DJ for The Blend
Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Steve Miller hails originally from Columbus, Ohio, and moved to Massachusetts in 2013. He spent his career working in the world of insurance and now works as a semi-retired consultant when not spinning discs at WICN. Steve first heard jazz in his parents’ home and his passion for the music truly ignited in high school and college. He lives in Central Massachusetts with his wife Leslie and their highly ridiculous dog, Coltrane.
Latest Album Reviews
Review of Yukon
Album Info: Yukon
Madre Vaca Album: Yukon Label: Self-Release Genre(s): Fusion Posted By: Robert Silverstein
Jun 9, 2025
Review
The 2024 album by Jacksonville, Florida-based Madre Vaca entitled Knights Of The Round Table was an ambitious album depicting, in various instrumental and vocal music forms, the lore of King Arthur. The music composed by Madre Vaca drummer Benjamin Shorstein was sprawling and ambitious and featured a vast cast of musicians. Fast forward a year later, the release of Yukon takes the Madre Vaca sound in a new direction.
With the music composed by group members Thomas Milovac (bass), Jarrett Carter (guitar) and Jonah Pierre (keyboards), the sound of Yukon is no less entertaining than its predecessor. With Benjamin Shorstein producing and adding his finesse on drums, the sound of Yukon is somewhat scaled back yet it combines a wide range of jazz-rock, fusion and other instrumental forms. One thing remains is the diverse sounds of Madre Vaca.
The CD cover art looks like a map or sorts
Bongo Boy Album: Backroom Blues Vol. 13 Label: Bongo Boy Genre(s): Blues Rock Posted By: Robert Silverstein
Jun 7, 2025
Review
Bongo Boy recently released the thirteenth edition of their Backroom Blues various artists album series and it’s mostly a fine, modern day examination of the blues, with instrumentals and a wide assortment of blues rock tracks. The music is modern and vintage sounding at the same time featuring some tracks that transcend the genre with both fierce and spiritual sounds.
Bongo Boy favorites The New Bardots, featuring rocker Gar Francis, kicks off the album with a track called “Born Ready”, essentially an electrifying 12-bar blues-rocker filled with amusing lyrical innuendos. With their acoustic track “Homeward Bound”, The Delta Hound Dogs offers a slice of Delta blues that just about revives the ghost of Robert Johnson.
Another interesting track here comes by way of poet-vocalist Ann M. Wolf with her hypnotic spiritual called “Is There Any Room,
Review of Pickin' On Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bluegrass Rising
Album Info: Pickin' On Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bluegrass Rising
Iron Horse Album: Pickin' On Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bluegrass Rising Label: CMH Genre(s): Contemporary Bluegrass Posted By: Joe Ross
Jun 4, 2025
Review
Hailing from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Iron Horse is a bluegrass band that formed in 2000 with Tony Robertson (mandolin), Ricky Rogers (bass), Anthony Richardson (banjo) and Vance Henry (guitar). Several members had previously worked with Jake Landers and Rual Yarbrough. Since 2003, when they were approached by CMH Records to record a tribute album to Metallica, they have since done bluegrass tribute albums to Ozzy Osbourne & Black Sabbath, Modest Mouse, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam and The Doors. They’ve also released other albums of bluegrass, gospel and holiday music.
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s music, and specifically the songs written by John Fogerty, adapt very well to bluegrass stylings with instruments and arrangements that capture some of that same earthy passion and soul of that San Francisco area band. A bluegrass band, of course, doesn’t give the songs
Ron Rieder Album: Día Precioso! Label: Meson Genre(s): Latin Jazz Posted By: Robert Silverstein
Jun 2, 2025
Review
Latin-flavored instrumental jazz is making significant inroads in the music world of 2025 with case in point being the album release of Día Precioso! by composer Ron Rieder. With all the music composed by Ron Rieder, the 8-track, 33-minute album is buoyant and positive and filled with the many different colors of Latin jazz fusion.
Filled to the brim with the beats and rhythms of the Samba, Mambo, Tango and a variety of South American sounds, and with Ron Rieder composing the music, the album features a range of musicians that is driven further by the energetic percussion of album producer Ricardo Monzon.
The follow-up to Ron Rieder’s first album, Latin Jazz Sessions, the Día Precioso! album was recorded in Acton, Massachusetts while the all-instrumental approach assures that all kinds of jazz and World Beat listeners
Reverend Freakchild Album: A Bluesman of Sorts Label: Treated & Released Genre(s): Contemporary Blues Posted By: Duane Verh
Jun 1, 2025
Review
The biographically elusive Reverend Freakchild’s convincing deep-soul delivery enables him to infuse well-worn songs with an elemental juice that enlivens them in a near-transcendental manner; witness “Roll and Tumble Blues” or “Hellhound On My Trail” present here. The Good Rev’s feral reading of the Bobbie Gentry hit “Ode To Billie Joe” is as fascinating as it might be unexpected. Appealing work from a one-of-a-kind artist.
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
Jul 31, 2024 -
FOLK MUSICIANS CATHY FINK, MARCY MARXER, AND
CHAO TIAN ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM,
FROM CHINA TO APPALACHIA
THE GLOBAL MUSIC PROJECT... Read Full Article
Jun 12, 2024 -
Embark on a musical journey across Africa that celebrates the rich cultural tapestry of the continent with Putumayo's African... Read Full Article
Jun 3, 2024 -
Few musical compositions have so successfully tapped into that elusive formula of the enduring human spirit that is the recipe for timeless... Read Full Article
May 21, 2024 -
Released in mid-2024, It’s Worth It is the second solo album by Delay Tactics guitarist and keyboard player David Udell. It’s Worth It... Read Full Article
Mar 15, 2024 -
CMH RECORDS (Country. Music. Heritage.) maintains a rich history of classic country and bluegrass albums and is honoring several of these legacy... Read Full Article
