Herbie Hancock

How To Start a Record Collection, Part III (Record Store Day Edition)

I thought it would be a private relationship between me and my record player. Music collections, no matter what they are made of, can be so intimate they border on embarrassing. Not sure what to buy, I clicked on review after review, talking myself into and out of nearly every purchase. But the thin ... More >>

Ten Jazz Albums to Listen to Before You Die

Ten Jazz Albums to Listen to Before You Die

Because there are multiple decades of jazz, it's almost impossible to pick the top 10 albums of all time; the hip cats with their canes and cool shades will throw their used saxophone reeds in my direction and call me a young whippersnapper. The debate is so polemic that I might as well write about ... More >>

Get To Know Your 2012 DOMA Nominees: Mora Collective

Leading up to our November 10 showcase, we'll be getting you familiar with some of our Dallas Observer Music Awards nominees, either via past features we've done on them, or new ones. You can vote for your favorite acts, venues and more right here. This piece originally appeared on August 31 It's ... More >>

Dallas' Mora Collective On The Weight of Syllables And The Term "Porn Bebop"

It's been 45 years since trumpeter Lester Bowie, in the introduction to his track "Jazz Death?" (on Roscoe Mitchell's album, Congliptious), answered the rhetorical question, "Isn't jazz, as we know it, dead yet?" with the knowing rejoinder, "Well, that all depends on what you know." Bowie might we ... More >>

Aerosmith's Russ Irwin On The Real Housewives of New York City: "I Don't Hate It, Actually"

For the better part of two decades, Russ Irwin has been the touring keyboardist for Aerosmith, and besides not tiring of seeing Steven Tyler's ass over that time, he's also managed to carve out quite a career as a songwriter, producer and session musician. Along with Aerosmith, Irwin's played with ... More >>

In Defense Of... Rita Ora's "How We Do (Party)"

At first glance, British pop star Rita Ora is a dead ringer for her Roc Nation label mate Rihanna. They may even have the same stylist as Beyoncé. I guess Hova and I have similar tastes, because I like these women all the same. Rita Ora's recent single "How We Do (Party)" sounds like this year's a ... More >>

Marriage Proposals, $16 Margaritas and Other Things Seen and Overheard at Chris Botti's Verizon Theatre Show

​Let me make myself clear: I love Chris Botti's music. Not in an ironic or tongue-in-cheek way. Yes, Botti, the trumpet player who's played with everyone from Sting to Josh Groban to Steven Tyler. He's the kind of guy your parents love, along with Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand. This admis ... More >>

The Polyphonic Spree's Holiday Extravaganza, St. Vincent In-Store at Good Records and More

​Sure, most people wait until Thanksgiving to pull out the Christmas tree. But not The Polyphonic Spree. Tim DeLaughter's giant band has announced its ninth Holiday Extravaganza show. The show, which will feature The Spree along with a few other acts (including We're Not Dudes and Syncopated Ladie ... More >>

Thirteen Videos To Scare Your Friday The 13th Pants Off

​So. This month, the thirteenth day of the month has fallen on a Friday. Dun, dun, dun! Here in Dallas, that's not necessarily a bad thing: Since midnight last night, folks have been flocking to Elm Street Tattoo for their $13 Friday the 13th tattoo as part of Oliver Peck's annual marathon.But tho ... More >>

Good Friday: The Walkmen, Alejandro Escovedo, Trashcan Sinatras, The Virgin Wolves, Young The Giant, The Hope Trust, Nmperign, Sundress, Randy Travis, Remy Le Boeuf & More!

The Five Amigos or The Walkmen​After kind of a dud last weekend, we've got a pretty solid list of shows to see this weekend. And topping the list for some of us here at DC9 headquarters is The Walkmen concert at The Granada Theater on Saturday night. In this week's paper edition, we ran a piece ab ... More >>

The 15 Worst ...and Friends! Albums Of All-Time

​It's hard not to remember Santana's 1999 album Supernatural. Besides just the Rob Thomas collab "Smooth," which we've spent the past decade trying to erase from our memories, the album received a lot of attention at the time for being one of those records that featured a different collaboration w ... More >>

Growing Up With Elvis Costello.

Sideshow

DC9er Mixtape, Vol. 4: DJ A1

​This week's DC9er takes you behind the booth with Dallas-based, hip-hop expert DJ A1. Having been exposed to DJ culture at a young age (back in the day, he used to tag along with his cousin, who was a DJ at the time), A1 entered his first DJ battle at age 16--and he came in second place. Not too ... More >>

Norah Jones Announces A November Release For Her Next Album

​According to a press release that apparently went out to every media outlet in the world today, Dallas' own Norah Jones has a new album coming out in November--her fourth overall, and first in two years. After the jump, the press release in full, since it features some Jones quotes on the new, as ... More >>

Evil Ways

Santana smooths over Dallas

MC 900 Ft. Jesus Lives

Indie-rap innovator MC 900 Ft. Jesus spins on, quietly, at Lee Harvey's

Handicapping the Grammys with a Foo Fighter

Rudder, Oso Closo, Snarky Puppy

Friday, October 12, at Hailey's, Denton

Sure Hope You Like Norah Jones

Cornelius

Sensuous (Warner [import])

Our top DVD picks for the week of April 18.

Vinyl Fetish

Scratch reveals the power of two turntables, minus the microphone

Remy Shand

May 17

Spider Webs

Mark Griffin resurrects MC 900 Ft. Jesus

2001 Dallas Observer Music Awards

Narrow margins remind us that everyone's a winner

Daft Punk

Discovery (Virgin)

Untamed Lion

There will always be a little Miles Davis in electric jazz. And maybe some Christian McBride, too.

Out & About

David Sanborn

Standards and Practices

Tortoise's new album is the most obvious thing in the world--and the most startling

Two-bass hit

A six-disc box reminds us why Miles and Trane were the ultimate one-two punch

Invisibl touch

The Invisibl Skratch Piklz are so good, they had to retire -- sort of

The new old sound

Branford Marsalis' latest disc is a Requiem by and for a heavyweight

Out There

Still flying

High note king Maynard Ferguson rules the road

Glory and injustice

Is bass legend Chuck Rainey falling through the cracks?

Give up LeFonque

Branford Marsalis does the 'unspeakable' once more

Black and white

Madonna isn't a failed icon; she's a failed artist