Category Archives: Music

Tim Laycock’s Sea Strands

This album is subtitled ‘Folk Songs and Tunes from Dorset’ and for the most part it contains just that. It is nice to hear Tim on a solo album, as he is often associated with the ‘New Scorpion Band’. Tim … Continue reading

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Mick Ryan and Paul Downes’ Away in the West

I have long been a fan of Mick Ryan, who previously was teamed with Pete Harris, who provided sensitive backing for Mick’s songs. On this album we find Mick paired with Paul Downes, who also comes with a revered reputation … Continue reading

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Dave Brubeck’s Original Album Classics: Jazz Goes To College, Brubeck Plays Brubeck, Gone With The Wind, Brandenberg Gate: Revisited, Jazz Impressions Of New York

This set of five fully remastered CDs is one of two such sets released by Legacy to honor Dave Brubeck’s 90th birthday on Dec. 6, 2010. The other set compiles five of the classic Brubeck Quartet’s “Time” albums recorded between … Continue reading

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The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Original Album Classics – Time Out, Time Further Out, Time Changes, Time In, Countdown – Time in Outer Space

This set of five classic Dave Brubeck discs is one of two, five-CD sets released by Sony Masterworks in celebration of Brubeck’s 90th birthday on December 6, 2010. The other is Dave Brubeck’s Original Album Classics – Jazz Goes To … Continue reading

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Frank Zappa’s The Torture Never Stops (DVD)

If, like me, you never saw Frank Zappa live with one of his fabulous bands, this DVD release from Eagle Rock is a great way to see what you missed. Or even if you did witness the madness before Zappa … Continue reading

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Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon’s Soul Call (Om Namo Narayanaya)

It is tempting to lead with this release’s fascinating backstory. But the music is even better. I hope it was more the music than the story that led to its nomination for a 2010 Grammy in the Best Contemporary World … Continue reading

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Pete Coe’s Backbone

Pete Coe comes with a huge reputation as one of the finest traditional singers on the folk circuit at this time. Certainly, he is one of the most influential and hard working performers I have ever seen and heard. He … Continue reading

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Greg Bear’s Hull Zero Three

Prolific hard-sci-fi author Greg Bear has come up with another winner with Hull Zero Three. It’s a space opera of sorts that pits a handful of human and humanoid characters against their ship, which has somehow gone rogue. Some of … Continue reading

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The Handsome Family’s Scattered

Scattered is the Handsome Family’s second collection of demos, B sides, covers and the like. The first was 2002’s Smothered And Covered. This new disc has a generous 19 tracks, fairly evenly divided between covers and originals. The covers include … Continue reading

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Steeleye Span’s Sails of Silver

Absent friends Bob Johnson and Peter Knight may have returned to the fold, but the sound is new and unique. From the opening chords onward – crisp, smooth, and electric – you know that this is not your first-generation Steeleye … Continue reading

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