Category Archives: Music

Various artists’ heritage concerts, Celtic Colours International Festival, 2002

Among the 44 concerts and workshops at this year’s Celtic Colours year were a few known as “heritage concerts,” in which the community honors the musicians of an older generation. Among them this year were “Winston’s Home,” “Tribute to Bill … Continue reading →

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Elan Mehler’s Renee Said

I’m getting a lot of enjoyment from this striking album from a somewhat unusual jazz ensemble. To the standard trio of piano, bass and drums, composer and pianist Elan Mehler has added a couple of saxophones and a guitarist, as … Continue reading →

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Sad Daddy’s Ozark Shine

Sad Daddy is a road-weathered acoustic Americana outfit that’s been making music together for more than a decade and a half now. The worn-in feeling of their fourth studio album Ozark Shine is a testament to their ongoing spirit of … Continue reading →

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The Handsome Family’s Singing Bones (deluxe reissue)

It’s such a cliché to say “I can’t believe it’s been x years since y happened,” but seriously, sometimes that’s all you can say. Witness this reissue of The Handsome Family’s Singing Bones, an expanded edition of their sixth album … Continue reading →

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Jane Yolen’s Ring Out!, Tam Lin, Mother Goose Songbook, The Sleeping Beauty, and Touch Magic

Used bookstores are great places to find those books that you never expected to locate. A recent trip down a street near where we live yielded three books by Jane Yolen, a writer who has been called the American Hans … Continue reading →

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Benny Bleu’s When I Am A Fossil

New York native Benny Bleu is something of a Renaissance man and also something of a Luddite, two states of being that don’t generally mix. But he’s been a geologist and is now a full time singer songwriter and banjo … Continue reading →

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Andrew Sa’s American Rough

Andrew Sa grew up listening to ’90s country music in Fremont, California, learned to sing in front of a crowd at a young age for his mom’s karaoke business, got a taste of queer performance and presence through the music … Continue reading →

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Helga Myhr’s Slåttespel

Helga Myhr has had a remarkable recording career considering she’s just barely in her early 30s. Remarkable in terms of both volume and variety. The Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player and singer has been a part of many projects across the … Continue reading →

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Kenny Barron’s So Many Lovely Things: Live in Brecon

I welcome any new release featuring pianist Kenny Barron, be it new or old. This generous live set from 1995 is no exception. Here Barron plays with his go-to trio of the era, bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Ben Riley, … Continue reading →

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Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

This inaugural self-titled record by saxophonist Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet would get a high rating just on the strength of its two covers, both of them warm slow ballads: Charlie Haden’s “First Song” which appropriately opens here, and Wayne Shorter’s … Continue reading →

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