Chris Botti wowed the crowd as well as the orchestra in delivering one of the best concerts heard in Vancouver this year.
Chuck Prophet is a superb songwriter and a fine guitarist. He is backed by a cracking band.
First Aid Kit's 'The Lion's Roar' is one of the most beautiful records made in recent years. Don't be surprised if it makes a dozen Top 10 lists by the end of 2012.
Etta James accomplished so much more than her early goal of becoming "a raunchy blues singer", and it's more than ironic, though a testament to her vocal powers, that she is most famous for a song that is anything but raunchy: her 1960 recording of "At Last" has become a wedding standard.
It's been seven years since the first Little Willies release; it was a refreshing take on the endearing attractions of great country music, and now with their second effort, 'For The Good Times', Norah Jones and The Little Willies offer up another strong collection of country classics.
Meshell Ndegeocello's ninth album, 'Weather', is dark, dense and lovely, very much in sync with her Roberta Flack/Nina Simone/Sade influences, yet deeply original.
Lindsey Buckingham's 'Seeds We Sow' is an insanely good record from an insanely gifted man, an artist whose guitar talents are the match of anyone alive.