Vocalist Alison Ruble has gathered a strong set of jazz and folk-rock songs for her second Origin Records release. After displaying her diverse musical taste on her 2008 debut, This is a Bird, Ruble drives home the point that she is as comfortable reinterpreting the American songbook as she is covering recent songs by Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt. Ruble also continues to work with some of Chicago’s top musicians, including guitarist John McLean, who did all the arrangements on Ashland. The 10

Debi Raven’s debut album is a warm introduction to a vocalist at ease covering a variety of material. With selections ranging from Fats Waller to Billie Holiday, from Bu…

Gabriele Tranchina’s ambitious, new release, A Song of Love’s Color, brings together a wide array of rhythms and languages. A native of Germany who has settled in…

Aled Thomas sounds like he could use a hug. Lucky for us that means he has written some good songs. His trio opens the CD with the title track, a clever number about che…

New York-based pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton has released her third CD, The Breeze and I, a 13-song collection of lesser-known standards. A bit of a tradit…