Dean C. Minderman

Audiences first encountered B.B. King in the '50s, thanks to the blues guitarist and singer’s relentless touring of the so-called "chitlin’ circuit" and a series of memorable recordings. But that was just the beginning: By crossing over to a rock audience in the '60s and '70s, King played a crucial...

Audiences first encountered B.B. King in the '50s, thanks to the blues guitarist and singer's relentless touring of the so-called "chitlin' circuit" and a series of memorable recordings. But that was just the beginning: By crossing over to a rock audience in the '60s and '70s, King played a crucial...

Although trumpeter Chris Botti is, by his own admission, neither a particularly daring improviser nor a bravura technician, he's carved out a highly lucrative niche in the jazz world by emphasizing melody and mood. Whether paying tribute to his ­Italian-American heritage on his most recent CD, Italia, or tackling standards...

Avoiding both the complexity-for-its-own-sake trap of late-period fusion and the oleaginous makeout music clichs of smooth jazz, the Yellowjackets have endured and prospered by making smart electric jazz that's substantive enough to reward repeat listens, yet still accessible to casual listeners. Originally formed in 1977 to back up guitarist Robben...

Talking on the phone from her hotel room in Paris, Bettye LaVette is having fun, and she's having it her way. And why shouldn't she? The veteran soul singer is riding high on the buzz generated by her new CD, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, earning favorable reviews...