With the term jam band incorporating everything from blues to bluegrass these days, it’s an overused handle that barely describes all the disparate bands lumped within its parameters. Still, Assembly of Dust has found its fit there, mostly due to its freewheeling dexterity, a sense of retro revival, and a…

It’s not always obvious from what we’re exposed to in this dance-centric part of the state, but Florida used to be a fairly reliable bastion for rock ‘n’ roll. Just check out the list of former homeboys — the Allman Brothers, Jim Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, the Mavericks, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and…

Wilco may be the essence of eclectic indulgence. Shedding their Americana visage with 2002’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, they successfully redefined themselves as an experimental outfit dealing in atmospheric soundscapes and sonic contradiction. Their daring was rewarded with a pair of Grammy nods for their follow-up, A Ghost Is Born, while…

Forget the Foo Fighters — the true champ when it comes to blending melody and mayhem is a tumultuous trio known as Dinosaur Jr. These prototypical hardcore heroes were making heads bop and torsos flail back when Dave Grohl was still taking his cues from Kurt Cobain. The group’s bassist,…

Kings of Leon are commanding quite a racket these days. Hailed by some as the saviors of Southern rock, these four — three of them the sons of a Pentecostal preacher — managed to turn their third album, Because of the Times, into an ironic little mixture of hellfire and…

Following the critical acclaim garnered by 2005’s simultaneous release of I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, Bright Eyes seems eager to confirm its status as indie overachievers. With anticipation building for a follow-up, the band’s mainstays — boy-genius Conner Oberst joined by Mike Mogis…

Norah Jones is still searching for her perpetual groove. Since garnering instant acclaim at the top of the jazz and pop charts with her multiplatinum debut album, Come Away With Me, Jones’ forward momentum hasn’t been all that successful. Though undeniably sensual and seductive, her second album, Feels Like Home,…

Ravi Shankar may be India’s best-known musical export, but it’s also safe to say most people would be stumped if they were forced to identify another. Put out a poll on sitar virtuosos and chances are it would be the late Beatle George Harrison who’d top the tally. Then again,…

Sure, Mary Karlzen sings like a coal miner’s daughter and lives in Wisconsin, but she’s originally a South Florida home girl who got her break with local outfit Y&T Music. Her third album, Dim the Watershed, released on Y&T in 2000, helped legitimize the hype regarding South Florida’s musical talent…

Laurie Jennings understands the merits of being a singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. As former proprietor of Homestead’s now-defunct Mainstreet Café, she not only developed a solid reputation by booking nationally renowned folk acts but also frequently performed with her own house band, the Pathfinders. Although the club is now closed,…

Sharing the same West Texas roots that birthed Buddy Holly, Joe Ely helped kick-start the so-called outlaw country movement and has impacted its direction ever since. More than 30 years ago, he was part of the region’s first supergroup, the Flatlanders, and he was there with Tex Mex stars Los…

Despite putting out nine albums and having a knack for writing songs that would make Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson wince with envy, Ron Sexsmith has somehow managed to fly below the radar with the music-buying masses. Just exactly why remains an unfathomable mystery. Yet to his credit, this baby-faced…

After four albums of exceptional, introspective folk-pop musings, it’s something of a shock to find Erin McKeown turning her attention to jazz gems of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. Still, she does a credible job of capturing the spirit of those songs with a wink and a nudge of irreverence…