To understand the profound depth of Amana Melome's new album, "Recalibration", one must first appreciate the legacy she carries. As the granddaughter of Jimmy Woode, the legendary bassist who was the youngest member of Duke Ellington's orchestra and who performed alongside icons like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, Melome' is heir to a monumental tradition in American music. Her latest work is not a simple continuation...

There is a specific variety of artistic audacity required when Ferdinand Rennie approaches the microphone for "The Prayer". Most of us associate this David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager composition with massive duets two voices attempting to hold up the ceiling of a cathedral. Yet, Rennie has chosen to return to the track, stripping away the partner he had in his 2023 version to...