Charlie Hunter: Growing Up
By Ken Micallef
Copperopolis

Guitarist Charlie Hunter is truly the man of a thousand faces. Back in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s he was the Blue Note poster boy for Boho funky style.

Story appears in issue # 20   Buy Issue

Richard Butler: Good, Bad, and Better Days
By Lynne Bronstein
Richard Butler

Richard Butler rose to fame as the vocalist for the Psychedelic Furs, one of the more memorable bands of the ‘80s British Wave. The Furs’ melodic but dark songs were enhanced by Butler’s distinctively raspy voice, described by one critic as “John Lydon without the sneer.” But while such hits such as “Love My Way” and “Pretty In Pink” are still played on ‘80s radio programs, Butler has been evolving into a different kind of performer and songwriter.

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Mimi Fox: Perpetually Hip
By Scott Yanow
Perpetually Hip

A top jazz guitarist based in San Francisco, Mimi Fox recently came out with a two-CD set, Perpetually Hip, on the Favored Nations label. One disc features her fluent, creative guitar in a quartet with pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Harvie S., and drummer Billy Hart, while the second CD is a set of unaccompanied guitar solos, some of which recall the brilliant virtuosity of Joe Pass, one of Ms. Fox’s early inspirations.

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Sergio Mendes: Timeless To The Future
By Scott Yanow
Timeless

In a word association game, the mention of Sergio Mendes would immediately be followed by Brasil ‘66. During the second half of the 1960s, Mendes’ brand of light pop/bossa nova/jazz was constantly on the best-selling charts and AM radio. Even though many decades have passed since then, he is still a household name.

Story appears in issue # 19   Buy Issue

Manu Katché: Welcome to the Neighbourhood
By Jason Sklar
Neighbourhood

At the crossroads of classical, jazz, and pop music stands Parisian drummer Manu Katché. Popularly known for his drum work for Peter Gabriel, Sting, and Joni Mitchell, Katché now sits at the set in a jazz setting.

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Queensrÿche: Revisiting a Life of Crime
By Dean Truitt
Operation: mindcrime II

In 1988, a relatively obscure progressive metal band from Seattle called Queensrÿche released Operation: Mindcrime, a monumental concept album immediately compared to Pink Floyd’s The Wall, The Who’s Quadrophenia, and Rush’s 2112. Mindcrime’s commercial and critical success launched the quintet into the forefront of artistic metal and the band’s mainstream popularity culminated in the ubiquitous hit from the Empire record, “Silent Lucidity.” After nearly two decades, the band decided to revisit the story that put them on the musical map.

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Marc Johnson: Shades Of Jade
By Jason Sklar
Shades Of Jade

When acclaimed ECM producer Manfred Eicher approached bassist Marc Johnson to record something for his label, Johnson had no working band, so he assembled one from previous jazz gatherings. In an Ellingtonian vein, Johnson collaborated with Eliane Elias to draft and arrange songs that would specifically cater to the sensibilities of tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, guitarist John Scofield, and drummer Joey Baron.

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Neil Diamond: Back To Work
By Dean Truitt
12 Songs

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Neil Diamond has reached the Mount Rushmore of hailed artists. Aside from Will Ferrell’s absurdly hilarious parodies and the countless string of Diamond tribute bands, everyone has heard a shamelessly feeble belting out “Sweet Caroline” in a karaoke bar. In the staggering career of Neil Diamond, most people now think of the sequined-shirted man belting out anthems like “Coming to America,” rather than the incredible songwriter. His latest release, 12 Songs, should remind the world that he knows how to craft amazing material without grandiose production behind it.

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Blues Traveler: The Harmony of Truth
By Dean Truitt
Bastardos!

In rock music’s relatively brief history, some of its finest moments have been fraught with great anguish or high drama. Whether it be the marital acrimony that permeates Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours or the initially aimless direction that began U2’s reinvention on Achtung Baby, many great artists have turned trying times into triumphant art.

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String Cheese Incident: Another Side Of Cheese
By Ken Micallef
One Step Closer

Quick, what comes to mind when someone says, “String Cheese Incident?” If images of lower abdominal pain don’t invade your brain you will most likely think of a popular jam band whose prog rock flights of fancy recall bluegrass phenoms Flatt & Scruggs jamming with Al Dimeola. Or is that the Grateful Dead hanging ten with James Brown? Though the Boulder based band has covered styles far and wide in their eight year history, jam band sensibilities have always directed their path. Until now.

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Joe Zawinul: Still Amazing After All These Years
By Scott Yanow
Vienna Nights: Live At Joe Zawinul’s Birdland

Zoe Zawinul was not the first electric keyboardist in jazz. A few isolated tracks back in 1955 were played by Duke Ellington on a primitive electric piano and Sun Ra was also soon experimenting on the new musical invention. However Zawinul is arguably the most innovative electric keyboardist in jazz, despite beginning his career as a bop-oriented pianist, and he traveled a long way (both geographically and musically) to arrive at his most recent release, Vienna Nights/Live At Joe Zawinul’s Birdland (BHM 4001).

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Eric Johnson: The Tone Ranger Rides Again
By Dean Truitt
Bloom

With the release of Eric Johnson’s Bloom CD, the iconic guitar wizard from Austin, TX returns after a typically long hiatus. Having been nearly a decade since his last studio solo album, Venus Isle, Johnson’s latest seems to find the artist attempting to slightly release the stringent grasp of notorious perfectionism. While it is certainly not the raw feel of most classic rock records, it does seem to possess more unbridled looseness and spontaneity than his previous efforts.

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