JEFF HEALEY Last Call [Stony Plain] Although he was known primarily for his scorching electric blues-rock guitar work, the late Jeff Healey was also a passionate lover of early 20th-century jazz. Last Call, recorded in 2007, is the fourth album to feature Healey paying tribute to that music. Healey, who here sings and plays trumpet (as he did on his other jazz outings), is accompanied by only two other musicians, clarinetist and pianist Ross Wooldridge... 

CARRIE RODRIGUEZ Love & Circumstance [Ninth Street Opus] On her third solo release, fiddler Carrie Rodriguez covers a collection of influential songs with the ease and finesse of someone far older than her 31 years. Pedal steel ace Greg Leisz anchors the understated folk-country arrangements, while the harmony vocals of Aoife O’Donovan and Buddy Miller (the latter on Merle Haggard’s “I Started Loving You Again”) add depth to Rodriguez’s... 

JOSH ROUSE El Turista [Yep Roc] Longtime Tennessee resident Josh Rouse’s relocation to Spain has clearly given this soft-spoken singer-songwriter a burst of inspiration. However, the sound of El Turista suggests his true fascination these days resides with Brazilian rhythms, as filtered through the influences of Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto and Gilberto Gil. Sung partially in Spanish and only occasionally in English, El Turista exudes charm befitting... 

OZOMATLI Fire Away [Mercer Street/Downtown] Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most joyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On its fifth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop in ways few groups could conceive. Imagine tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly... 

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu [Decca] For a dozen years, the arrangements on Rufus Wainwright’s albums got busier and his sometimes naughty, occasionally angry declarations of gay pride got louder. Each new offering suggested that its creator was a few strides closer to crafting something truly monumental in both musical and social terms. This cold and private set isn’t it, although that’s probably due more to personal... 

COURT YARD HOUNDS Court Yard Hounds [Columbia] A side project of Dixie Chicks’ Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, Court Yard Hounds delivers much-anticipated insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little of the barn-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No... 

HOLE Nobody’s Daughter [Universal] The first album released under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’s second solo album—co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson isn’t involved, nor is any other previous Hole member. So it’s Love and three ringers on 11 new songs—10 of which Love wrote with collaborators like Billy Corgan, Linda Perry and new guitarist Micko Larkin. (Perry... 

TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL June 17-20, Telluride, Colo. Top acts: Alison Krauss & Union Station, Del McCoury Band, Lyle Lovett Tickets: $60 per day, $185 for the weekend 2009 attendance: 10,000 bluegrass.com/telluride Now in its 37th year, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has grown to 10 times its original size—and would likely continue if venue capacity weren’t capped at 10,000. Telluride is a family-friendly summer festival with a wealth... 

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL July 2-4, New Orleans, La. Top acts: Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Earth Wind & Fire, De La Soul Tickets: $159-636 2009 attendance: 270,000+ essence.com/festival The Essence Music Festival was created 15 years ago by the lifestyle magazine for black women. Artists you’ll find headlining the event embody the messages found in its pages: women whose music preaches empowerment and independence. Educational seminars... 

FORECASTLE FESTIVAL July 9-11, Louisville, Ky. Top acts: The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Drive-By Truckers, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Tickets: $60 per day, $150 for the weekend 2009 attendance: 23,000+ forecastlefest.com So over the big-name festivals everyone’s heard of? Get in on the next big summer thing by checking out Forecastle. Founded in 2002 as a free event spotlighting local bands, it has since outgrown three subsequent venues, attracted the... 

IOWA STATE FAIR Aug. 12-22, Des Moines, Iowa Top acts: Keith Urban, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Sugarland, Colbie Caillat Tickets: $25-47 2009 attendance: 1 million+ iowastatefair.org Looking for the king of state fairs? Head to Des Moines. Founded in 1854, the 11-day fair saw a record-setting 1.1 million visitors in 2008. This must-see slice of Americana offers nightly concerts over a range of genres, though country and nostalgia-type fare feature... 

CAREFUSION NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL Aug. 6-8, Newport, R.I. Top acts: Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea Freedom Band, Jamie Cullum Tickets: $69-100 per day Performers: 30+ newportjazzfest.net Some of America’s most famous jazz recordings were made at this legendary festival, which since 1954 has brought together the greats for three days of nonstop music. The first outdoor jazz festival has served as an introduction to luminaries such as... 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOLKS FESTIVAL Aug. 13-15, Lyons, Colo. Top acts: John Prine, Ani DiFranco, The Swell Season, Richard Thompson Tickets: $110 for a 3-day pass 2009 attendance: 3,500 per day bluegrass.com/folks For a selection of the best in song craftsmanship, look no further than this Colorado festival nestled in the mountains, a sister event to the well-known Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Now in its 20th year, the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival attracts... 

KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL May 27-June 13, Kerrville, Texas Top acts: Indigo Girls, Slaid Cleaves, Sara Hickman, Randy Rogers, Porterdavis Tickets: $25-40 per day Site space: 50 acres kerrville-music.com One of the longest summer music festivals, Kerrville runs for 18 days and features more than 60 folk acts, as well as songwriting seminars, guitar workshops and open mic nights. Attendees can camp out on the Quiet Valley Ranch for an extended stay or... 

LEVITT PAVILIONS May – Sept., Los Angeles; Pasadena, Calif.; Westport, Conn.; Memphis, Tenn.; Arlington, Texas Top Acts: Todd Snider, Cowboy Junkies, Dionne Warwick, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears Tickets: Free levittpavilions.org A nationwide nonprofit committed to promoting arts in the community, Levitt Pavilions offers free concerts at five locations throughout the summer months. Relax on the lawn and soak up the sounds of blues, zydeco,... 

CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL June 26, Bridgeview, Ill. Top acts: Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Steve Winwood, John Mayer, Vince Gill Tickets: $100 2007 attendance: 28,000 crossroadsguitarfestival.com When the legendary Eric Clapton assembled a group of guitar virtuosos for an all-day show in 2004, it was billed as a once-in-a-lifetime line-up. But he organized a repeat performance in 2007 and again this summer. More than 25 guitarists will gather... 

WATERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL July 2-5, Portland, Ore. Top acts: Taj Mahal, Little Feat, John Mayall, Booker T. Tickets: $10 plus two cans of food, per day 2009 donations: 87,577 pounds of food waterfrontbluesfest.com You can’t beat the admission price for the country’s second-largest blues festival. The fundraiser for a local food bank asks for a minimal donation each day in exchange for more than eight hours of music on four stages overlooking... 

BONNAROO June 10-13, Manchester, Tenn. Top acts: Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Norah Jones, Weezer Tickets: $249 2009 attendance: 75,000 Site space: 700 acres bonnaroo.com It’s safe to say the majority of outdoor music events these days have taken their cues from Bonnaroo. “It’s America’s best-known camping festival,” says Bongiovanni. Since 2002, the event has grown from a laidback jam to a 24-hour carnival of... 

LOLLAPALOOZA Aug. 6-8, Chicago, Ill. Top acts: Lady Gaga, Green Day, Soundgarden, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Cypress Hill, MGMT, Erykah Badu Tickets: $215 2009 attendance: 225,000+ Artists: 150+ lollapalooza.com In the ’90s, Lollapalooza criss-crossed the country as the premier alt-rock summer tour, after getting its start as an extended farewell for Jane’s Addiction organized by lead singer Perry Farrell. Slow ticket sales eventually forced it... 

VANS WARPED TOUR June 25-Aug. 15, kick-off in Carson, Calif. Tickets: around $30, varies by city Top acts: The All-American Rejects, Andrew WK, Bring Me the Horizon, We the Kings Stages: 5+, depending on venue vanswarpedtour.com The line-up for the 2010 Warped Tour was announced via YouTube by Tiffany Mink, a 23-year-old music blogger sporting a nose ring, which offers a general idea of the event’s demographic. But the tour is a bargain. High-profile... 

CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL June 10-13, Nashville, Tenn. Top acts: Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band Tickets: $30+ per day, $110-300 plus fees for a 4-day pass 2009 attendance: 56,000 per day average cmafest.com If you’re in the mood for country music this summer, there’s no shortage of options. But not only does this reasonably priced four-day festival boast more than 150 hours of music, it offers the increasingly rare opportunity... 

PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL July 16-18, Chicago, Ill. Top acts: Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, LCD Soundsystem, Pavement, Big Boi Tickets: $40 per day 2009 attendance: 49,000 pitchforkmusicfestival.com Founded in 1996, Pitchfork Media quickly became a leading voice in online music criticism, and its accompanying festival is poised for the same brand of success. Just five years old, it drew an impressive crowd last year, and three-day passes have... 

WHO’S NEXT: LAURA BELL BUNDY HOMETOWN: Lexington, Ky. INFLUENCES: Pearl Bailey, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson ALBUM: Achin’ and Shakin’, out now WEBSITE: laurabellbundy.com FOR LAURA BELL BUNDY, THE ROAD TO NASHVILLE BEGAN in New York City. She had been performing country music for several years, but caught the attention of Music City as the Tony-nominated star of Broadway musicals like Legally Blonde, Hairspray and Wicked. She set aside... 

WHO’S NEXT: BERTELL HOMETOWN: Houston, Texas INFLUENCES: Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder ALBUM: Goin’ Hard, out June 22 WEBSITE: bertellonline.com R&B NEWCOMER BERTELL (BORN BERTELL YOUNG) got his start in his grade-school cafeteria, where he regularly took over the piano and sang to entertain his classmates. He attended college in new Jersey on a basketball scholarship, and through his team’s coach got to know music... 

WHO’S NEXT: TRUTH & SALVAGE CO. HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, Ca. MEMBERS: Joe Edel (bass), Adam Grace (keyboards), Tim Jones (vocals, guitar), Scott Kinnebrew (vocals, guitar), Bill “Smitty” Smith (vocals, drums), Walker Young (vocals, keyboards) ALBUM: Truth & Salvage Co., out May 25 WEBSITE: truthandsalvageco.com TRUTH & SALVAGE CO. FORMED IN 2005, GROWING OUT of late-night jam sessions at Hotel Café in Hollywood, where singer... 

M Music & Musicians / May 2010 Issue 03 Cover Story: Stone Temple Pilots Features: The Vinyl Frontier, Summer Festivals Musician: Chester Thompson, Melissa Etheridge Producer: Alan Parsons Q&A’s: Merle Haggard, Deftones, Taylor Hawkins, Nas & Damian Marley, Chely Wright, The Black Keys Spotlight: Minus The Bear, Josh Ritter, Betty Lavette, The Hold Steady, Bill Charlap And Renee Rosnes, Widespread Panic, The New Pornographers Who’s... 

The S3X-H is a powered monitor that can drive a professional mix session as well as an impressive home theater. FOR: Recording studios both home and commercial, as well as multimedia. The S3X-H is horizontally configured (hence the “H”) and all the controls are mounted on the front—which is very convenient for powering up and down safely. In a good room with plenty of space between listener and speakers, the pair creates a solid aural image... 

Carbon fiber pioneers RainSong revamp their grand auditorium guitar to include more traditional design elements. FOR: Any player whose demands include stability and a cool aesthetic. The carbon fiber that gives all RainSong guitars their smoky gray coloring (set off nicely here by a thick rosette of abalone and shark inlay on the fretboard) looks sweet, but its musical characteristics are what really set the CO-WS1000N2 apart. The lack of swelling... 

Heil Sound mics are famous for their condenser-like frequency range and invincibility against clipping. FOR: Drummers and live sound engineers. Playing with Heil drum mics at a gig with decent monitoring feels close to a studio experience. That’s because the frequency coverage and seemingly limitless dynamic range of each microphone is recreating an acoustic instrument, rather than treating the sound as a gunshot to be muffled before sending it...