Email Author Paul J. MacArthur

1998 Stories by Paul J. MacArthur

• Herbie Hancock Times Six

  published December 24, 1998

  The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions (Blue Note) Sextant (Columbia Legacy) Thrust (Columbia Legacy) Town Hall... More >>

• Rotation

  published December 17, 1998

  B.B. King Blues on the Bayou MCA More than any other performer, B.B. King has personified modern blues. At home and abroad,... More >>

• The Master Interpreter

  published December 10, 1998

  Frank Sinatra once called him the best singer alive. After being asked about that quote for probably the millionth time, Tony Bennett quipped,... More >>

• Jazz Piano Times Two

  published December 3, 1998

  When young lions Jacky Terrasson and Danilo Perez take the stage Friday for an evening of piano duets, they have a formidable task ahead. Piano... More >>

• Rotation

  published November 26, 1998

  Grooverider Mysteries of Funk Higher Ground/Columbia It has been said that if there is one person we can thank (or, for some,... More >>

• Jazzed Up

  published November 26, 1998

  To see how much power media Goliaths wield in the entertainment arena., you need to look no further than the recording industry. The $12 billion... More >>

• Kid Wonder

  published November 19, 1998

  Twenty years ago an 18-year-old violinist whose credentials included being a featured soloist for major symphony orchestras in Los Angeles, San... More >>

• Rotation

  published November 19, 1998

  Medeski, Martin and Wood Combustication Blue Note The keyboard, bass and drums trio of Medeski, Martin and Wood have been a... More >>

• Feeling at Ease

  published November 19, 1998

  Kellye Gray is cool. Not Miles Davis cool, though certainly she has some elements of that. It's more like your best friend kind of cool. The kind... More >>

• Rotation

  published November 12, 1998

  Alanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie Maverick/Reprise When all was said and done, Alanis Morissette's Jagged... More >>

• Change Is Good

  published November 5, 1998

  For McCoy Tyner, one of the most pivotal moments in his musical evolution was also one of the most casual. "My mom asked me, 'Do you mind if Bud... More >>

• Just the Basics

  published October 29, 1998

  From the beginning, the harmonica has been one of the basic tools of the blues -- and for good reason: It's readily affordable, easily portable... More >>

• Wagner for Beginners

  published October 22, 1998

  This weekend, when the Houston Grand Opera opens its season with The Flying Dutchman, much attention will be paid to the production's visual... More >>

• Out of Africa

  published October 15, 1998

  Well versed and well traveled, Randy Weston defined "multicultural" with his blend of jazz and African traditional music decades before the term... More >>

• Rotation

  published October 1, 1998

  Goo Goo Dolls Dizzy Up the Girl Warner Bros. My first clue that the Goo Goo Dolls had completely lost touch with their... More >>

• More Blues Than You Can Use

  published September 24, 1998

  Longtime residents of the Third and Fifth wards can testify directly to a legacy now finally being appreciated by others: Houston is home to some... More >>

• Nature Boy

  published September 17, 1998

  It's not often that a musician inspires fans to drastic measures. Case in point: Greg Brown had trimmed his tour schedule a few years back and... More >>

• Sad-Eyed Sibs

  published September 10, 1998

  When Seattle's vaunted Sub Pop label stopped signing grunge bands and branched out a little, one of its first acquisitions was the... More >>

• Catching Up with Gil

  published September 3, 1998

  Gil Scott-Heron has never been one to wait around for life's battles to come to him. He's expended enormous amounts of energy publicly lambasting... More >>

• Rotation

  published August 20, 1998

  Snoop Dogg Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told No Limit Eightball Lost Suave House Those who dare to seek... More >>

• Spicy Proposition

  published August 20, 1998

  Young girls played a crucial role in the early success of the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Now, substitute the Spice Girls for either of those rock... More >>

• Being Franks

  published August 13, 1998

  With a soft, breathy tone that owes little, if anything, to the legendary likes of Joe Williams, Billy Eckstine, John Hendricks or even Mel Torme,... More >>

• Old Friends

  published August 6, 1998

  Grover Washington Jr. has a special bond with Houston; specifically, with Houston's big-band leader Conrad Johnson. During the '70s, when... More >>

• Sleight of Head

  published July 30, 1998

  It's no secret that Tricky is more at home in the studio than on stage. The trip-hop progenitor and Massive Attack alum claims he can't really... More >>

• Tutoned and Ready

  published July 16, 1998

  Granted, a good chunk of the crowd will show up for Tommy Tutone's lone hit, "867-5309/Jenny." But the Texas native, last heard from in the '80s,... More >>