Art Garfunkel - Some Enchanted Evening

ATCO/Rhino/Warner Bros.

On his own Art Garunkel exhibits many of the same strengths that marked his work with Paul Simon--an angelic tenor voice, a fine sense of understatement and subtlety and a genius for harmony vocals. When given great material, as he has here, Garfunkel is in his element. Some Enchanted Evening, is the high point of Art Garfunkel's solo career. Longing and loss make it a vehicle for Garfunkle's voice. It definitely evokes the whistful charm of his early albums as it explores the difficulties of late-life romance.
Some Enchanted Evening, is a musical celebration of the 20th century best songwriters including Rodgers & Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, HaroldArlen, Antonio Carlos Jobim and George Gershwin. The album is the organic next chapter in his life, as he reflects on fatherhood (he had his second son last year) and the chaotic world we live in.

Howard Livingston and Mile Marker 24 - Blame it on the Magaritas

Sothernmost Entertainment

Howard Livingston lives the life he sings about. He is the lazy dog on the beach sippin' those pina colodas all day long and playing with his popular 8-piece band, Mile Marker, all throught the night. His music is upbeat and is saturated in island attitude. The listener will be able to feel the pulse of paradise with out all the sand. And who wouldn't want to dance when they hear this tropical medely.

KRS-One and Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives

Koch

As KRS-ONE sang on By All Means Neccesary, "Some people say I am a rap missionary/some peope say I am a walking dictionary/some people say I am truly legendary/but what I am is simply a black revolutionary." He has not fallen prey to gangsta caricatures--"Gangsta pop star pimps" he castigated, "are acting the way the government wants black people to act."
The feel good chemistry exhibited between KRS-ONE (Knowledge Reigns Sumpreme Over Nearly Everyone) and Marly Marl in these recordings is a solidifying fresh breathe to hip hop both literally (this album) and metaphorically. For those not in the know--Marley Marl was the producer for KRS's rival the Juice Crew, against whom KRS used his thug-driven lyrical genius to fuel infamous battles between the two groups.
With the purpose of reviving and uniting hip hop, these two have taken the first step in rebirthing the musical they fight to preserve. They leave no topic untouched, crying out for answers to all the unexplained murders in the rap scene asking why the police aren't solving them. From start to finish they remind us whose been here from the start and maintaining that Hip Hop Lives.

Eli Cook - Miss Blues'es Child

Valley Entertainment

Age is no standard in Eli Cook's life. From his looks, he is a twenty year old white boy with a guitar. But once you hear him play and sing you all of a sudden hear the soul of an 85 year old Delta blues black man flowing freely from Eli's being. Now that demands respect.
Miss Blues'es Child showcases Charlottesville, VA's best hidden secret. Eli's voice would have you believe that he is that bluesman with cirrhosis and a small case of Alzheimer's. With supreme guitarmanship he plays exceedingly well for a person of any age.

Ray Price - The Essential Ray Price

2 Disc, Legacy/Columbia/Sony BMG

Ray Price has covered--and kicked up--as much musical turf as any country singer of the postwar era. He's been lionized as the man who saved hard country when Nashville went pop and vilified as the man who went pop when hard country was starting to call it's own name with pride. Actually, he was--and still is--no more than a musically ambitious singer, always looking for the next challenge for a voice that could bring down roadhouse walls.
On the Kotch album San Antonio Rose, fans of Ray Price or Bob Wills won't want to miss the Price 1961album. Price, who aknowledged Wills as a primary influence, became the first of many to devote an album to covering the songs of the renowned master of southwestern dance mucic. He recorded the album in a 9-hour period, utilizing many of Nashville's best musicians. Also sitting in on acoustic guitar was a new music city arrival, a little-known songwriter who had just been hired to crank out songs for Price's publishing company. The record find's Price crooning with smooth easy richness while the band let's it fly. And it's been that way since.
The Essential Ray Price is a complete double-disc collection of the truest songs country has ever known. All of Price's classics and a few lesser know but just as great songs are here on this fine addition to your country collection. With over 35 songs, this album shows just how essential Ray Price really is to country music.

B-Side Players - Fire in the Youth

Picante/Concord

B-Side players are a force to be reckoned with! Fire in the Youth is here to shake up the current mundane music scene with it's release this month. The B-Side players have continued to be in the front lines of the LA Latin musical revolution. They've come from being the minority to being widely known for their songs about equality and freedom for all people. Not to mention they have the hottest blend of salsa, carribean, funk and rock.
For those who like square-dancing hip-hop, drinking beer and mindless comedy this CD is a sure-fire-win. For the rest of us who enjoy our satirical humor as good as or better than "The Simpsons," file this CD under "Git-Er-Done!" and then get it done!

Mark Newman - Must Be A Pony

Danal

Mark Newman plays a killer slide guitar. He always sings his heart out, putting his best into each and every vocal fluctuation. He writes songs that resonate with universal longing. His Must Be A Pony debut features 13 originals by Mark and his friends. To sweeten the deal he does a quieting yet profound cover of Barry and Robin Gibb's (the Bee Gee's) 1967 hit "New York Mining Disaster 1941."

Ruthie Foster - The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster

Blue Corn/ADA

The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, is a complete and highly deceptive understatement! This lady has more soul resonating in her voice than Austin, TX has room for. She is the bluesy-soul-funk momma who is constantly on tour--promoting herself through her solid performances.
On this album Ruthie superceeds herself foregoing her usual solo/duet standard. She joins Austin's best in a solid set of originals and funky covers by Son House, Sister Rosetta Thorpe and Lucinda Williams. This album grooves and grinds and let me tell you, the proof is in the music.

Blake Shelton - Pure BS

Warner Bros.

This is the fourth release from countryman Blake Shelton. Pure BS is eleven tracks of pure B.S. In his "hit" single "Don't Make Me." (Stop Loving You) Blake trys, and probably does, woo the ladies with his vocals that aren't anything extraodinary. It is just that typical pity-trip ride.
Nothing Shelton has done for this album compliments or defines his name. His album title is intriguing but with little to back it--except songs that lack originality, complex sentence structure and emotional depth--it seems more like a bad omen than a record you have to seek out and hear. Maybe next time.

The Little Heroes - Cinematic Americana

Wednesday

The Little Heroes' debut record, Cinematic Americana, explores the theme of personal distance in love, family, frienships and even the vast, eternal seperation of death. This album puts it's best foot forward, showcasing this band's passion--as songwriters, musicians. vocalists and most importantly, as friends.
The Little Heroes display brilliance ast it's absolute finest. This may sound like heresay top most music snobs, but I love them! They combine the fun catchiness of pop music with the overwhelming influence of indie rock, creating a roaring album with serious lasting power.

Paul Reddick - Revue: The Best of Paul Reddick

NorthernBlues/Big Daddy

There is something phenomenal about Paul Reddick, he never knew who the rolling stones was until he was eighteen, had never listened to rock and roll while growing up--didn't even listen to radio.
On Revue 18 tracks are lined up each coming from Paul's recordings with various outside projects. It is made clear that Paul has a strong lyrical prowess and he has found inticing ways to fuse pre-war and post-war urban blues to bring us cutting edge expressive sound. This is a vivid representation of Pauls consistent and most daring work over the last two decades. Ultimately, as a rugged individualist, he strives to create honest music that is full of life.

Autumn - My New Time

Metal Blade

Autum's new musical venture is original and dynamic. It combines diverse techniques to create their most intimate album yet. The emotion in frontwoman Nienke de Jong's voice is overwhelming. She floods you with her raw, distinctly feminime energy. She chose to be real and the warmth and depth of her singing is solid proof of her vocal maturity.
My New Time is an album signifying change. For a band that has been no stranger to change you have to admire how they've matured. They never wished to limit themselves to a specific genre and that ambition, along with their current line up has made it possible to break free from the shackles of "genre labeling."

Various Artists - Sing for Freedom: The Story of The Civil Rights Movement

Smithsonian/Folkways

Hymns, spirituals, gospel songs, prayers and speeches have been a unifying force in the struggle for civil rights throughout the United States. These early 1960's field recordings from campaign centers such as Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama: Albany and Atlanta, Georgia; Green wood, Mississsippi and Nashville, Tennessee testify to the irrepressible power of song in the civil rights movement.
These songs are originals that have been kept safe in the Folkways vault and are now available to hear and reflect upon. Whether you were there or not, it makes no difference, what does make the difference is that we continue to take the core values of the civil right movement and continue to apply them in our lives today, in every aspect, to ensure social equallity for everyone.
This recording includes speeches by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, and includes songs sang by The Nashville Quartet, Freedom Singers, Dock Reece, Robert Parris Moses and many more infamous civil rights leaders and activists.

Porter/Di Catri/Sferra Trio - Italian Encounter

Altrisuoni

Furio Di Castri is one of the most celebrated bassists in all of Europe. Although he has worked with many leading jazz artists, he maintains hi signiture style. He leads his own unique groups while teaching at the Conservatory of Music of Torino, Italy.
Fabrizio Sferra's exciting drumwork is in high demand throughout the European jazz scene. From 1984 till 1992 he was a member of the Space Jazz Trio, in '97 he started Doctor 3 and he also teaches, at Rome's Academy of Music.
Lewis Porter has a PhD in musicology. He is the author and co-author od six books, including one about John Coltrane. He is Professor of Music at Rutgers University in Newark. His performances on piano vary greatly from swinging standards to free and sensational improv.

The Almost - Southern Weather

Tooth & Nail/Capitol/EMI

The Almost is not like any other Jesus-Freaks-in-a-rock-band, no sir. Tooth & Nail signed these kids and released Southern Weather, a complete radio and youth group friendly record.
It comes on rockin' from the first utterance of "Why didn't I say this sooner," and keeps you captivated to the final utterance "I don't think we'll ever get this, no I don't." And you know, I don't feel brainwashed by subliminal messaging.

The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome

Blackheart

This is the sophmore release of the 3 piece "punk" band from Florida. This album is probably going to be remembered as their chrysalis phase. Apropriately so too; they have recently left Lookout! and were signed to Blackheart Records, the label ran by original bad grrl, Joan Jett. This came on the heels of Warped Tour '06, where Jett aproached the band after whatching their live show.
The band has a lot of potential to rock our asses off! Kelly Ogden is my favorite kind of girl--she's a hottie, knows it, has attitude and plays bass. She has the voice to front a hardcore grrr band for sure. But The Dollyrots have come off like posh-punk. Solid musicianship, great song structure, but ditch the whiny, self-asorbed mixture of Letters to Cleo and The Horrorpops. It's like having a case of retro-nausea.

Various Artists - Music With A Twist: Revolutions

Music With a Twist/Columbia/Sony BMG

Revolutions is a sampler of what's hot and happening at the only major label created to represent and market G.L.B.T. artists here in America. It includes the phenomenal Kristen Price, Tangela Bell, Dylan Rice, the duo God-des & she, Sarah Bettens (who has an air of Janis Joplin's vocal prowess and she is pure confidence) and many recent artists that have appeared at various night clubs throughout the country and on the L Word. This compilation is a strong example of what we should expect to see from Music With A Twist.

Arturo Sandoval - Rumba Palace

Telarc

An energetic, exciting trumpeter whose flashing phrases, high-note acrobatics, and dynamic, charismatic playing style was first notices in the group Irakere. Sandoval has made great records as a leader and soloist. His time, range, timbre and aproach are solid, as are his ballad skills. Sandoval toured internationally with his own band in the '70's and recorded in Cuba. He met his idol Dizzy Gillespie in the nineties.
His regular afro-cuban group reflects his high-energy, virtuosic aproach giving Sandoval an opportunity to display not only his remarkable reange and warm trumpet sound but his skills on timbales and piano and as a vocalist.
The king of Latin jazz has fused a dizzying combination of traditional Cuban music with rock and traditinal African music. Sandoval leads this high-powered ensemble to success, never letting his audience down with his creative style and diverse material.
***So Nice, Gotta Do It Up Twice (Created by the Original NYC DJ, Jocko, 1955)***

Laurie Morvan Band - Cures What Ails You

Screaming Lizard/Burnside

This band is a ballsy, banging, top-class, blues act. Lauries honey-thick, sultry voice is framed by the sweet whine of her guitar. As soon as you pop in the CD you find yourself lost somewhere in the Mid-West at a prominent blues bar. Her band is solid, playing flawlessly. It is obvious that the band has a good relationship on and off the stage. The sound is pristine, makes you feel like your feet away from the stage. All I can say is that I want to see this band live.

Bobby Broom - Song and Dance

Origin/City Hall

Guitarist Bobby Broom has been turning heads left and right ever since hi 1981 release "Clean Sweep." Twenty-five years after his debut and a lifetime of experience later, he's able to boast stints with Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earlan and Dr. John. This 45-year old guitarist is at his peak.
The repertoire on Song and Dance is an inspired mix of originals ("Coming Home," "Blues for Modern Man," "Waiting and Waiting,"), standards ("You and the Night and the Music," "Smile,") and radio favorites Bobby hears coming up in the '60's and '70's ( "Can't Buy Me Love," Superstar," "Where Is the Love?"). And he throws a curve ball of personality with the Little Rascals' theme "Good Old Days." A one-of-a-kind set of songs from a one-of-a-kind artist.

Gretchen Wilson - One of The Boys

Columbia/Sony BMG

One of The Boys is the third release from Gretchen Wilson, modern country's Southern Belle. Although the album could never be as captivating as her Here For the Party debut, it's a worthy try.
The album's title is misleading as her song "The Girl I am," is about the revealing of her complex self... yes women are the complication in men's simple life. But rest assured that country fans will jump to call in and request the radio perfect "You Don't Have to Go Alone." Not her best, but whatever sales, right?

Killing in the name of!
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Huh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya (X10)

But now you do what they told ya
Well now you do what they told ya

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses (X4)

Uh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya, now you're under control (X7)

And now you do what they told ya!

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Come on!

Yeah! Come on!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me (X16)
Motherfucker!
Uh!


Editor's Note: This song is about police brutality that so many of have endured. All I can say is that I am so grateful that Rage Against the Machine is back together again, on tour and in the studio. I missed them badly, there is no band like them.

Political Article: Tax Haven Racket By: Ralph Nader Back To Top Lucy Komisar of the Tax Justice Network-USA (taxjustice-usa.org) spoke at the Conference on Taming the Giant Corporation last week about "Closing Down the Tax Haven Racket." Her words were so compelling that the rest of this column is devoted to excerpts from her presentation: "The tax haven racket is the biggest scam in the world. It's run by the international banks with the cooperation of the world's financial powers for the benefit of corporations and the mega-rich.... [M]ost Americans, including progressive activist Americans, don't know what I'm going to tell you. And that's part of the problem. "Tax havens, also known as offshore financial centers, are places that operate secret bank accounts and shell companies that hide the names of real owners from tax authorities and law enforcement. They use nominees, front men. Sometimes offshore incorporation companies set up the shells. Sometimes the banks do it. Often someone will use a shell company in one jurisdiction that owns a shell in another jurisdiction that owns a bank account in a third. That's called layering. No one can follow the paper trial. "Offshore is where most of the world's drug money is laundered, estimated at up to $500 billion a year, more than the total income of the world's poorest 20 percent. Perhaps another $500 billion comes from fraud and corruption. "Those figures fit with [International Monetary Fund] numbers that as much as $1.5 trillion of illicit money is laundered annually, equal to two to five percent of global economic output. "Wall Street wants this money. The markets would hurt, even shrivel without that cash. That's why Robert Rubin as Treasury Secretary had a policy, as Joseph Stiglitz told me, not to do anything that would stop the free flow of money into the US. He was not interested in stopping money laundering because the laundered funds ended up in Wall [Street], maybe in Goldman Sachs where he had worked, or Citibank, where he would work. "Attempts to find laundered funds are usually dismal failures. According to Interpol, $3 billion in dirty money has been seized in 20 years of struggle against money laundering - about the amount laundered in three days. "The other major purpose of offshore is for tax evasion, estimated to reach another $500 billion a year. "That's how corporations and the rich have opted out of the tax system. "They have sophisticated mechanisms. There's transfer pricing. A company sets up a trading company offshore, sells its widgets there for under market price, the trading company sells it for market price, the profits are offshore, not where they really were generated. "Two American professors, using customs data, examined the impact of over-invoiced imports and under-invoiced exports for 2001. Would you buy plastic buckets from the Czech Republic for $973 each, tissues from China at $1874 a pound, a cotton dishtowel from Pakistan for $154, and tweezers from Japan at $4,896 each! "U.S. companies, at least on paper, were getting very little for their exported products. If you were in business, would you sell bus and truck tires to Britain for $11.74 each, color video monitors to Pakistan for $21.90, and prefabricated buildings to Trinidad for $1.20 a unit. "Comparing all claimed export and import prices to real world prices, the professors figured the 2001 U.S. tax loss at $53.1 billion. "Or a company sets up subsidiaries in tax havens - to "own" logos or intellectual property. Like Microsoft does in Ireland, transferring software that was made in America, that benefited by work done by Americans, to Ireland so Microsoft can pay taxes there (at 11%) instead of here (at 35%). Why is Ireland getting the benefit of American-created software? It's legal. We need to change the law. "When logos are offshore, the company pays royalties to use the logo and deducts the amount as expenses. But the payments are not taxed or are taxed minimally offshore where they are moved.... When Cheney ran Halliburton, it increased its offshore subsidiaries from 9 to at least 44. "Half of world trade is between various parts of the same corporations. Experts believe that as much as half the world's capital flows through offshore centers. The totals held offshore include 31 percent of the net profits of U.S. multinationals. "The whole collection of tax scams is why between 1989 and 1995, of US and multi-national corporations operating in the United States, with assets of at least $250 million or sales of at least $50 million, nearly two-thirds paid no U.S. income tax. "In 1996-2000, Goodyear's profits were $442 million, but it paid no taxes and got a $23-million rebate. Colgate-Palmolive made $1.6 billion and got back $21 million. Other companies that got rebates in 1998 included Texaco, Chevron, PepsiCo, Pfizer, J.P. Morgan, MCI Worldcom, General Motors, Phillips Petroleum and Northrop Grumman. Microsoft reported $12.3 billion U.S income in 1999 and paid zero federal taxes. (In two recent years, Microsoft paid only 1.8 percent on $21.9 billion pretax U.S. profits.) "During the 1950s, U.S. corporations accounted for 28 percent of federal revenues. Now, corporations represent just 11 percent. "Those unpaid taxes can buy a lot of politicians and power. When Nixon needed money to pay the Watergate burglars, he got it from some corporate offshore bank accounts. "The system has given the big banks and corporations and the super-rich mountains of hidden cash they use to control our political systems. "The offshore system must be dismantled. "So why isn't the progressive movement doing something about this? This is a case where some people in Congress are ahead of the activists. There are a handful of Democrats like Senators Levin (MI), Dorgan (ND) and Conrad (ND), like Rep. Doggett (TX), who are speaking out and introducing legislation. But there is no movement behind them. And while Obama has signed onto the Levin Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act, Clinton, Biden and Dodd have not." Ms. Komisar spreads out the proposed strategies at taxjustice-usa.org. One or more are structured so that you can play a part in furthering them toward adoption. As she concluded: "Let's get the country to tell the corporations that the taxes they are dodging is our money." Ralph Nader is a consumer advocate, lawyer, and author. His most recent book is The Seventeen Traditions.

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