Feature: The Cutout Bin

Digging Through the Music Racks for Lost Treasures

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Kit O'Toole

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• "Going to Kansas City": Journeying Through the Catalog of Leiber and Stoller

  Exploring the catalog of songwriters Leiber and Stoller reveals the very foundations of rock & roll.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Oct 29, 2009

• The Round Midnight Soundtrack Shows Jazz's Broad Spectrum of Sounds and Emotions

  The soundtrack to the 1986 film functions as an all-star tribute to the jazz genre.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Oct 14, 2009

• Genesis Shows Off Their Progressive and Pop Rock Roots on Three Sides Live

  Genesis's 1982 album proves the music fan's maxim of "the live version is better."

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Sep 27, 2009

• Vocalese 101: An Overview of the Underappreciated Vocal Jazz Movement

  What is vocalese? Learn about the history of the jazz vocal movement and its essential recordings.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Sep 16, 2009

• Delve into the Rich Sonic World of Quincy Jones's The Dude

  Put on some headphones to fully appreciate Quincy Jones's considerable producing and arranging skills.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Aug 30, 2009

• Jamie Lidell's Jim Perfectly Pays Tribute to '60s and '70s Soul

  Unfairly overlooked, Jamie Lidell's 2008 effort shows his vast musical versatility and sincere love of soul.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Aug 21, 2009

• Sting Fuses Rock and Jazz Flawlessly on His Classic Live Album Bring on the Night

  Sting demonstrates his versatility, interest in jazz, and love of live performance on his 1985 album and documentary.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Aug 05, 2009

• Rediscovering Chicago House: A Brief Introduction

  Listening to Chicago house music is a lesson in modern dance music and hip hop.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Jul 22, 2009

• What Were Those Songs Stevie Wonder Sang at Michael Jackson's Memorial Service?

  The two songs Stevie Wonder performed may not be as well known but have rich histories.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Jul 09, 2009

• Womack & Womack Engage in Love Wars with Soulful and Danceable Results

  Womack & Womack's underrated album may date from 1983, but its roots are in pure Philly soul.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Jun 24, 2009

• Celebrate Singer and Guitarist Kenny Rankin's Unique Talent with The Kenny Rankin Album

  Kenny Rankin's 1976 classic beautifully marries pop and jazz using strings, guitar, and a lovely voice.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Jun 10, 2009

• Doobie Brothers Do Jazz on Livin' on the Fault Line

  For a single album, The Doobie Brothers experimented with jazz fusion. 22 years later, this experiment still sounds fresh.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on May 28, 2009

• Join Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers' Conscious Party

  21 years ago, Ziggy Marley and his band teamed up with two Talking Heads to produce a classic reggae album.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Apr 26, 2009

• A Fantasy Beatles Compilation: "Beatles Deep Cuts"

  The Cutout Bin digs further into the Beatles catalog to find some buried treasures that deserve more attention.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Apr 14, 2009

• The Ultimate '80s R&B Single: Junior's "Mama Used to Say"

  One hit wonder? Junior may be known in America for one song, but his impact on British R&B still resounds.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Mar 31, 2009

• Randy Crawford Possesses A Rare Gift in R&B and Jazz: Vocal Versatiity

  Listen to one album by underrated R&B/jazz vocalist Randy Crawford, and you'll be instantly hooked.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Mar 17, 2009

• Looking for Pop with a Rock and Soul Twist? Look No Further Than 60s Band The Grass Roots

  While the 60s evokes memories of the Beatles and Stones, don't overlook The Grass Roots' unique brand of pop-rock.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Mar 02, 2009

• In Praise of K-Tel Albums

  Cheesy cover art. Corny album titles. Weird song edits. Yet K-Tel albums helped form my current music tastes.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Feb 18, 2009

• Franke and the Knockouts's "Sweetheart" - A Perfect Slice of '80s Pop

  Featuring a cool groove and catchy chorus, "Sweetheart" goes down like good comfort food: simple but ultimately satisfying.

  Opinion by Kit O'Toole — on Feb 04, 2009

• Marvin Gaye's 1983 Version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" Still Resonates

  Gaye's soulful version of the National Anthem celebrates diversity as well as the American spirit.

  Review by Kit O'Toole — on Jan 20, 2009