F E A T U R E S

Rock and Jazz: One has riches, the other respect. Fusion specialist (and Elmore's own Mobile Encyclopedia) Ira Kantor takes a look at where the twain might meet now and again

Answering the Call: Having sidestepped political material for 40 years, Fertility Goddess Maria Muldaur changes her tune. Inside an artist’s motivation and creative process

D E P A R T M E N T S

Letter from the Publisher: "…Gold records on the wall/Leave me a message, maybe I'll call.*" Why turning off the PR faucet won’t stem the flow. Our publisher kvetches

Influences: Civil Rights activist Odetta and environmentalist Tab Benoit discuss their musical and political evolution; plus Benoit on saving swamps through democracy, and saving democracy from getting swamped

Kickin’ in Your Stall: And therein lies the tale…Carl Gustafson recalls one of his own narrative influences

On The Record: Steve Winwood, on Nine Lives and still only midcareer. City girl Maria Muldaur, Marie Knight, newcomer Joshua James and a passel of ex-4-H Club grads musically remind us of The Big Picture. Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis sing standards, the Dirtbombs don't

Collecting: The fabulous guitar of Albert Collins

Also Appearing: On stage: Ponderosa Stomp, Tab Benoit, a Harmonica Blowout, plus John Sebastian visits David Grisman. On tape: Ani DiFranco, a History of Jazz. On paper: Dylan and the '60s

Re.Issues: Carole King's museum-worthy Tapestry; the Stray Cats and Peggy Lee (one cool kitty herself) and several others