Craig+david

How is it that Eela Craig haven't gotten more attention from lovers of ‘70s Euro-rock? Is it because they were too Austrian or too arty for Krautrock lovers, who prefer the grittier, more visceral sounds of German bands like Can and Guru Guru to Eela Craig's sophisticated prog stylings? On the other side of the fence, did they miss out on inclusion in the pantheon of classic prog bands because they weren't from England, or were lumped in with the Krautrock scene? Whatever the case, their second album, One Niter, is a grand-scale prog rock masterpiece. There was a five-year gap between One Niter and the band's debut album, which gave Eela Craig plenty of time to evolve from the post-psychedelic sounds of their first effort…

Craig Armstrong (Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, The Incredible Hulk, Romeo + Juliet, Love Actually) has recently scored the upcoming British/Australian drama Dirt Music. The film is directed by Gregor Jordan (Buffalo Soldiers, Ned Kelly, The Informers) and stars Kelly Macdonald, Garrett Hedlund, David Wenham, Julia Sarah Stone and Aaron Pedersen. The movie based on the novel of the same title by Tim Winton is set against the landscape of Western Australia and tells an impassioned tale of love and grief. Jack Thorne (Wonder, The Aeronauts) wrote the screenplay. Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey (Brooklyn, An Education), Angie Fielder (Lion) and Polly Staniford are producing the Wildgaze Films and Aquarius Films production.

The avant-garde tenor and bass clarinetist David Murray had an opportunity to sit in with the Grateful Dead in 1993 and was quite impressed. With Jerry Garcia's death, Murray was inspired to put together this tribute album but often it sounds as if two bands were playing at once without closely listening to each other. Murray and the horns (which include veteran altoist James Spaulding, the very impressive high-note acrobatics of trumpeter Hugh Ragin, either James Zoller or Omar Kabir on second trumpet and the adventurous trombonist Craig Harris) romp through some rowdy and very emotional ensembles while organist Robert Irving III. (a Miles Davis alumnus) leads the rhythm section through groovin' R&B riffs that seem to ignore the lead voices…

South of the Border is an album by the David Murray Big Band released on the Japanese DIW label. Recorded in 1992 and released in 1995 the album features performances by Murray, Rasul Siddik, James Zoller, Hugh Ragin, Craig Harris, Frank Lacy, Al Patterson, Vincent Chancey, Kalil Henry, John Purcell, Patience Higgins, Don Byron, Sonelius Smith, Fred Hopkins, Tani Tabbal, and Larry McDonald, conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris.

Vancouver guitarist David Gogo is oozing confidence on this blues-rock album, beginning with the barroom pleasing "Love in the City" with former Junkhouse lead singer Tom Wilson, who is also a member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. The piano only adds to its luster. Gogo isn't reinventing anything here, just good time, old-school, feel-good rock & roll accentuated by his great guitar playing. He can rumble as well judging by the slower and moody "Hit Me From Above," sounding a bit like Doyle Bramhall II or some other Austin blues-rock musician. A slower, soulful "300 Pound Shoes" takes the album down in tone but Gogo goes for broke here, pulling the song off with relative ease. "Hey Juanita" doesn't seem that strong and is rather ordinary in a roots rock type of vein like Mike Plume or Steve Earle. The piano driven "I'd Do Anything" shows a softer, bluesy vein that sounds like a long distant cousin of "Ride On" by AC/DC complete with horns. The funky "Silk and Stone" is a sleeper pick in line with the likes of Bonnie Raitt or Delbert McClinton.