The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

In the 1990s, Us3 reshaped the global music landscape by fusing hip-hop and jazz in ways that felt both groundbreaking and a little bit inevitable. Their 1993 debut, Hand on the Torch, became Blue Note Records’ first platinum-selling album and introduced an entire generation to the possibilities of genre fusion. Yet, after a run of chart success and international touring, the project receded from the spotlight, and founder/producer Geoff Wilkinson stepped into other creative lanes.

After a decade-long hiatus beginning in 2014, Wilkinson has returned with Soundtrack—a striking reinvention that distances itself from Us3’s past vocal-driven record...

Chris Stamey has long been a quietly pivotal figure in American music. From co-founding the influential avant-pop band The dB’s and releasing early indie classics, to his work with Alex Chilton, Big Star’s Jody Stephens, and a wide array of sonic adventurers, his career has bridged the experimental and the melodic, the cerebral and the emotional. 

With his latest album, Anything Is Possible, Stamey returns not to the past, but to the feelings that defined it, particularly the wonder and harmonic richness of AM radio pop from the late 1950s and early ’60s. Featuring collaborators like th...

In a moment where algorithms increasingly shape what we hear, see, and feel, Mocky’s Music Will Explain offers something radically simple: the sound of human beings in a room, making music together. Known for his shape-shifting musical identity and wide-ranging collaborations, Mocky’s work has always blurred the lines between genre and geography. But on his new album, released via Stones Throw, he turns inward and local, recording in his Los Angeles garage with friends and neighbors, using a single microphone and an old tape recorder.

The result is intimate, communal, and defiantly analog—a record built...

The introduction most often associated with producer—and champion of unfairly unheard music—Zev Feldman, compares him to an archaeologist: the “Indiana Jones of jazz,” as The New Yorker wrote in 2023. Fittingly, Feldman’s occasional SiriusXM radio show is cleverly titled Jazz Detective. In a reissue landscape often focused on bringing listeners albums they may already own in triplicate, Zev shines his producer’s flashlight into unexplored corners of the archive: frequently unearthing recordings that may not have seen the light of day since they were first made.

We’re on an adventure in audiophile archeology, so let’s meet the...

Charles “Wigg” Walker’s voice isn’t just soulful, it’s resilient. His decades-long journey through the unpredictable terrain of the music industry is one of grit, adaptability, and unwavering devotion to the craft. From singing on Nashville street corners as a teen to warming up crowds for––and being fined by––James Brown, to reinventing himself across continents and genres, Wigg never quit. Music didn’t always pay the bills––he drove vans, ran hot dog stands, and learned firsthand that making a life in show business is often about survival more than stardom. 

In this candid conversation, Wigg...

For over four decades, Dennis Diken has embodied the enduring spirit of American rock and roll as the drummer and co-founder of The Smithereens. In this wide-ranging conversation, Diken reflects on the band’s legacy while underscoring the urgency and relevance of their music in 2025. As the industry shifts toward streaming and fragmented attention, Diken and his bandmates continue to value the full-album experience, recently reissuing 2011 on vinyl—a record originally created as both homage and evolution of their earlier work. Recorded with producer Don Dixon and at Mitch Easter’s Fidelitorium studio, the album offers a vivid snapshot of a g...

Being a rockstar might look effortless from the outside, but as Cody Hanson of Hinder makes clear, staying relevant in the music world takes far more than talent. In this revealing conversation, the drummer and co-founder of the multi-platinum band pulls back the curtain on the real work behind the music—from scrapping a full album that didn’t feel honest, to reigniting the band’s passion with the song that would become their seventh studio album, Bring Me Back to Life.

What’s striking isn’t just Hanson’s musical role, but his deep involvement in every aspect...

Singer-songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs has never been one to shy away from transformation. In revisiting Avalanche for its deluxe edition, she offers listeners not just a deeper look at the record but a fuller portrait of herself: one that is shaped by collaboration, reinvention, and a willingness to let imperfections breathe. For Youngs, songs aren’t just crafted; they’re lived in, layered, and continually reinterpreted. The deluxe edition reflects this ethos, blending intimate demos, reimaginings, and remixes that speak to a creative process rooted as much in community as in craft.

What emerges in conversation with Youn...

In an era when the term "rock band" can feel like a nostalgic nod to a fading archetype, Band of Skulls has always stood as the real deal: gritty, authentic, and unrelentingly driven. With their forthcoming retrospective box set Cold Fame, frontman Russell Marsden digs deep into the band’s archives to illuminate the long, winding, and often unpredictable road that led to their breakout debut Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. In our conversation, Marsden reflects not only on the music but on the memories, the missteps, and the near-mystical moments that have defined their journey.

More th...

When Chuck Prophet found himself lingering around after a gig in San Francisco, his band still buzzing from a sold-out set, he wasn’t expecting to stumble into a musical revelation. But as the club's DJ cued up a needle-drop on a weathered vinyl slab of cumbia, and the bass notes spilled through the subs, Prophet experienced something rare and electric. It was an atmosphere alive with rhythm, with movement, with the kind of communal joy that doesn’t require translation. That night planted a musical seed. As the patrons of the Mission District took to the floor, so too...

After decades navigating the high-stakes world of Hollywood as Chief Counsel for Walt Disney Studios, Steve Bardwil has traded legal briefs for guitar riffs. His recent leap into full-time musicianship culminates in the release of Nothing But Time, a deeply personal and collaboratively rich album produced by the legendary Joe Chiccarelli. What began as a lifelong side-passion has now become the central focus of a second act that blends Bardwil’s storytelling instincts with a joyful, rootsy rock sensibility.

In this candid conversation, Bardwil discusses the leap from boardrooms to bandstands, detailing his journey from advising Marvel an...

Few writers can translate the sound of an album into a story with the grace and acuity of Jude Warne. Known for her deep dives into the lives of musical icons, Warne returns with her second music biography—this time turning her focus to the ever-evolving Boz Scaggs, titled Lowdown: The Music of Boz Scaggs. Her previous book on the band America set a high bar for weaving together scholarly research with a vivid narrative, and Jude raises it here as well. In both works, Warne’s dedication to craft is evident—not only in her encyclopedic knowledge but in the...

Sons of Silver’s latest release, Runaway Emotions, reflects a band committed to creative collaboration and thematic depth. Fronted by lead vocalist and songwriter Pete Argyropoulos, the group includes seasoned musicians each bringing years of experience across different corners of the rock world. The album builds on their past work with a focus on strong ensemble playing and lyrical content that draws from both personal and social undercurrents.

In this interview, bassist Adam Kury (the current bass player with Candlebox) and drummer Marc Slutsky (Adam Ant's touring drummer) share their perspectives on the album’s development and the...

Some of our most profound conversations often happen without words, music becomes the ultimate language — capable of revealing and transforming our perceptions, maybe even challenging them. Today, we're diving into just such a conversation with two artists whose latest musical collaboration speaks volumes: British jazz producer Robert Waite (known professionally as Daylight Robbery) and New York-based pianist Nick Marks. Their new project, Third Island Suite bridges the luminous traditions of Spiritual Jazz, the electric momentum of Fusion, and the lyrical pulse of Hip-Hop, forming a rich and unpredictable dialogue between sound and spirit.

Following the success of Da...

William Hooker has spent decades making music on his own terms—loud, unflinching, and fully independent. A drummer, composer, poet and more with over 70 recordings as a bandleader, Hooker is a fixture of New York’s experimental underground, shaped by the Loft Jazz scene of the 1970s and carried forward through venues like CBGB, the Knitting Factory, and Roulette. His latest record, Jubilation, recorded live at Roulette in Brooklyn, is another chapter in a career defined by pushing boundaries, building community, and resisting easy categorization. 

The following conversation with William digs into both the record and the minds...

Let’s face it—if the music industry were a spaceship, right now it might be sputtering through the void, looking for a little more rocket fuel. Algorithms are everywhere, attention spans are short, and too often, passion plays second fiddle to data. But every once in a while, someone shows up to remind us of what the industry used to be—wild, inspired, and driven by larger-than-life personalities who weren’t afraid to bet big and be bold.

Enter Paul Rappaport, or just “Rap” if you were lucky enough to know him during the golden age o...

Taking a shot, a risk, a gamble—whether in life, in love, or in art—requires a particular blend of courage, timing, and craft. Few folks understand that better than Eddie Schwartz, the Canadian musician and songwriter whose work has left a lasting imprint on popular music. Best known for penning Pat Benatar’s iconic “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Schwartz has built a career on moments when he stepped forward, took creative chances, and delivered songs that struck a chord with millions.

After launching his career as a solo artist in the early 1980s with albums lik...

Teamwork - as they say - makes the dream work. Over the last several years, Org Music has been quietly amassing a catalog of well-produced reissues and original recordings in all genres. On the reissue front, however, the label has reached its goals by employing a select group of audio specialists all working toward the same goal: to find forgotten music deserving of a second chance to reach an audience, and to approach its restoration with straightforward respect and sincerity.

Org Music GM and COO Andrew Rossiter has assembled an A-Team for the most recent batch of...

Time has always been at the heart of electronic music—its steady pulses, mechanical rhythms, and futuristic vision shaped the way we listen and move. Few artists understand this better than Wolfgang Flür. As a member of Kraftwerk during their most defining years, from Autobahn (1974) to Electric Café (1986), he played a role in setting the tempo for an entire musical movement. Decades later, he continues to explore the ever-accelerating relationship between music, technology, and the passage of time.

His latest album, TIMES brings this theme to the forefront. A collaboration spanning generations of electronic pioneers and a bl...

Jeannie Piersol, a striking yet enigmatic figure in the 1960s San Francisco music scene, is having her remarkable story told once more through The Nest, a highly anticipated anthology released by High Moon Records. With its unique blend of psychedelic rock, soul, and Indian influences, Piersol's music never fully received the recognition it deserved during her brief career. Yet, her work has long been cherished by those in the know, and The Nest compiles her most sought-after recordings, including rare demos, outtakes, and live performances. 

The compilation is not just a musical journey but a historical snapshot o...

For nearly a decade, Sleepersound has been more than just a band—it’s been a brotherhood bound by a shared passion for creating immersive, emotionally rich music. Their journey together has been defined by deep friendship and an unspoken understanding that transcends words, allowing their sound to evolve organically. From late-night jam sessions to the meticulous crafting of their third full-length album, My Own Dead Love, the band’s dynamic is built on trust and mutual respect, a foundation that fuels their creativity and sustains their unique sonic identity.

Loyalty is at the heart of Sleepersound. In an...

For over three decades, Michael Andrews (aka Elgin Park) has been an integral part of the Greyboy Allstars, a band that has carved out a unique space in the world of funk, jazz, and soul. With their infectious grooves and deep musical chemistry, the group has remained a fixture on the scene, constantly evolving while staying true to their roots. As they prepare to release Grab Bag, a new compilation showcasing the full spectrum of their sound, Andrews reflects on the band’s journey, their creative process, and the art of keeping things fresh after all these years.

...

Through addiction, industry upheavals, and personal reinvention, a rock survivor’s unwavering path forward.

Perseverance is more than just endurance—it is the art of weathering storms without losing sight of the horizon. For Josh Todd - the last remaining original member of Buckcherry - survival in rock and roll has never been about mere resistance; it has been about forward motion, an unrelenting push toward something greater. With the recent vinyl reissue of 15 on Real Gone Music, Todd finds himself looking back—not to dwell, but to recognize the grit and resolve that have kept him moving...

Some artists walk, some artists run—but Michael Mayo flies. His latest album, Fly, isn’t just a title—it’s a philosophy. It’s about soaring past self-doubt, catching the updraft of creativity, and trusting that the music will take you exactly where you need to go. Raised in the rarefied air of music professionality—his mother has served as a powerhouse vocalist for Luther Vandross and Beyoncé, and his father is a multi-instrumentalist who was at one time Sérgio Mendes’ musical director—Mayo grew up with his feet barely touching the ground, swept up in a world of sound tha...

In 1979, Blondie released their fourth album, Eat to the Beat. Little did the band know that nearly a half-century later, there would be a discussion of pressing beats onto a record made of beets that one could - in theory - actually eat.

Through a shared love of vinyl and an interest in investigating new and unique ways to make the process of pressing discs more environmentally sustainable, two record fans have joined forces to investigate the possibilities of starting a vinyl pressing plant in Iceland and - instead of using PVC - using the sugar beet...

In vino veritas, is a Latin expression which - when translated - means, “In wine, there is truth.” While that concept might be slightly romanticized, there’s no doubt that a little bit of truth, and a whole lot of vision - with nice cabernet - can influence an adventurous idea, or two. But, you’ve got to have the follow through the next morning to make all of those lofty thoughts reality.

With, or without wine, Michael Dorf is a visionary, someone who has the ability to see opportunities that others miss. It all started in the 1980...

Determination is an incredibly important part of success in any industry. But, in music and media, one must be constantly doing their thing in front of as many audiences as possible, all the time. Sure, this is an exhausting part of the gig, but - in many ways - it’s mandatory. Based in Los Angeles, Goldiie Lux had an interview scheduled with me during a week where the City of Angels experienced the worst fires it’s ever known.

While Goldiie (born Naomi Simon Summers) was just outside of the evacuation zone, she managed to meet me f...

Good friends can get you through difficult times. They have your back through thick and thin, they know how to anticipate if you need support, and they can always be relied upon for understanding. However, when that friendship involves music, it can be even richer and more fulfilling.

José Medeles and Nathan Trueb have known each other for many years and have worked on a few projects in the past. They met at Jose’s world renowned drum shop - Revival Drum Shop in Portland, Oregon - when Nathan was looking to purchase some percussion instruments. After jam...

Massachusetts has always been aligned with revolutionary thoughts. Anyone paying attention in elementary history classes knows that our very own American Revolution began in Boston Harbor with a little event known as the Boston Tea Party. Just because a thing is a certain way, doesn’t mean it should stay that way forever: that’s Boston, that’s America.

So, how about a revolution against the current state of the music biz? It’s no secret that there’s been a plethora of controversy surrounding streaming versus physical media and also the often unfair payouts that musicians earn. Ente...

It’s not always what we say, sometimes it’s more about what we leave out; the silence in between our words can speak volumes. The same can be said of music, particularly the music of Roger Eno who has recently released a companion piece of sorts to his last release titled, The skies, they shift like chords (2023). This newest album is an extension to some of those musical thoughts and is named the skies: rarities. This release also continues his relationship with the Deutsche Grammophon label. 

Eno has a long history of creating music, he’s release...

When we talk about an individual being artistic, usually we’re referring to the visual or graphic arts field, and every so often, music. However, an infusion of art is really necessary in any branch of knowledge: coding, medicine, logistics, education or any other field for that matter really all require a bit of an artistic eye to be elevated to its pinnacle.

Isaac Watters uses his inherent artistry in two fields where he’s been successful: you may have seen some of his work as a set designer and art director, but he’s also an archit...

Is your passport up-to-date? If it’s not, now might be the right time to submit your application to ensure it’s valid. Because you’re going on a bit of an international trip: from Brussels to Denmark and right here back to the good old United States of America. You’re taking a little bit of an excursion and you’ve got the best excuse to do so: good music.

Nicolas Michaux has been listening to plenty of great music over the course of his lifetime and now - on this third full length album - he’s putti...

Who didn’t love hanging out in grandma’s basement? There were always a lot of fun things down there. If you were lucky, there might have been an old stereo console crafted out of impossibly heavy wood tucked between the air hockey table and a dart board. It’s possible too, that it still worked. The dials would light up and a DJs voice wafts in from across the airwaves: these are magical and musical moments. Those consoles were great, and maybe a new generation of listeners might appreciate such a unit in their own living environment.

En...

Light and dark have been engaged in an eternal dance since the earliest of times. You’ve all seen the yin and yang which - if nothing else - illustrates that complicated symbiosis between good and evil: you can’t have the hero if you don’t have the villain. It’s just one of those conundrums of humanity. Writers, poets, filmmakers, artists of all ilk have explored this deeply, and will continue to do so as it’s a concept that’s hardwired into the human experience.

You can look at the balance of values through many differe...

Technology’s growth in the last decade has been astounding. I don’t have to tell you how AI has just begun to impact our lives, and we all grit our teeth peeking to witness its evolution. But, though it all, there’s a timeless beauty to the still photograph. Even our 21st century blogs and social media are - in many ways - simply a digital photo book for us to flip through. Humans love looking at pictures and - as with vinyl records - we enjoy that experience even more when it is coupled with a tactile elemen...

Some guys just do it all. Today we speak with Andy Babiuk about the newest release from the Chesterfield Kings who have been rock and roll torch-bearers over the last forty plus years. The album is titled, We’re Still All The Same. Take that musical pathway, connect it with Little Steven - and his Wicked Cool Records label - and first you’ve got a story about a meat and potatoes rock band that continues to preach the garage rock gospel in the 21st century with the help of one of the day’s most active rock and roll c...

I don’t know when you first found out about the role of a session musician, but for me, it was associated with The Monkees. I remember not quite understanding how a band could make music, yet still not play all of the instruments on the record. Well, my youthful naïveté was obliterated when I learned that there exists a highly skilled, dedicated, professional group of elite musicians who slip in the studio to lay down tracks that uplift whatever the star performer may have created.

On keyboards, there’s one session musician who stands above many o...

As Bruce Springsteen once sang, “two hearts are better than one” and that certainly is the case with The Heavy Heavy. Not only does the name of the band have a second helping of Heavy, but the group is fronted by two musicians who, you’ll soon find out, act as a team when it comes to decisions about the group’s sound and direction.

About a decade ago, Georgie Fuller and Will Turner met under musical circumstances and haven’t looked back since. While their first musical collaboration leaned toward an acoustic Laurel Canyon sound, this new iterat...

Sometimes, the only way to find yourself is by getting a little bit lost. Israel Nebeker - lead singer of the band Blind Pilot - experienced this first hand. The band came strongly upon the music scene in 2008, gaining particular media attention for their “bike tour” which brought them from Bellingham, Washington all the way to San Diego, California with nothing but their instruments and bicycles in tow.

Noteworthy activities like these - and two well-received albums - placed them in front of viewers of Last Call With Carson Daly, before audience members at Lollapalooza, and even all...

Imagine hearing a style of music that has become very popular; a genre you might hear on a TV commercial, or maybe on your favorite streaming program, or perhaps coming from a car window as it passes you by the street. Now, try to pretend that the style of music you’re hearing was popularized by your dad.

Seun Kuti goes through this process often and - along with his siblings - have become the next wave of afrobeat music makers who have followed in the footsteps of their famous father, Fela Kuti. Fela was the architect of...