I'm back to spread the word about some excellent new music you might have missed, through no fault of your own. As I mentioned in last month's column, there is a fairly steady stream of adventurous music being released every year in non-Top 40 genres such as jazz, classical, world, folk, electronic and pop. Even the best of these obscure releases have very little marketing clout behind them, seeing as they are not targeted at the primary consumers of recorded music: 12- to 16-year-old girls.

But that's okay, and I'll tell you why. It's been many years since the traditional music delivery system has had any credibility with serious listeners. The days of a talented unknown like Johnny Cash wandering into the studios of Sun Records in the late '50s and walking out with a record contract were over only a few years later, replaced by a system that encouraged payola and graft in exchange for airplay and exposure. Salaries of executives and music attorneys ballooned; touring costs followed suit. Word-of-mouth became an almost completely purchased commodity. 

Quirky or non-mainstream acts who appealed to smaller audiences were squeezed out of the game and have sat powerless on the sidelines until recently, when the internet was discovered to be a potent alternative marketplace. 

The internet has leveled the playing field for independent artists to some degree. For example, I have albums for sale at my personal website (www.dougrobinson.com). The site doesn't cost me any more to host than U2's or Alanis Morrisette's sites do. Of course, Sony spends millions of dollars to keep their top artists in the public eye, whereas my guest book stays relatively dormant for months at a time! Regardless, these virtual storefronts represent an inexpensive vehicle for smaller artists to get their music in front of friends and fans around the globe. 

That said, the little guys still need all the help they can get, so with this monthly column I'm making the karmic investment of shining a spotlight on those who deserve wider recognition. Today I want to talk about a terrific new album by someone who definitely fits that description: Edgar Winter.

Edgar Winter is no newcomer. Back in the early '70s, the albino singer and multi-instrumentalist (sax, organ, bass and drums) released what I consider to be a minor masterpiece: a mini-rock opera called Entrance. It was a bold piece of work that combined jazz harmonies with soaring pop vocals and rootsy blues guitar provided by Edgar's equally gifted brother, Johnny. Although it never connected commercially like The Who's Tommy, it was an extremely promising debut. 

As much as I loved Edgar Winter's music, I was also attracted to his humor. He would make tongue-in-cheek references to his albinoism with songs such as "They Only Come Out at Night" and "White Man's Blues," in which he lectured Caucasians: "You've got a lot of nerve callin' yourself white."

Over the next few years, though, Winter's output was frustrating. He had a few big hits: He co-wrote the pop single "Free Ride," and his rocker "Frankenstein" (resuscitated by oldies stations and the movie Wayne's World) remains one of only a handful of instrumental tracks ever to reach number one on the charts. But that's all old news. After a string of what I'll politely call "disappointing" pop albums on which Edgar seemed to be chasing mainstream acceptance and missing by a mile, he has finally returned to his passion for jazz and the blues on his self-produced new album, Jazzin' the Blues.

Truthfully, when I first checked out this album at a listening station in Borders, I had the same kind of uneasy feeling one might get when receiving an invitation to spend the weekend hunting quail with Dick Cheney. But as soon as the title track roared into action, I was hooked. This is the album that Stevie Wonder should have released years ago: smart and funky pop, stripped down to the essentials (drums, bass, organ, electric guitar and Winter's smoking alto sax punctuating his heartfelt, yet playful, lyrics).

There is more outstanding organ and sax work on this album (both played by Winter) than I can remember hearing on any other pop album, but I'd rather focus on Winter's wordplay. Here's an excerpt from "New Man," a whimsical song about inspiration and redemption:

I woke up this morning and opened 

up an eye

With a cool kind of buzz, I was feelin' 

sort of high

I jumped out of bed like a son of a gun

Then it clicked in my head it was 2001


(chorus)

I'm tellin' you, man

It's really true, man

I feel like a new man (yes I do)


I'm gonna make a new plan
With a new point of view, man
I'm feelin' like a new man (yes I am)

Elsewhere, Edgar cuts loose on religion 
in the funky shuffle called "God Did It":


They say God made the earth in six days

He said "Looks good, so it all stays"

The seventh day, He took a rest

I'm not convinced that was for the best

If God did it, it's His decision

If God did it, well, it's His religion

I believe every word He spoke

I just hope He can take a joke

Song after song, Winter delivers his messages with a bluesy and ironic attitude that brings Mose Allison to mind, although Allison's vocal chops were just barely there and Winter's are utterly amazing. His range seems almost limitless, and his pitch always seems just right.

It almost doesn't matter what Winter chooses to sing about: The sound of his voice is so unique that it grabs me. Thus, even when he ventures into potentially corny territory such as aliens getting the blues ("Sufferin's universal stuff") or his appreciation for funky bass players ("I like big bad bottom, shakin' the place/Big bad bottom, yeah, right in my face"), I'm still smiling and waiting for the next verse.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that he included at least one track that sinks like a lead balloon: a wimpy smooth jazz version of his hit "Free Ride." Yikes. I tend to skip this track every time I listen. Overall, though, the album sustains a fun and funky mood throughout.

If my description has intrigued you, I hope you'll give this talented artist a chance to entertain you. Swing by his website (edgarwinter.com) and check out some sound clips from "Jazzin' the Blues" in his store. I recommend the title track as a good introduction-and if you like it, you know what to do.

Doug Robinson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who performs with the jazz/funk group Mo' Ritmo here in San Miguel.