Nearly every performer out there is touting some sort of Christmas or holiday album. Among those that came across my desk was a little gem called The Jewish Songbook: The Heart and Humor of a People (2008).  It's a CD compilation from Shout Factory and the Jewish Music Group put together by record producer, recording engineer, playwright, singer, and screenwriter, Brooks Arthur.

Branches on the tree of music will never stop growing. As soon as someone pioneers a new sound, five others have radiated from it, creating what they see as their own unique niche, slightly different form their predecessors. Unfortunately, such constant divergence creates an intricate web of music where nothing is original and no two sounds can be grouped exclusively under one heading. This has lead to bands describing themselves with more stylistic differences than those listed at a record store. "Rock infused funk with folk and indie influences." What the hell is that?

Michael Falzarano is like a hidden hand, we've all heard his music, but many would be surprised by his musical resume. So it might be helpful to start with Michael's past in order to explain how his new album came to be. For over 35 years Falzarano has been a member of some of the more influential groups in jamband history.

Fans of Phish have been excited to receive a handful of official show releases over the past year, not to mention a bunch of great downloads and even a DVD concert.  Each one has given the listener a look back at the band at certain periods in their history, and reminds them just how incredible this group was back in the day.

Perhaps the greatest thing about music is that it knows no restraints.  Musicians explore this vast territory to varying degrees, and with varying levels of success.  Some choose to specify, and others choose to generalize.  The term "genre" has less and less significance all the time, obvious when you look at the staggering number of sub-niche's we need to describe just rock and roll.  Alternative, progressive, pop, punk, funk, fusion, indie, etc., etc.

Since it has been over four years that Phish has toured, it is easy to forget how exciting and inspiring it can be to watch them play.  Though there has been a recent slew of delightful audio performances released, the emergence of the Walnut Creek DVD (recorded at the famed venue in North Carolina during their 1997 summer tour) finally gives fans another chance to have Phish illuminate their eyes as well.

It's no secret that some of the best music, or at least the most outspoken, comes out of times of turmoil. The 60's and 70's were a heyday for such music, much of it politically righteous and fervently anti-establishment. But there was a lot to be righteous about back then, and in times when there is so much to be upset about, people find that they have much to say.

One thing you can say about guitar virtuoso Greg Howe is he doesn't always take himself seriously. His recent release, Sound Proof, sports a cover of him in the act of trashing a guitar and a speaker. The back also boasts an image of him sitting with a pair of earphones on, screaming as if the sound is way too much.

On Tuesday July 22^nd, SoCal based band Pepper released their new album, Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations.  Originally from Hawaii, the band brought their island rhythms and sounds with them to the mainland a few years back after they were noticed by a Los Angeles based indie record label.

"The time has come for you to be alive again!" shouts singer/songwriter/guitarist Trey Anastasio during a ripping rendition of "Alive Again" from his latest live release, Original Boardwalk Style (Rubber Jungle Records).  The time has definitely come for Trey to be alive again, since he has just completed his one year court-ordered drug treatment program, and is gearing up to hit the road for a handful of solo performances before staging what is sure to be a grand fall tour.