September 2012

Easy Star’s Thrillah by the Easy Star All-Stars has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae and iTunes Reggae chartsEasy Star’s Thrillah (released August 28 on Easy Star Records) is the Easy Star All-Stars’ reggae adaptation of the greatest selling record of all time – Michael Jackson’s Thriller.  The album debuted impressively on other Billboard charts including #11 on the Heatseekers Chart, #69 on the Indie Store Chart, and #1

One of the most successful and iconic music releases of the Eighties, Peter Gabriel's 1986 album, So, has been digitally remastered for a special 25th Anniversary Edition to be released October 23rd (October 22nd internationally) by Real World Records/EMI in multiple physical and digital configurations. The 25th Anniversary Edition is now available for pre-order, and a video description of the box set can be viewed here.

Whenever anybody puts the word “jazz” in front of the word “guitar”, certain universal indicators will emerge regardless of whom or what is being talked about. Generally “jazz” and “guitar” as a pairing will conjure another indicatory-laced meaning: “solo”. Inevitably, whenever somebody is playing jazz guitar, they are playing solo-oriented music. But what is the status quo of jazz anyways? Is there one? Not anymore. Too many purists, progressives, and modernists will have different ideas or definitions on what the quintessential essence of jazz is exactly.