Beaumonster by Jesse Dayton (Hachette Books) Jesse Dayton – along with being a musical chameleon – just may be the Forrest Gump of Americana (though I expect he might bristle at that genre classification). In his fantastic memoir, Beaumonster, the Beaumont, TX-born musician, actor, director, jack of all trades shares stories of growing up in […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: December 2021By Bill Bentley Brian T. Atkinson, TRUE LOVE CAST OUT ALL EVIL: The Songwriting Legacy of Roky EricksonAs a songwriter, surely Roky Erickson stands as tall as any during the past 55 years. Starting with “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” penned for his high school band The Spades when he was only 15 […]
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Mark Joseph is a singer-songwriter that you could place in the broad Americana category and you wouldn’t be wrong. It wouldn’t be a complete description, however. On his previous two albums, he has explored blues and other Americana sounds. He has also collaborated with members of moe., Little Feat, and Trampled by Turtles, among others. […]
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Ingrid Michaelson – Songs For The Season – Deluxe Edition Superb. Many major singers of an earlier generation who were famous for turning out seasonal classic songs year after year are with us no more. While I don’t usually do Christmas music this exceptional one deserves a mention. Ingrid Michaelson’s voice is not Rosemary Clooney, […]
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Nina Simone – And Her Friends Another vintage Nina Simone 1959 reissue LP that’s different. Four songs each by renowned singers Carmen McRea, Chris Connor & Nina. Originally a Bethlehem label release, known for its compilations of varied jazz singers, these ladies had already left the label at the time of issue. The music was […]
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GROOVES & CUTS – Danish National Symphony Orchestra’s Spaghetti Western Tribute NOVEMBER 2021 – By John Apice One of the most magnificent reproductions of composer Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western themes was performed by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sarah Hicks & Danish National Concert Choir. Their performance of the main theme from Sergio […]
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Trini Lopez – The Rare Reprise Singles (1962-1970) Opening with the wonderful West Side Story Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim song “America,” Trini performs it with brilliance. Trini Lopez didn’t happen overnight. He had songs released as early as 1958 but no chart action until 1963. His 1963 release “Let It Be Known,” & 1970’s “Let’s Think […]
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Various Artists – Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal (The Neal Casal Music Foundation & Royal Potato) Neal Casal may not have been a household name to the casual music fan, but when he passed away in 2019 it was clear just how much of an impact he had on fellow musicians with tributes […]
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Samuel Ashton is an English singer-songwriter whose voice has been described as “pure soul.” It’s a pretty apt description. His is a voice and a sound that captures the feel of both classic and modern soul. His new EP Breathe Easy contains only five songs, but it is enough for him to showcase not only […]
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Music Reviews: Cat Stevens, Lucinda Williams, and Joe Grushecky A 50th-Anniversary Edition of Cat Stevens’s ‘Teaser and the Firecat’ Last year’s holiday season witnessed the release of massive 50th-anniversary editions of Cat Stevens’s Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman, both of which originally appeared in 1970. Now comes an equally hefty […]
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