A Masterclass in Musical Mourning Transforms Personal Loss into Universal Catharsis "Fare Thee Well" Larry Karpenko comes as a surprise, like a handmade letter tucked inside a library book: personal, frighteningly clear. This album is an elegy for Sharlene, a missionary, mother, and friend who died at age 43 of cancer. It does not just mourn; it breaks down loss with the care of an artist...

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...