Ry Cooder - The Prodigal Son 2018

After Ry Cooder issued 2012's biting Election Special with its indictments of the GOP, Mitt Romney, and the Koch Brothers in a meld of sounds that included folk, blues, and roots rock, fans wondered where he'd go next. Prodigal Son, his debut album for Fantasy, takes him back to the beginning when he recorded old blues, gospel, folk, and swing tunes that reflected the musical past as illumination for the historical present. Co-produced with son Joachim -- who also contributes drums and percussion -- Cooder takes control; he plays guitars, bass, banjo, mandolin, and keyboards in a program of eight covers and three fine originals. He opens with an intimate version of the Pilgrim Travelers' 1950s gospel hit "Straight Street." With banjo and mandolin buoyed by his electric guitar fills and Joachim's snare, Cooder presents evidence of his protagonist's difficulties living "...on Broadway right next to the liar's house...." before finding solace in God's light. The backing chorus (featuring the late Terry Evans) slips and sways, underscoring every syllable. Cooder doesn't need to testify vocally, the lyrics and his guitar do that. "Shrinking Man" is an original filled with poignant metaphor set to a raucous, bluesy country stomp delivered in electric jug band style. The original "Gentrification" offers biting social satire adorned with layers of acoustic and electric guitars played in Nigerian hi-life style with kalimba, bells, and whistles; its humorous lyrics are rife with the truth. Cooder's readings of Blind Willie Johnson's "Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" resonate with conviction and gritty determination. Alfred Reed's hymn "You Must Unload" features Robert Francis Commagere on bass and Aubrey Haynie on violin. They color his prophetic vocal in calling the powerful, greedy, and decadent to account. The title cut is traditional. Cooder renders it a grimy, electric, country blues -- complete with an homage to country legend Ralph Mooney's pedal steel guitar playing. Banjo, mandolin, and snares create a frame for Blind Roosevelt Graves' strident "I'll Be Rested When the Roll Is Called," while Carter Stanley's "Harbor of Love" has been recontextualized as a gently soulful, painterly, country-gospel tune. Cooder's own "Jesus and Woody" is a tender allegory sung from the former's viewpoint as he requests the legendary folksinger to sit and play for him as he reflects on sin, fascism, and the dream of a better world. This would have been a great place to stop, but Cooder has another rocker to deliver in the traditional church stomper "In His Care," where crisscrossing rhythms and gospel strut meet rebellious roots rock & roll. His reliance on gospel here illuminates his commitment to equality. Prodigal Son is yet another act of committed intention from one of American music's greatest guardians and purveyors. In its grain, aesthetic pleasure and the will for justice converse and ultimately convince the rest of us to act. AMG.

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Bob Weir and Ratdog - Evening Moods 2000

The long-awaited release from former Grateful Dead icon Bob Weir's jam band Ratdog shouldn't disappoint hungry Deadheads. The bluesy/folky/country/jazz feel of the Dead's live sets have been reborn in this incarnation as well, accented by guest Mickey Hart's loose percussion on a couple of tracks (notably the cover of "Corinna"). Weir's friend and frequent collaborator, bassist Rob Wasserman, anchors the tracks and allows for plenty of bluesy jamming, and the band opens up to make room for gritty keyboard solos and even a bright horn section. After five years of touring without a single album for rabid fans to take home with them in their VW vans and BMW convertibles, the inevitable question is "When does the tour start?" AMG.

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Rufus Thomas - This Woman Is Poison 1989

A masterful comeback album from a blues and soul veteran who was assumed to be ready for the retirement home. Rufus Thomas went back to the comic blues that had been his forte in the 1950s, and the edge in his voice and defiance in his tone proclaimed that he wasn't finished yet. After years of taking heat from purists for not issuing enough "real" blues albums, Alligator didn't get nearly enough credit for being the only label to give Rufus Thomas a fair shot in the 1980s. AMG.

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Sun Ra - Marshall Allen Presents Sun Ra And His Arkestra In The Orbit Of Ra 2014

As the longest-tenured member of the Arkestra (55-plus years and counting as of 2014), there is no one with a deeper understanding of the music of Sun Ra than Marshall Allen, and that's part of what makes In the Orbit of Ra such a special collection. The Arkestra's long history is often divided into musical/geographic periods or spoken of as a progression from inside to outside playing. This set spans from the late '50s to the late '70s but the non-chronological sequencing shows how artificial those stylistic boundaries are. The tracks chosen show how many of the elements of their more outside material were present even back in the late '50s and there was quite clearly a strong, coherent musical vision in place from the beginning (but most audiences probably weren't ready for it yet). There are a few signature tunes here, but this isn't really a greatest-hits collection. Instead, it's a guided tour from Marshall Allen deep into Sun Ra's music. Each track leads the listener a bit further so by the time Art Jenkins' space voice enters at the end of disc one, it makes perfect sense instead of just being "weird" in a different context. "Solar Differentials" is the perfect setup for the second disc (starting with the hypnotic "Astro Black," replete with industrial drill sounds), which continues the journey with more of a focus on vocal pieces over the years, ultimately leading us back full circle to the beginning in Chicago. In addition to the unreleased tracks "Reflects Motion, Pt. 1" and "Trying to Put the Blame on Me" (a wonderful solo piano piece), there's an unedited "Islands in the Sun" and a bunch of great photos by Val Wilmer. Then there's the remastering: this is easily the best sound most of these tracks have ever had before, on CD or LP. There are any number of great performances here, but Ronnie Boykins' work on bass really stands out with the new remastering. Despite the fact that most of this material was already available, In the Orbit of Ra is close to essential for fans and a pretty good place to start for the curious Sun Ra novice. He really was writing music for the 21st century. AMG.

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Stephen Stills & Judy Collins - Everybody Knows 2017

Judy Collins provided Stephen Stills with the inspiration for "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," a song he composed in 1969 as their relationship was coming to an end. Lovers no more, the two remained friends over the years and decided to strike up a musical partnership nearly 50 years later, releasing Everybody Knows in September of 2017. The album deliberately plays off their past, with the duo reviving songs from their individual albums -- "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" from Collins; "So Begins the Task" from Stills -- and selecting covers from their peers, including the Traveling Wilburys' "Handle with Care," Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe," Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country," and Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows," which also lends its name to the album title. It's a clean and crisp production, so much so that its transparency reveals the disparity between Collins' sweet voice and Stills' scraggly singing, a pairing that can sound as smooth as sandpaper. Nevertheless, there's an inherent warmth to Everybody Knows. Stills and Collins have a gentle, easy chemistry and the studio-slick supporting performances provide a nice bed for a project that is less nostalgia than a reassuring reminder of the comfort of growing old together. AMG.

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Cherokee Mist - Anthem Of The Moon 1997

The band drops the compositional pretense and just gets down to business with a non-stop guitar-oriented attack. Like most English bands in the style, Cherokee Mist has a clear idea of style and dynamics, so it’s not a blistering overload of the senses. It’s easy to listen to, and yet there are many fiery jams to behold.

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Cathy Jean - In the Remains 2010

A very gifted singer and songwriter Cathy Jean will blow you away with this cd. Blues, rock, funk, ballads, strings, horns, and a good rocking band.

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