From the album “Better Days,” here’s our review of Fuchsia Here’s a band that is one of the most innovative I’ve come across in years. For those of you familiar with Madison, Wisconsin (aka, MadTown), it should come as no surprise that they’re from here. In addition to having one of the finest Music Schools in the United States, this area gave birth to some of the most important musical artists of the past 50 years; Clyde Stubblefield, Dan Nimmer, Butch Vig, Daryl Stuermer, Lyle Mays, Leland Sklar, Woody Herman….the list goes on. Meet, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair is the brainchild of bassist, compose ..read more

Wizard Wisdom Grützi mitenand, es ist fast Zeit für Fasnacht! It’s true, unfortunately I won’t be back in Luzern anytime soon to tear it up downtown like the good ole’ days. Thankfully, there’s this wicked band I found from Zurich that will hold me over until I return. If you’ve never been to Switzerland (CH), think about this for a moment. Consider growing up in a country with four national languages, surrounded by three cultural powerhouses, where space is limited and privacy is a premium. They pride themselves not just on their neutrality, but their efficiency and creativity as well. Unmatc ..read more

The Moon & The Sky We cover a lot of music here at PPMB, and we’re so thankful for the artists we’ve come across and what they’ve taught us. If you’re a regular here, you know that I (Taylor) toured a lot in the 90’s and early 00’s in a pop and rock setting and play a lot of country here in Nashville now, but I’ve also played jazz for over 30 years and it is by far my favorite genre (and the one I fear the most). I am in awe of any Jazzer who can pull off a standard with a new twist, let alone compose a compelling one. Marína Ósk is exactly that type of artist who has my utmost respect - a ..read more

A Funky Nightmare Representing the great state of Ohio, Justin Tibbs is a Saxophonist and Composer from the Akron area. He’s been making a name for himself on the Akron and Cleveland scene for over a decade via his work with Acid Cats, Angie Haze, Bethany Joy, and bassist Jared Lees - to name a few. A graduate of the University of Akron (triple major, no less), he’s released several solo projects and established some exceptional partnerships with equipment makers Earthquaker Devices and Barefoot Buttons. This song, “A Funky Nightmare” is from the LP “JT’s Electrik Blackout,” a full-length proj ..read more

“A Day Too Late,” yet still beautiful. Marshal Herridge is a critically renowned and award winning double-bassist from British Columbia. He’s been fortunate enough to perform and work with some of the leading musicians in North America - having spent considerable time in Toronto, Montreal, and New York City. As a student at Humber College, he won the Oscar Peterson award, and a full scholarship for even further education. If you don’t know who Oscar Peterson is, shame on you. He’s the greatest musician to come from Canada (sorry, Rush), and a pillar of the jazz world. Here’s our review of the ..read more

Crystal Crown, featuring Finite Sly Who is Dizzy Panda? No idea, really. I can tell they’re a duo from Holland that’s been releasing a boat load of tracks since 2020. Scrolling through their catalog you’ll hear tones that remind you of Slide 5 or a jazz trio, or John McLaughlin and a drum machine. They’re jazzy, trippy, electric, experimental, groovy and definitely unique. Here’s our review of their latest track, “Crystal Crown.” A dissonant and chromatic descending piano riff starts us off with a bass line that pushes the boundary of the key signature and hints at some potential atonality. A ..read more

Gunkali So thankful that bands like this exist. It’s so easy to get swept up in the 3:00 minute song, the perfect lyric, the killer hook. This industry has a way of turning works of art into assembly line pieces of consumption. But, there’s also a massive need in our world for art like this, music like this, presentations that remind us of the larger connectivity. I never understood music like this until I had to take “Intro to Ethnomusicology” in Music School, and it changed my life. I gained an appreciation for instrumentals, tonality and scales that I never knew existed. I became a better m ..read more

A monster player and his BASS album When he’s not creating beautiful music, Evan works with his family as a home builder in Ontario. He is left handed, but plays right, which partly explains why his tapping and chord progressions are so clear and fluid (the other part must be practicing 24/7!). What you hear on this record is stunning. It’s virtuoso level playing. He uses a mix of four and five strings on traditional, as well as piccolo basses. His tapping, harmonics, chord melody progressions and spacing are exceptional. If you watch his videos on YouTube, you’ll need a napkin to wipe your mo ..read more

Masterful Sitar Improvisation Here’s a post for all the guitar shredders and tone freaks. You need to have some solid sitar tones and references in your library, so add Ranjit Makkuni to your list. It’s safe to say that most sitar players approach their instrument from a more spiritual side of life than their musical counterparts in the West. Despite having only been in existence for 200 years, you could argue that it’s emotional connection to music is stronger than that of the nylon or electric guitar, due primarily to its association with the meditation and spiritual practices of the Eastern ..read more

Phantom Power Music Blog Adam Shulman – “Lover, I Hardly Know Her.” Counterplay at it’s finest. Adam Shulman – Lover, I Hardly Know Her. Counterplay at it’s finest. Anyone familiar with the Bay Area jazz scene knows that Shulman is a monster.  Whether teaching, recording and terrorizing stages with his sextet, he is a beautiful musical force to be reckoned with. “Love, I Hardly Know Her” is (in our opinion), a straight ahead, bebop inspired gem of counterplay at its finest.  The melody gets traded and bounced between a trumpet and two saxes before breaking down in unison, on top of ..read more