Tom Woll Photography

It's no secret that I'm a Tommy Bolin fan. Growing up in Le Mars, Ia just a few miles from Sioux City; his music was played on the radio and it seemed that most bands from the area covered a song or two of his. For those that don't know much about Tommy or his music I ran across an old documentary from 1989.  I believe it only aired in Denver and Sioux City; I recall watching this on one of the Sioux City stations when it aired.  This show followed the release of Geffen Records "The Ultimate" box set in 1988 which is no longer in print. Fortunately for us almost all of Tommy's music has been reissued. For those that know his music and those that just love good music check out the documentary.  It's a very good introduction to the man and the music.  Enjoy.

I tend to check out NPR and have found some really good music from those fine folks.  I ran across this article and really have nothing to add since I have not seen this band live; nor do they have an album for sale as far as I have found. Grammy winner Joe Lovano is a highly accomplished saxophonist, clarinetist, flautist, and drummer.  Having him team up with trumpeter Dave Douglas can bring nothing but fantastic Jazz.  The band is rounded out by Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh, and Joey Baron.

Tommy Bolin.  The name alone will make music fans and guitar players around the world nod their heads as a smile comes across their lips.  A tribute album has just been released featuring Tommy & a treasure trove of musical heavy weights. Tommy Bolin, for those unfamiliar, was a remarkable guitarist who wowed crowds with his mastery of every genre he attacked.  From rock, to the jazz fusion & funk of the 70's to reggae and the early birth of heavy metal along with straight rock & roll & true free form jazz Bolin played every style with a perfection and heart that has been rarely if ever seen or heard since. Born August 1, 1951 in Sioux City Ia. Tommy played with Zephyr from '69-71 Energy in '72.  He then replaced Joe Walsh in The James Gang in '73 & '74 & Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple from '75 -'76.  He recorded two studio albums (Bang & Miami) with The James Gang and one live album with Deep Purple, Come Taste The Band....

Dallas, TX duo Expressure have a self recorded & released album titled album We'll Think Of Something.  Expressure is comprised of Emily and Ian Kaskan but they are in the process of putting together a full band to back the album. The music can be best described as pop-rock-blues-jazz.  Sometimes I hear this as a blues band with pop & rock sensibility with a handful of jazz thrown in. Other times I hear this as a jazz-pop album with a hint of rock and a bit of blues tossed into the mix.   To me this is one of those albums that will sound different depending on your mood, and that is a rare and very good thing.  The songs are sung by Emily Kaskan with the vocals, guitar, bass, drums & piano all sharing an upfront area in the mix.  This does not make for a cluttered sound but rather a more pleasant and full sounding mix.  The sound is big, and full without being overbearing.  It works very well for the musical and vocal style throughout all o...

I have been listening to a young singer from California's bay area named Tara Priya for a while now and I'm digging her old school style.  She sounds a bit like a late 50's or early 60's jazz/soul hybrid with a good measure of blues and pop sensibility thrown in to keep things more interesting.  She has released an EP that is soulful, beautiful and almost haunting in a good way. Tara's music seems to draw on such renowned artist as Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Etta James, Sam Cooke & early Billy Joel. All of this while holding an identity of her own.  The songs have a clean structure yet the melody is diverse and filled with emotion.  Play this in a ballroom and I think the dance floor would fill up in a hurry.  I would love to spend an evening in a small club listening her belt out tune after tune. A quick visit to her website and I learned she is the great-niece of the renowned Persian poet, Sohrab Sepehri .  It seem artistic ability runs in her family....

A friend of mine turned me on to a band from the Pacific Northwest, Scott Pemberton Trio.  This is a jazz band that seems to be able to improvise with the best while still holding a killer coherent groove.  They have released their self titled debut on their own.  I have been listening to this for a few weeks now and I cannot get enough. The track that made me stop and listen to it a 2nd time right away was a cover of Nirvana's Love Buzz.  This is not a 2nd rate cover but a nod to a band from the area that obviously had a huge impact a few years ago.  It stays true to the original yet works as a jazz-rock-grunge-fusion tune. This is the perfect music to listen to while you sit back and enjoy with a nice tall glass of lemonade on a summer evening.  The playing is top rate and you can just feel the excitement build in each song.  The guitar work by Mr. Pemberton is top notch and he has a band of fantastic musicians on the stage with him.  The band...