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Trombone, guitar, drums. It’s a somewhat unusual combination that creates great opportunities for interesting interplay.

Too bad that I had to go and spoil it with my story about my arms being too short.

Read the full review of Big City Circus at SomethingElse! Reviews.

Wow, what a great record! Pop hooks, harmonies that won’t let go, tons of fun & jangly guitar. You can tell they had a good time makin’ it because it sure is fun to listen to.

Read the full review of I’m Having Fun Now over at Something Else! Reviews.

What could be better than the mad scientist of jazz guitar performing a complete deconstruction of a Madonna song?

Hmmm…maybe we shouldn’t discuss it.

Read the “Live To Tell” One Track Mind over at Something Else! Reviews.

This was partially a public service for one friend who asked me if he was “ready” for Bitches Brew.

More than that though, I’m hoping that it will inspire people to push their own boundaries a bit. Don’t just take the writer’s word for it…give it a listen!

Read the full Bitches Brew Friday Morning Listen over at Something Else! Reviews.

I’ve been a big fan of cellist Joan Jeanrenaud for many years. As a member of the Kronos Quartet, she made some wide-ranging and absolutely fearless music.

Paired with percussionist/electronic instigator PC Muñoz, she had made an intriguing album of pop music.

Read the full review of Pop, Pop at Something Else! Reviews.

I haven’t had a chance to get the new Ronnie Earl record yet, but this Eden Brent thing is absolutely killer. She’s the best boogie-woogie & blues player/singer you’ve never heard of. That needs to change!

Read the full review of Ain’t Got No Troubles at Something Else! Reviews.

This is an interesting pile because I haven’t read any of them. I sometimes wonder what the percentage is of books owned vs. books read. Maybe I don’t want to know.The “mystery book” at the top is called Scriptural Rosary, subtitled “A Modern Version of the Way the Rosary was Once Prayed Throughout Western Europe in the Late Middle Ages.” Funny that it’s sitting on top of Valley of The Dolls, which now that I think of it, I might have scanned for the dirty parts.

…which reminds me (though it shouldn’t) of when I actually prayed the rosary. The thought process of a 9-yr old Catholic boy went something like this:  “Hail Mary, Full of Grace….gee, I wonder if Jeff wants to play baseball after lunch…?”

OK, so not really a pile (for an official pile, please rotate viewing device 90 degrees), but I just couldn’t pass up the cool unintentional placement of Bukowski, Colette, and Women.

A new series. Yay!

OK, so me and TheWife™ have always coveted shots in movies where there’s a beautiful wall of books. There’s nothing on the floor of the room (maybe it’s somebody’s personal library or study), everything is in its place.

We covet it because it’ll never happen to us. Well, maybe…but smart money is not on us. Trust me.

But just because our books are arranged “differently” (probably should have quoted “arranged” too), that doesn’t make them any less artful.

Have you ever been completely side-tracked while working on something? Sure you have. I started out this piece fully intending to go over the history of my transformation from Cougar-hatin’ Jazz Snob to full-on fanboy.

But then I learned of the death of an old high school classmate. Suddenly, the changes in my attitude no longer seemed particularly interesting.

Read the full Friday Morning Listen at SomethingElse! Reviews.