty vocals that dance around the electronic ideas, and “Cinderhaze” follows with an indeed hazy approach of sweet melodies and post-punk traces of warmth.

“By The World Forgot” lands in the middle, and is rich on atmosphere, where soulful singing is met with pop ideas and a lush delivery, while “Ursa Minor Sleeps Forever” emits an intimate moment of heartfelt gestures that float with grace.

“Somnia” and “Catastrophette” exit the listen, The former is bit glitchy, mesmerizing and surreal, and the latter glides with a cinematic and technical approach.

The the alias of Peter Cooper, as Stumbleine he mixes post-rock, lo-fi beats and dream-pop into a nostalgic, ambient and distorted vision that you can’t not be captivated by.

Travels well with: Maïa Barouh- Aida; Chris Cleverley- Broadcast The Secret Verse

Steve Smith And Vital Information

New Perspective

Drum Legacy, 2025

8/10

Listen to New Perspective

The drummer extraordinaire Steve Smith steps back in time to revisit some of his early work where here, as well as tossing in some covers and new selections, where Manuel Valera and Janek Gwizdala are attendance.

The frisky and smooth dynamics of “Don’t Stop Believin’” starts the listen with Smith’s fluid drums and Valera’s bright keys making for a version of the Journey classic that’s quite creative, and “The Perfect Date” follows with Gwizdala’s playful bass acrobatics amid the meticulous drumming.

In the middle, “Open Arms” is an intimate moment of gentle beauty via Valera’s elegant keys and the subdued drumming, while “Sumo” bops and shakes with an infectious energy thanks to the glowing keys, lively bass and acrobatic drumming.

At the end, “Three Of A Kind” touches on timeless jazz traditions with much soul and melody for the album’s best, and “Josef The Chemist” flirts with prog-rock by way of swift synth, crisp drumming and agile bass lines.

Smith was actually the drummer for Journey across 3 different stints, and his shift into fusion jazz has yielded excellent work, including this diverse and colorful trio setting.

Travels well with: Galactic Tide- The Haas Company Vol. 1; The Bruce Lofgren Group- Earthly And Cosmic Tales

Sugar Bones

Sugar Bones

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Sugar Bones

A Seattle outfit who embrace many facets of rock, Sugar Bones make for a brief but exciting listen with this EP.

The playful bass and soulful vocals of “How I Do” starts the listen with no lack of grooves and plenty of powerful and melodic gestures, and “Places Not Familiar” follows with strong attention to mood, where the setting builds into a furious and soaring rocker.

Landing in the middle, “I Feel Feelings” is quite intimate, as Corrin Cruz’s expressive pipes are front and center, while the funk filled “Pretty Please” is a booming, arena rock spirited EP highlight that can also retreat to calmer moments. “You Make Me Bad” exits the listen, and comes with a retro flavor that’s bouncy, lively and brimming with energy

A dynamic listen that’s both hard hitting and cautious, the funk, pop, soul, and rock sensibilities are fleshed out by Alejandro Castro’s firm riffs, Trevor Sellman’s rhythmic drumming, and the animated basslines of Ragav Venkatesan, who all help illuminate Cruz’s incredible pipes.

Travels well with: Ghost-Note- Mustard n’ Onions; Lettuce- Crush

The Steve Luciano Quartet

Under The Covers

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Under The Covers

The esteemed jazz guitarist Steve Luciano has an impressive resume, and here he interprets songs close to his heart that bring along Mike Avila, Charlie Siva, Walt Hubbard and Dan Jordan.

The warm spirit and cozy melodies of “Chant” starts the listen with Avila’s fluid keys complementing Siva’s strategic bass lines, and “I’ll Take Romance” follows with Luciano’s spirited guitar alongside the dynamic rhythm section and flowing keys.

“Caruso” arrives in the middle, and is an intimate moment that benefits much from Jordan’s dreamy flute, while “Everything I’ve Got” dances around with much enthusiasm and rhythm for the album’s best.

Arriving close to the end, “On The Stairs” blends the meticulous guitars amid the frisky drums, bass and keys, and “The Bad And The Beautiful” exits with sublime gestures, where Luciano’s radiant guitar guides the heartfelt finish.

The songs present span 50 years and certainly are timeless. Luciano makes them all his own, where grooves, melody and harmony are very much in attendance and enjoyed.

Travels well with: Stan Harrison- Some Poor Soul Has A Fire; Andy Ezrin- I Was Here

Steve Erickson

Crooked Road

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Crooked Road

The guitarist and singer-songwriter Steve Erickson brings plenty of mountain influence to this tribute to Appalachian Music, where nods to old time and bluegrass are never far from the surface.

The title track starts the listen and wastes no time drawing us in via the flowing banjo and Erickson’s expressive voice, and “Lay Me Down Beside My Love” follows with warm gestures from the cozy vocal harmonies and Ron Stewart’s precise fiddle.

Moving into the middle, “Fair And Tender Ladies” welcomes Bill Starks’ intimate piano that suits the gorgeous singing, while “Blue Horizon” is an upbeat and playful album highlight that will get your body moving thanks to Miles Leider’s frisky drums and Marcy Marxer’s dreamy penny whistle.

Deeper still, the emotive and poetic “Flip Side” pairs Erickson’s stirring voice with elegant acoustic guitar, and “In The Sweet By And By” exits with soft harmonies and pretty string interaction for a thoughtful bluegrass finish.

A highly melodic affair that draws from country, folk, bluegrass and the blues, Erickson and company make for much beauty and gracefulness across these rich songs.

Travels well with: Crow And Gazelle- as above now so below; Muriel Anderson- Sailing Dreams

Steve Elci & Friends

All Together Now

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to All Together Now

A long running family recording artist and activist, Steve Elci returns with a 6th album of rootsy sounds that encourages kids to explore their imaginations in very fun and creative ways.

The hand clapping and upbeat fun of “The Power Of The Sunflower” starts with a sunny disposition and no lack of energy, and “We Rise Above” follows with a busy, buzzing presence that’s heavy on percussion and uses many voices.

Landing in the middle, the bouncy spirit of “Dreams” lets the young ears know that any job is within their grasp, while “Rain Rain Go Away, I’ll See You Again” comes with nearly gospel backing vocals alongside warm acoustic guitar and stirring strings.

Close to the end, the alt-rock flavored “Puppy” goes over all that we love about dogs and even welcomes some rapping, and “Believe” exits with a glowing and meticulous attention to mood.

An artist with roots in punk, Elci still retains that spirit, and the topics of environment and peace are surrounded by endless hooks that flirts with many others genres and certainly will appeal to youngsters and beyond.

Travels well with: Star Forest- Let Me Be Real; Jessie Baylin- Strawberry Wind

Steve Young

Stars In The Southern Sky

Omnivore, 2024

9/10

Listen to Stars In The Southern Sky

A massive collection from the country rock, outlaw country and Americana legend Steve Young, his 1975 album, Honky-Tonk Man lives again here, plus 34 live, previously unreleased tracks.

The timeless Young tune, “Honky-Tonk Man”, starts with the nostalgic country ideas that are warm and rugged, and it isn’t long until “Traveling Kind” emits meticulous guitar and powerful vocals from the gritty climate.

Later on in Disc 1, “The White Trash Song” is full of Young’s distinct storytelling amid dreamy guitar, and the bonus track, “Stanley And Henry”, is full of strategic twang, where Jim Post is on hand for the harmonica fills and firm piano.

Moving into the live portion, “Brain Cloudy Blues” pairs the playful strumming with Young’s soaring voice, while “Go To Sea No More” comes with plenty of folk spirit via the poetic singing.

Deeper still, “You Don’t Miss Your Water” sounds right at home in today’s singer-songwriter scene, as Young howls with ebullience, and “Midnight Rider” exits with a swift and animated presence that finishes with one of his best selections.

There’s no denying that Young was a pioneer, and this exceptional project is packaged in a slipcase with a 40-page booklet of rare photos and new liner notes that keep his legacy alive.

Travels well with: Terry Adams- Terrible; Steeleye Span- Live At The Bottom Line 1974

Stefanie Boltz

Female

GLM, 2024

8/10

Listen to Female

A female centered project that involves a milestone birthday and a salon that featured 12 women from many different backgrounds, Stefanie Boltz makes for 15 diverse and exciting tracks.

The soothing sounds of deep breathing that begins “Evocation 1 - Spiritui sancto honor sit” gets the listen off to a therapeutic start before the layered voices enter, and “Help Me” follows with swirling keys and powerful vocals that benefit from graceful strings.

Further along, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” welcomes playful accordion to the percussively warm climate, while “Bessie Smith” uses soulful brass and cozy keyboards amid Boltz’s soulful pipes.

Landing closer to the end, the well timed winds of “Wuthering Heights” help make this the album’s best, and “The First of a Million Tears” exits with an emotive, piano driven and cautious finish of touching and heartfelt songwriting.

A diverse and well thought out body of work that embraces the spirit of legends like Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Alma Mahler and Fanny Hensel, Female makes for an empowering and aware effort.

Travels well with: Nina Ernst- Dunkles Licht; Quadro Nuevo- Happy Deluxe

Steve Dawson

Ghosts

Pravda, 2024

9/10

Listen to Ghosts

The Chicago musician Steve Dawson returns with a 6th solo album, where 10 creative songs that were fleshed out live in the studio welcome some of Chi-town’s best.

The warm and timeless folk flavor of “Time To Let Some Light In” starts the listen with Alton Smith’s smooth keys and Gerald Dowd’s agile drums complementing the cozy mood, and “Oh, California” follows with Brian Wilkie’s glowing pedal steel that suits Dawson’s expressive and gentle pipes.

“Leadville” occupies the middle spot and presents a frisky and melodic version of Americana that’s both rugged and dreamy, while “It Was A Mistake” benefits much from Chris Greene’s soulful sax amid the reflective and emotive mood.

Closer to the end, “When I Finally Let You Down” lands in intimate areas via the poetic singing and lovely female backing vocals, and “Weather In The Desert” follows with both minimal and confessional ideas of beauty and grace.

Perhaps best known for his work in the band Dolly Varden, Dawson on his own is equally luminous and the spontaneous feel of the work is drenched in sincere and heartfelt song craft.

Travels well with: Nathan Graham- Saint Of Second Chances; Brian Krumm And His Barfly Friends- Just Fade Away

Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour

Friendlytown

Mascot Label Group/Provogue, 2024

9/10

Listen to Friendlytown

The revered guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper brings plenty of grooves and licks to these 13 blues tracks that welcome luminaries like Tim Montana, Billy Gibbons, and Brian May.

The title track opens the listen with Cropper’s inimitable guitar alongside grit and melody in the rich climate, and “Too Much Stress” follows with a frisky energy, where May’s always impressive guitar and rugged vocals surround the rhythmic climate.

Further along, the cozy spirit of “I’ll Take Tomorrow” uses intimacy with soulfulness via Roger C. Reale’s comforting voice, while “Rain On My Parade” comes with a dreamy backdrop amid the well timed horns and Cropper’s expressive chops.

Deeper still, the bouncy bass lines and moody organ of “In God We Trust” is textured superbly, and “I Leave You In Peace” exits with meticulous guitar and a reflective mood you won’t soon forget.

Cropper has picked up a couple of Grammy Awards, and is largely considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time. He brings a tremendous amount of talent and experience, and it makes for some of the best modern blues you’ll hear anywhere.

Travels well with: Walter Trout- Broken; Joe Bonamassa- Blues Deluxe Vol. 2

Stephen Philip Harvey Octet

Live At Radio Artifact

Hidden Cinema, 2024

8/10

Listen to Live At Radio Artifact

The tenor sax wizard Stephen Philip Harvey brings along an all star cast for these improvised and composed selections that make for a companion listen to his also recently released Elemental (Live).

The frisky mood of “Witch Hunt” starts the listen with Harvey’s bright tenor sax and Dustin May’s frisky drums being complemented by Tony Depaolis’ bouncy bass, and “Chitown” follows with Thomas Schinabeck’s intimate alto sax and Ben Tweedt’s elegant keys for the cautious landscape.

Landing in the middle, “Smash!” welcomes Marques Carroll’s radiant trumpet to the rich landscape, while “Jay Tee” is an elegant and dreamy set highlight that weaves the sax around warm melodies.

The final piece, “Party Song”, is indeed festive and energetic, where Dan Bruce’s meticulous guitar lines suit the layered brass and animated rhythm section.

These tracks were laid down on June 23, 2023 in Cincinnati, and feature interpretations of Wayne Shorter and Tim Green, in addition to the originals. A diverse outing, traces of pop, funk, hip-hop and rock will all be appreciated across the jazz template that’s rich with harmony.

Travels well with: Tracy Yang Jazz Orchestra- Or; Yes! Trio- Spring Sings

Star Forest

Let Me Be Real

Silver Comet, 2024

8/10

Listen to Let Me Be Real

The vision of the Emmy-winning producer Genevieve LeDoux, as Star Forest she encourages kids aged 5 – 9 to celebrate their individuality with both retro synthwave and modern pop flavor.

The dreamy and cinematic “Can You Hear Me” opens with soaring vocals and much warmth flowing from the dense climate, and “Pinky Promise” follows with buzzing synth and plenty of exploration guiding the bright textures.

Moving into the middle, the glowing duet “Green Dream” is both powerful and emotive, while “Nerding Is A Fun” is an infectious and sweet electro-pop album highlight that invites an immediate sing-along.

Close to the end, the atmospheric and soulful “Part Of Life” balances softness with crisp musicianship and expressive singing, and “Climbing Tree” exits with gorgeous and touching vocals that float amid the hazy backdrop.

A really fun effort that encourages children to cultivate creativity and diversity and never stray for their heart, Star Forest’s cosmic and cozy ambience is synth enjoyment for all ages.

Travels well with: Jessie Baylin- Strawberry Wind; Mel And Friends- Swingset Serenade

Stanley Grill

Against War

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Against War

The always impressive composer Stanley Grill returns with 9 new pieces, where Lisa Rombach’s soprano and the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice are in attendance for a Music for Peace Project installment.

The powerful and emotive “Declaration Of Peace” starts the listen with soft and agile instrumentation that spends 11+ minutes mesmerizing us with its depth, and “Against War (Casualty)” follows with dreamy winds that embrace Rombach’s pretty and expressive pipes.

Further along, “Against War (Stones And Bones)” makes great use of dense brass in a more dramatic environment, while “Against War (The New Rapture)” pays close attention to mood via the poetic and eloquent vocals and dreamy versus busy textures.

“Everything Passes” exits the listen, and in over 16 minutes it emits much intimacy and grace, where Rombach’s inimitable pipes steer the rich and touching musicianship.

Also lending a hand are Marek Stilec on conducting, Jiri Stilec on production and Vaclav Roubel acting as recording engineer. Together, they illuminate Grill’s ability to instill solace and hope during these often turbulent times.

Travels well with: Stanley Grill- We Will Not Forget; Stanley Grill- Ahimsa

Steep Canyon Rangers

Live At Greenfield Lake

Yep Roc, 2024

9/10

Listen to Live At Greenfield Lake

The American bluegrass luminaries Steep Canyon Rangers turn in their first live album, and it assembles 16 songs that illustrate their strong interplay, glowing harmonies, and timeless songwriting.

“As I Go” opens the set with the band’s glowing vocal harmonies amid the frisky string picking, and it isn’t long until “Pennies On The Tracks” emits Nicky Sanders’ radiant fiddle that suits the mountain-esque melodies.

Into the middle, “Alabama Calling” places Mike Guggino’s precise mandolin amid the powerful vocals, while “Take My Mind” is a frisky and rhythmic album highlight that will get your body moving to the rural melodies.

Deeper still, “Afterglow” showcases Graham Sharp’s fluid banjo prowess that suits the expressive singing, and “Sunny Days” exits with more emphasis on Mike Ashworth’s scrappy drumming and Barrett Smith’s flawless bass alongside the furious picking.

Whether this is your first time or you’ve been listening all along, Steep Canyon Rangers will wrap you around their top notch bluegrass, Americana and indie-folk ways like few others can.

Travels well with: Steep Canyon Rangers- Out In The Open; The Steel Wheels- Sideways

Stefan Smulovitz

Bow & Brush

Red Shift, 2024

8/10

Listen to Bow & Brush

The multi-instrumentalist Stefan Smulovitz pens a complex and unique listen, where classical, experimental and abstract ideas are present.

“The Pier” starts the listen with much warmth, where graceful strings are met with a charming beauty, and “Perseids” follows with a glitchy electronic presence amid the aching, orchestral strings.

Further along, the droning “Maple Seed Pods” builds into a dense, cinematic presence of mystery, while “Sea Lion Swims” makes for blurry, tense exploration into waves of atmospheric manipulation.

Close to the end, “Turtle Listening” is harmonically bright and tonally inviting via the cultured delivery, and “Pier Repise” exits with the sounds of water and graceful violin that tugs on the heartstrings.

Smulovitz plays viola, violin, bass, dvina, enner, lyra, noon, perkons, waterphone and gongs, and the very atypical textures embrace distortion, haunting moments, and expressionism in a way that few others could replicate.

Travels well with: Nova Pon- Symphonies Of Mother And Child; India Gailey- Problematica

Balls Gone Wild

High Roller

Metalville, 2019

8/10

Listen to High Roller

With band member names like Vince van Roth and Dommy Lee, it’s pretty clear that Balls Gone Wild don’t take themselves too seriously, but their furious and hard hitting rock’n’roll is certainly no joke on this sophomore album.

The title track gets the listen off to a savage start of chunky bass work and a thundering setting of bombastic hard rock as thick vocals guide us through the anthemic setting, and “Leave Me Alone” follows with raw energy in the thumping, guitar wailing scorcher.

Elsewhere, “Keep It Hot” brings us guitar riffs that point at the early days of metal, while “Mofo” gets closer to thrash sounds with calculated fury at a wild pace.

Near the end, “Balls Gone Wild” illustrates a fluid rhythm section where a sing-along chorus helps makes this one of the best tracks present, and the intricate “Flying High” reminds us of all the things we love about Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with a classic feel. “The Devil’s Woman” ends the listen soft and agile, where restrained musicianship illustrate another proficient angle from this German trio.

The Metalville label is never in short supply of powerful, timeless artists, and High Roller is yet another release that fans of metal, rock and even punk will find enticing.

Travels well with: AC/DC- Back In Black; Motorhead- Bastards