DJ for The Blues Alley Show
OCEAN SHORES, Washington, United States
I started collecting music in 1962, at the age of 10. In 1973 I went to work at Budget Tapes and Records in Burien , Wa. I started as a clerk, in 6 months I was promoted to Mgr. In 1975 I became a multiple location mgr. In 1977 I became the Western Region Operations Manager over seeing 100+ stores in 10 states for the corporate office. In 1978 I added Blues buyer to my duties.
In 1983 I left the Record business and began a 12 year run in the HiFi store management... Read More
On her debut album from 2007 Live At The Acton Jazz Café vocalist Melissa Kassel covered a range of well-known jazz standards and in mid 2025 she returns to the recording medium again with a 10-track, 48 minute album complete with all original compositions co-written by Ms. Kassel and pianist-composer Tom Zicarelli. The resulting album, simply called Moments is quickly building a positive reaction in the jazz community.
Teamed with co-writer Tom Zicarelli, Ms. Kassel displays true vocal finesse and variety while receiving excellent support from Tom Zicarelli (piano), Bruce Gertz (bass), Gary Feldman (drums) and Phil Grenadier (trumpet). The tracks are all original this time around and the music displays a fresh spontaneity with the central focus being on the jazz vocal medium. Fortunately, Zicarelli and Ms. Kassel seem to have a musical ESP that is easy to discern after
Cochran & McAllister Album: Pale Blue Dot Label: Self-Release Genre(s): Classical Crossover Posted By: Robert Silverstein
Apr 30, 2025
Review
Inspired by Carl Sagan’s famous presentation about a photo taken from the Voyager II satellite in which the Earth is a tiny little speck in an enormous galaxy, Pale Blue Dot is a fine introduction to the classical guitar wizardry of Matthew Cochran and Matthew McAllister.
With Matthew Cochran’s 5-part, side-long title track / suite introducing the album, the sound soon shifts to classical guitar covers of music by Pat Metheny (“Letter From Home”), Ralph Towner (“Icarus”), Chick Corea (“Spain”) with the superbly recorded CD closing out with a final cover of “Interstellar Suite” by soundtrack master Hans Zimmer.
Calling Michigan-based Cochran & McAllister fretboard virtuosos would be an understatement. Touring all over the world, the duo have successfully built word of mouth interest among classical music fans as well
Desert Undertones Album: The Sentinel Label: Self-Release Genre(s): Surf Posted By: Robert Silverstein
Apr 30, 2025
Review
Back in 2023, Arizona-based Surf-rockers Desert Undertones released their acclaimed 5-track, 14-minute EP Paniola and they followed up at the close of 2024 with The Sentinel. Headed up by guitarist / composer Dylan Oldham, and featuring the fine rhythm section of Curt Pleiss (drums) and Christopher Marshall (bass), the 10-track album sounds like traditional instrumental surf-rock in the best sense of the word, yet there’s nothing dark or noir about The Sentinel. It’s positive, upbeat and well recorded.
Paying respects to a genre that made its biggest impacts half a century ago and putting your own stamp on it is no mean feat. Influences from American surf-rock legends like The Ventures and Dick Dale are easy to deduce yet there’s also something newer and exciting about Desert Undertones. Hat’s off to Dylan Oldham and crew for bringing the time-honored
Xanthoula Dakovanou Album: Rizituals Label: Mousa Genre(s): World Posted By: Joe Ross
Apr 28, 2025
Review
Xanthoula Dakovanou has unveiled her third album called Rizituals. From the village of Kerosovo, she serves as an artistic director for a music and dance festival. The singer/composer’s works are inspired by musical traditions of Greece and the wider Mediterranean. She creates relevant music for modern societies, and we have seen her songs on The Roots Music Report’s World Music Charts. Back in February 2025, the album peaked at #5 on the chart.
Xanthoula Dakovanou provides the artistic direction, arrangements and vocals on Rizituals. She also has some very skilled, downright masterful, musicians also assisting with arrangements, vocals, Cretan lute, cello, flutes, Cretan bagpipes, percussion and santur. While the album is inspired by Cretan vocal traditions, particularly those songs of rizitika, it is very enjoyable to hear them so well arranged with
John Primer Album: Grown in Mississippi Label: Blues House Genre(s): Contemporary Blues Posted By: Duane Verh
Apr 27, 2025
Review
Satisfying renditions of Leroy Carr’s “Blues Before Sunrise”, Muddy Waters’ “Walkin’ Blues” and a classic double-entendre “Let Me Be Your Electrician” highlight John Primer’s recently released roots odyssey. The Mississippi-bred Chicago blues mainstay is assisted by guests including Bobby Rush, Watermelon Slim and Charlie Musselwhite.
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Released in mid-2024, It’s Worth It is the second solo album by Delay Tactics guitarist and keyboard player David Udell. It’s Worth It... Read Full Article
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CMH RECORDS (Country. Music. Heritage.) maintains a rich history of classic country and bluegrass albums and is honoring several of these legacy... Read Full Article
