Jason M. Rubin

May Short Fuses – Materia Critica

May 3, 2022
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Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.

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Album Reviews: Echoes of Prog — Brad Mehldau and Circe Link & Christian Nesmith

April 14, 2022
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Recently, some artists have come out of the closet and put their prog hearts on their sleeves with new recordings that celebrate the heyday of progressive rock.

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Jazz Album Review: Guitarist John McLaughlin — The Montreux Years

April 11, 2022
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The album features seven tracks played by five different groups fronted or co-led by guitarist John McLaughlin.

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Concert Review: Beth Hart at Wilbur Theatre

March 12, 2022
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Blues singer Beth Hart wields the hammer of the gods with easy finesse but also deep emotion.

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CD Review: Dave Bainbridge’s “To The Far Away” — Prog Rock with Passion

February 12, 2022
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For prog fans who consider that the proof of the pudding is long, complex songs with virtuosic solos and exotic instrumentation, no fear: To The Far Away is multi-textured and musically exciting.

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Film Review: “Music. Money. Madness. Jimi Hendrix Live in Maui” — Rubber-Room Wackos

February 4, 2022
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If this film accomplishes anything, it’s to remind us of how much we lost when Jimi Hendrix died.

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Music Review: “Someone​/​Anyone? A 50th Anniversary Tribute to Todd Rundgren’s Something/​Anything?”

February 3, 2022
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Someone/Anyone? is packed with lots of great music and makes a strong complement to the album it compliments, Something/Anything?

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Jazz Album Review: Guitarist Dave Stryker’s “As We Are” — A Successful Synthesis

January 24, 2022
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Unlike a lot of modern jazz releases, this isn’t so much about displaying virtuosity (though all the musicians are virtuosos) as it is about setting a mood and a groove and dancing on top of it.

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Music Remembrance: Singer Ronnie Spector — 1943-2022

January 13, 2022
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Brian Wilson tweeted: “I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend. This just breaks my heart. Ronnie’s music and spirit will live forever.”

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Arts Feature: Musicians We Lost in 2021

December 30, 2021
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Roll calls of some of the notable musicians who passed away this year.

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