Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

Part of me applauds those who are in the streets fighting for democracy; part of me finds the whole thing pointless, because democracy is already dead, and justice has ceased to exist in this country. A man is convicted of thirty-four felonies and, instead of serving time in prison, he becomes the president. That really marked the end of the whole game, as far as I'm concerned. But while politics and the courts have completely failed us, music continues to shine a bright light. This is where the best parts of humanity still reside. The rest is just noise. Here are notes on a few new jazz albums you might want to check out.

Cyger & Butterworth: "Plaid Pants" - Cyger & Butterworth is the duo of Ron Cyger on saxophone and flute and Brent Butterworth on bass, guitar and ukulele. On Plaid Pants, they are joined by three different percussionists on various tracks. Though on the first track, "Pequena Diabla," Brent Butterworth delivers the percussion, and his work actually begins the track, setting a kind of fun, cool tone that invites us to a somewhat exotic dance. Soon the saxophone comes in and straight away sweeps us up in its easygoing, suave style, subtly suggesting some mischief. Let go and let the music carry you to a distant locale, away from current concerns. This track also features a wonderful bass line and some delicious work on guitar. Ron Cyger composed this one. He also composed "Round & Round," which follows it and features a cool bass line by Brent Butterworth. There is a sense of fun about this one, and the saxophone work suggests these guys know the angles and just where to go for whatever it is you desire. Dimitris Terpizis is on drums, creating a fantastic groove. Everything feels just right, and that lead on bass reminds us of just how good this life can be. There is just no reason not to immerse yourself in the world of this music. Dimitris Terpizis also plays drums on "Clunky," composed by Brent Butterworth, who begins it with a bass line that has a strong sense of character about it. I'm reminded of certain comedic detective films of the past. Ron's flute certainly adds to that vibe, to wonderful effect. And I love that guitar lead in the middle. Around that time, Ron switches from flute to saxophone, and somehow the song gets even cooler. I want to write a screenplay based on this song. That's followed by the album's title track, composed by Ron Cyger, which has a light, fun vibe. There is a good deal of cheer here, particularly in Ron's work on saxophone. I also like the surprising pause early on and the changes. There is a cool section with bass and drums. That's Leo Oliveira on drums on this one, and he delivers a delightful solo toward the end. Then in "Poydras St.," I love how the saxophone and guitar work together. The percussion plays an important role in this one as well. Dimitris Terpizis is on drums. There is a brief moment near the end that reminds me of a moment in Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." They change gears then at the beginning of "Larry's Lament," which opens with a lonesome saxophone. It is surprising then when the tune kicks in and starts to swing. Then there is something beautiful and sad about "Bye-Bye Blue Whale," which features some moving work on saxophone, and a really good guitar lead. They wrap things up with "LP," a fun number that contains some great stuff on guitar and lively work on saxophone. Dimitris Terpizis is on drums, and Larry Salzman is on bongos for this one, and there is a delicious section with just percussion and bass in the second half. This album was released on March 13, 2026.

The Flying Horse Big Band: "Unbridled: The Flying Horse Big Band Meets George Garzone" - Tenor saxophone player George Garzone, member of the jazz trio The Fringe, joins The Flying Horse Big Band on four tracks of Unbridled, including the opening track, "Giant Steps," the first of two John Coltrane compositions performed here. It isn't long before this rendition is hopping, and, as you'd expect, there is a lot of great saxophone work here. In addition, Max Terechenok's work on drums is fantastic, and there is some seriously good stuff by Carlos Barreto on bass. This track is cruising, and then it's suddenly over. George Garzone also plays on "Pharaoh's Daughter," which follows. This is an original composition by Jeff Rupert, the band's director. There is a brief breath after the opening section, and then the bass takes the piece in a cool direction, kind of strutting in. And that's when the brass section really begins to shine. I love the whole character of this song, the whole vibe. There is certainly something dramatic about this piece, and at times it feels like we are on an exciting ride. And before the end, we're treated to a drum solo by Jamesly Jean-Mary. "Chasin' Tail," another original composition by Jeff Rupert, comes in at a fast clip, this one racing along with a sense of fun, a sense of joy. Just see if you can keep from smiling while listening to this track. And though George Garzone is not on this one, there is still plenty of great saxophone work, especially by Edmund "Quint" Johnson V. Jamesly delivers some excellent drumming here. George Garzone returns then for "Reflections," written by Lalo Schifrin, a softer, more contemplative number, the saxophone both reaching inward and out. It's a beautiful track. It's followed by "It Gets Better," the disc's final original composition, which has a positive bent without being euphoric. It is hopeful, while being somewhat grounded as well. "View Of Heaven" features some gentle, pretty work by Daniel Tenbusch on piano, then builds from there, turning our eyes and thoughts skyward, and seeming to lift our entire bodies at the same time. The piano lead in the middle takes the track back to a more intimate level. The album concludes with its second John Coltrane number, "Impressions," with George Garzone again on tenor saxophone. This is an exciting track right from its start, and features some excellent drumming by Clarence Penn. Richard Drexler delivers a hopping piano lead. And the work out saxophone is outstanding. What a great way to wrap things up. This album was released on October 24, 2025.

Isabella Isherwood: "The Sweetest Sounds" - I was listening to this album for a while before learning that it is the debut release from vocalist and pianist Isabella Isherwood, something that surprised me. It seems like the work of someone who has at least a few albums under her belt. Anyway, she chooses a mix of standards along with some more recent pop fare. Joining her on this album are Mike Allemana on guitar, Joe Policastro on bass, and Alejandro Salazar on drums. She opens the album with "Devil May Care," providing a little vocal work right from the opening before starting the lyrics, making her presence known and appreciated immediately. But her phrasing and delivery of the lyrics are what make this rendition so special. That's not all that stands out here, however. That lead on guitar is excellent, and I love the drumming beneath it. It's a fantastic start to the album, and is followed by the album's title track, the Richard Rodgers song, which features some cool work on bass at the start. What's remarkable is how different her vocal approach is here, and how right her choices are, some early lines delivered with a dusky quality, before she begins to raise her voice. She then gets rather playful in her rendition of "Till There Was You," her voice backed by some excellent drumming. That's followed by an interesting choice, Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," which has a relaxed vibe at the beginning, and features some good work on guitar. Though this rendition is a bit slow, it grows in passion. We can hear the importance of the words, the need for getting across the message, in her delivery, and it soon becomes a captivating take on the song. "My Buddy" is another track that stands out, Isabella opening it with some pretty work on piano, and soon adding a beautiful and touching vocal performance. No other instruments are needed on this intimate rendition. Then "The Song Is You" has a delicious energy and features a great drum solo. Isabella's rendition of Amy Winehouse's "Love Is A Losing Game" finds her backing herself on piano for the first minute or so, before the other musicians come in. This track features another excellent and varied vocal performance, as well as some good work on piano. This album also contains a compelling rendition of "'Round Midnight," Isabella's voice supported just by bass. "Every day is gonna bring some sadness," she tells us, and there is both authority and experience in her delivery, so that no argument can be offered. This track features some cool changes, and is another highlight. Isabella Isherwood wraps things up with a cheerful number, "I Love Being Here With You." This album was released on April 3, 2026.

Francesca Prihasti: "Beneath The Sun" - Francesca Prihasti is a pianist and composer from Indonesia and now based in New York. Her new album, Beneath The Sun, features all original material. Joining her on this disc are Nic Vardanega on guitar, Drew Gress on bass, Mark Ferber on drums, and Nick Brust on saxophone. As "In Between" opens it feels like it is already in the action. Something is happening, something has been decided. It does soon relax a bit, and the piano work takes on its own beauty. This track also features a excellent lead on guitar early on, a lead that is given the space to grow before Francesca takes over again on piano, her lead having both beauty and certainty. It is the final section that is most interesting to me, for there is an intensity while also becoming softer. That's followed by the album's title track, which has a somewhat magical and mysterious vibe at the start, and features some wonderful work on bass. Francesca is on electric piano for this one. The piece soon takes on a soothing feel, while retaining some of that magic. It's interesting that while the track has a somewhat relaxing effect, the drumming has a good energy. There is some tension at the beginning of "Reason And Will," as if the piano is expressing two opposing thoughts, wishing to go in two directions. Some common ground is quickly found and explored, and then there is more joy, though that opening section returns briefly at times. There is some wonderful work on piano, and I am especially fond of the drumming on this track. Interestingly, toward the end, when the drumming feels more unleashed, it seems that one of the two forces has won. "Leura" then is pretty, gentle, warm and welcoming. A place without tension is created here, a place we could all stand to visit. Partway through, we are treated to a lively bass lead. And Francesca's piano work feels like sunlight and a spring breeze dancing about the air. Francesca again switches to electric piano for "Till We Have Faces," and here is joined by Nick Brust on saxophone, who delivers some excellent, expressive work. The song was inspired by the time of the pandemic, when our faces were largely covered with masks and communication was thus made difficult. We had to show what we felt through our eyes. I remember that humor was more difficult to get across then. "Unanswered Questions" begins on drums, and it is somewhat surprising that when the piano comes in, the piece takes on a somewhat soothing quality. Ah, I wonder if most questions will remain unanswered, and we just have to accept that and continue with our lives. The music seems to urge us to do so, especially when it begins to pick up energy partway through. And then "Fortitude," the final track, urges us to remain strong even when things are chaotic or tense. This track features the saxophone, which feels like the voice rising against the powers that be while simultaneously encouraging our own inner strength. This album was released on January 16, 2026.

Tierney Sutton and Tamir Hendelman: "Spring" - Vocalist Tierney Sutton and pianist Tamir Hendelman give us an album of songs for spring, including several with the word "spring" in the title. It is traditionally a time for renewal, and certainly we need that now. The world is aching for it. The duo opens the album with two pieces by Antonio Carlos Jobim - "Double Rainbow" and "Waters Of March." "Double Rainbow" begins with some beautiful work on piano that makes us feel like the world is waking up, opening its eyes. And, what's more, seeing something worthy of song, of celebration. Tierney's vocal work then adds to that sense, like she is reacting to the beauty, at first without actual words, and then with lyrics. Then it is like her voice is dancing, the world opening before her (and so before us too). Tierney begins "Waters Of March" with some playful, light vocal work, and the piano soon joins her in that vibe, like drops of rain bouncing off flowers. Tierney delivers the first several lines a cappella. Soon there is more force to the piano work, and to her delivery, and the song develops an absolutely wonderful tone. Tierney and Tamir then give us a pretty rendition of Simon & Garfunkel's "April Come She Will," the vocals have a soothing effect. The track is one of meditation and reflection, and of great beauty. That's followed by "'S Wonderful." As you know, you can never go wrong with Gershwin, but when I first read the track list, I wondered which lines of this song were directly related to spring. But as the track begins, there is a spoken word introduction by Tierney, in which she says, "Now this song has a little bit of an added lyric that I just wrote today, because it has to have something to do with spring." Soon she sings, "You always bring/A breath of spring/In everything you do/An April breeze/That moves the trees/My heart agrees it's you." As for the songs with the word "spring" in the title, they all come in the second half of the album, one after another. The first is "Spring," written by Dori Caymmi and Tracy Mann. Tierney and Tamir deliver a beautiful, tender rendition. "The possibility of warmer days/Will arrive with the news/You still love me." This track also features some delightful stuff on piano. That's followed by a wonderful rendition of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most," featuring some strong work on piano. "Spring came along/A season of song/Full of sweet promise/But something went wrong." Then they give us a lively version of "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year," cheering us, the music making us hopeful. Tierney begins "Spring, Spring, Spring" a cappella, delivering some delightful vocal work. I am especially fond of her playful performance on this track. The final song in that "spring" series is "You Must Believe In Spring," with a performance that feels intimate, a performance that touches us in these strange days. Just listen to the way Tierney sings, "You must believe in love and trust it's on its way/Just as the sleeping rose awaits the kiss of May." This album was released on April 3, 2026.

The Secret Lives Of Bill Bartell Blu-ray Review

There are some wild stories in the music world, and the story of Bill Bartell is certainly one of the wildest. From the moment the documentary The Secret Lives Of Bill Bartell opens with a closeup shot of Bill while an unseen person repeatedly calls his name, it is clear this movie is going to be an unusual and wild ride. For those who are not familiar with Bill Bartell, he was in the band White Flag and was founder of Gasatanka Records (those beginning as humorous plays on Black Flag and Casablanca Records). But that is just the tiniest bit of it. At the beginning of the film, we hear various folks describe him, and someone says, "Bill ends up in these very funny situations where he changes musical history from the background and nobody even realizes that it's happening." And the film goes on to back that statement up with all sorts of delightful examples. So, again, if you are not familiar with Bill Partell, he probably still has had some effect on your life. This movie demonstrates how.

The movie contains interviews with lots of musicians that knew Bill, that worked with him in one way or other, including members of White Flag, The Melvins, Redd Kross, The Muffs, The Germs, Camper Van Beethoven, Generation X, Os Mutantes and Black Flag. And the stories they tell are fascinating and often very funny. Early in the film, it is established how Bill Bartell seemed to always be in the action. There is footage of him in the front row of punk shows when he was a teenager, and footage of him catching a Devo sign on stage at a concert. He is even spotted in The Decline Of Western Civilization. And from there, he just always seemed able to be where he wanted to be, showing up in so many different scenes and easily working his way into many different groups, to the point where he is referred to as the punk rock Zelig. And though he was important in the punk scene, his musical tastes extended far outside that realm. Jeff McDonald (of Redd Kross) talks about bonding with Bill because they both admitted to liking the band Kiss. And several of the people interviewed comment on how he did not look like a punk rocker at all. In addition to that, his band would sometimes cover straight rock songs, confusing the audience. This is when punk had a sense of humor, when it did not take itself too seriously. As several people note in the film, Bill Bartell out-punked the punks. 

There is a lot of humor to this story. The film contains some hilarious stuff about whether White Flag was a real band or not, and how the name was a play on Black Flag, with the logo being Black Flag's logo laid on its side. Dez Cadena (of Black Flag) says, "Bill Bartell was a really good guitar player, but you couldn't tell if he was serious or if it really was a joke." And that was only a small part of the strange mystery surrounding this guy. "No one knows how he made money," someone points out early in the film, regarding the way he would fly to various places to catch concerts and then later book White Flag for a European tour. Apparently at one point he became a substitute teacher, using the name Pat McPherson, bragging to other punk musicians that he was giving the students false information. This made me burst out laughing. How punk rock is that? Going into a school as a subsitute teacher and presenting all sorts of false information as facts. It's a shame that a few of his students weren't interviewed for the film. And then there is the whole thing of Bill becoming a cop. And there is the matter of riding bulls too. Seriously.

But for me it's the music stories that are the most interesting. The Generation X story is particularly crazy and delightful, about Bill getting the manager of Kiss to manage that band, and how when Generation X broke up, Bill took Billy Idol from the band to help make him famous. Bill was also responsible for getting Os Mutantes known in the United States. Seriously. If you're a fan of Os Mutantes (and you absolutely should be), you kind of owe it to Bill. He also promoted Shonen Knife. The stuff about the band Sator is also crazy. But perhaps my favorite bit is the story of his band Tator Totz playing BeatleFest in 1988 and covering a Yoko Ono song. I love the great punk humor of doing that. They even made a reference to John and Yoko's "bagism." The footage is fantastic. Look, I love The Beatles, but to hell with all those Beatles fans at that concert that couldn't see the humor and couldn't find pleasure in that performance. 

So, as you perhaps gathered, Bill Bartell's story isn't one crazy story, but many crazy stories. And it took many different people telling these stories, because Bill was apparently particularly adept at compartmentalizing, and so each person in his life was only privy to certain bits of information. So film director David Markey had a lot of work to do in piecing it all together. And though there is a lot of humor to this tale, there is a sad story running underneath the entire thing, the fact that Bill Bartell felt he couldn't tell his friends the truth of his sexuality (though they mostly all knew it anyway), and so this is also a story of loneliness, a story with a sad ending. 

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains a lot of bonus footage, including more from interviews with Sergio Dias and Ave Cope, about Kurt Cobain getting into Os Mutantes because of Bill. There is also more with Jim Laspesa, Dez Cadena and Jennifer Schwartz. It's surprising that this was cut from the final film, because there is some fantastic stuff here, like about the recording of the first White Flag record and the anecdote about the Redd Kross recording. Also, the stuff about his band Chariot is hilarious. That bonus footage totals approximately forty-six minutes. Also included is footage of the Q&A from the Slamdance screening of the film, featuring director David Markey and producer Brian Kehew. In this Q&A, we learn that the opening sequence was shot in 1994, and was the director's first attempt at interviewing Bill Bartell. Also, the director is in the film for a moment. He's the guy who puts the Tator Totz singer in the bag during that fantastic performance of the Yoko Ono song. Some other folks who appear in the movie were in the room for the screening, but there was only one camera, which was set up for a static shot, so we don't see them, only hear them. This Q&A is approximately sixteen minutes. The special features also include the film's trailer.

The Secret Lives Of Bill Bartell was released on Blu-ray on February 24, 2026 through MVD Visual.

Elvis '56 Blu-ray Review

Whether you're an Elvis Presley fan or not, you have to concede that the man had a huge impact on rock and roll. I personally don't consider him the King (Little Richard and Chuck Berry seem to have more claim to that title), but I still love the music, especially from those early years before he went into the army. This was his most exciting period. Elvis '56 is a documentary from 1987, produced and directed by Alan Raymond and Susan Raymond, and narrated by Levon Helm (yes, of The Band), that, as its title suggests, focuses on the year 1956. And what an incredibly busy, momentous and exciting year for Elvis and for music. 

The movie starts with just a little bit footage of Elvis from 1973, with him performing "My Way," then goes back to 1968, and in that footage he is rocking. But that just gets us more excited for what we know is coming: Elvis performing in 1956. "When Elvis was young, so was rock and roll," Levon Helm tells us. And we see Elvis performing "Blue Suede Shoes," and things are even better than they were in 1968. It's a nice introduction. Before getting into the main body of the film, a quote from John Lennon appears on the screen: "Before Elvis, there was nothing." We do get a bit of information on some of the Sun records, and on Tom Parker, a character in his own right, this being before 1956. But very quickly, this documentary gets into the year in question, mentioning that in January of 1956 Elvis turned twenty-one and then recorded his first RCA record, "Heatbreak Hotel." A pretty good start to the year, don't you think?

This documentary takes us through the year chronologically, mentioning specific dates, so that we always know where we are within the year. It treats us to footage of his first television appearance, performing "Shake, Rattle And Roll," and there is no denying how cool Elvis was then. Interestingly, the film puts his performance into the context of the time. And poor Perry Como. You just can't put Perry Como next to Elvis and expect Perry to come out looking even remotely interesting. He seems a sad clown next to Elvis. There is also mention of the civil rights problems of the time, positioned before footage of Elvis performing Little Richards' "Tutti Frutti." His version isn't nearly as powerful or wild as Little Richard's, but it is still pretty good, and clearly his version introduced the song to some folks who might not have otherwise heard it. There is also some great footage of Elvis performing "Heartbreak Hotel," one of his best songs. This documentary includes plenty of film footage, but also some great still photos from the period. I love the photos of Elvis walking around in New York, as Levon Helm let us know it's the last time Elvis would be able to do so without being recognized. There are many photos I hadn't seen before. I love the photos of Elvis behind a drum kit, and the ones at home with his family, as well as all those photos from the sessions for "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel."

I didn't realize that Elvis Presley had played Las Vegas for the first time as far back as 1956, and this film includes some delightful footage of him with Liberace. For a documentary that is only an hour long, there is quite a bit of great footage. I love that the camera gives us a close-up of the guitarist during his great lead in the middle of "Hound Dog," and I love that moment when Elvis slows the song down. There is also a really nice section in the film regarding the criticism that Elvis received, where we hear audio of the criticism followed by audio of Elvis' responses. And, yes, there is footage of "the new Elvis Presley," when he sang "Hound Dog" to that damn dog. Good for him for totally going for it, but it's painfully embarrassing. Still, I'm glad it was included. If you're an Elvis fan, clearly you're going to want to own this disc. But if you're not, this documentary is still worth checking out. Any fan of rock and roll should be interested in this early chapter of its history.

Elvis '56 was released on Blu-ray on March 6, 2026. The disc contains no bonus material.

Young Fresh Fellows: "Loft" (2026) CD Review

On Black Friday last year, I was one of the lucky ones who was able to purchase a copy of Young Fresh Fellows' Loft on vinyl. According to the Record Store Day website, only 750 copies were available. If you were not lucky enough to get one of them, the album is now available on CD through Yep Roc Records, and it sounds just as good on CD as on vinyl. Young Fresh Fellows, for those who don't know, formed in the early 1980s up in Seattle. The band's first album, The Fabulous Sounds Of The Pacific Northwest, was released in 1984, and several other albums followed. In recent years, there haven't been as many new Young Fresh Fellows albums, as Scott McCaughey has been busy with The Minus 5 and The Baseball Project (two other phenomenal bands, by the way), and so when Loft was announced, it was met with an understandable amount of excitement. And upon listening to it last November, I found all the excitement was justified. It's a fantastic album, with everything you want from this band. The wit, the unusual and delightful lyrics, the energy, the delicious sound. The band is made up of Kurt Bloch, Scott McCaughey, John Perrin and Jim Sangster, getting some help from some other outstanding musicians, including Jonathan Segel, Neko Case, Morgan Fisher, Jenny Conlee-Drizos, John Stirratt, Steve Berlin, Peter Buck, Mark Greenberg, Dave "Max" Crawford and Joey Adragna.

The album opens with "Overture" which features Max on trumpet, delivering some wonderful stuff. Scott plays several instruments, including mellotron and piano. And yes, the track introduces some different themes, as overtures do. This is a delightfully odd way to begin things, which, of course, is perfect for this band. That track leads straight into "I'm A Prison," which comes on strong, with some dominant, energetic guitar work by Kurt, and a wild, powerful punk force, particularly to the vocals, and also to that excellent bass line. "Won't get over the wire/Or through any tunnel/Or beyond the tree line/Without my permission/I'm a prison/I'm a prison/I'm a prison/You can't get in." At the end, it begins to break down, as if having worn itself out, which is fantastic, feeling just exactly right.

A good beat then gets "Killing Time In Union Square" in motion. There is certainly a more relaxed feel to this one, but with a rhythm that is catchy, a bass line you can't help but like. The energy then increases for these lines: "And if you need me to fly/I will fly, I will fly/And if you dig me a door/I will take you every place/I've never been before." I'm digging those lyrics, particularly the image of digging a door, a provocative image. That's followed by "Three Gasconading Saints," which features some good work by Max on trumpet at the beginning. This is what pop music could and should be. There is a delicious vibe to this, plus some cool lyrics, like these lines: "The pause of ancient scribble/Courtesy of closet haints." There are not many songs that use the word "haint." The first I remember hearing is that old "Haunted House" song, the one from the 1960s, which had the line "Ain't no haint gonna run me off." The only other one I can think of is Charlie Musselwhite's "Ghosts In Memphis." Jenny plays accordion on this track, and Peter Buck is on 12-string guitar.

"Before The Deluge" has a pretty sound, created in part by Jonathan's wonderful work on violin at the beginning, and also by that wonderful work by Morgan Fisher on piano. Jonathan also adds some sweet touches on mandolin. "My missile to Mars/I cannot return/Forgotten the way/Sorry the soujourn/Became a cliche/Hey hey hey/But it's a good day." Scott's vocal approach here has a certain touch of melancholy, and so there is something of a mixed feeling as he repeats "It's a good day/It's a good day/It's a good day." This is one of my personal favorites, in large part because of his vocal performance. The track ends with the violin and mandolin. Things then get wonderfully strange with "Death Becomes Us," which has a certain psychedelic element, particularly in that work on strings, and owes something to The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," partly in that beat, which I love. Jonathan is on violin, and Morgan provides the synth strings, as well work on electric piano. This track also features a very cool bass line. And check out these lyrics: "Old death was classic, dark victory style/Petrified ever in celluloid frame/The good and the worst, too bloodless to smile." And speaking of smiling, how can you help but smile at a phrase like "Capo'd crusaders"? This is another of my personl favorites.

"Entr'acte" is a short, beautiful and somewhat sad instrumental number, delivered by just Scott on piano and Jonathan on violin. That's followed by "Books Don't Burn Twice," which has a more mellow and sweet vibe, a song that plays at the edges of our memories. "Our books down't burn twice, beyond regretting/Words getting married, song is a wedding/Our books don't burn twice/Our books won't burn twice/Our books don't burn twice/But I'm forgetting." Within the last few years, I re-read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (this is the time for all dystopian novels, isn't it?), and one thing that stuck with me was the people who were responsible for memorizing the books, for keeping them alive. If I were one of those people, and of course as I was reading that's precisely the role I assigned myself, I'd be so afraid of forgetting. I forget so very much as it is. So much can be lost forever. And that became the most worrisome part of the novel for me. And listening to this song puts me back in that frame of mind. The way the world is now, it seems that a lot is being forgotten. 

Neko Case provides the lead vocals on "Destination," a song with a totally delicious pop energy. I think it would be damn near impossible to not fall for this song. "The train didn't stop/The train didn't stop/At your destination." Ah yes, I think we can all relate to those lines. Yet something about this song just makes me feel so bloody good. I love, love, love this song. It features some wonderful guitar work. I'm digging that drumming too. "I am leaving/I am going." Then "Whispering Hole" is a great, fast-paced, high-energy number. It's a short song, coming in, grabbing us, and getting out in less than two minutes. Yet it is still long enough for a cool, though, brief, guitar lead. And it features Steve Berlin on saxophone. "Isn't it a gas?/Lit up like a blast/Oh, where does it go?/Oh, where will you go?/Whispering hole." That's followed by "1987," which has a steady beat, a steady pulse, and a good groove. That delicious power pop thing. "Memory's journal/Is often replaced/Nails scratching a cell wall/Blown up and erased." This song also mentions Nina Simone, and I love that "mone, mone, mone" after her name is mentioned. "Memory infested/And guzzled like paste."

The band then goes in another direction with "Harpoon In The Hay," with Mark on vibraphone, helping to set the unusual tone at the beginning. "Last time that I looked at you/Your smile had been reversed/A choir had been paid in full/Though never been rehearsed." This track has a great jazzy vibe, with some psychedelic touches and a seriously cool vocal performance. "And that's why I'm a puppet/With so very much to say/Looking for the fatal sentence/A harpoon in the hay." This is yet another of the disc's highlights, a fantastic number that gets wild toward the end and then continues to push on through. The album then concludes with "Exit Music/The Theme," which opens with the line "The future was now," and I'm immediately in love with the song. Future, past and present are all forced into that opening sentence. "The future astounds/The future confounds/I will abuse it." It is like a dark, slow carnival number. How did we all end up on this crazy ride anyway? I don't know, but I'm so glad this band is on the ride with us.

CD Track List

1. Overture
2. I'm A Prison
3. Killing Time In Union Square
4. Three Gasconading Saints
5. Before The Deluge
6. Death Becomes Us
7. Entr'acte
8. Books Don't Burn Twice
9. Destination
10. Whispering Hole
11. 1987
12. Harpoon In The Hay
13. Exit Music/The Theme

Loft was released on CD on March 27, 2026 on Yep Roc Records.

Lisa And George, EZ Tiger, and Kristi Callan at Unurban, 3-31-26

It's always a great time when EZ Tiger plays, and last night was special, as the band delivered a rare acoustic set, something I don't think I'd seen them do before (though who can trust memory anymore?). This was part of the Night Of A Thousand Stars series at Unurban Coffee House in Santa Monica. And Debbie Shair, instead of keyboards, played that upright piano that is always on stage. It's not just for show, after all, not just part of the decor. There was a wonderfully loose vibe in the room, which seems to be standard for shows at this venue, one of the reasons I love going there. Lots of joking around during the soundcheck, and lots of smiles throughout the evening.

Kristi Callan

Kristi Callan (of Dime Box Band) hosted the night, and kicked things off with a short set, as Ben Vaughn does when he's hosting. Ben Vaughn, by the way, was in the audience. Kristi performed solo on acoustic guitar. "I think you've been reading way too many books," she sang in her first song. Yes, perhaps, but how many is too many? After that song, she mentioned Jon Dee Graham, who died on Friday. We've been losing way too many musicians. I keep telling Mr. Death that when he's feeling hungry he should take a trip to D.C. and visit the White House, but the old bastard ignores me and takes musicians instead. Anyway, Kristi covered a Jon Dee Graham song, "Wave Goodbye," which includes the lines, "I hate it when someone packs it in/We should live it up." It was a really nice rendition, and a touching moment, for after that song, Kristi decided she had to stop, overcome with emotion.

Lisa & George

Lisa And George (that is Lisa Jenio and George Woods of Candypants) were up next. They opened with a totally delightful number that featured George on ukulele, a fun song about not wanting to be another notch on the bed post. "So I'll make you one instead," Lisa sang. "I'm nervous, 'cause there's a lot of rock stars here tonight," Lisa said after that first song. I've said this before, but it seems reasonable to mention it again here. I have found that a strong indication for a show being good is when there are other musicians in the audience. Musicians don't just go out to any old show. If you look around before a concert starts and recognize several musicians in the audience, chances are it is going to be a fantastic show. And this certainly was. George switched from ukulele to guitar for the next song, and Lisa played flute. George played guitar for most of the rest of the set. There was a good love song about not wanting to die alone, that one delivered as a duet. And the next song, as Lisa explained, was written about Sarah Palin during that "innocent time when we thought she was the worst person in the world." The song was newly dedicated to all those blond women with crucifixes, and includes the line "Crocodiles call you when they're mating." There was a lot of humor to their set, and I especially loved the song about finding happiness after everyone else on the planet disappears. "Now that no one is in my way/I can stand to face another day." They wrapped up the set with what Lisa called a happy protest song, with their friend Tina joining them on tambourine. This one wasn't about everyone disappearing from the planet, just one specific person that we'd all love to see go. "Spring is here/The skies are clear/The clouds are gone/And we will go on."

EZ Tiger

There was a good deal of joking around while EZ Tiger was setting up. "Who ordered the turkey melt?" Kristy McInnis asked from her seat behind her snare drum. Someone's food was ready, but no one knew just who that someone was. When that was settled, the band opened the set with "Nowhere Now," and all the energy we expect from this group was still there in this intimate acoustic setting. Everything sounded so right. Even that old upright piano sounded great. Debbie Shair delivered some really nice stuff during "Path," a song that also featured good harmonies and a good bass line from Teresa Cowles. Tina DiGeorge introduced "Stay" by reminding us, "This is from an album from long ago." Yeah, sixteen years ago that album was released. When we still believed in democracy, when women had a reproductive rights, when we thought maybe only five or ten percent of people were horrible. Another lifetime. "Stay" remains a wonderful gem, and after it, Kristy commented, "That took me back." Then "Any Other Day" began in a softer place. They delivered a beautiful rendition. "This is gonna save your life." Yes! They followed that with "Go!" "If you know it, join in," Tina told the crowd. This song was so much fun. If I recall correctly, this song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And if it didn't, then something is terribly wrong with this world. Either way, you could feel the joy pouring off the stage. Tina then mentioned the band is recording a new batch of songs, which is wonderful news. The band then went into "Fall Into The Wheel," a really good song with moments of powerful beauty. They wrapped up the set with the new single, "Outside Your Sun," which featured some great harmonies. Oh yeah, the next album is going to be good.

Kristi Callan

Kristi Callan then returned for her second set, this time joined by Teresa Cowles on bass and backing vocals, because it feels strange when Teresa plays on only one set at a show. Teresa delivered some really nice stuff on bass right from the first song, "Carpet," and some particularly impressive bass work on the second song, a song that featured the line "Wherever you go, there you are," which of course reminded me of The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension. It was a fun, energetic number featuring great harmonies. Kristi then indicated Teresa and said, "She's amazing, right?" "Right," someone in the audience shouted out. Kristi started the next song solo. "On a dime everything can change/This is my line in the sand." Those lines stood out for me in these troubling times. She followed that with "Cat," and it wasn't until that moment that I realized Teresa was wearing a cat T-shirt. That was followed by "Pickle," a cool number, with the line "It's not too late" repeated at the end. Then Kristi told the audience she decided she needed to do a happy song, and invited Debbie Shair and Lisa Jenio to join her and Teresa for a cover of "Oh How Happy," the Shades Of Blue song, to wrap up the set and leave everyone feeling good. Debbie was on piano, and Lisa was on backing vocals. The song ended with some really nice vocal work.

Fernando Perdomo: "Clouds 3" (2026) CD Review

Fernando Perdomo is continuing his year-long Clouds project with Clouds 3. This volume, like the other instalments in this series, contains all original material composed and played by Fernando Perdomo. That's right, he wrote all the tracks and plays all the instruments. He also produced the album. And this, as you perhaps already know, follows last year's Waves project, which also featured an album of new material every month. Last year he looked at the oceans and sometimes took us down into their depths, exploring all sorts of interesting areas. This year he looks up at into the skies, finding plenty of inspiration there, and plenty of new places to take us. By the way, that great photo on the album's cover is by Mindy Hertzon.

Clouds 3 opens with a pretty, somewhat soothing number titled "Midwestern Emo Sky," a track offering a place for some contemplation, with a theme on guitar that we can soon internalize. The sound becomes our own, the rhythm and motion of our own thoughts. Changes in the sky are noticed, incorporated, but perhaps aren't as fast as we might notice in real time. This music allows us to slow things down, to take in more of what is visible, and contemplate more of what is within too. Then something interesting happens early on in "Dusk Storm" that grabs us: after a short opening section, there is a breath, a pause, one that is longer than you might expect, and then the music returns. This reminds us of those summer storms when we were kids enjoying the show. There would be some lightning, and then a pause, during which we'd desperately, eagerly search the sky for the next strike. And just when we'd basically given up on the whole thing, there it was. There is that sense here. What's also interesting is that Fernando Perdomo doesn't push or exaggerate the drama of a moment like that. Instead, there is a kind of relaxed pace and vibe to this track. The universe is in no rush to appease us. A storm takes its own time, and in that time we are able to inject our own meaning to what we see, what we hear.

With "The Relayer," there is a rumbling in the sky, and the movement of something big passing overheard, something that disturbs the air. There is no sense of danger, but rather wonder, in being part of this whole crazy universe, most of which we don't understand, and realizing it is perfectly fine to not have the answers. Things pass. Look up occasionally. There is a darker, deeper rumbling toward the end. And then a streak of light, and it's over. That's followed by "Angel Rays," which kind of eases in, taking short steps. Not far into this track, the sky seems to open and a fantastic light breaks through, pouring down upon us in gentle, warm waves. There is the sense of something guiding the light, something happy to share it, welcoming us to a larger world. And if we let go of everything else for a moment, we can walk within this magic, really experience it. As we sense it coming to a close, the real world remains changed for us.

As "Glow" begins, a soft beauty surrounds us, a warmth. It feels like memories and hopes for the future are all wrapped up in one moment, or like we've stepped out of time completely, so that those memories and hopes are indistinguishable, each as real or as unreal as the other. And that sort of thing, whether they are real, ceases to matter. We are urged to just enjoy this moment, whatever it is, real or otherwise. For it is all so brief. And as the music fades, it is like this whole life does too. That is followed by "Day Dream." On the CD case, it is listed as "Day Dream," two words, while online I see that it is listed as one word, "Daydream." There is a different sense to it as two words, isn't there? There is more emphasis on the word dream, and that seems fitting, for as this track begins, it is like we enter a sort of dream state. More than just a casual daydream. This is a dream, with colors and sounds and streaks of light playing about us. And it begins to build, in size and intensity, before then letting go and finding a beginning again. We seek patterns, don't we, even in dreams, where no significance or meaning likely exists.

The next track has a much different title on the CD case, where it is listed as "Warm," than online, where I've seen it listed as "Warped." Both titles could work. There is a warmth, but there is also a repeated movement upward that makes me think of a spaceship attaining warp speed. This one too has a pause in the middle, which is surprising, a pause just long enough to make us think the track might be over, before returning to its pattern. It is like a little dance, which is then offered to the heavens and accepted, sucked up into the skies, thoughts disappearing into the ether. And the same thought occurs again. There is an unusual feel to this piece, and it ends with a final rush upward. Do we all move with that motion? By the way, Fernando Perdomo does have another song titled "Warm," the title track from his 2014 album, that one with vocals. "Atmos Cosmos" has the sense of a pattern at the beginning as well, yet now the motion seems to be moving down to us, yet still fading as it reaches its goal. Is darkness to be our destination regardless of which direction we move? There is something beautiful here, even at the edge of eternity, the edge of oblivion. Strangely, we find we can relax here. In fact, perhaps we can do nothing but relax here, even as certain thoughts rush at us, certain questions, certain objections. But they too soon disappear.

There is a very different feel as "Amber Dawn" starts, a steady rhythm, a lower tone. It feels like something is being prepared. And it continues, even as light plays above and across it. It is like two different elements are coming together. In the middle of the track that rhythm suddenly ceases, a change occurs. Then after a breath, that rhythm returns, a steady pulse. There is a moment a little later when it seems to grow in intensity before then letting go. And soon there is a sweet, gentle ending. Will it be that way for us? The album concludes with "Icicles." I love how the sound hovers, kind of sweeping over us, a hum that echoes and remains, while the guitar offers drops of water upon our skin, cold but refreshing. Partway through, there is a surpring spiritual turn, and the hum is lifted up in offering. Soon blue lights play across a solid sky, and from there something larger answers, coming down to meet us, and everything becomes one. What a wonderful way to wrap things up.

CD Track List

1. Midwestern Emo Sky
2. Dusk Storm
3. The Relayer
4. Angel Rays
5. Glow
6. Day Dream
7. Warm
8. Atmos Cosmos
9. Amber Dawn
10. Icicles

Clouds 3 was released on March 1, 2026. 

Fernando Perdomo Unveils New Projects At Kulak's Woodshed, 3-29-26

Perdomo Kravitz

Fernando Perdomo has two new projects (projects which overlap), and last night at Kulak's Woodshed performed material from both. These, of course, are in addition to his Clouds project (which is an album of new material every month this year), his rock opera (which apparently is finished), Broken Sound, his work with Marshall Crenshaw, his new David Bowie tribute, and all the artists he's producing. This man is a force. And a joyful force at that. For these projects he's teamed up with Andy Kravitz, a drummer and producer who's also fairly busy. You've certainly heard his work, with Todd Rundgren (both he and Fernando sported Todd Rundgren shirts last night), David Bromberg, Juliana Hatfield, Imogen Heap and many others. Well, last night Perdomo Kravitz (the first of the two new projects) kicked off the show with "Canyon Trilogy," which is made up of "Meet Me Down On Love Street," "Harmonics And True Love," and "I'm Free." Then Kaitlin Wolfberg joined them on violin for "The First Day Of Fall" and "I'm No Fun." Lots of great new songs! Vocalist Broadway B then performed a few of his own original songs solo on piano. After that, we were treated to the full band performance of Perdomo Kravitz, including "Free From The Me" and "Goodbye Sun". Fernando then playfully asked those of us in the audience to close our eyes for ten seconds. When we opened them, the band was now The SOUL (standing for Sound Of Unstoppable Love), with Broadway B on vocals, along with Fernando Perdomo, Andy Kravitz, Kaitlin Wolfberg, Michael Collins, and Keith Hosmer. One of my favorite songs of the night was "I Want A Girl With A Record Collection," a song with a delightful reference to Record Store Day (which is coming up in a few weeks). "Who I Really Am" was also outstanding. I am looking forward to the release of these new albums. This show should be available to watch online on the Kulak's Woodshed YouTube channel, so be sure to look for it. In the meantime, here are a few photos:

Kulak's Woodshed is located at 5230 1/2 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in North Hollywood, California.