compared to what

If you don’t like what you’re doing, you can always pick up your needle and move to another groove. - Timothy Leary

The news that Castro is stepping down has me thinking about Cuban music. Old movies of old Havana watched years ago, a very little exposure in the meantime, the discovery of an amazing ex-pat bassist working a mundane day job locally, imagined and wished for rhythms and fusions: all these kicked in a craving [...]

A year ago today, Taylor Hicks began his first national tour. And while, the tour technically started in Jacksonville on the 21st, for me, it really started in Coral Springs a day or two later. I wasn’t there for any of the early concerts, but based on the audio around at the time, here’s where [...]

I’m glad I heard Joe Bonamassa’s music before I heard he’d been a child prodigy. He’s 30 now, no kid, but his bio says he started playing at 4 and was opening for BB King by the time he was 12. That stuff is always interesting, but often the childhood blaze doesn’t translate into adult [...]

“I think that the time when music could change the world is past, I think it would be very naive to think that in this day and age. .. I think the world today is a different place, and that it’s time for science and physics and spirituality to make a difference in this world [...]

John Bell (of Widespread Panic) held his annual charity gig, Hannah’s Buddies at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida this past weekend and Taylor Hicks joined him with vocals and harp on Bill Wither’s “Use Me”. For the last 9 years, Bell has held this event to honor his goddaughter and to raise awareness [...]

“An enigmatic singer-songwriter, she has crafted a sweetly sung disc that alternately revels and weeps … a genuine triumph.”
~ Country Standard Time
This CD is often classified as belonging to the ‘Americana’ genre. I’m still confused about what exactly ‘Americana’ music is. But I’m not confused about how much I love Corinne West’s [...]

So, was there something worth hearing? My breakdown, worst to best.
Wasted moments:
The Fergie/Legend duet was a waste of Legend. The Jerry Lee Lewis, John Fogerty, Little Richard lacked the zip it needed. The Foo Fighter contest picked an interesting winner, but she was under-used in the culminating performance. I’m still not sure what I think [...]

Work intruded inexcusably on my weekend, so it’s a bit late to do a Grammys post, considering the show airs in 60 minutes. But I wanted to write before seeing the show. Last minute seems to be a theme: I’ve been loving what I’d heard from Amy Winehouse (particulary “You Know I’m No Good”) but [...]

Are some voices just inherently sexy, no matter what? Here’s “Tools for Love” for us tools fools for love who need help.
If you got the words but your groove has no gravitas, you can let Isaac Hayes lend you his mojo through the “Seductive Serenader:. Here’s what he did with my immortal lyric “oh baby, [...]