Ashley Maher’s Music of Hope and Beauty
In the midst of stressful times, why not take a break, relax, sip some tea, and listen to Tree to Tree. This is Ashley Maher’s…
Japanistan Trio: Crossroads Without Borders
Kengo Saito / Japanistan Trio – Douce Errance (Felmay, 2025) On Douce Errance, the Japanistan Trio weaves Afghan rubab, Japanese shakuhachi, and Persian tombak through…
The 12th Edition of Voces del Jazz y del Caribe Festival Brings Memory, Youth, and Rhythm to the Fore
From August 14 to 17, the colonial streets of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, will echo with jazz, soukous, salsa, zouk, and Afro-fusion. The 12th edition…
Trobozanke Present Šokačko Kolo: Music from Eastern Croatia
Trobozanke – Šokačko Kolo: Music from Eastern Croatia (Antonovka Records, 2025) In traditional Slavonian villages, trobozanke referred to the most skilled female church singers, typically…
DakhaBrakha Returns with Their Unstoppable “Ethno-Chaos”
(headline image: DakhaBrakha – Photo by Vitaliy Vorobyov) DakhaBrakha is set to perform at Pioneer Works on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Formed at Kyiv’s DAKH…
Clarifying the clarinet
The clarinet is often thought of as an instrument of limited appeal and possibilities, but anyone who opines thusly should listen to “Lili,” an instrumental…
Festival Med 25, Cesária Évora’s spirit in the air
On Friday, June 27, at Festival MED 25, dedicated this year to Cabo Verde, not only did more people arrive, but we were also greeted…
Ashby Frank Swings the Hammer on New Bluegrass Anthem
Ashby Frank returns to hard-driving bluegrass territory with Everybody’s Got Their Nine Pound Hammer, a high-octane reflection on labor, hardship, and resilience. Written by three-time…
Juan Medina’s “Fugaz” Bridges Flamenco Guitar and Jazz
Juan Medina – Fugaz (Satelite K, 2025) Spanish composer and guitarist Juan Medina has released Fugaz, his debut guitar album. Here, the gifted guitarist combines…
Riddim and Shine: Phil Pratt’s 1974 Sunshot Classics Return
Various Artists – Party Time – The Sunshot Singles 1974 ( Doctor Bird, 2025) This 2CD collection calls to attention the influential work of Jamaican…
A Progressive Twosome
A Brazilian duo called Máquina Voadora mixes dance rhythms from their home country with rock, jazz and soul overtones on a track called “A hospedaria…