Evan Haga

1 week ago | premierguitar.com | Evan Haga

The bold English band return with their eighth record, Dreams on Toast. The brotherly guitar duo tell us about their pilgrimage back to Tonehenge. The experience of locking in with the Hawkins brothers for an hour of conversation is not unlike absorbing their gonzo, wildly effervescent take on classic hard rock. To be sure, Justin, 49, the band’s frontman and de facto lead guitarist, and Dan, 48, who plays guitar, produces, and contributes backing vocals, keep you on your toes.

Nov 12, 2024 | qobuz.com | Evan Haga

Ethio-Jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke joins forces with Tel Aviv’s Hoodna Orchestra for a timeless, funk-laden fusion on tension It’s hard to think of another subgenre more closely associated with a single artist than the Ethio-jazz that the vibraphonist and percussionist Mulatu Astatke architected in the 1960s. Django Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz comes to mind, but even that intensely swinging music grew out of more context; after all, Reinhardt had Stéphane Grappelli.

Jul 3, 2024 | spin.com | Evan Haga

SML – Small Medium Large(International Anthem)Among the more fascinating strains of early fusion’s legacy is its role as a forebear of contemporary electronic music.

May 24, 2024 | spin.com | Evan Haga

La Luz – News of the UniverseSub PopIt’s tempting to argue that La Luz matured in classic psychedelic-pop fashion. You know the trajectory: Young band emerges with fun, sunshiney gems about afternoon head-trips and summer love, then grows up; adulthood brings growing pains, tragedy, ambition, bigger budgets, and genuinely meaningful statements about ecology and the human condition. Musicians who once smiled widely refuse to appear happy in promo images. Civil-war beards ensue.

Apr 30, 2024 | spin.com | Evan Haga

Kamasi Washington – Fearless MovementYoungYou can argue about the various ways Kamasi Washington has impacted jazz culture, but one thing is undeniable: Compared to the prolificacy that has defined most important jazz musicians’ discographies, his pace and scale are positively Kubrick-ian. Running almost 90 minutes, Washington’s Fearless Movement is only his third proper full-length since 2015, when he dropped a three-hour jazz-orchestral marathon pointedly titled The Epic.