Brothers and Sisters, Allman Brothers Band – In their chaotic career, the Allman Brothers had their ups and downs, but they produced a few albums that are rock solid. This is one of them. Dickey Betts has taken over most of the songwriting, and Ramblin' Man is one of his best. But Gregg Allman rocks on Wasted Words, and Come and Go Blues is a lovely lament for a love affair that's going nowhere. The band sounds great. Capricorn Records CP 0111 #vinyl #blues #southernboogie #music

I'm Your Man, Leonard Cohen – For those who loved Cohen's early acoustic work, the disco assault that opens this album must have been a shock. But though he goes electronic here, Cohen is still beautifully, painfully human. Still bitterly funny (Everybody Knows), still brutally alone (Ain't No Cure for Love). Still the lover who's never gotten over the loss of...? His woman? His innocence? His faith? But he's also a healer. The music on this album is sweet balm. Columbia C 44191 #vinyl #music

Great Times, Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn -This Riverside re-release is a treasure chest of unique recordings. On the first eight tracks Ellington and Strayhorn have a ball re-imagining some of their most famous tunes as piano duets. They're so attuned to each other it sometimes sounds like one musician playing with four hands. The last four tracks are rare recordings of Oscar Pettiford on cello, with Strayhorn occasionally chiming in on celeste. Magical. Riverside RLP-475 #vinyl #jazz #music

Does it feel like the US is coming apart at the seams? This is a song about the current chaos. https://caseymaddren.bandcamp.com/track/coup #music #song #punk #DIY #AI #crypto

Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits – Tom Waits' songs are full of places. Bus stations and dive bars from LA to Hong Kong, painted in vivid, gritty colors with trumpets, tambourines, electric guitars, and of course bagpipes. His characters are drawn in bold strokes and broad lines, with the occasional tender shading. Here Waits works with a number of awesome sidemen, but I'll just highlight Victor Feldman, the old pro who was always ready to work with the new talent. Island 90095-1 #music #LASounds

La Llorona, Chavela Vargas – By the early 90s Chavela Vargas' voice had grown husky. At times it cracked and faltered. No matter. Her passion still burned and her artistry was undiminished. On this album, backed by Marcela Rodriguez and Oscar Ramos on guitars, she offers vivid renditions of a number of songs by popular Mexican composers, and delivers another heartbreaking version of La llorona. Powerful. Painful. Beautiful. WEA 1993 #music #Mexico

Equinox, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 – In the late 60s it seemed liked you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Listening to this album, it's easy to understand why. Mendes combined infectious rhythms with gorgeous harmonies to create catchy, sophisticated pop. On this LP he draws on a range of material from Antônio Carlos Jobim to Cole Porter. The only problem with this album is that it's too short. A&M SP 4122 #music #LP #vinyl

Jazz Gunn, Shelly Manne & His Men – In the 60s, Shelly Manne was one of the key artists on the LA jazz scene, and this album, with members of the house band at Shelly's Manne-Hole, is a classic example of the LA sound. Starting with tunes from the TV show Peter Gunn, Manne and his collaborators, Mike Wofford/piano, Conte Candoli/trumpet, Frank Strozier/sax, Monte Budwig/bass, take off into rich explorations of mood and color. And yeah, it swings. Atlantic SD 1487 #music #LP #jazz #LASounds

Live Yardbirds, The Yardbirds – Rumors of the band's death were swirling, but the Yardbirds were never more alive than they were at the Anderson Theatre in March 1968. Keith Relf sang his heart out, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty pounded out the driving rhythms, and newcomer Jimmy Page's guitar wowed the crowd. In the few years they were around, the Yardbirds took the blues to new dimensions and paved the way for prog rock. This album catches them at their best. Epic E 30615 #music #blues #prog

A song for the people displaced by the LA fires. https://caseymaddren.bandcamp.com/track/i-just-wanna-get-back-home #LAFires #LARecovery #LAWildfires #LosAngeles #music #song