Yes, the story behind the release of Found Yourself a Lady, the debut album by the delightful, deeply impactful, emotionally incisive emerging country singer/songwriter Kimberly Morgan York is that it was delayed a while so it didn’t see release until January 2022. Yet in a streaming-dominated world where we’re lucky if artists grace us with a few singles or an EP a year, she pulls off the remarkable feat (something out of the 70s) of dropping her equally powerful, eclectic a

In 2016, upon the invitation of her fan, friend and mentor Cassandra Wilson, multi-faceted Slovakian vocalist and songwriter Hanka G moved to NYC, where she promptly established herself as a popular force on the city’s jazz scene. Yet with a background that includes an early passion for Motown and a heart for sharing the joyful folk songs of her home culture, she transcends any sort of limitations that the designation “jazz sings” might put on her. Which is exactly the point

Had veteran Celtic/psychedelic folk leaning indie artist George Hennig met and collaborated with Alan Ginsburg Award winning poet Richard Cambridge in a another place and time – say 1967, when prog rock legends like the Moody Blues, Jethro Tull and Procol Harum were starting to hold court – their odd, quirky, compelling, fascinating and deeply textured album Songs from the Crossing would no doubt be a classic rock treasure. Whether singing or straight reciting, Hennig’s state

In 1993, Michael Gettel, future husband and producer of fellow new age piano great Elizabeth Naccarato, released – in association with Arizona Highways magazine – Skywatching, a vibrant ensemble album that, along with perhaps Nicholas Gunn’s debut Afternoon in Sedona, set the standard for musical homages to/celebrations of The Southwest. Though the couple lived for many years in the Pacific Northwest, their move several years ago to a more tranquil life in San Luis, CO (a sma

by Jonathan Widran and Jessica Taylor Making its first appearance in Southern California in 21 years, the Paris Ballet Opera – globally renowned as a cradle of classical dance – brought to the Hollywood Bowl stage a unique fusion of historical significance and contemporary timelessness, offering the deeply appreciative audience hypnotic glimpses of its grandeur over the past 350+ years. Their richly visual presentation was highlighted by Pas de deux (male/female duets) from

Closing in on a prolific, deeply impactful four decades as a recording artist, pianist/composer Peter Kater has found fresh, unique ways to stay inspired and moving forward innovatively these past few years in the wake of his two Best New Age Album Grammy Awards for Dancing on Water (2018) and Wings (2020). Most notably, he collaborated with new age/classical crossover vocalist Sangeeta Kaur on Illuminance and created something of a sweeping if informal stylistic overview of

At the end of my review of Deeper Imaginings, Paul Adams and Elizabeth Geyer’s powerfully immersive sonically fascinating second dual album (later nominated for both ZMR and Independent Music Awards), I wrote whimsically, acknowledging both them and the ensemble they had gathered for the project, “Here’s hoping the crew goes even deeper next time!” Amazingly intuitive in their texturing and adventurous sonic conversations as always, the duo certain achieves that on their late

We owe the glorious, sweetly emotive, cool hipster swinging of veteran vocalist Vicki Burns’ latest eclectic album of standards and a few charming, impactful originals to her dad introducing her years ago to the music of Ella Fitzgerald. Not long after Burns first heard Ella in her teens, she got the jazz bug and boldly declared, “I’m not going to rest until I figure out how to scat like Ella.” There are a literally tons of memorable and powerful moments on Lotus Blossom Days

Sometimes the image on the album cover is simply designed to grab our attention, but often, as in the case of soulful, deep voiced song stylist Ada Bird Wolfe and her latest musically and thematically eclectic collection Odd Bird, it’s a glorious reflection of just how they’re feeling in the moment and all they’re trying to convey. The cover is a fascinating, blurred action shot of Wolfe from the back, spreading her arms like wings and kicking up her leg. It’s as if the beaut

In reflecting upon “Closer and Closer,” her sensual 2021 smooth urban jazz single that featured #1 Billboard charting guitarist Tim Bowman, Tiffany Bynoe said, “The song is inspired by my relationship with (my husband and producer) Kyle, describing the powerful love and passion we share while also anticipating building on the relationship and growing closer over time.” It’s hard to imagine a more tender hearted, sweet, loving and incredibly sultry and yes, truly sexy follow-u