Etta James

Was Coachella 2013 Worth The Drive From Phoenix?

If you went to Coachella last weekend, you're probably still sunburned, dehydrated, and physically exhausted. Sleeping in your own bed is a glorious feeling after camping out or crashing on a friend's hotel room floor, but some aches and pains are bound to persist. Fortunately, if you had a good-en ... More >>

Does the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Matter At All?

So, hey, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame went ahead and announced their Class of 2013, which this time around, includes Rush, Public Enemy, Randy Newman and someone called the Disco Queen, Donna Summer. Those that were nominated, but didn't make the cut included Kraftwerk, Deep Purple, Joan Jett and ... More >>

Leftover Cuties' Retro Ukelele Sound Makes You Smile

With a name like Leftover Cuties and a penchant for unabashed use of ukelele, how could the Los Angeles-based quartet of Shirli McAllen, Austin Nicholsen, Stuart Johnson, and Mike Bolger be anything other than adorable? The group's folksy sound evokes images of happy couples strolling down a board ... More >>

Sareena Dominguez: "I Wouldn't Say I'm 'Super Folk'"

Ambition goes a long way -- just ask Sareena Dominguez, who signed with River Jones Music Label a scant six months ago, is releasing her debut in the spring, and is currently booking her first tour -- and she's only 19. Raised in Gilbert, Dominguez came from a rather large family in a suburb, to he ... More >>

What's Selling: Hoodlums Top 10 Selling Albums of the Week

Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We've got you covered with another installment of What's Selling. Adele came up big at the Grammy's Sunday, but she's nowhere to be seen on Hoodlums list of weekly top-sellers. It's quite possible ... More >>

Adele Won and Nicki Minaj Creeped; We Recap the Grammys

​If Adele could rap, she probably would have won that Grammy as well. Sunday night's Grammy Awards made for interesting viewing, with Adele's sweep, some amazing tributes, performances, and a downright weird and horrible showing from Nicki Minaj. Host LL Cool J opened up with a prayer for Whitne ... More >>

Rich Berra, What Are You Listening To?

Rich Berra​Rich Berra Berra is one of the hosts of the Johnjay and Rich radio show heard on 104.7 KISS-FM here in Phoenix. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play? It sounds like a scam, but I listen to KISS to hear what our station sounds like af ... More >>

Hot Birds and the Chili Sauce @ The Compound Grill

Red Hot Chili Peppers Follow Foo Fighters' Footsteps, Releasing Album Performance in Movie Theaters

​Going all out and bringing their concert experience to their fans in the Foo Fighters' style, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' will be streaming a live performance of their entire upcoming album I'm With You, according to Consequence of Sound.The live concert will be screened across the country fo ... More >>

Etta James Hospitalized with Blood Infection

Wikimedia CommonsEtta James ​Legendary jazz and R&B singer Etta James has been hospitalized in Riverside, California with a blood infection. James, 73, is perhaps best known for her song "At Last," though she's also sang backup vocals for Chuck Berry, toured with Little Richard, and garnered f ... More >>

Lara Plecas, What Are You Listening To?

Lara Plecas​Lara Plecas The local artist has a show at Art Detour at her studio The Aviary from March 19 to 21. It is located at 1020 Grand Ave. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I pretty much only listen to NPR radio. I like their tak ... More >>

Pete Yorn's Take on the Silliest of Silly Little Love Songs

Man Invents Grand Piano With 102 Keys

​An Australian craftsman has taken things up a notch and designed a grand piano with 102 keys, according to NPR Music.Wayne Stuart, the man behind the design, claims that the 14 additional keys will set the bar higher for pianos to come: none can go as high, and very few can play notes as low as t ... More >>

Multiple Benefit Concerts Being Organized to Support Queensland Flood Relief

​Flooding in Queensland, Australia is bringing about plenty of benefit concerts, according to Spinner.While artists like Keith Urban and Mos Def are shuffling around some tour dates to work around the flood, other artists and promoters are putting a more positive spin on the disaster by organizing ... More >>

Burlesque: Christina Aguilera Is Squandered in This Rehash of Yesterday's Musicals

Wedding Music: Getting Hitched? Check Out Matrimony's New Musical Canon

The Roots, Miniature Tigers, Johnny Rawls, Djentrification, and Other Weekend Events

The Roots are scheduled to perform at American Junkie in Scottsdale on Saturday during the Red Bull Soundclash.​Who'd win in a fight between local legends Miniature Tigers and the hip-hop icons of The Roots? Although its feels like we're making a Sophie's Choice between our two favorite children ... More >>

Day Drinker: Swizzle Inn

Who says you have to wait until the sun goes down to have a good time? ​On Sunday night, my hubby and I watched the exhausting, mediocre, and hipster-gimmick fest (500) Days of Summer. We spent the remainder of the evening on the patio, drinking cheap wine, reminiscing about Lloyd Dobler an ... More >>

Beyonce Gets Emotional Over Michael Jackson At U.S. Airways Show

Victor J. PalaganoBeyonce busted out several gold dresses for her show at U.S. Airways Center... and we mean "busted."Given that yesterday was the day the world said goodbye to Michael Jackson with a glitzy, arena-sized sendoff, it shouldn't have been surprising to see Beyonce dedicate a song to the ... More >>

At Last...

...Renowned R&B star returns to the Valley

Good Ol' Mr. Wilson

No bling, just blues

Cadillac Records Can’t Handle the Truth

Future Shock: Apocalyptica, Etta James, and more

So Long, Sisters: Valley blues group Sistah Blue to play its last show May 22

Johnny Rawls

Various Artists

We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song
(Verve)

Real Swingers

No harm, no foul

X-Tina on Main Street

Goodbye Yellow-Haired Mouse

Slay Bells

Santa bangs his head at the Clubhouse

Various Artists

Chicago Soul
(Soul Jazz)

Jimmy Smith

The man about jazz comes to town

Border Girl

Forget the PJ Harvey comparisons — proud cachanilla Julieta Venegas sounds like no one but herself

Alive and Kicking

Despite being entombed in the recent PBS series, Gumbo shows why jazz is very much alive and well with a fine batch of new releases

Shotgun Franny

Local blues diva gets some Texas-size love from the Red-Headed Stranger

Burt's Still the Word

The newly rediscovered Burt Bacharach has a history most fans have never even heard about

Twang and Bang

A highly anticipated new release and a promising alt-country pairing head this week's happenings

Triumph of the Underdogs

For 25 years, Bug Music has protected the rights of songwriters. In the process, they've gotten Willie Dixon's songs back from Led Zeppelin and transformed Iggy Pop into a TV-commercial composer.

Good Ol' Mr. Wilson

Smooth Blues Brown

R&B pioneer Charles Brown dies, following a golden decade of career rejuvenation

Wang Dang Diva

After three decades on the road, Koko Taylor maintains the grueling pace of a blues torch carrier

Get It While You Can

Jerry Ragavoy and the ghost of Janis Joplin

Want Some Candye?

From blue movies to blues diva, Candye Kane did it her way

Pic Hits for the week

ANNIE HAD A CO-WORKER

HANK BALLARD BROUGHT ROCK 'N' SEX OUT OF THE DARK AGES AND INTO THE HALL OF FAME. OH, YEAH, AND HE INVENTED THE TWIST!

COOKING WITH DAVETHE LONGTIME VALLEY JAZZMAN WANTS TO STIR UP THE SCENE ANY WAY HE CAN

RECORDINGS

BARTHOLOMEW'S RHYTHM AND BLUES CRUISE