MUSIC_DIRECTOR for Pickin'
Paonia, Colorado, United States
Andrea "Dre" Castillo joined the KVNF staff in June, 2022. With a strong passion for music and people, Dre serves as the Music Director & DJ Coordinator. She is originally from the West Coast and moved to the Western Slope of the Rockies in 2016. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, rafting, drawing and going to see live music. You can catch her on the KVNF airwaves.
Latest Album Reviews
Review of Slidemaster
Album Info: Slidemaster
Rick Vito Album: Slidemaster Label: MoMojo Genre(s): Contemporary Blues Posted
By: Duane Verh
Apr 8, 2026
Review
Rick Vito’s particularly haunting treks into minor-keyed regions are definite high points on his all-instrumental slide showcase. Originals “The Danger Zone” and “Soul Shadows” fit this description as well as his cover of Peter Green’s “The Supernatural”. His slow-blues take on the Jimmy Hughes soul classic “Steal Away” stands out as do respectable readings of the afore-mentioned Mr. Green’s mellow masterpiece “Albatross” and the Sam Cooke classic “A Change Is Gonna Come”.
Guitarist and composer Rahul Mukerji strikes instrumental jazz fusion gold with his 2026 album Mridhangit. A collaborative effort in the finest sense of the word, Mridhangit finds the guitarist in the company of some excellent backing musicians.
Mridhangit is a globally hybridized creation involving a range of musicians from all over the world. Rahul further defines the album as Bridging Distances in Uncertain times: A Collaborative Journey across Continents. The uncertain times no doubt refers to the pandemic with its isolationist tendencies, a period which propelled Rahul to focus his energy on music while connecting with other musicians.
Among the musicians Rahul chose for the album are Praveen Sparsh, the esteemed South Indian percussionist and Leo Margarit, drummer of the progressive metal band Pain of Salvation. Other notable artists include Ruben Rubio, Chaplin and
Ed Alstrom Album: This Idea Of Humanity Label: Haywire Genre(s): Contemporary Blues, Jazzy Blues Posted
By: Duane Verh
Mar 22, 2026
Review
Organist Ed Alstrom presses his primary axe and other keyboards into service of exceptional original fare; consistently tuneful and lyrically smart. Delivering by way of rough-hewn vocals of a Tom Waits-like variety are a steady stream of lyric sets that evoke the likes of masters such as Mose Allison- “Humans”, “Inquiring Minds” and Percy Mayfield- “Understanding”. Other standouts include the rave-up leadoff track, “Put You First” and another Allison-esque take,“Bridesmaid”. Nice work!
Omar Coleman & Igor Prado Album: Old, New, Funky & Blue Label: Nola Blue Genre(s): Blues Rock, Contemporary Blues Posted
By: Duane Verh
Mar 15, 2026
Review
Omar Coleman’s brawny old-school vocals meet with pinpoint guitar punctuation courtesy of Igor Prado resulting in a satisfying set of soul and blues, as fresh sounding as it is roots-bound. Alongside a slightly edgier take on Syl Johnson’s hit version of “I Only Have Love”, the front half of this set is a string of smart sounding originals. Likely to catch on is the infectious funk of “Moving On To Better Days” and “Cut You Loose”.
Handsome Jack Album: Barnburners! Label: Alive Naturalsound Genre(s): Blues Rock Posted
By: Duane Verh
Mar 9, 2026
Review
Encased in sounds of rock-steady boogie and blues one finds more than a bit of song crafting savvy courtesy of this Western New York trio. Matching the back-to-the-basics punch of the band are some catchy, airplay-worthy lyric sets. Evoking an early Stones posture is an appealingly sleazy shuffler- “It’s Only Business”. Other ear-grabbers include an insistent rocker, “Do it To It” and the lowdown “Blue Falls Motel”.
Jan 16, 2026 -
AVAILABLE NOW: THE NEW BOOK FROM AUTHOR TAD RICHARDS
Listening to Prestige: Chronicling Its Classic Jazz Recordings, 1949–1972
A... Read Full Article
Nov 30, 2025 -
New Christmas Music by from Marcus Goldhaber “I Can’t Wait For Christmas” (digital only single) and Margee Minier-Tubbs &... Read Full Article
Sep 9, 2025 -
Chicago-based Indie-folk singer-songwriter Chris Rawlins is set to release his much anticipated sophomore album, Flyover,... Read Full Article
Sep 7, 2025 -
Putumayo Discovery is proud to announce the release of French Groove, a dynamic compilation that showcases the fresh face of French... Read Full Article
Sep 7, 2025 -
Putumayo Discovery's new album, Instrumental Odyssey, out on September 5th, 2025 is a journey across cultures, continents, and musical... Read Full Article
Oct 24, 2024 -
For fans of Beirut, Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, Regina Spektor and Keren Ann. The lush bucolic folk of ‘Season to Season’ is the first... Read Full Article
Sep 12, 2024 -
Indiana based Singer Songwriter Abbie Thomas to release eagerly awaited second album Sept 27
The candid creative spark behind Abbie... Read Full Article
