Don Paul

Love Over War

Irresistible/Revolutionary, 2022

8/10

Listen to Love Over War

An author, bandleader, composer and Grammy nominated producer, Don Paul brings along an impressive cast of musicians to this very diverse listen that embraces jazz, funk, gospel, rock and spoken word.

“Get Your JAM On!” opens the listen with bright brass, frisky drumming and soulful singing in the funk friendly climate, and “Glory Glory Glory Is For Us All” follows with warm piano and glowing horns interacting with a both restraint and adventurousness in the instrumental.

Elsewhere, “Love Over War, Every Time We Play” (with vocals) finds plenty of flowing melody amid the crisp drums, well timed keys and soaring vocals, while “My Old Man” is a more bare offering of gritty singing alongside Dhyani Dharma’s skilled slide guitar.

Close to the end, “A Baby’s Smile Is Sweet To See” recruits a tribal feel with firm drumming and expressive singing in a very sparse display, and “Bobee (What A Spirit Walks That Way)” exits with a lively energy of swift percussion, dense brass and a busy landscape.

Paul takes company with Roger Lewis (sax), Mario Abney (trumpet), Erica Falls (vocals) and and Kirk Joseph (sousaphone), to name a few, and it makes his 4th album as leader a very eclectic and profoundly unique listen.

Travels well with: Roger Lewis- Alright!; Evan Drybread- Tiger Tail

Foaie Verde

Phoenix: Balkans And Beyond

GLM, 2022

8/10

Listen to Phoenix: Balkans And Beyond

An assembly of 5 very skilled musicians from 4 different countries in Europe, Foaie Verde (Green Leaf) bring Hungarian, Romanian, Balkan, Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish ideas into their diverse and exciting song craft.

“Lassan Kocsis” opens the listen with stirring strings and expressive singing in the traditional Hungarian song, and “Cut To The Chase!” follows with a swift and dynamic delivery that showcases violin acrobatics and strategically plucked bass for the festive climate.

Deeper into the 14 tracks, “Hej!” recruits vibrant melodies for the bajan focused album highlight, while “No. 24” illustrates incredible string prowess amid a dance floor friendly display.

Further still, “Stoican” emits a uniquely rhythmic and playful demeanor of intricate strings and soothing bajan, and “Moldavian Shepherds’ Dance” exits the listen swiftly, with fascinating chemistry between the players on the Sapo Perapaskero original.

This is Foaie Verde’s 3rd album, and it features Mulo Francel from Quadro Nuevo on clarinet and saxophone, which only adds to the album’s appeal of fast melodies, emotional singing and calm moments of cultured beauty.

Travels well with: Quadro Nuevo- Odyssee- A Journey Into The Light; Morello/Francel/Faller- Living Is Easy, Mostly

William Flynn

Seaside

OA2, 2022

9/10

Listen to Seaside

The inimitable guitar player William Flynn brings along Roger Wilder (piano), Sam Copeland (bass), Brian Steever (drums) and Emily Merrell (vocals) for these rich and modern jazz tunes that are delivered with much attention to detail.

“Follow The Leader” starts the listen with firm keys, as the spirited guitar work enters the quick and upbeat climate of flowing jazz, and “January” follows with the crisp drums and agile bass lines helping make for a warm display.

“Birthday Song” lands at the halfway point and showcases Flynn’s very meticulous guitar playing alongside the charming melodies that you can’t help but admire, while “Sea Song”, one of the two songs with vocals, emits a dreamy quality amid the well timed scatting.

“House On Savannah Street” and “Sundog” exit the listen, where the former finds itself reflective and intimate, and the latter finishes on a very harmonic note that allows all of the players’ respective talents to shine.

A listen that was born from a month long residency in the panhandle community of Seaside, Flynn found himself very much in a reflective mood, and with the Kansas City musicians present he documents that vision superbly.

Travels well with: Ben Morris- Pocket Guides; Rich Pellegrin- Passage

Supersonic Blues Machine

Voodoo Nation

Provogue, 2022

8/10

Listen to Voodoo Nation

A powerful trio consisting of Fabrizio Grossi and Kenny Aronoff, who were the rhythm section for Goodfellas, and the newest member, Kris Barras (guitar, vocals), Supersonic Blues Machine also welcome some esteemed guests to these 12 sturdy tracks.

“Money” opens the listen with dense drums and soaring guitar, as a thick and rugged version of blues unfolds with soulful backing vocals, and “Too Late” follows with raspy vocals and a hand clapping friendly rocker that’s got plenty of grit and power.

Close to the middle, “Get It Done” features Josh Smith and bounces with a dance floor friendly appeal that’s still plenty firm, while “Devil At The Doorstep” finds a more intimate place to reside, where hypnotic keys and emotive singing help balance the hard hitting versus calm moments.

The title track arrives near the end, and finds itself in anthemic territory that showcases expressive singing amid the bright backing vocals and thundering rhythm section, and “All Our Love” exits with Charlie Starr in attendance for the scrappy and breezy vocal harmonies.

If names like Warren Haynes, Eric Gales, Walter Trout or Joe Bonamassa mean anything to you, you’d be wise to familiarize yourself with Supersonic Blues Machine and this excellent 3rd album, cause they’ve got the chops to be the next superstars of blues rock.

Travels well with: Albert Castiglia- I Got Love; Mike Zito- Blues For The Southside

Wyatt Easterling

From Where I Stand

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to From Where I Stand

A singer-songwriter with a wealth of experience in not only songwriting but publishing, producing and A&R duties, Wyatt Easterling aligned with the co-writer and executive producer Chris Rosser for these 10 thoughtful tunes.

“From Where I Stand” opens the listen with warm and agile country influenced rock that’s breezy and full of sincere songwriting, and “I Know Who You Are” follows with moody pedal steel and a poetic, soulful quality that unfolds with much beauty.

At the halfway point, “So Have I” offers a lush and textured displayed of Easterling’s cozy vision, while “Where The River Goes” is a more bare duet with intricate acoustic guitar amid a sublime eloquence.

“Throw Caution To The Wind” and “Traveling Light” exit the listen, where the former moves at a frisky pace of charming folk-rock, and the latter finishes with Easterling’s wise and comforting voice alongside the flowing Americana.

An album that began in 2019 and was finished throughout the pandemic, Easterling took his time making this record, and it makes for a meticulous and heartfelt affair that will be relevant for decades to come.

Travels well with: Wes Collins- Jabberwockies; Monica Taylor- Trains, Rivers & Trails

Roger Lewis

Alright!

Irresistible/Revolutionary, 2022

8/10

Listen to Alright!

After 60 years as a major player in the New Orleans scene and beyond, the saxophonist Roger Lewis steps in as band leader, where he brings along his pals Herlin Riley (drums) and Kirk Joseph (sousaphone), plus many others, for this animated and timeless jazz affair.

“Bobee (What A Spirit Walks That Way!)” opens the listen with plenty of energy, as the swift drumming, soulful sax and deep sousaphone make for a rhythmic jazz climate, and “Carrying The Saxophones” follows with the dynamic brass interacting with warmth and adventurousness.

Halfway through, “Little Things” recruits Michael Torregano Jr.’s piano skills and Don Paul’s smooth vocals to the reflective landscape, while “Glory Glory Glory Is For Us All” showcases the strong drumming presence amid textured horns.

Further on, “Maybe You See Horses”, with verse, illuminates Paul’s vivid storytelling in a more tense demeanor, and “Get Your JAM On!” exits the listen with some funk friendly moments in the upbeat and memorable finish.

Lewis is the co-founder of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who are still going strong after 45 years, and he brings that experience and skill to this exceptional body of work he spearheaded at 80 years old.

Travels well with: Evan Drybread- Tiger Tail; Chris Torkewitz- NY Ensembles

Fantastic Cat

The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat

Blue Rose, 2022

9/10

Listen to The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat

Anthony D’Amato, Brian Dunne, Don DiLego, and Mike Montali make up Fantastic Cat, and even though the title might make you think otherwise, this is actually the debut for the eclectic and unpredictable New York City outfit.

“C’mon Armageddon” gets the listen off to an energetic start with scrappy drumming and a nostalgic rock’n’roll feel that’s quite rhythmic, and “New Year’s Day” follows with bouncy bass work and firmly strummed acoustic guitar, as expresssive singing recruits a timeless version of folk.

“Fiona” occupies the middle spot and lands in piano balladry, where powerful singing and a soulful quality are appreciated, while “Amigo” offers a bright and pop friendly display of summery melodies that seems indebted to the ‘60s.

Further down the line, “Ain’t This The Strangest Town” finds a bare place to reside initially, where expressive and poetic song craft lands somewhere between Americana and folk, and “Theme From Fantastic Cat” exits the listen with a textured and dreamy finish of lush, emotive songwriting.

A band that are very hard to classify, you’ll likely be reminded of artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, Whiskeytown or The Traveling Wilburys in the sense that all members here are singer-songwriters in their own right. The band clearly don’t take themselves too serious, but this is seriously great music.

Travels well with: John Calvin Abney- Familiar Ground; Hollis Brown- In The Aftermath

Dylan Ward

Tourmaline

Neuma, 2022

8/10

Listen to Tourmaline

Dylan Ward brings his saxophone and electronic prowess to this atypical debut, where the 5 works explore electroacoustic textures, delay effects, sampling and electronic processing alongside the strategic use of his brass.

The title track, by Alexandra Gardner, opens the listen with quivering sax and plenty of glitchy electronics that make for a warm and mysterious lead off, and Viet Cuong’s “Naica” follows with calculated, dreamy brass bouts that emit a very charming demeanor.

The middle track belongs to Seth Andrew Davis, where the water sounds of “Angelus Novus” leads into buzzing, sci-fi, mechanical-esque noises, while “Seven Steps” showcases intricate guitar sounds amid twinkling keys and an unconventional rhythm in the Kenneth Michael Florence original.

Emma O’Halloran’s “Sum Of Its Parts” exits the listen, and recruits an ominous minimalism that drones with very absorbing gestures.

A listen that can be meditative, jarring and cosmic, Ward covers a lot of sonic territory across the listen, and it’s a highly creative and musically enlightening journey.

Travels well with: Richard Carr- Landscapes And Lamentations; MC Maguire- Transmutation Of Things

Johnny Gandelsman

This Is America: An Anthology 2020-2021

In A Circle, 2022

8/10

Listen to This Is America: An Anthology 2020-2021

The multi-instrumentalist Johnny Gandelsman takes on an adventurous project here, where he presents commissioned new works for violin from American and US-based composers, where each one in someway reflects all the turmoil the country has dealt with in recent years.

Clarice Assad’s “O” opens the listen with violin and voices interacting with mystery and beauty in a cinematic, almost sci-fi sort of way, and “Sahra be Wyckoff”, by Kinan Azmeh, follows with solo violin that’s used minimally but effectively with much cautious beauty.

Further on, Nick Dunston’s “Tardigrades” illustrates the violin being used in unconventional ways as it's plucked atypically and can also quiver in a machine like sort of way, while “A City Upon A Hill” welcomes electronics alongside the violin in the organic meets synthetic exploration via the Rhea Fowler and Micaela Tobin composition.

Much deeper into the affair, “Dólii” pairs electric tenor guitar with poetic singing in the album’s best track thanks to Bojan Louis’ vision, and Kojiro Umezaki’s “Breathe” finishes the listen with violin and electronics meshing with a glowing appeal that’s artistic, sparse and quite absorbing.

Gandelsman handles violin, 5 string violin, acoustic tenor guitar, electric tenor guitar and vocals across the 33 tracks, and it makes for a classical, baroque, and experimental journey that serves as a snapshot of all the difficulties, challenges, hopes and fears of 2020.

Travels well with: Eli Winter- Unbecoming; Pan Project- Pan Project

The Mutants

Curse Of The Easily Amused

Liberation Hall, 2022

9/10

Listen to Curse Of The Easily Amused

A legendary San Francisco outfit spearheaded by Fritz Fox alongside Sue White and Sally Webster, as The Mutants the trio all sing across art-punk songs that are full of energetic and rowdy song craft.

They formed in 1977, and by the early ‘80s they had an EP, compilation track and album under their belt. The 14 tracks here have all been remixed or sourced from the original tapes, and 8 of them have never appeared on CD or vinyl before. No overdubs were used, either.

“Party!” starts the listen with bouncy bass lines and scrappy drumming in the conversational singing, and “Odd Man Out” follows with thumping drums from Dave Carothers as the 3 vocalists bring both grit and melody to the timless punk rock climate.

Elsewhere, “Too Much Too Soon” showcases Paul Fleming’s strategic bass playing in the anthemic delivery, while “Insect Lounge” puts Charles Hagan on bass amid Brendan Earley and John Gullak’s searing guitar work in the sing-alongs.

Moving towards the end, “Missing In Action” finds itself in New Wave areas and recruits Ken Kearney (guitar), Jim Hrabetin (guitar) and Zippy Pinhead (drums) for the hypnotic, post-punk spirited demeanor, and “Tribute To Russ Meyer” exits the listen with a slow burning, crunchy rocker that brings in raw vocals later on, and has an incredible sound quality.

The Mutants still play today with 4 of the original members present, and this collection serves as a great introduction to their retro-punk ways and is a must for the diehard fan.

Travels well with: Professor And The Madman- Live At The 100 Club; Foxy- Can’t Stop Us

Paul Winter Consort

Concert In The Barn

Living, 2022

9/10

Listen to Concert In The Barn

The 7 time Grammy winner Paul Winter assembled an impressive cast for these 14 tunes that were fleshed out in a barn in June of 2021 for a livestream concert, which coincided with the first sunrise of that summer.

“Sun Singer (Theme)” leads the listen with Winter’s soothing soprano sax in the brief intro, and “Lamento De Aiocá” follows with Winter’s soulful brass and Henrique Eisenmann’s fluid and warm piano prowess making an indelible impression.

Deeper into the listen, “Chora Coracao (Cry, My Heart)” welcomes Jeff Boratko’s bassoon and Eugene Friesen’s cello to Eisenmann’s stirring keys in the very intimate album highlight, while “DNA” allows Boratko and Theresa Thomason’s gorgeous voices to shine amid the mature piano, cello and sax.

Close to the end, the piano, cello and sax complement Thomason’s powerful pipes on the stunning interpretation of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, and “Icarus” exits the listen on a busier note, where the strings, brass, keys and vocals meet at a very melodic and dreamy place.

A very heartfelt listen that embraces jazz, New Age, world music and Brazilian nods, Winter and company make the most of each selection here with precise attention to detail and a delivery that is nothing short of stunning.

Travels well with: Paul Winter- Light Of The Sun; Douglas Olsen- 2 Cents

Juan Trujillo With Sean Conly & Francisco Mela

Collage

Ears & Eyes, 2022

8/10

Listen to Collage

The guitarist Juan Trujillo brings along bassist Sean Conly and the drummer Francisco Mela for these very exploratory free jazz tunes that unfold with fascinating improvisation.

“Araya” opens the listen with warm acoustic guitar, and it isn’t long until cozy Latin influences enter the cautious climate that tips its hat to a Venezuelan film of the 50s by Margot Benacerraf, and “Rebote” follows with frisky drumming and playfully plucked bass making for an adventurous jazz delivery.

Halfway through, “El Santo” offers a hazy and more rock focused display, while “Himno” flows with firm harmonies in its radiant guitar tone and meticulous nature.

The final two tracks, “El Chivo” and “Simultaneo”, are equally impressive, where the former is entirely improvised with strategic bowing from Conly, and the latter exits with folk melodies and an intimate prettiness that helps make this the album’s best selection.

Trujillo grew up listening to classical music, classic rock, salsa, and jazz, and be brings all those qualities to his superb guitar playing and cultured, creative and avant-garde vision.

Travels well with: Mike Allemana- Vonology; Elsa Nilsson- Atlas Of Sound, Coast Redwoods, 41°32’09.8”N 124°04’35.5”W

Fred Arcoleo

We Are Mighty: Sustenance For The Struggle

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to We Are Mighty: Sustenance For The Struggle

A career teacher, singer and multi-instrumentalist who pulls songwriting influence from a lifetime of activism against sexism, racism and many other social issues, Fred Arcoleo brings along Ritt Henn, Rex Benincasa, Shanika Anderson, and Daniel A. Weiss to these well thought out and timeless folk songs.

“The Mighty” opens the listen with warm piano, soothing vocal harmonies and flowing, punchy folk-rock that unfolds with much grace and a crisp climate, and “Upside Down” follows with soaring vocals and a cozy, intimate demeanor that’s steeped in R&B nods and features Weiss on hammond organ.

The middle tracks include “All That It Takes” and “In The Dark Times”, where the former offers a swift folk feel amid Henn’s bass and Benincasa’s handling of bongos, shakers and tambourine, while “In The Dark Times” emits much slow burning atmosphere and benefits from Anderson’s harmony vocals.

Close to the end, “Lead The Way, Save The Day” embraces a world music appeal, where Arcoleo handles charango and reggae moments are present, and “GO!” exits with an upbeat and bouncy charm that enlists the Harlem children for the playful ambience.

A topical listen that is quite diverse and unpredictable, Arcoleo and company pull off a progressive folk affair that should be required listening during these challenging times.

Travels well with: Greg Greenway- Songs From The Beginning; Bett Padgett- Turning Over Stones

Bill Scorzari

The Crosswinds Of Kansas

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to The Crosswinds Of Kansas

Bill Scorzari made me a fan with 2017’s Through These Waves, and here the New Yorker returns with 13 originals that showcase his raw folklore and recruits players including Danny Mitchell, Ty Allison, and Will Kimbrough, plus many others.

“I-70 East” opens the listen with warm electric guitar and crisp drumming as Scorzari’s inimitable rasp enters the gritty yet tuneful climate, and “Inside My Heart” follows with intricate acoustic guitar and a poetic delivery of timeless folk song craft that embraces a Tibetan singing bowl, a claw-hammer banjo and a Native American flute.

“Not Should’ve Known” arrives near the middle, and illustrates just how much beauty Scorzari’s songwriting emits, and might just remind you of Iron & Wine’s greatest moments, while “A Ghost, My Hat And My Coat” moves quicker with some jam band qualities.

“Try, Try Again” lands closer to the end, and showcases much sublime intimacy in its hushed eloquence and subtle piano, and “Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’” exits the listen with a pair of flutes and spoken word entering the mysterious finish.

This is Scorzari’s 4th studio album, and each one is full of literate, creative and genuine sounds that parallels the greatness achieved by Dylan, Waits, Young and Cohen. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with his work yet, don’t wait any longer, cause it’s quite an alluring brand of delicacy.

Travels well with: M. Lockwood Porter- Communion In The Ashes; John Calvin Abney- Familiar Ground

Field Guides

Ginkgo

Whatever’s Clever, 2022

8/10

Listen to Field Guides

The 3rd album from Benedict Kupstas, as Field Guides the multi-instrumentalist pens serious songs that defy classification but revolve somewhere around modern-folk, dream-pop and even hints of country, and are never short on ambience.

“Judes At The Delaware Water Gap (A Prelude)” opens the listen with soothing strings, light guitar and very soft singing in the hazy, atmospheric indie-folk climate, and “Salmon Skin” follows with playfully plucked guitar alongside poetic singing and bouts of soulful sax that populate the cautious landscape.

Further down the line, “Cicadas In The Lemon Trees” benefits much from light drumming amid the smooth singing and dreamy backing vocals in the album’s best, while “The City Is A Painting” brings electric guitar and a fuller display to the more folk-rock demeanor.

Near to the end, “Margaret” is full of hushed beauty with some percussive twinkling, and “When I Pulled Slivers From Your Feet” exits the listen with textured, mesmerizing quality that blends much restraint and adventurousness.

Kupstas brings along members of The War On Drugs, Beverly, Adeline Hotel and Stars Like Fleas, among others, and it makes for a pensive affair that’s lyrically all substance (themes include Greek Mythology, the Bible, Emily Dickinson) and musically exploratory in its tranquil artistry.

Travels well with: Jason Molina- Eight Gates; Ben De La Cour- Shadow Land

Randy Palmer

Deeper Water

Berkalin, 2022

9/10

Listen to Deeper Water

A very thoughtful guitarist and singer-songwriter, Randy Palmer brings a long many players for this folk focused body of work that also touches on roots, country and Americana, too.

Palmer places the very warm and eloquent “Somewhere Down The Line” in the lead off position, where his expressive pipes are complemented by thumping drums and pretty vocal harmonies, and “Carry On” follows with emotive pedal steel accenting the agile keys from David Webb and Mark Epstein’s proficient electric guitar.

“Sixty Years Of Love” occupies the middle spot and is quite intimate, where moody cello thanks to Dirje Childs and mature piano suit the stirring climate, while the title track benefits much from a fuller delivery of cautious and precise country/folk song craft.

“Venus Chases The Moon” and “Choose Love” exit the listen, where the former is particularly poetic and displays intricate mandolin, and the latter exits upbeat, charming and even dance friendly in a track about the joys of parenthood.

Palmer started this record before the pandemic, and of course finishing it presented many challenges. Not one to shy away from hard work, his very descriptive and insightful storytelling is the backbone of the listen, and the timeless folk rock present will be relative for decades to come.

Travels well with: Silver Lake 66- The Space Between Us; Wayne Willingham- Temptation Row

Durham County Poets

Out Of The Woods

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to Out Of The Woods

The 5th release from Durham County Poets, Out Of The Woods has the Canadian quintet touching on soul, roots, country, folk, R&B, and gospel in their inimitable brand of bluesy sounds.

“Working On It” opens the listen with smooth vocals and a warm groove alongside a bright horn section in the lively blues rocker, and “Together In The Groove” follows with a soulful, romantic spirit that benefits from Andy King’s trumpet solo and jazz fueled guitar work.

Later on, “Back At The Groove Shack” discusses the band’s reconciliation after months of not being able to play music together, and welcomes crisp drumming and intricate guitar work, while “Through The Glass” burns powerfully and emotively, where lyrically the tragic situation of watching a loved one die during the pandemic and not being to touch them, only to gesture through the glass, is expressed eloquently.

Inching towards the end, “I’ll Fall Too” recruits both folk and gospel moments into the very cozy demeanor, and “That’s What Makes Me Smile” finishes with Jim Zellar’s charming harmonica complementing the intimate, poetic storytelling.

Kevin Harvey (vocals), David Whyte (guitar, vocals), Carl Rufh (bass, vocals), Neil Elsmore (guitar, vocals) and Rob Couture (drums) make up the Durham County Poets, and along with many guests on brass, keys and backing vocals, they make it pretty clear why they’ve been Juno nominated with this diverse and heartfelt body of work.

Travels well with: The Slocan Ramblers- Up The Hill And Through The Fog; Crystal Shawanda- Church House Blues

Richard Carr

Landscapes And Lamentations

Neuma, 2022

9/10

Listen to Landscapes And Lamentations

The composer, conductor, violinist, pianist and guitarist Richard Carr finds himself in the company of the American Contemporary Music Ensemble for this enlightening listen that emanates from musings he’s entertained about places near his home in the Hudson Valley.

“Rainbow Falls” opens the listen with warm strings and agile piano, as a very stirring delivery unfolds with grace, and “Loop Road” follows with agile guitar and no lack of atmosphere that benefits from sublime intimacy.

At the halfway point, “Underwater Photography” displays swift string interaction that makes for a mesmerizing appeal of meticulousness, while “Ice Caves” radiates an emotive quality that’s artistically poetic.

Close to the end, “Castle Point” emits a playful, cinematic ambience of strategic string dynamics, and “A Cabin In The Woods” exits with a minimal and impactful execution of restraint that truly illustrates Carr’s proficient guitar playing.

The string players, ACME, includes Laura Lutzke (violin), Ben Russell (violin), Caleb Burhans (viola) and Clarice Jensen (cello). Together under Carr’s nature-esque vision, they make for a jazz friendly, somewhat improvised and tonally expressive affair that’s quite absorbing.

Travels well with: MC Maguire- Transmutation Of Things; Lawson & Merrill- Signals

Billy Drummond And Freedom Of Ideas

Valse Sinistre

Cellar, 2022

8/10

Listen to Valse Sinistre

The esteemed drummer Billy Drummond returns as leader for the first time since 1996, and he’s got the Freedom Of Ideas ensemble with, i.e. Dezron Douglas (bass), Micah Thomas (piano) and Dayna Stephens (sax), for the 9 innovative jazz tunes.

“Little Melonae” opens the listen with frisky drumming and warm sax, as an energetic and playful version of jazz unfolds, and “Never Ends” follows with a soulful demeanor that builds into swift brass acrobatics.

“Laura” and “Frankenstein” occupy the middle spot, where the former showcases the elegant keys amid stirring sax prowess, while the latter recruits a lively appeal of dynamic interaction between the rhythm section.

Nearing the end, the more firm “Reconfirmed” bounces and shakes with swift melodies that you could dance to, and “Lawra” exits the listen with free jazz exploration that’s as creative as it is mesmerizing.

Drummond has stayed quite busy for the last three decades with plenty of work in the New York City scene, and let’s hope he finds more time in the bandleader role, cause his drumming skills certainly warrant being front and center.

Travels well with: John Lee- The Artist; Aaron Seeber- First Move

North Mississippi Allstars

Up And Rolling

New West, 2019

8/10

Listen to Up And Rolling

A long running outfit spearheaded by the brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, North Mississippi Allstars return with luminaries like Mavis Staples, Jason Isbell, and Sharde Thomas, among others, to help flesh out this communal, spirited effort.

“Call That Gone” starts with strong percussion that leads into the glorious dual gender vocals as the tune gets bluesy and soulful with swampiness, and “Up And Rolling” follows with a calm demeanor as the setting takes on folk qualities with much playfulness and plenty of harmonies.

Near the middle, “Peaches” offers intricate guitar work in a southern tinted affair with funk nods, while “Mean Old World”, which features Jason Isbell and Duane Betts, recruits some ruggedness in the cautious rocker where the guitar work appears boundless.

Near the end, “Living Free” gets all sorts of melodic with organs, and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” emits gospel sounds in a country way with Cedric Burnside lending a hand. “Otha’s Bye Bye Baby” exits the affair quick and raw with a bare recording of demo’ed vocals from Otha Turner and proficient guitar from Luther.

Inspired by photos Luther Dickinson found that date back over 20 years (many of which are included in the extensive packaging), Up & Rolling unfolds almost as if a family outing, as NMA deliver another batch of their southern heritage with warmth, grit and precision.

Travels well with: Patrick Sweany- Daytime Turned To Nighttime; Black Pistol Fire- Deadbeat Graffiti