Sometimes emerging musical artists like to downplay their so called “day jobs,” and their history in other industries, as if they are not relevant to the art they’re creating. In the case of pianist Kurt Reiman, however, the fact that he comes to his critically acclaimed and increasingly successful new age artistry from a 20 year career as an investment strategist for leading financial services firms is an important part of his story. First, because it’s always good to be rem

In 2018, Toronto’s famed Art of Time Ensemble musical collective – under the musical direction of founder, pianist and album producer Andrew Burashko, gathered a group of renowned Canadian singers, musicians, authors and poets for a three night live celebration of the eternally insightful, gloriously soul-stirring songs of the great Leonard Cohen. Though in essence only a sampler of the grand affair, the new album based on these shows, Songs of Leonard Cohen Live, sweeps us a

In the nearly 30 years since his band Gigolo Aunts hit the UK charts with “Where I Find My Heaven” from the Dumb & Dumber soundtrack, wildly well-traveled singer/songwriter and guitarist Phil Hurley has done tons of just about everything – from being in other popular indie bands (Stonehoney, The South Austin Moonlighters), touring as lead guitarist with everyone from Fountains of Wayne and Tracy Bonham to Lisa Loeb, and probably a million other things that fulfilled the promi

The word “band” can mean a lot of things, from a longstanding group of cats, to a core whose surrounding players often change to the kind of spontaneous gatherings and jams that we get with the amazing freewheeling contemporary blues-jazz-funk-psychedelia crew led by guitarist Joe Marcinek. By design, Marcinek (who also plays guitars and keys in the Indiana based jazz fusion quartet Fresh Hops) is all about creating an experience with a different lineup of musicians. Uniquely

Since emerging singer/songwriter IZ.M.B.’s second album, the edgy, hard hitting coming of age confessional Nowhere Town, came out at roughly the same time and on the same label (Blue Collar Records), as Blow Your Mind by Gorilla Apocalypse – a trio featuring her as lead singer – it was 50/50 as to which might be listened to first. For me, it was the incredibly soulful and seductive GA, which gave me the impression that this enigmatic young artist was a wise beyond her years p

The soulful breezily flowing grooves, sassy and sensual female vocals and overall loungey dreaminess of the seven exquisitely inviting tracks (and two radio edits) on Gorilla Apocalypse’s dazzlingly cool debut EP Blow Your Mind is a bit easier to take in than the unusual names associated with the project. Beyond the name of the group that might have people thinking more primal, edgy rock energy than jazzy liquid soul, the music is driven by the sparkling fusion of singer/song

Listening to veteran singer/songwriter Christian Parker’s new full length release Best Kept Secret is a bit like a sweet, easy grooving sauna for the ears, with his dreamy, sweet-flowing vocals and bright, jangling acoustic and electric guitars bringing us back to the sweetness of great late 60s and 70s pop/rock and offering a sometimes stark and melancholy but ultimately hopeful view of love and the world around us. So even as we’re “torn between two worlds” and realizing th

It only takes five ultra-witty, musically whimsical songs on The Big Cheese Band’s latest EP Everything to get sucked in big time to the exuberant fun, gritty and freewheeling modern-folk and bluegrass whirlwind and understand why this fired up four piece band from Falls Church VA has been described by local DC press as “Cripple Creek meets Lady Gaga.” Their stellar musicianship provides the charm and fire behind what an only be described as classic satirical storytelling. Th

The mysterious but uber-talented emerging singer/songwriter known as Beware Wolves must think very highly of his ability to engage the hearts and minds of listeners with his unique array of infectious narratives, dynamic acoustic guitarisma and soulful vocals. When we say “array,” we mean that he’s probably the first artist in history to use streaming as a realm to literally release his entire 81 songs (4.5 hours of listening) over nine volumes in a single month (August 2022)

One of the more unique aspects of indie music making in the streaming era is being able to announce that an emotionally compelling, lyrically fascinating, multi-faceted and stylistically eclectic band like Barkhouse is releasing their debut album (Paper & Ink), almost making it sound like this is a brand new band - when in truth the sparkling and soulful yet raw and edgy dreampop meets rootsy Americana trio of Will de Zengotita (vocals/guitar), Olmo Tighe (drums/vocals) and J

Sometimes a certain casually written line in a review can turn out to be prescient. At the tail end of my write-up on Sketches in Jazz, legendary composer/keyboardist Jan Hammer’s remarkable 2020 return to his 70s jazz roots, I wrote, “When you listen, by no means should you ever forget ‘Miami Vice’ or his vast 45 year catalog. Just keep an open mind that Hammer will always be full of grand sonic surprises.” Then – Bam! He’s back gracing us with Seasons, Pt. 2, a generous 14

Whether she’s swinging fancifully with some of SoCal’s top jazz musicians or inviting us to experience a deeper intimacy with her richly emotional renderings of with some of the Great American Songbook’s most beautiful ballads, Judy Whitmore’s approach to her debut album Isn’t It Romantic has a unique sense of classic and glamorous Hollywood cool about it. From her charming, breezy romp through “It Could Happen To You” to a sassy, blues-tinged “Hallelujah I Love Him So,” she