There is a specific kind of caffeine-jitter energy driving the new collaboration from Doctor Noize, titled "Diversity". It hits you immediately a bright, bouncing sequence of notes played with the frantic urgency of a silent film chase scene, yet anchored by a stride-style rhythm that feels surprisingly sturdy. It’s the musical equivalent of a golden retriever that has just realized you are holding a...

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...