BLUES
"Tell Me Baby," Jimmy Dawkins, Fedora
Though he was born in Mississippi, Jimmy Dawkins is always associated with Chicago blues. He left for the Windy City on a Greyhound Bus when he was 19, and "Tell Me Baby" marks the 68-year-old guitarist's 19th release.
COUNTRY
"When The Sun Goes Down," Kenny Chesney, BNA
Contemporary country cutie-pie Kenny Chesney had his breakthrough in 1999 with his album, "Everywhere We Go," which sold more than two million copies. Since then, he's been so popular he probably doesn't know what to do with himself, so he recorded another album to see if he can get back on the charts.
FOLK
"Mercurial," Asylum Street Spankers, Spanks-A-Lot
The Asylum Street Spankers is a 10-piece group from Austin, Texas. After forming in 1995, the group has gained a strong following down in Music City II, mostly because of their ability to draw heavily on Robert Johnson-esque blues and mix it with traditional folk tunes.
JAZZ
"Songs of Sunlife: Inside the Didgeridu," Douglas Ewart, Innova
Douglas Ewart, a 58-year-old native of Kingston, Jamaica, is releasing his first solo album. He's known best for his multi-instrumentalism and his solos on alto sax, flute, bass clarinet and bassoon. This debut album is dedicated to the instrument known as the Didgeridu.
LATIN
"Como Una Flecha," Ramón Ayala, Freddie
Ram-n Ayala is possibly the most famed accordionist ever, definitely for the norteño genre of northern Mexico. Ayala's newest release, "Como Una Flecha," which in English means, "Like an Arrow," is one of more than 35 albums released under the singer's name.
RAP
"Cee-Lo Green Is the Soul Machine," Cee-Lo, Arista
Cee-Lo was the first member of Southern rap quartet Goodie Mob to go solo. He's known for going against the norm, much like Andre 3000 of OutKast. His latest album, "Cee-Lo Green Is the Soul Machine," is his second solo rap album.
ROCK
"Crow Left of the Murder," Incubus, Epic/Immortal
For years, Incubus had successfully incorporated funk, metal and rock together into the perfect eclectic blend. Then, in the late 1990s, the band took a turn from funk to more alternative metal. I'm up in the air with what to expect from the band's latest release, "Crow Left of the Murder." I hope we'll see Incubus going back to its "S.C.I.E.N.C.E." days.
