Normally I am a little skeptical of artists who release albums that are dubbed “B-sides” or “leftover recording material”, because it usually is a feeble attempt to cash in on material that truly is b-grade. However, this is not the case with the release of Umphreys McGee’s The Bottom Half, which happens to boast some… Continue reading Umphrey's McGee | The Bottom Half | Review
As my wife and I walked into the quiet venue to the opening sounds of vibraphonist Sean McCaul, we could hear the delicate clanking of forks, voices whispering, and the sonorous vibes echoing relaxing notes into the dining area. The venue was set up like a dining hall tonight with tables with groups of people… Continue reading Dean & Britta: New, Old, and Wistful
The only conversation topic welcomed by Page in this era of moving forward was the acknowledgment of being a Philly boy and his birth at Chestnut Hill Hospital. Page carefully deflected every question about Phish and his college thesis writing days at Goddard. He seemed dignified and determined to move forward, and although I miss… Continue reading Page McConnell's 1st Show: Coming Full Circle
Tinnitus: the perception of sound in the ears or head where no external source is present. Someone with tinnitus often describes it as “ringing in the ears,” but people report hearing all kinds of sounds: crickets, whooshing, pulsing, ocean waves, buzzing, even music. If you’re wondering why I started my review this way, it’s because… Continue reading The Raw Power of Rose Hill Drive
Feb. 28, 2007 @ The World Café Live, Phila., PA with Earl Greyhound and Arizona Post show – Tom Hamilton’s American Babies (upstairs World Café Live) Seeing any band at this acoustically perfect intimate new venue is great in and of itself. Tonight there were three bands to perform. First, playing their first show of… Continue reading Forever Evolving: The Slip
Unity, a seven member reggae band, set the lovin’ vibe on opening night at last year’s 10,000 Lakes Festival. Touring throughout Wisconsin, they rarely make it west so it was a rare treat to hear this band. Under the leadership of Pita Kotobalavu, whose last name means “sitting tall,” the band started out interjecting roots… Continue reading Unity the band: Bringing the Love
This past week the legendary Fox Theater in Boulder celebrated fifteen years of bringing exceptional music to Colorado. The year was 1992 when Don Strasburg and his associates decided to turn the once rundown movie theater into one of the country’s most popular music venues. Since then, such celebrated artists as Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews… Continue reading The Fox Theater Celebrates 15 Years with Umphrey's McGee
“If the Coen Brothers put together a jazz trio, perhaps it would be like this, the comic and the dramatic rolled together.” –– The Guardian I believe this quote tells a lot about these phenomena called The Bad Plus. Searching for a completely new live jazz sound can be difficult these days. That’s not to… Continue reading The Bad Plus the Real O'Riley Factor
Deep in the heart of Chinatown lies a dark and gothic like cave we in Philadelphia like to call the Trocadero. This particular venue holds a nostalgic memory for me. It wasn’t since the early 90’s (when I was in high school and went to see Anthrax at this venue) that I had the opportunity… Continue reading Skatalites: Inventors of a Genre
On Thursday February 22nd, perennial jam band favorites Rusted Root made their return to the Washington D.C. institution the 9:30 Club. With hundreds of shows under their belt from coast to coast they’ve managed to garner a large fan base in the Capital area. On tour with them came a little known band named Quintus from… Continue reading Rusted Root's Rhythm in the District
