Warpaint is the first studio album from the Black Crowes in seven years. Back from their self imposed exile, the brothers Robinson are infused with fresh blood in new lead guitarist, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All Stars) and new keyboardist Adam MacDougall. Dickinson and Rich Robinson combined guitar attack is particularly impressive, especially during the extended codas of “Oh Josephine” and “Movin’ on Down the Line.”

Many will call Warpaint the Crowes’ darkest album to date, and with good reason. This is, after all, the band’s first release since Chris Robinson’s divorce from actress Kate Hudson, leaving the front man singing tales of loss and regret while the band behind him blisters the blues. Dickinson’s slashing slide guitar provides both tension (“Walk Believer Walk” and “Evergreen”) and intricacy (“There’s Gold In Them Hills”), adding a fiery touch of old hill country blues to the band’s time-tested, old-school boogie style. Read the rest of this entry »

A 17-track collection, The Definitive Buddy Guy spans the blues man’s 50 year career. Guy is joined on the disc by long time cohorts Junior Wells and Pinetop Perkins, as well as The Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman. Guy shows himself as a consummate master of the Chicago electric blues sound, though if there is one downside of this compilation, it would be that most of the material focuses more on his as a vocalist and less on his prowess on the guitar.

The highlight of the disc lies in “A Man of Many Words,” a live track from 1972 in which Guy and Wells are backed by a band including Eric Clapton, Dr. John, and the Derek & the Dominoes rhythm section of Jim Gordon and Carl Radle. Though Clapton’s presence on guitar is minimal, the tune’s groove is of so familiar, sounding much like the source of inspiration for the melody line The Black Crowes would use years later in their remake of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” Read the rest of this entry »

When talk began to spread of an impending musical collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, no one was quite sure what to make of it. Plant, the rock-n-roll icon with an infamous flare for excess during his hey day with Led Zeppelin, and Krauss, the seemingly sweet and angelic leader of bluegrass band Union Station, would seem to have very little in common. Yet, both possess a deep rooted love for Americana music, and the two share a kindred spirit when it came to taking the old and making it new again.

Before kicking off their initial tour on April 19 in Louisville, Krauss was quoted as saying, “When my manager first phoned and told me Robert wanted to speak to me, I thought, ‘What does he want?’ Then when we met I was real surprised at how passionate he was about all kinds of music. He loved the great bluegrass banjo player, Ralph Stanley. Robert talked about driving through the hills of east Tennessee, listening to Ralph on the radio.” Read the rest of this entry »

Since achieving a massive breakthrough three years ago with their chart topping single “Heaven,” Los Lonely Boys – the Texican trio comprised of brothers Henry, Jo Jo and Ringo Garza - have achieved multi-platinum album sales, a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group in 2005, and widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. Now, the brothers Garza return with Forgiven, a passionate CD that finds each member of the trio reaching new levels in their playing and singing. With a feeling of true brotherly love throughout, Forgiven is in every bit an instant rock ‘n’ roll classic.

Forgiven is the culmination of what Los Lonely Boys has been building towards for the past decade, the fulfillment of the belief and support of not just millions of fans, but also such notable artists as Willie Nelson (who appeared on the band’s major label debut), Carlos Santana (with whom they toured, as well as writing and playing on “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love” from his 2005 album All That I Am) and Los Lobos (with whom they’ll team for the 2008 edition of the Los Lonely Boys’ Brotherhood Tour). From the bluesy groove of the opening song “Heart Won’t Tell a Lie,” to the yearning plea of the title track, to the heartfelt faith of “Love Don’t Care About Me,” Forgiven impresses from beginning to end. Throw in a rollicking version of the Steve Winwood/Spencer Davis Group hit “I’m a Man,” and Los Lonely Boys have captured the essence of their band on a disc that is sure to garner widespread appeal. Read the rest of this entry »

Sitting down talking to Jerry Joseph is always an interesting experience. For a man that many know simply as the seemingly angry anti-hippie songwriter that got his big break when Widespread Panic started performing his songs, Joseph is actually amazingly subdued, incredibly well rounded, and just about the most intellectual individual one could ever hope to meet.

During our most recent interview, which took place as Joseph embarked on his latest tour with drummer Steve Drizos, we discussed the duo’s forthcoming CD, the subsequent naming of their band, songwriting, his recent trip to Nepal, and what the future holds for the man with a seemingly endless string of rock-n-roll melodies waiting to roll off the tip of his tongue.

HONEST TUNE: “When did you and Steve first begin playing together?” Read the rest of this entry »

When the lineup for BB Ling’s 12th annual Blues Fest was announced, it was readily apparent that this year festival would be much different form those of previous years. This time around, the King of the Blues was being joined by New Orleans groove masters Galactic, as well as one of the world’s foremost authorities of the electric guitar – the one and only Jeff Beck.

As usual, BB King headlined the shows. Playing his famous guitar Lucille, King and his 10-piece band moved effortlessly through an hour and a half set that included such classic hits as “Nightlife,” “Caledonia,” and “Key to the Highway.” The highlight of King’s performance both nights came during his encore, when the 76-year old blues legend was joined on stage by Beck, whom King jokingly referred to as a “show off.” Although King made the comment in jest, Beck’s playing completely dominated the sound every moment he was on stage. Read the rest of this entry »

For his own label’s second DVD release, Branford Marsalis captured a complete performance of John Coltrane’s 1964 masterpiece A Love Supreme. Coltrane’s original recording is considered by many to be the consummate moment of his quartet’s career. This legendary suite, which remains Coltrane’s best selling album of all time, was performed by Branford and his quartet during the band’s March 2003 European tour at Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, a club that is regarded as the center for jazz in Europe since it opened in 1973, and a place that is “all about the music.”

Pierre Lamoureux, a filmmaker best known for his work on musical specials, including the Emmy-winning Harry Connick, Jr. PBS special, “Only You in Concert,” was on hand to record this scintillating live performance. The results are truly stunning, both musically and visually. Read the rest of this entry »

Over the past five years, the Dave Holland Big Band has become inarguable the top large ensemble in the world of jazz. While the band bares his name, Holland takes the same non-dictorial approach as his former band leader, the legendary Miles Davis, allowing each member of this 13-piece Grammy winning group the chance shine.

The first four tracks on Overtime compose “The Monterey Suite,” a work that was commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival and performed at the event in 2001, just a week and a half after 9/11. The suite opens with the swinging “Bring It On,” which captures the anticipation felt at the start of each year’s festival. “Free for All” and “A Time Remembered” run a gamut of emotions, from the freedom of letting all one’s cares go to the often bittersweet feelings reminiscing of days gone by. “Happy Jam” completes the suite with a “positive assertion if the human spirit overcoming adversity,” capturing the jam-session spirit and musical camaraderie felt at festivals across the world. Read the rest of this entry »

When The Band decided to call it quits in 1976, they performed a farewell concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving evening, inviting friends from across the globe to join them for one Last Waltz. Joined by such musical luminaries as Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood and Muddy Waters, the resulting performance was a show for the ages.

In 2004, a group of musicians from Atlanta, led by Kris “Jellyroll” Gloer, decided to commemorate the event, inviting countless friends from across the country to join the festivities. The show was such a hit that they decided to give it another go the following year, and filled Smith’s Olde Bar to capacity (and beyond). The response from the crowd was so overwhelming that Jelly decided to assemble a traveling ensemble, and for the past 18 months, the band has toured extensively across the Eastern U.S. Read the rest of this entry »

Joyous Encounter, Joe Lovano’s 17^th recording for Blue Note Records, is amongst the most moving and memorable work in the saxophonist’s illustrious career. The disc is actually part two of this celebrated 2004 release I’m All For You, marking the first time in Lovano has ever entered the studio with the same band for two consecutive recordings. The result is an outstanding effort packed with one moving composition after another.

Joyous Encounter, features remarkable covers of John Coltrane’s “Crescent” and Thelonious Monk’s “Pannonica.” The highlight of the disc, however, is the original arrangement “Bird’s Eye View.” Based loosely on Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation,” the song is presented in the classic “turnaround concept” made famous by Coltrane, including a rollicking piano solo from Hank Jones, a masterful player who had the opportunity to perform with both Coltrane and Parker. Read the rest of this entry »