Category Archives: Music

Debra Cowan’s The Long Grey Line

Debra Cowan, a Massachusetts-based folksinger, sings a baker’s dozen Irish-influenced songs on this self-released CD. It’s tastefully played, well produced music, as good as most that you’ll find in the coffehouse and pub folk circuit, and better than some. Cowan … Continue reading

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The Knitters, The Aladdin Theater, Portland, Oregon – December 3, 1999

Quick, name a band that has only recorded one album, but 15 years later has inspired a tribute album and is packing clubs with dileriously loyal fans. If you said The Knitters, you’re right. Buy yourself “a big-ol’ cheap bottle … Continue reading

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Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op.71

I suspect that I’ve told you the tale of that magical time that Brigid and I were honoured guests at the Winter Court in St. Petersburg…. When else would we have a chance to wear fur overcoats, leather boots, beaver … Continue reading

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Johannes Brahms’ Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 77, Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 102

There are certain artists whose work becomes an inextricable part of one’s life, whether it be a writer, a painter, or a composer. One develops a sense of the work, sometimes to the point where it all becomes one great … Continue reading

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Gary’s favorite roots and Americana music of 2020

This was an amazing year for creativity of all sorts, not least in roots music. This list could easily be twice as long, especially as everybody else’s year-end lists come out and I learn about releases that I haven’t heard … Continue reading

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Ethan Iverson Quartet’s Common Practice

I took in a set of avant-garde acoustic jazz by trumpeter Tom Harrell and his piano-less quartet at the Village Vanguard in 2018. It was a mesmerizing but at times puzzlingly opaque (for me) set from Harrell, who was voted … Continue reading

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BaBa ZuLa’s Derin Derin

It’s only been a couple of years since BaBa ZuLa first blew my mind with their 20th anniversary retrospective disc XX, so it’s a real treat to have a new studio album already. Derin Derin is something like ninth studio … Continue reading

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Abigail Lapell’s Getaway

Toronto-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Abigail Lapell follows up her Canadian Folk Music award-winning sophomore album Hide Nor Hair with Getaway. It is a remarkably mature record — both musically and emotionally — for a young musician cutting her third … Continue reading

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Frode Haltli Avant Folk’s St. Morten

Everything new is old again for the holiday season of 2020. Everyone in the English speaking world knows the song “The Twelve Days Of Christmas,” right? Well, Norwegian accordionist Frode Haltli and his Avant Folk ensemble have a treat for … Continue reading

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Gary’s favorite jazz and experimental music of 2020

A lot of my absolute favorite music of 2020 was instrumental: jazz and especially various kinds of experimental music. Some of it I reviewed here at GMR, some I didn’t. Here’s a look at 10 of my favorites in this … Continue reading

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