Category Archives: Music

Grupo Fantasma’s American Music: Vol. VII

I don’t think you’ll hear many records this year that move effortlessly from Turkish psychedelia on one track to Tex-Mex to cumbia and other Afro-Caribbean rhythms, all set to a big, brash funk sound. So if that sounds intriguing to … Continue reading

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Dominic Miller’s Absinthe

Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. That’s what guitarist Dominic Miller’s Absinthe is all about. But its not some wispy, tentative conception of atmospherics. Rather it’s the intentional use of sound, space and time to evoke a strong sense of place or emotion. … Continue reading

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What’s New for the 7th of April: live Irish music from De Dannan, John Brunner does future shock, artisan chocolate, Big Band music, Valente tells a story, chamber folk-pop, a history of caviar, Ottoman culture and a bevy of other things!

I decided to return to the library and see what I  could learn there. Besides, I like libraries. It  makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around  me. I always feel better when … Continue reading

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Daniel Norgren’s Wooh Dang

You know it’s true love when a Swede compares you to coffee, right? “You’re the coffee in my cup / you’re the one who woke me up …” So Daniel Norgren croons on the sweet, gospel-tinged love song “The Day … Continue reading

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What’s New for the 31st of March: Nietzsche, Stephen King considered, chocolate of course and other matters

The advantage of a bad memory is that one can enjoy the same good things for the first time several times. — Friedrich Nietzsche Yes, that’s lox and cream cheese on a toasted bagel I’m having along with Komodo Dragon coffee. … Continue reading

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Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves’ Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves

Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves are two up-and-coming young musicians on the old-time music scene in the U.S. and Canada, and they’ve teamed up for an utterly charming debut as a duo on clawhammer banjo and fiddle, respectively. De … Continue reading

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Various artists’ The Social Power of Music

One of my earliest memories, musical or otherwise, is of sitting on my bedroom floor listening to records on my own little portable record player. Among my favorites was a set of albums that collected well-known songs of various styles … Continue reading

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Larry Grenadier’s The Gleaners

I did not know (until I read the publicity material for this record) that Manfred Eicher, founder and chief producer of Germany’s ECM jazz and classical labels, was a former bass player himself. He certainly has set the standard for … Continue reading

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Mandolin Orange’s Tides of a Teardrop

Mandolin Orange, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is one of the most prolific of current Americana acts. Tides of a Teardrop is their sixth since their debut in 2010 with Quiet Little Room, all featuring songs written by Andrew Marlin … Continue reading

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John Mailander’s Forecast

Fiddler John Mailander on his second full-length release Forecast is attempting to bridge the worlds of jazz, folk and Americana music – and pretty much succeeding. The Nashville-based fiddler has played with a who’s who of Americana artists from stalwarts … Continue reading

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