Jazzlobsterman Indecision (2008)

It is no coincidence that Eric Gales is listed as providing "guitar and vocals" rather than "vocals and guitar" in the credits of The Story of My Life. While Gales is a competent singer, he is an excellent guitarist; what one hears on The Story of My Life and previous Gales releases is really singing in service of guitar playing rather than guitar playing in service of singing. Of course, competent doesn't mean weak or bad – and while Gales' vocal chops aren't in a class with his guitar chops, he has no problem getting his emotional points across on this 2008 release. The Story of My Life finds Gales forming a power trio with bassist Steve Evans and drummer Jeremy Colson; comparisons to the Jimi Hendrix Experience (one of the 1960s' most influential power trios) are inevitable, and there is no getting around the fact that Hendrix is a huge influence throughout this blues-rock/hard rock/psychedelic rock CD.

A study in contrasts, and all the more American because of it, Johnny Cash holds a unique place in pop music history. His fans span generations, and fit in across the cultural spectrum, from teenaged punks to gray-haired congressmen, from Merle Haggard to Snoop Dogg, and seemingly all points in between. His music has always been instantly recognizable no matter what genre – country, rockabilly, gospel, folk – he was working in, and given the sheer volume of material he recorded, it's amazing how uniform it all is, adding up in the end to, well, Johnny Cash. This two-disc set includes Chris Cooper's Johnny Cash's America documentary DVD on the singer along with a second disc featuring the soundtrack from the film, which includes fine performances of "Big River," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Five Feet High and Rising," among others.

In short saxophone and church organ duets, John Surman and Howard Moody follow up their previous orchestral project, Proverbs & Songs from 1998, with this series of improvisations that track through occasional traditional themes, as well as new compositions that have older values and motifs in mind. Surman is his usual brilliant and staunchly individual self, whether playing his trusty baritone sax, bass clarinet, or at times, soprano, while Moody's keyboards provide more of a foundation rather than being on equal footing. Recorded in Oslo, Norway, moods from joyous and active to introspective or pensive are dotted throughout this program that seems like a musical biopic through the life of virtually anyone…