“Radical Jewish Culture”, Redux
Sean MurphyAfter my ardent endorsement of Rashanim (the great trio who have just released what may well be the best album of the year),…
Rashanim: Healing Music for Unrighteous Times
Guess what? Rashanim has recently released what will undoubtedly stand as one of the…
Giving it Up for the California Guitar Trio
I know I'd be ecstatically grateful if, having never heard of these guys, someone turned me on to them. So in…
Alive and Well and Living In…Italy
Ian Anderson is alive and well, and living in...Italy. And he is going by the name of…
Dan Auerbach, In Search of the Authentic Sound
During my recent discussion with Dan Auerbach, there was heavy construction underway in the unit above mine: the refrain of hammering, drill work, and boot steps were like a Greek…
Upfull Living Or, A Tale of Two Album Covers
Part One: Pharoah Sanders Maybe you have to be a Jazz aficionado to get excited by an album cover, but come on: How can you not love this? How can…
Mingus Ah Um: An Open Letter to the 20th Century
1959 was, by any measure, a watershed year for jazz music. Some all-time great recordings were released during this year, including Kind Of Blue (Miles Davis), Giant Steps (John Coltrane),…
July 7: When The Two Sevens Clash
July 7, 1977: When the two sevens clash. You can, and should, appreciate Culture's masterpiece all days of the year, but on July 7 you better recognize. I wrote about Culture…
Remembering Max Roach
YouTube is Santa Claus, I'm a kid, and every day is Christmas. All I can say regarding the treasure trove of footage I just stumbled upon is: Oh.My.God. Max.Motherfucking.Roach.
The Doors: America’s Star-Spangled Band
The 4th of July presents an at least two irresistible reasons to talk about The Doors. One: Jim Morrison took his last bath on July 3, 1971 in Paris. R.I.P. Lizard King.…