Singer/songwriters Yvonne Perea and Moody Little Sister (Naomi Sparrow and Rob Stroup) take widely divergent approaches to production on their new albums, but they deliver much the same balm: however bad your situation may appear, you most likely have the means to make it better.
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New Albums from Nick Sanders (Concise Trio) and André Carvalho (Expansive Sextet)
Economy marks the work of pianist Nick Sanders, whose new trio release, Playtime 2050, announces an original and accomplished young artist. On The Garden of Earthly Delights, André Carvalho takes Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic painting as the inspiration for an extended suite that creates a soundscape as rich, varied, and surprising as the painting’s landscape.
Continue readingNew Live Recordings from Love Unfold the Sun and Club d’Elf
The Santa Fe/Albuquerque-based quartet Love Unfold the Sun and the Boston-based band Club d’Elf share a number of characteristics. They both blend Middle Eastern/African and Western elements, and incorporate an exotic instrument. Texture plays an important role in the musical development of their material. Flow is prized over destination. Yet, even with these similarities, the two groups make music that is quite different.
Continue readingNew Albums from Bill Frisell/Thomas Morgan and Yuriy Galkin
Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan. Photo by John Rogers. 
Yuriy Galkin
Here are a couple of quick hits on recent releases deserving your attention.
Continue readingLara Manzanares Says a Sad Good-Bye in Her New Single
At the 2018 New Mexico Music Awards, singer/songwriter Lara Manzanares won Best Album for Land Baby and Best Packaging for its CD package design. The Tierra Amarilla native/Corrales resident, who returned to New Mexico a couple of years ago from California, is not resting on her laurels, though. She has a new single, “Dear John,” available on the usual digital outlets on April 10, and she’s working on a clutch of new material. Manzanares is also making connections across the state that will expand her musical experience. Earlier this year, she signed on with Carlos Medina to play guitar and sing backup with his “psychedelic mariachi” band on a March tour through the Southwest. She’ll be featured at Kristina Jacobsen’s Songwriter Showcase at 7:00 p.m. at Winning Coffee on April 9. Looking ahead, she’ll be appearing at the Nuevo Americana Fest, produced by singer/songwriter Chris Arellano, in Costilla on July 6 and at Festival Eclectica in Angel Fire on August 10.
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