RIP Cassandra Wilson
That voice - it was unmistakable and every time I heard it, it drew me in and kept me wanting more. Sadly, Grammy-award winning jazz singer, Cassandra Wilson, died today in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. She was 70 years old. I first was exposed to Wilson’s voice through her 1993 album Blue Light ‘til Dawn. It was an incredible mix of originals and covers and nothing was truly straightforward. The songs were complex and diverse that brilliantly fused Mississippi Delta
Sep 22 min read
Meet Red Cavalry
I love discovering new music. Sometimes I stumble into it through radio, through friends, and streaming services. But lately, social media has played a huge role. I love hearing a new band and thinking, Wait…where have you been? That was my reaction when I heard “Inland Empire” by Red Cavalry, a band from Aberystwyth, Wales. I heard early R.E.M. I heard The Jam. I heard The Housemartins. I had to learn more about this band. The members of Red Cavalry met at university in Abe
Aug 263 min read
Ten Albums, One Life - Carbon Leaf - Indian Summer
The next installment in my series “Ten Albums, One Life” is a very personal one. On December 18, 2014, I took my daughter Abby to her first Carbon Leaf concert. It was cold that night, but the temps were no match for what would warm us up inside The Birchmere. What we also didn’t realize was that seeing Carbon Leaf that year would become our annual tradition. Part of what helps with our excitement about going back year after year are the songs off of their fifth album, India
Jul 282 min read
Summer 2026
There’s something special about a summer mixtape. It's not just a collection of random songs, it’s a soundtrack for long evenings on the deck, backyard barbecues with friends, open windows on a late-night drive, and those moments when the sun hangs around just a little longer. And with the temperature hitting triple digits, I thought it was the right time to put out a hot playlist, mixing some familiar favorites with overlooked gems that deserve another listen. Maybe these so
Jul 112 min read
Fall Into The Music
It’s July 1999 and I’m on my lunch break in Washington, DC. Just up the road, about a 10 minute walk is a mall. Not THE National Mall, I’m talking about an actual mall. Since it’s in the city, it isn’t huge, but it’s got a nice selection of stores including Tower Records. I’d spend a lot of lunch hours there, discovering new music and spending way more than I should have on my paycheck. However, nearby was a store where I also discovered a ton of new music. The Gap. Yes, whil
Jun 291 min read
The Rising in D.C.
Almost two weeks ago, I finally experienced something I'd been meaning to do for years: see Bruce Springsteen in concert. I’ve been a huge fan for decades, but somehow never made it to one of his shows. There were plenty of expectations and I can easily say that the reality exceeded all of them. From the moment Bruce and the E Street Band took the stage at Nats Park, it felt less like a concert and more like a gathering of thousands of people connected by the same songs, stor
Jun 92 min read
It’s 1991 - What’s In The Rotation?
One of my favorite parts of working at my college radio station (WVYC in York, Pennsylvania), was serving as music director. It was another level of discovering new music - It meant hours spent digging through new releases, contemplating what would go into our daily rotation, and chasing that rush of discovering an artist or track I knew had to be heard. I felt a real sense of responsibility in helping shape the station’s sound, but honestly, it was just fun. So every week, t
May 262 min read
