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Despite blues players hailing from various points in the South and congregating in Chicago, the town’s music has developed a distinctive sound. Of course, an outcropping of that was a homogenized take on the genre, making some second-tier players less than scintillating to hear. But that’s more the fault of the music’s restraints than the performers. Amid the crop of guitarists who cut albums and became synonymous with blues was a Mississippi native named Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater–well, Clearwater was levied on the performer by a manager to play off Muddy Waters’ moniker. Read the rest of this entry »

On the new release by the Little Willies, the New York-based country music (!) group formed by Norah Jones (piano, vocals), Richard Julian (guitar, vocals), Jim Campilongo (guitar), Lee Alexander (bass) and Dan Rieser (drums), the group tackles a selection of old classics made famous by the likes of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and others.

Among the notable tracks is “Tommy Rockwood,” an instrumental by Campilongo that is the sole original tune on the disc. The tune is mostly guitar-oriented with a country-rock vibe, but there is a smart Norah Jones solo that proves that she does have the chops to back up the acclaim some jazz snobs say is undeserved. Also very good is the cover of Parton’s classic “Jolene,” played here more organically than the original. Read the rest of this entry »

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When Bill Wyman left the Rolling Stones in 1992, fans of the septuagenarian bassist thought he would simply retire and concentrate on Sticky Fingers, his United States-themed cafe (according to Keith Richards’ best-selling autobiography) and his signature metal detector. However, nothing could be further from the truth. He has kept quite busy with his Rhythm Kings, a band he founded in 1998 with longtime musical partner Terry Taylor. Read the rest of this entry »

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Every good theatrical performer benefits from having a partner tuned in to his or her brand of noxious foolery. BBQ has been King Khan’s foil on and off since the mid-nineties, when the pair performed as the Spaceshits, a Canadian garage and punk ensemble. The group served as training ground for the two performers who would continue recording together sporadically in ever-evolving situations over the next decade and change. For Khan, the Shrines, a German R&B group replete with horn section and a dancing girl, next served as his sounding board, holding down a groove for the singer and guitarist to flip out, dance around half-clothed and engorge his public persona with an even greater sense of abandonment. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Old Town School of Folk Music has been the stage for countless performances for its half-century existence, hosting concerts that run the gamut from Americana to folk-rock and world music and in the meantime giving lesser-known artists a chance to showcase their talents to appreciative audiences that might not be reached otherwise.

To celebrate this, the school is releasing a four-disc box set of recordings made during these shows—some made on the sound board and others captured during radio broadcasts. The full package includes as many as 127 songs that had to be individually cleared with each artist or their estates. Read the rest of this entry »

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Listening to “Bring It With You When You Come” off the Siegel-Schwall Band’s 1967 “Say Siegel-Schwall,” contemporary blues fans can pick out some chintzy percussion seemingly coming from a kit made of scrap metal. Add in Jim Schwall’s frantically played guitar solos and the track doesn’t really sound like a mid-sixties confection so much as an uncovered bit of blues-cum-country revelry from another place and time. Chicago, though, has always served as a hub of musical activity and touring. So this ensemble found itself at the beck and call of touring figureheads as each passed through town a few decades back. Read the rest of this entry »

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Though labels have repeatedly attempted to bring this Italian pop singer and songwriter to mainstream audiences, Zucchero is still pretty much unknown stateside. However, he is considered a major superstar in Europe through his recorded canon and also because of his charitable efforts—for instance, he was the driving force behind the many Pavarotti & Friends shows that over the years brought together talents as diverse as B.B. King, Mariah Carey, Caetano Veloso, Liza Minnelli and Sting, to name a few. Read the rest of this entry »

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Settling in to hear any of Glenn Jones’ solo albums (he’s up to four with “The Wanting” being the latest entered into his catalog), it’s easy to lose track of what’s playing. Is it old or new? Something you’ve heard before? Between 2004 and now, Jones, who initially came to prominence with Boston’s Cul de Sac, has laid waste to finger-styled antecedents, adding his own personal graces along the way. “Of Its Own Kind” and the song’s title hint at that concept. On its surface, the composition isn’t detached from the Takoma school of guitar players with a lazy drone that feels only slightly different than work from earlier players. Maybe lazy isn’t the right word, but rather all-knowing or well-fitted. Read the rest of this entry »

Mavis Staples

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Saying goodbye to summer means a farewell to beaches, outdoor seating and, perhaps the saddest of all, festivals. Fear not! The Hideout is squeezing the last out of the festival fun with the return of its legendary block party after a two-year absence. Perhaps the most impressive element of the festival is the diversity of style of the artists. The ten-hour event is a variable platter of sound, and it all looks delicious.

Andrew Bird, the biggest name on the bill, will provide the intricate indie tunes he’s known for. Lofty soul calling your name? Mavis Staples and her syrupy low voice at your service. To take that one step further, Booker T. Jones will be around to inject some serious funk into said soul. Read the rest of this entry »

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Duluth’s Charlie Parr, who began releasing albums around 2002, hasn’t hit the big time, although an appearance at Portland’s Pickathon Festival as well as a song of his being used in Australian advertisements point to a surprisingly sturdy career. Putting off full-time music-making until the halfway mark in his life seems to have imbued Parr’s gruff voice and solemn picking–on a vintage resonator, twelve-string guitar or banjo–with a weariness that escapes Band of Horses and other younger groups taken with traditional American music. Read the rest of this entry »