Jim Macnie

Latest Articles

Old-time bangers

The Carolina Chocolate Drops hit the red zone
The one element needed when revitalizing a neglected canon? Verve. Ever since the Carolina Chocolate Drops hit the trad-acoustic scene a few years ago, they've kept this notion front and center.
By JIM MACNIE | January 19, 2010

Party like it’s 2010

Get your New Year’s Eve on — and hit the ground running on New Year’s Day
Your usual lackadaisical approach to New Year's Eve — just see what happens and go with the flow — is not going to cut it this year. So to help you make this one count, here are some sure-thing NYE happenings, and some suggestions for the first day of '10.
By JIM MACNIE | January 06, 2010

Swing, etc.

10 must-hear jazz discs
The music may suffer plenty of economic slings and arrows these days, but it's still full of thrills galore. As usual, it's looking outside of its orthodoxy for invigorating ideas. Here are titles you truly need.
By JIM MACNIE | December 29, 2009

2009: The top 10 in pop music

Music you need to own
Hmm, lots of women, a few old dudes, and some African banjo (not to be confused with Steve Martin's Hollywood banjo).
By JIM MACNIE | December 22, 2009

Slow hand

Jeremy Udden’s rocky jazz path
In his Village Voice review of Jeremy Udden’s Plainville (Fresh Sound New Talent), Jim Macnie recalled how a friend of his tried to file it as “jazz for Wilco fans.” As Macnie explained, that’s not the whole story with Udden or Plainville , but it’s not a bad starting point.
By JON GARELICK | October 21, 2009