Dan Kening

Larry McCray Delta Hurricane (Pointblank) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 Contemporary bluesman Larry McCray's debut album, "Ambition," was the highlight of the initial batch of releases by Virgin Records' Pointblank subsidiary a couple...

Public radio WBEZ-FM 91.5 on Tuesday announced its new program schedule, effective Jan. 1. Additions include the local news shows "Talk of the City" (Monday-Friday 12:30-2 p.m.), "Metropolis" (Saturday noon-4...

Despite fliers circulating through Chicago's jazz community warning that public radio WBEZ-FM 91.5 is planning major cuts in its jazz shows, station program director Torey Malatia says cuts will be...

Whitty Whitesell and the Life Parade 57 (Parasol) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 Rock 'n' roll gems can come from the unlikeliest places. Like this one from downstate Champaign music-scene veteran Whitty Whitesell...

Dave Hole Working Overtime (Alligator) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) On his second album for Chicago's Alligator Records, Australian slide guitar whiz Dave Hole once again serves notice that the blues is truly an...

Spanic Boys Dream Your Life Away (Rounder) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Milwaukee's Spanic Boys led by the father and son team of guitarists/vocalists Tom and Ian Spanic come up with the goods once...

Austin Lounge Lizards Paint Me On Velvet (Flying Fish) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 What a pack of jokers these five grizzled, overly educated Texas smart alecks are! With tongue firmly in cheek...

Otis Clay The Gospel Truth (Blind Pig) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Several years in the making, Chicago treasure Otis Clay's "The Gospel Truth" represents both a labor of love for the peerless soul...

Ralph Covert Eat at Godot's (Waterdog) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) The leader of local rock favorites the Bad Examples, Ralph Covert is one of the local scene's most prolific songwriters. Following three albums...

Anne Hills October Child (Flying Fish) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Match one of the contemporary folk world's finest vocalists with one of its most talented songwriters and you get the sublime "October Child."...