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MCA/Chess has recently put out four classic “two-for” blues collections originally released in the ’60s under the titles The Real Folk Blues and More Real Folk Blues, by Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Howlin’ Wolf: the very heart of the Chess blues roster. Muddy Waters is …

The Eels have a recent CD, Souljacker, their fourth. They should be happy, but E, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who leads the band, is rarely, if ever, happy. He has the soul of a Russian. At their best, E’s Eels combine rocking rhythm, deft expression of the tragic, and a melodic delicacy …

Please see part 1 here, and part 2 here. Iggy Pop The Velvets, Stooges, and the Dolls were the most important of the ’70s pre-punk bands, and Iggy Pop, after leaving the Stooges, has soldiered on through very long and winding road of punkish, angular hard rock – his signature …

Please see part 1 here. Toots and the Maytals Toots Hibbert is second only to Bob Marley in reggae history as singer and songwriter. Career spans early-’60s ska to today. Gritty, soul-dripping voice along the lines of Otis Redding. Should be next reggae Rock Hall inductee (then Jimmy Cliff). R.E.M. …

Last March, in conjunction with the Rock Hall Induction ceremonies, Cleveland.com conducted a readers poll: Who should get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? The results are here. Cleveland.com Managing Producer Johanna Hoadley and I did a special episode of the Cool Tunes radio show to play music …

You would never guess Norah Jones’ age from her voice: a melodious alto blend of Billie Holiday compression (she fills the notes like ideal air pressure in a tire), Diana Krall easy self-possession, and a hint of smoky Dusty-in-Memphis grit. I first heard the voice last year on the brilliant …

This is noble and all: Eelpie.com and TheMusic.com have joined forces with The Who and Trinifold Management to bring you exclusive live recordings on CD of shows from the 2002 tour of North America by The Who. The band is aware that many of the shows on this tour will …

If you’re in Texas for the holiday weekend, Cindy has plenty of things for you to do: Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general “last fling of summer” festival. …

Prince, he of the idiosyncratic spelling and periodic musical genius, holds forth on the state of the entertainment biz on the NPG Music Club site: Something happened on the way 2 the 21st century. Media and entertainment companies started “converging” and “shareholder value” became far more important than customer service …

Please join me for my Cool Tunes radio show Saturdays from 10PM to Midnight (Eastern) through the airwaves (91.3) in the Cleveland/Akron area, or for the rest of the world, via the WAPS web site. I play modern rock, punk, electronica, jazz, reggae, ska, roots rock, Americana, blues, world, funk, …