Delta Groove
Bishop’s newest succeeds on three fronts: It’s a great album; it pays tribute to the Oklahoma-raised singer/slide guitarist’s early influences; and it assembles an impressive cast of supporting musicians, some of whom are old friends and some who are up-and-coming artists, both types to which he often humbly relinquishes lead vocals.
self-released
The journey off pedal steel guitar’s beaten path continues with Perlowin’s third release: First he proved the instrument capable of rendering classical standards with unspeakable beauty on “Firebird Suite”; then he tackled Leonard Bernstein’s multicultural “West Side Story” with such aplomb it was like hearing the masterwork anew; now he takes listeners on an auditory voyage to the Mediterranean and unearths some sublimely exotic “Spanish Steel.”
Telehog
There are a handful of Telecaster masters, and Volkaert is one of them. Some say he’s country, and much of his essence is rooted in the genre, but he’s more complex than that. One gets the sense there’s a rocker deep inside, as he gives off the same aura as the late Danny Gatton; John Jorgensen during his Hellecaster days; Junior Brown on any of his albums; or more recently, the well-kept secret that is Johnny Hiland.
Capitol
Wilson’s on a roll: Not counting the soundtrack to “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” (1995), “Orange Crate Art” (his 1995 collaboration with Van Dyke Parks), “Live at the Roxy Theatre” (2000), “Pet Sounds Live” (2002), the resuscitated “SMiLE” (2004) and “What I Really Want for Christmas” (2005), he’s managed to put out four solo albums: 1988’s “Brian Wilson,” 1998’s “Imagination,” 2004’s “Gettin’ In Over My Head” and 2008’s “That Lucky Old Sun.”
HoweSound
Howe, longtime guitarist for progressive rock group Yes, always had it in him to deliver a great straight-jazz album. This is it.
