In her book “Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band,” Fields chronicles her father’s life on the road during Jim Crow, a recording career that saw hit records in both the swing and rock eras, and how he maintained a band that gave many future jazz greats their first breaks.
From a Boston soul singer famous in South America to a pop band barely out of Berklee, the 10 albums on this list paint a pretty accurate picture of what’s happening in Boston and New England. It's a deep well to explore.
At the 44th annual Blues Music Awards held last week in Memphis, Tennessee, six artists signed to the Chicago-based Alligator Records received top honors. Congrats to all the winners!