Ear Candy: Get Up and Go!Happiest of Fridays, my frequency friends!

If the snooze button has been winning recently, this week's Ear Candy is here to rescue you. It's Get Up and Go! Think of it as your personal soundtrack to shake off the grogginess, stretch out the yawns, and actually step out the door with a little spring in your step.

Whether you’re heading out for work, squeezing in a quick morning run, or just trying to get yourself moving after a night that didn’t go quite as planned, this playlist is the soundtrack that refuses to let inertia win. It’s energy you can’t help but catch, a spark that spreads from your headphones to your toes, and before you know it—you’re up, you’re moving, and you’re ready for whatever the day throws at you.

So go ahead and take your sonic shot of espresso.

Click HERE to access this week's Ear Candy.

While you're there, please "Like" the playlist and "Follow" Music Connection's profile so you'll never miss the chance to listen along with MC!The post Ear Candy: Get Up and Go! first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

UMG and Believe settle lawsuit that alleged ‘industrial-scale’ copyright infringement of Universal’s musicUniversal Music Group and Believe have settled the copyright infringement lawsuit filed against the Paris-headquartered music company and its distribution platform TuneCore in late 2024. A Joint Stipulation of Dismissal With Prejudice was filed today (April 3) in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, confirming that all claims in the … Continued
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FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS for April '26

Wuthering Heights (Original Motion Picture Score) is out now via Milan Records featuring original music by composer Anthony Willis. This is the accompaniment to director Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the classic novel. The album marked Willis and Fennell’s third feature-film collaboration. Willis crafted a score built around a restrained, plaintive theme reflecting the longing between the story’s two leads, played by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Willis’ approach moved away from traditional musical interpretations of the story, instead blending rustic textures with delicate instrumentation that complemented original songs by Charli xcx. The Warner Bros. Pictures film hit theaters in February. For more information, contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com.

WaterTower Music released the soundtrack for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Season 1, featuring an original score by composer Dan Romer for the HBO series set in the world of Game of Thrones. The show follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire, Egg, across Westeros nearly a century before the events of the original series. Romer’s score departed from the sweeping grandeur associated with the franchise, instead embracing a more intimate, grounded sound. Using small ensembles of guitars, fiddles, and whistling, he crafted a folky score reflecting the story’s focus outside castle walls and on dusty roads, among common people. Contact Christian Endicio christian@whitebearpr.com for additional details. 

GRAMMY award-winning artist Raphael Saadiq performed a one-night-only set at Los Angeles’ famous Blue Note Cafe in March, following the sold-out summer run of his critically acclaimed one-man show. The evening featured two showings and spotlighted his celebrated career, including a performance of the Oscar-nominated song “I Lied to You” from the highly praised film Sinners. The track previously won Outstanding Original Song honors at both the Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards and the Black Reel Awards. Saadiq also performed classics from his days with the musical group Tony! Toni! Toné! as well as his solo career. He also received the Guild of Music Supervisors 2026 ICON Award. Learn more by contacting Grace Jones at grace@theoriel.co.

Clika, the debut film from celebrated music producer Jimmy Humilde’s production company Rancho Humilde is now available on digital platforms and was released on DVD. Directed by Michael Greene and inspired by musician JayDee, the story follows Chito, an aspiring small-town musician played by JayDee himself, whose viral performance clip launches him into the new wave of Mexican-American music and brings him into a world of unexpected danger. The cast also includes DoKnow, Laura Lopez, Concrete, Nana Ponceleon, Percy “Master P” Miller, Peter Greene, and Eric Roberts. Contact Jordan Kaiser at jordan_kaiser@spe.sony.com for more information. 

Subtext, a U.S. independent film company launched in January 2026, has acquired the North American rights to Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, which will be the company’s inaugural release. The full-length documentary, directed by GRAMMY and Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker James Keach and produced by Michael Lehman, explore the life and work of Allman Brothers Band co-founder Gregg Allman. The film features never-before-seen interviews, rare performances from the archives, and concert footage capturing the band at their creative peak. Made in association with Rolling Stone Films, the documentary takes a look at Allman’s personal tragedies, battles with addiction, and lasting cultural impact. A theatrical release is planned for summer 2026. For details, contact Ken Weinstein at weinstein@bighassle.com. 

Oscar-winning sound editor and re-recording mixer Skip Lievsay recently appeared on the podcast “The Making Of,” where he discussed his early career, his longtime collaboration with filmmakers the Coen Brothers, and his creative approach to crafting sound in post-production. Lievsay’s extensive filmography includes renowned works like Blood Simple, Fargo, No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, The Silence of the Lambs, Gravity, Birdman, Roma, and, most recently, Marty Supreme, among many others. He was also honored this year with the Cinema Audio Society Career Achievement Award in Los Angeles. Learn more by visiting themakingof.substack.com/podcast. The post FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS for April '26 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Dialled In Records launches in London focused on South Asian music in partnership with The Collective, part of Universal Music UK’s Island-EMIDialled In Records launches with two acts: Pakistan-born producer and DJ Ahadadream, and Excise Dept, an India-based multidisciplinary collective.
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Cirkut Wins 2026 JUNO Award for Producer of the Year, Cementing Global Hitmaker StatusWhen it comes to shaping the sound of modern pop, Henry Walter—better known as Cirkut—has long been operating at an elite level. Now, the iconic producer has another major accolade to add to his already stacked résumé, taking home the 2026 “Jack Richardson Producer of the Year” honor at the JUNO Awards in Hamilton, Ontario.

The award, named after legendary Canadian producer Jack Richardson, recognizes excellence at the highest tier of music production—fitting for someone whose fingerprints are all over some of the biggest records of the past decade.

Originally from Halifax, Walter’s path to global success took shape after studying Audio Production at the Harris Institute in Toronto, where he later returned to teach. From there, he relocated to Los Angeles and quietly became one of the most in-demand producers in the industry, working with an A-list roster that includes Britney Spears, The Weeknd, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West, among many others. It’s the kind of client list that reads less like a collaboration history and more like a playlist of modern pop’s biggest moments.

If the JUNO win wasn’t enough, 2026 has already proven to be a banner year. Walter also secured three GRAMMY Awards, including Producer of the Year, thanks to his work on Mayhem by Lady Gaga, “APT.” by Bruno Mars and ROSÉ, and Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd. Across his career, he’s amassed multiple nominations in top categories like Album, Song, and Record of the Year—plus a Best Dance Pop Recording nod—underscoring both his versatility and consistency.

And the hits? They speak for themselves. With 10 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Cirkut currently sits at No. 3 on Billboard’s “Top Producers of the 21st Century” list—a ranking that reflects not just chart success, but cultural impact.

His story also serves as a strong endorsement of the institution that helped launch his career. The Harris Institute continues to tout impressive outcomes, including a 100% graduate employment rate in its Arts Management Program for a second consecutive year. In a landscape where post-secondary results are often mixed, those numbers stand out—especially alongside the school’s rare streak of zero percent student loan default rates.

That pride is shared at the top. As John Harris, President of the Harris Institute, put it: “Henry is having a remarkable career and we are proud to have contributed. He has produced and written many of the biggest hit records of the 21st century.”

For Walter, though, the latest recognition is simply another milestone in a career defined by momentum. Whether crafting chart-topping pop anthems or shaping the sonic direction of global superstars, Cirkut isn’t just participating in the industry—he’s actively steering it.

The post Cirkut Wins 2026 JUNO Award for Producer of the Year, Cementing Global Hitmaker Status first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

HYBE to inject $100M into US subsidiary, HYBE AmericaCapital injection was approved by HYBE's board on March 31
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Classical Highlights for March 2026We're back with classical music reviews! Thank you all for the kind and supportive messages after the passing of James Manheim last October; they were very appreciated. We've brought on a couple of new writers, and among their first pieces is an evaluation of Hans Zender's orchestration and elaboration of Schubert's Winterreise, sung by tenor Allan Clayton (pictured) with the Aurora Orchestra.

Kevin Mayer, former TikTok CEO and Disney veteran, joins HYBE board of directorsMayer's appointment comes amid significant changes at HYBE America.
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New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton at the State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GAOne of the hottest tours of the year, New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton stopped at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA for the first of two sold out shows March 29. All three performed together on one stage. Following an intro video, the show began at 7:45 p.m. following a DJ set. New Edition hit the stage where they were then joined by Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton performing “We Going Out Tonight.” Rather than being three separate sets, it was a 38-song setlist lasting nearly three—each artist took turns on stage, backed by New Edition’s live band and, at times, a shared ensemble of dancers. Boyz II Men would take over for one of their biggest hits, “Motownphilly,” followed by Braxton on “He Wasn’t Man Enough for Me." With a New Edition show you get Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant's solo hits “My Prerogative,” “Rub You the Right Way,” “Sensitivity,” Bel Biv DeVoe hits like “Poison” which was the closing song, and even an LSG hit “My Body” (Gill's supergroup). The New Edition hits included “If It Isn’t Love,” “Can You Stand the Rain,” “Boys To Men,” and a medley of early hits “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Candy Girl,” and “Cool It Now.” Boyz II Men performed hits like “End of the Road,” Please Don’t Go,” and “4 Seasons Of Loneliness.” Toni Braxton’s hits included “Just Be A Man About It,” “How Many Ways,” and “Un-Break My Heart.” The finale of "Poison" included all of New Edition and Boyz II Men.

New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton will return to the State Farm Arena on April 2nd.

Photos by Arielle "Scoot" HollowayThe post New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton at the State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Suno launches v5.5 AI model with voice capture and personalization featuresThe voice capture feature lets users record or upload audio of themselves singing and incorporating that vocal identity into tracks generated by Suno.
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Chess/Acoustic Sounds Series Releases Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson IIThe Chess/Acoustic Sounds series has officially launched Little Walter’s The Best of Little Walter, a collection of hits by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and accomplished harmonica player, and Sonny Boy Williamson’s The Real Folk Blues. 

Founded in 1950 by Polish immigrant brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, Chess Records emerged from the south side of Chicago and quickly crossed lines of color and culture to create rhythm and blues music that influenced listeners the world over. Chess’s unmatched roster—and its savvy founders—enhanced and transformed the blues from folk music to a popular sound. 

Today, Chess Records is not only recognizing its own rich musical heritage but inviting fans and new audiences to discover its storied roster and the music revolution that was born over seven decades ago in Chicago. 

Over years the monumental Chess catalog has had various homes, including a 1975 sale to All Platinum Records, and eventually a couple of decades ago the Chess master tapes were purchased by MCA Records, now Universal Music Enterprises. The UMe label for many years has re-released top-notch Chess Records packages, compilations and boxed sets manufacturing product configurations for radio, retail, and digital streaming outlets.

Marshall Chess, born in Chicago, Ill. on March 13, 1942, and was raised during the heyday of the independent record business. Leonard Chess had a piece of a record company named Aristocrat Records in 1947, and later in 1950 he brought his brother Phil into the fold and the brothers assumed sole ownership of the company and renamed it Chess Records. They also operated a club on the South side of Chicago, the Macomba Lounge. 

Marshall “started” in the family business at age 7 accompanying his father Leonard on radio station visits. For sixteen years Marshall worked with his dad and his uncle Phil, doing everything from pressing records, applying shrink wrap and loading trucks to producing over 100 Chess Records projects, eventually heading up the label as President after the GRT acquisition in 1969.

During the seventies Marshall served as president of Rolling Stones Records. In 1984, Chess became a partner in the ARC Music publishing company.  

Now living in Upstate New York and at 84 years old, Marshall Chess is still a record man above all - tending to the Chess Records legacy for his grandchildren and generations to come. He maintains The Chess Records Tribute YouTube channel, which features recorded live performances of Chess Records artists and a multi dozen-part Chess podcast hosted by Marshall where he chats about producing classic Chess albums and songs.  

In March 2026 Marshall sent me an email touting the recent Chess/UMe re-reissues.

"As a member of the Chess family I am so pleased that some of the great Chess music is being released in high quality vinyl again…When I played The Best Of Little Walter LP these two quotes came up in my mind. Willie Dixon told me after  Walter’s ‘Juke’ came out, ‘every blues band added a harp player.’ That's how much influence he had…and years later Miles Davis told me that he thought Walter was ‘a musical genius.’ I agree; he definitely was one of the Chess greats…

“When I played The Sonny Boy LP I remembered one of the most original and creative of the Chess blues artists …his lyrics always seemed more like poetry to me …I remember him coming in my office wearing a suit with  all the parts were different colors a derby on his head …He put his harmonica completely in his mouth and played a short tune…Took it out and asked for some cash so he could buy some wine….Some old memories from an old record man.”

During 2009 and 2010, I interviewed Marshall Chess at length in person in West Hollywood, California at the Sunset Marquis Hotel and by telephone from his office in New York.

In our 2010 discussion, I asked Marshall about the Chess studio.

“We had fabulous engineers. Ron Malo and Malcolm Chism. They were the two best engineers. Ron came from Detroit. He had worked on Motown studios and he was a big part. Before Ron, we had these two Weiner brothers, who actually built the studio.

“It was a basic classic studio design, with the echo chamber in the basement, very small control room. One of the secrets of the Chess studio was not the studio but our mastering. We had a little mastering room with a lathe. Eventually we had a Neumann lathe. The first one was an American one. We did our own mastering and had these Electrovoice speakers on the wall.

“The great part about that room that when it sounded right in that mastering room it would pop off the radio. That’s what it was all about. And the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, later Fleetwood Mac had to make visits there.

“I’ll tell you a story about the Chess artists that sort of sums up the ‘blues nerds.’ This is going back to the ‘60s, right. Driving me crazy. I knew the blues fans, the guys from Blues Horizon, Mike and Richard Vernon. I knew them well and loved them. They would come to Chicago and I would show them the original Chess master book, and they’d put their fuckin’ hands on it like it was the bible.

“So, this blues nerd was driving me crazy. ‘I’ve got to know what kind of microphone Little Walter uses to get that sound.’ It drove me crazy. Just so happened, Walter was recording. And I knew Walter from being a very little kid. I said, ‘Walter. This crazy mother fucker is driving me crazy. He wants to know what kind of mike you use?’ ‘Are you crazy mother fucker? Whatever microphone I didn’t pawn that week!’ (laughs).

“You get it. These artists were great and would have been great in any studio. It was the artistry, the playing. The studio was great and we captured a sound, and it had a sound, but it was our artists that made that sound.  

“The best explanation is, this may sound way out. It contains magic. The most apparent magic that we can see or experience is music. Let’s face it. Music changes the way you feel. That’s magical. Chess Records for some reason was a magnet for amazing artistry and all these magicians came to Chess. And we were able to capture it. And it’s something that can be experienced through audio. The music has stood up without a cinematic aspect like video. And the method of recording.”

Marshall then reflected on the Chess catalog.  

“As I grew older, and was a person of the hippie generation, and discovered things like meditation, psychedelic drugs, Buddhism. I realized what was happening in the early Chess studio was like a high Buddhist monk meditation manager. Because when you recorded in mono and two-track with 5 or 6 players and a singer there wasn’t any correction possible. One of the main jobs as a producer was like a meditation manager master.

“I love Chess Records. Because it was the greatest, happiest place in the world. You would love going there. You laughed all fuckin’ day. The artists hung out there, no, not all the artists, but what we would call the family artists. Sonny Boy, Muddy Waters, Dells, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley. I’m proud and I’m thrilled, and helped historically continue the legacy of the Chess Records label. I’m not a classic blues fan, a blues collector, I am not into the anal aspect of what guitar strings Muddy used, or what harmonica did Little Walter play.

“I only wanted to be around my family, and my father, who was a workaholic. It was a family business. They were immigrants and embraced that. For age 7 to age 12 or 13, my dad took me on the road, not because I wanted to be in the record business but because I wanted to be with my father. So, I got it really by osmosis, and that was my real reason for hanging out there.

“But being around the blues, and all these records being made, and knowing the artists, I don’t know, man, it just, got into me. It just became part of me. It’s part of my life. I’ve never even considered it work. I appear and promote Chess and the blues in films and TV documentaries. I do as much as I can because I get a buzz out of it. I’m just amazed, man, that this music that we made in Chicago has become so historical.

“When I play Chess records, I see my dad and uncle. Man, that’s what goes through my head. Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters went to my Bar Mitzvah. A lot of black people were which was a very unusual event back then in 1955.

“The Chess recording artists were always writing about women problems and sex. That’s all I ever heard from them when I was a kid. I saw some of these records being recorded. I sold them originally. I helped their initial exposure and on the SiriusXM radio program I hosted, I brought them exposure.

“With the TV programs on Muddy, The American Masters documentary, it’s all very gratifying. We always knew it. Gratification is the best word. Not for all of them. Muddy, Wolf, Chuck Berry. These are like Beethoven and Bach. They should be right up there.”

In our dialogue, Chess commented on Little Walter.

“He’s the truest genius of all the Chess artists. Because he invented and perfected a new way to play the harmonica, and did it with tremendous creativity and talent. Very much like Hendrix with guitar. They’re exactly alike. Miles Davis considered Walter a genius. Hendrix considered Walter a genius. I liked him as a person but he was always drunk. I never knew him when he wasn’t fucked up. Smelling of liquor. But, yeah, I liked him. There was something ‘sloppy drunk’ about him that I liked. But he had a mean side to him, too. I saw him and my dad go at it with anger numerous times when he was drunk. He’d be a mean drunk. But we loved him. And my dad and my family loved him. We buried him.”

Marshall then reminisced about how the Chess recordings had a devoted following on the west coast in the late sixties.

“At that time, I was very aware and very on top of alternative FM radio. I drove across the United States, visiting FM deejays like Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell in San Francisco. I’d meet all the deejays at radio stations in Los Angeles like KMET-FM and KPPC-FM and meet all these people.  And these guys would be smoking joints on the air and they’d take an album right from your arm and play it immediately five times on the air!  Those were the great days. I was part of the generation. When everyone took LSD to watch the Grateful Dead. I’ve been at the Fillmore West sitting on the floor. What happened to me was that I was part of that sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll generation and it blew my mind.

“[Promoter] Bill Graham was the greatest for that for the blues artists of that era. B.B. King on the bills. FM radio was a godsend for the blues. The big commercial AM stations would not play the records at all except some black stations. And I decided to repackage Chess to that market that was getting stoned and going deep. It was a big boost when the English groups covered the music earlier. On records and at their shows. We loved it and something we thought could never happen.

“Some of the Chess artists were booked in San Francisco places like The Matrix Club, Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane was a part owner, and The Avalon Ballroom, where Chet Helms brought the acts in.     

“Muddy Waters and B.B. King really dug white people doin’ their stuff. Sonny Boy was very much into white people doin’ his stuff. So was Howlin’ Wolf It blew our mind, of course it was a fantastic thing. We loved it. And we never thought that could happen. It was a total fantasy.

“But we first noticed it with the Muddy At Newport album came out. I can remember we got all these orders from Boston on the Muddy album and we knew it was white college kids buying it. The first thing we noticed as the album market developed.”  

With the 2026 reissues on vinyl of Little Walter’s The Best of Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II’s The Real Folk Blues I spoke with some musicians, record producers, and writers about their relationship to these LP’s and the epic Chess Records label.    

Mark Sebastian: Hearing Chuck Berry on a car radio was a rite of passage for us teens of a certain era. I realized within a few bars how capable he was with lyric. Songs like “Maybelline” or “Johnnie B. Goode” were blueprints that explored a topic in verses and a reoccurring chorus.

“Having an older brother helps shape one’s musical tastes. Aside from the fact our dad [John Benson Sebastian Pugliese] was a famous harmonica virtuoso in classical music, my brother, John, was spending all his allowance on blues records, so the apartment was awash in Sonny Terry (a friend of Dad’s,) Little Walter and any other Blues players from who he could learn.”  

Dr. James Cushing.  One of my favorite parts of David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. is the scene when a dark-suited giant enters Adam Kesher’s house bent on revenge (and knocks out Billy Ray Cyrus). The music accompanying the scene is ‘Bring It On Home’ from Sonny Boy Williamson’s The Real Folk Blues, a brilliant choice on Lynch’s part — the scene’s surreal blend of humor and menace is fully present in the song. I envy any young person discovering Williamson’s music for the first time, especially on this LP. Each cut is a drama all its own

“Little Walter Jacobs also sang and played harmonica, but his great contribution was the thick, saxophone-like sound he got from blowing his harp directly into a microphone. If Williamson was an actor on record, Jacobs was a painter, filling the audible spectrum with unique coloration. The Best of Little Walter is as good a place as any to start — but the man never made a bad record.”

Gene Aguilera: Growing up as a kid in 1964 and spinning 12 x 5 by the Rolling Stones on my suitcase record player had its benefits.  As the LP played, I studied back cover minutiae. Who wrote the songs? Who was the producer?  Who wrote the liners?  Who was the photographer?

“On side one, track two . . . ‘Confessin’ the Blues’ stuck out.  It was hypnotic.  Years later as I explored the birth of the blues, I found out the song belonged to Little Walter.  He wrote it and played it.  And I finally figured out how much Jagger (and a generation of British musicians) wrung out every note and feeling from this extraordinary harmonica player and singer named Little Walter. From then on, every chance I got, I bought Little Walter LP’s and 45s on Chess.

“British musicians’ fascination with Little Walter was evident. Digging deeper, I found out ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin’’ (Cream) and ‘Key To The Highway’ (Derek and the Dominos) were recorded by Little Walter years earlier.  As for this, I say thank you, Little Walter, for mesmerizing and influencing this East L.A. soul.”

Robert Marchese: Little Waltermade the harmonica sound like a saxophone. He was the first harmonica instrumental act to get on the charts. He was the first Chicago Southside blues cat to play The Apollo Theater. The only photo that Muddy Waters had on his mantle inside his home was Little Walter.  Paul Butterfield and I were talking around 1965 at The Trip club on Sunset and Paul listed some of Walter’s solos. He mentioned some of the solos were like a train comin’ through.

“Paul and I loved ‘Blue Midnight.’ Paul said it was the greatest blues harp playing he ever heard. Walter took the harp to such of level of strength and volume. It was electric for an instrument you couldn’t plug in. Walter was crazy…Even though he was half juiced when he recorded, his instrumentals were terrific.

“I talked to Miles Davis one time when he played The Troubadour. I managed the club 1970-1983. He told me Little Walter was a genius. Michael Bloomfield and I knew each other. I met him at The Trip in 1965 and connected again with him in 1967 at The Monterey International Pop Festival.  He loved Little Walter. He was from a whole different part of Chicago than Walter but he related to him. Captain Beefheart loved Little Walter. He told me ‘I won’t play one of his songs. I wouldn’t disrespect him like that.’ Beefheart loved him, and he played a lot of chromatic harmonica.

“It’s very hard to master an instrument. John Coltrane chased notes and took it beyond that. Charlie Parker did that to a degree. Walter was the thing on that instrument. Butterfield amazed me with the respect he had for him. And we talked about Walter’s very unique voice. He was a good singer and he had good material. ‘I Hate to See You Go,’ and ‘Whose That Knockin’ On My Door’ are hilarious songs. Great phrasing.”   

Ira Ingber: Because of my older brother, [guitarist/songwriter] Elliot, I was exposed a range of blues and ‘real’ R&B at an early age, well before I was playing guitar. In the early 1960's when most of my contemporaries here in Los Angeles were listening enthusiastically to surf music, I was under the spell of just about everything that was on the Chess, Duke, Sun, King, Ace, Federal, as well as a number of other smaller labels. 

“Chess obviously stood out because of the sheer magnitude of the stars who recorded for them. That Chuck Berry was also on the label didn't seem to be a coincidence. Everything fit neatly together for me. The added important bonus was getting to see most of those luminaries live in my own neighborhood at a fabled joint called The Ash Grove. Muddy, The Wolf, Little Walter; they were up close, and very personal.

“When I later worked with Lowell George, he made clear the major requirement for anyone to be considered for our musical circle would be that they were ‘versed in the ways of Chester Burnett.’

“A very important album I listened to endlessly was the live recording of Sonny Boy with the Yardbirds at the Crawdaddy Club. They were already heroes to me on their own. With them backing Sonny Boy, they took on a new dimension of validity. 

“The archive of the aforementioned giants will be discovered and re-discovered for generations to come. Of this I'm certain!"

In his review of Sonny Boy Williamson His Best (MCA/Chess) for Napster in 2005, music journalist Kirk Silsbee wrote “His harmonica figures were simple enough but he embellished them by cupping and baffling them with his huge hands.  This produced all manner of wondrous sound effects.

“As a songwriter, Sonny Boy was a singular talent.  He was a country poet, putting his experiences and observations into his tunes without a trace of self-consciousness.  For the last ten years of his life (1955 to ’65), Williamson recorded for Chess, Sonny Boy Williamson II was that most rare blues entity: an innovator and an original.”  

(From 1964-1978 Harvey Kubernik witnessed live performances of several Chess Records artists and collected their catalog last century.

Kubernik is the author of 20 books, including 2009’s Canyon Of Dreams: The Magic And The Music Of Laurel Canyon, 2014’s Turn Up The Radio! Rock, Pop and Roll In Los Angeles 1956-1972, 2015's Every Body Knows: Leonard Cohen, 2016's Heart of Gold Neil Young and 2017's 1967: A Complete Rock Music History of the Summer of Love.

Sterling/Barnes and Noble in 2018 published Harvey and Kenneth Kubernik’s The Story Of The Band: From Big Pink To The Last Waltz. In 2021 they wrote Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child for Sterling/Barnes and Noble. 

Otherworld Cottage Industries in 2020 published Harvey’s Docs That Rock, Music That Matters. His Screen Gems: (Pop Music Documentaries and Rock ‘n’ Roll TV Scenes) was published on February 6, 2026 by BearManor Media.

Harvey spoke at the special hearings in 2006 initiated by the Library of Congress held in Hollywood, California, discussing archiving practices and audiotape preservation.

Kubernik was in the 2013 BBC-TV documentary spotlighting Bobby Womack: Across 110th Street, directed by James Meycock. Other interviewees included Ronnie Wood, Chuck D, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Barney Hoskyns, actor Antonio Fargas, Bill Withers, and family members.    

In 2017, Harvey appeared at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in its Distinguished Speakers Series and as a panelist discussing the forty-fifth anniversary of The Last Waltz at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles in 2023.

During 2025, Kubernik was interviewed in the Siobhan Logue-written and -directed documentary The Sound of Protest,airing on the Apple TVOD TV broadcasting service. The film also features Smokey Robinson, Hozier, Skin (Skunk Anansie), Two-Tone's Jerry Dammers, Angélique Kidjo, Holly Johnson, David McAlmont, Rhiannon Giddens, and more.

Harvey was an interview subject along with Iggy Pop, the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston, Love’s Johnny Echols, the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, Victoria and Debbi Peterson, and the founding members of the Seeds for director/producer Neil Norman’s documentary The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard. In summer 2026, GNP Crescendo will release the film on DVD/Blu-ray). Author Miss Pamela Des Barres narrates).

Muddy Waters photo (top) courtesy of ChessUMG

Other photos courtesy of Anthony PolisThe post Chess/Acoustic Sounds Series Releases Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Tip Jar: Brian Kehew Brings Classic Music Techniques, Equipment, and Mindsets to the Modern WorldMusic historians are driven by a passion for the art that goes beyond lyrics and melody. It’s about the inspiration behind the sound and for the technically-minded, that means every detail that goes into music creation, from the equipment to the boards to the room to the various players themselves. 

Best known as an engineer and producer, Brian Kehew has an impressive list of credits, from Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann to Beck and Eels. But it’s his deep knowledge and understanding of era-specific sonic construction and craft that make him an authority, especially when it comes to classic rock and the best music ever made. 

His ability to identify and recreate aural effects and evocative vibe on record has made him the industry go-to man when it comes to mixing music that evokes the past.

“My main work for the last 25 years has been mixing projects of classic bands and artists who are putting out box sets and unreleased things like concerts,” Kehew explains. “I studied music and recording history, so I can make a 1958 record sound correct. I can make a Madonna record from the '80s sound correct. Whether it’s early Black Sabbath or a jazz record from the '60s, I know the different styles and techniques.”

If you bought or downloaded a re-release or special collection from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Talking Heads, or Fleetwood Mac recently, and enjoyed the package’s extras (from a live concert track to a never before heard alternate version of your favorite hit) chances are Kehew mixed it, bringing clarity and quality to the old material, but also an audiophilic authenticity that makes the whole recording flow seamlessly.

He’s known for this kind of work with countless artists including Ramones, The Pretenders, Morrissey, Alice Cooper, The Faces, The Stooges, MC5, Yes, Elvis Costello, Van Halen, and so many more.

“My studio is full of old tape machines so playing music from the past—like from the '60s and '70s for example—is no problem,” he explains. “My job is to go through the archive with the producer—a specific album or it could be a whole career—and see what’s not been heard before. Then I get to mix it to fit. That is my favorite job and just my favorite thing to do.” 

These types of older recordings would lose their magic in the hands of a less-schooled, less informed mixer. As Kehew explains, “you can fix vocals, drums, line things up, and ‘modernize it’ or make it cleaner or tighter, which modern music values, but I’m also trying to keep a '70s record sounding and feeling like the '70s.”

A lot of Kehew’s mixing jobs happen to be for legendary artists who led him down his professional path to begin with. Born and raised in San Bernardino, he learned engineering and recording at Cal State Dominguez Hills, took piano and guitar lessons as a kid, and later formed an electro duo with Jellyfish’s Roger Manning called The Moog Cookbook, doing inventive covers of alt-rock and classic rock gems. 

Working as a musician has never been Kehew’s focus, but he did just get one of the coolest gigs ever. As a regular crew member for The Who, he played a slew of fill-in dates for their keyboardist on the final tour, including the Hollywood Bowl. He also just shared the stage with Pete Townshend during a surprise GRAMMY party jam.

Kehew’s work with the biggest bands on the planet doesn’t stop there. 

He serves as lead engineer on the Grateful Dead’s Angels Share series, featuring hours of unreleased alternate takes, experimentation, and even studio chatter. “What I like about these is there’s almost no overdubs,” he says. “There’s no trickery. They haven’t finished the record yet, so you get to hear them as they were.”

Studying an artist’s records, knowing the traditions of recording from the past and the equipment used all factor into conjuring their nostalgic feel, and beyond mixing and producing, Kehew has channeled his nerdom for all of it into other game changing endeavors, including books. 

His extensive survey of the Beatles gear and processes (with co-author Kevin Ryan) called Recording The Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used To Create Their Classic Albums became a collectable best-seller. He followed it up by publishing two more Beatles books—Kaleidoscope Eyes and Places I Remember—with photographer Harry Grossman. 

His next Beatles tome is a massive project exploring the work of master producer/arranger George Martin, which he dubs “the number one project in my life because I’ve worked on it for over 10 years now.” The three volume George Martin: The Scores is finally due out this month on Kehew’s Curve Bender Publishing.

While researching the first book he became interested in the Sound Techniques mixer used on records by everyone from David Bowie to Elton John, as well as Queen, The Stones, and yes, the Fab Four too, all in the U.K. After connecting with its designer, he also had a hand in helping it get remanufactured and placed at major studios across the country. 

Kehew also owns his own studio, called Round and Wound in North Hollywood, specializing in tape and media transfers done by the best ears in the business. It’s his HQ for mixing and a place to connect with musicians of all ilks beyond the biggies. In these unstable and erratic times for the music industry it provides an old school, human touch that is much needed as A.I. and social media threaten what we love about music. With this in mind, he offers this advice for would-be producers, mixers, and music makers in general: 

Follow your passion—“It should be more than a hobby. It should be who you are. If all the record stores closed, I would still be making music. I would be arranging songs and working with friends.”

Show off your skills—“I’ve always felt that work will find you if you put it out there. And my best, like my Warner Brothers studio work, found me because I was doing what I do. Do it all the time, for everybody, maybe for free. People will find you.” 

Figure out ‘your thing’ that’s different from everybody else—“There are five, six people on my block in North Hollywood that do what I do. But what I do that’s different comes from studying music history. So do what only you can do!”The post Tip Jar: Brian Kehew Brings Classic Music Techniques, Equipment, and Mindsets to the Modern World first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

New Music Critique: Kendra ChanaeContact: kendrachanaemusic@aaron-freiwalWeb: kendrachanaemusic.comSeeking: A&R, labelStyle: R&B/Indie Pop

Kendra Chanae possesses a technical toolkit that most vocalists would envy, yet her original material often feels like a Ferrari stuck in a school zone. Her range is undeniable, but it’s currently wrapped in a layer of restraint that dampens the emotional impact. Ironically, her cover of “Feeling Good” serves as a roadmap for what she’s truly capable of—a soaring, passionate display of power. The missing ingredient isn’t talent; it’s the willingness to let her own songs explode with that same uninhibited fire. Technique and transcendence aren’t always the same thing.The post New Music Critique: Kendra Chanae first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From the Supreme Court’s Cox ruling to Primary Wave’s Kobalt deal… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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Signing Stories: Alex LambertDate Signed: January 2026Label: Big Loud TexasType of Music: Soul-CountryManagement: Cabell Moskal, cabell@makewake.net; Blake Ferguson, blake@makewake.net; Dylan Wright, dylan@deeprootsmgmt.comBooking: Chris Burrus, chris.burrus@caa.com; Jacob Lapidus, jacob.lapidus@caa.comPublicity: Corey Brewer, corey@bigloud.com; Rachel Heatherly,rachel@bigloud.com - Big LoudA&R: Jon Randall, Sara KnabeWeb: alex-lambert.com

Getting signed isn’t always about making strategic moves. Sometimes, it’s a random twist of fate that makes the difference. For Alex Lambert, having a famous last name was key. He’d been releasing music independently when Miranda Lambert’s assistant stumbled across his song “Cryin’ In the Rain.” She sent it to the country superstar and inquired whether the two were related. “We could be cousins, because she’s from Lindale, TX,” muses the other Lambert, who grew up in Fort Worth. “All my family is from within 30 to 45 minutes of there.”

Regardless of their blood connection, the more famous Lambert loved what she heard. As one of the architects behind Big Loud Texas, a new imprint of Nashville-based Big Loud, she was on the hunt for promising acts. Both Lamberts and the rest of the label’s squad, including fellow artist and Big Loud Texas co-founder Jon Randall, decided to meet up. “I played them a couple songs, and we were off to the races,” tells the singer.

Big Loud was one of approximately 10 labels that courted the soul country performer. Industry attention began in ’22, when Lambert had a viral moment on TikTok. But Big Loud Texas stood out, in part, because other musicians run it. After a career in flipping houses, he’d gone to L.A. to pursue music and eventually began doing whatever his team wanted. “I wasn’t staying true to myself as an artist,” he confesses. “I got burned out.” Now living in Music City, he’s determined to pursue the sounds he loves.

Also, Chris Kappy, founder of his management team Make Wake Artists, stressed that Big Loud was the best choice imaginable. “It was just obvious,” Lambert recalls. “It didn’t feel like we were making a decision. It felt like it was made for us.”

Alex Lambert’s Big Loud Texas debut comes out this year. By way of selecting which songs to put on the record, he hung out and drank tequila with Randall and Miranda Lambert at her home studio. “They knew all my demos,” remarks the crooner. Their deep familiarity with his material reassured him that he’d found the right home. The post Signing Stories: Alex Lambert first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.