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Body Talk

I do not believe the Atkins diet will get much respect from the nutrition community unless improvements in heart attack rates or cholesterol plaque buildup in the heart are found in carefully designed studies. I’d like to see funding for such studies, but I’m not aware of any yet.

Individuals should obtain individualized advice whenever possible, in order to account for specific food preferences, medical conditions, and lifestyle issues. Nevertheless, as a general public health measure, I do believe that the government should provide generic guidelines based on expert consensus of scientific evidence.
Dr. Dansinger holds multiple academic positions. He is the Clinical Nutrition and Obesity Editor for WebMD’s academic journal (MedGenMed), is an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, is a scientist with the USDA Nutrition Research Center, and is a member of the Division of Endocrinology at Tufts-New England Medical Center.

His research on dietary counseling in well known. He published the highly publicized research study “Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Cardiac Risk Reduction” in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2005, which was one of the most highly read and quoted scientific articles of the year. His published meta-analysis “The Effect of Dietary Counseling for Weight Loss” (July, 2007) also received media attention and scientific praise as the first study to clarify the amount and duration of weight loss resulting from diet-based lifestyle programs. He is currently conducting a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of the USDA food pyramid and a low-starch version of the food pyramid, for weight loss and heart disease reduction in 200 overweight adults.

Sought after as a highly desirable keynote speaker, his humor, discussion of the Biggest Loser show, insights on the national obesity crisis, and prescription for accelerated weight loss, have earned high praise from audiences of over 1000.

Dr. Dansinger directs a lifestyle coaching practice for weight loss and diabetes reversal and prevention, limited to a select group of 40 adults in Boston. He is available for public speaking opportunities or for his one-on-one telephone coaching program.

Listen and learn from Dr. Dansinger today.

1. Please welcome to the “Body Talk” today Tufts University medical professor Dr. Michael Dansinger.

There’s so much I want to talk with you about today, Dr. Dansinger, because yours is a voice that needs to be heard by those who can bring about changes in dietary recommendations that come from our government. And actually you had the chance to do just that with a congressional report about how providing incentives for people to begin an organized weight loss plan would actually end up saving money in healthcare costs in the long run. Share with listeners about what was in that report.

First let me thank you for interviewing me, and congratulate you for your dedication to improving public health. The report, prepared at the request of the US government, was titled “Cost Effectiveness of Behavioral Weight Loss Programs for the Elderly.” My co-authors at Tufts and I submitted this report in 2004 after researching the topic for a year.

The report concluded that lifestyle-based weight loss programs for the obese elderly population may improve health at a relatively low cost. The findings could potentially be used to support government subsidies or funding for such programs. The report also found a disturbing shortage of diet and lifestyle improvement studies in the elderly population.

2. You are a big believer, just as I am, that there are individualized plans for losing weight and improving health that are different for everyone and that finding the method that each person can “stick with” is the key to solving the obesity crisis we find ourselves in. While one person may do very well on a low-fat diet and eat that way forever, someone else may find that the low-carb lifestyle is more compatible for them. Find the diet that’s right for you, I always say.

If this is true, then where is the disconnect in the line of communication between our nation’s government and health leaders and the overweight public looking for guidance? How and why has the low-fat diet become the center of attention in virtually every government-endorsed nutritional recommendations while the low-carb diet is simply ignored and scorned?

I agree wholeheartedly that the low-carb approach has been wrongfully dismissed by nutrition experts, simply because it seems counterintuitive. They should have recognized 30 years ago that we had more to gain by studying this approach than by dismissing it.

My fear is that health professionals will continue to dismiss it, even in the face of the accumulating consistent data demonstrating equal or superior improvements in excess body fat and heart disease risk factors. I believe the authorities are blinded to alternative approaches by the massive inertia that sustains the standard approach.

3. In 2005, you became a household name and appeared in numerous television, radio, newspaper, and magazines as the Principal Investigator in the famous Tufts Popular Diet Trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which compared the Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and Ornish diets for weight loss and heart disease prevention.

It was a monumental study because the Atkins low-carb diet was placed in a head-to-head match-up with the more traditional low-fat diets like Ornish and Weight Watchers and showed livin’ la vida low-carb is the best way to lose weight over a six-month period and at the very least just as effective as low-fat for weight loss after a year.

Did you realize the magnitude of your research and the possible implications it could have on future health and obesity policy in the United States at the time? Have you seen any changes being proposed or implemented by government agencies like the FDA or USDA that happened in direct response to your study results?

Our popular diet trial confirmed what other researchers had found before us: that lower carb diets could reduce weight with favorable effects on cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors. More importantly, we highlighted the fact that a high dietary adherence level is the key to health benefits, regardless of diet type.

With the publication of our study, I think we saw a little more open-mindedness about popular diet diversity among nutrition policy makers. In the meantime, the old USDA food pyramid that emphasized starchy foods was undergoing substantial revision, with a de-emphasis of grains as the base of the American diet. This new pyramid was released a few months after our study was published, and I believe this represents the government’s principal response to criticism of the high carb/low fat approach.

4. We recently saw another spike in media attention to the Atkins low-carb diet when a one-year Stanford study published in JAMA in March 2007 found that the low-carb diet outperformed the more traditional low-fat diets for weight loss and improving health risk factors in yet another head-to-head matchup.

This is now the largest randomized trial of popular diets conducted to date and complements many of the findings of your study. With so much evidence beginning to mount in favor of low-carb as a sustainable dietary approach for at least one year, why haven’t government health agencies like the National Institutes of Health called for even more extensive long-term studies to be conducted looking at this way of eating for weight and health management? What length of time does a legitimate study need to be in order to be an indicator of “long-term” success?

The government has recently funded a wide variety of studies of low and moderate carb diets. I believe
5. I’m personally intrigued by something you are working on regarding the much-heralded USDA-recommended food pyramid. While this has long been regarded as the “holy grail” about what should constitute a healthy diet, you are working on creating several different variations of it that would be customized for each person.

If we all respond to different nutritional plans in different ways, then why should the government or anyone else besides a professional nutritionist educated in a full spectrum of diet plans who has met one-on-one with a patient even attempt to make universal suggestions for weight loss and health? Why not recommend low-carb alongside low-fat?

The USDA food pyramid is the most widely recognized format for such advice, and therefore it is important to determine the health effects of the food pyramid, and to evaluate alternative designs intended to improve it.

If the USDA food pyramid is further modified to replace starchy foods with vegetables, fruits, and healthy proteins, would it provide more effective treatment for obesity and heart disease risk factors? I’m working with the USDA nutrition research center at Tufts to answer this question in 200 obese adults who will aim to follow either the current pyramid or a low-starch pyramid for a year.

6. The American Heart Association (AHA) changed their dietary recommendations last year to reflect some of the very principles the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins helped bring to the forefront. But, as my fellow blogger Regina Wilshire was quick to notice and pointed out, it is impossible to create a menu with a day’s worth of meals that follow the AHA recommendations of less than 7 percent saturated fat and simultaneously meet all the essential nutrient-requirements for fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

In fact, they have yet to produce any sample menus to satisfy the requirements of their own diet plan. By putting out recommendations that are not based on any hard evidence or proof, isn’t the AHA, USDA, and FDA, among others, simply confounding the obesity problem that people like yourself are trying to solve?

Perhaps you are being a tad too hard on the standard approach. I think the real villain is the obesogenic environment, not necessarily the moderate-fat diet promoted by the government. That dietary approach is based on scientific evidence of effectiveness when followed, and can provide all the essential nutrients.

Unfortunately, all eating strategies are difficult for most people to maintain on a long-term basis. We need to find better ways to help people stick to the plans they want to follow. Embracing a broad spectrum of eating strategies, and learning how to match up the plans according to each individual’s needs are important priorities in our efforts to improve public health.

We can’t afford to dismiss the standard moderate fat approach any more than we can afford to dismiss the low-carb, moderate carb, or low-fat approach.

7. As we look to the future of scientific research on whether low-carb diets can be used as a means for losing weight over the long-term as well as a preventative measure such ailments as heart disease and diabetes, do you see this happening anytime soon? What is standing in the way preventing this kind of much-needed research from happening and is there anything that can be done by those of us who support the low-carb lifestyle to help persuade the people funding these studies that this is a worthwhile endeavor?

Various political forces determine the amount of government money available for nutrition research. In addition, various charitable foundations (including the Atkins Foundation) provide significant amounts of money for nutrition research.

In most cases, experienced nutrition scientists submit research grant proposals, which in turn are evaluated by experienced scientists according to scientific merit and potential to improve public health. Low-carb is a hot topic within the nutrition community, and there is clearly a willingness to allocate some of the available money to well-designed studies of low-carb diets.

The total amount of money available for nutrition and obesity studies is limited, however, and that is the main factor limiting the existence of more definitive studies of low-carb diets. Charitable foundations and congressional leaders can make the biggest impact on the amount of money available for nutrition and obesity research.

Those who want to see more studies can support charitable foundations and congressional leaders with an interest in such research.

8. Speaking of a worthwhile endeavor, a lot of people may not realize that you are one of the consultants on the hit NBC television weight loss reality show “The Biggest Loser.” I am a strong supporter of the work that is being done on that show to change the lives of the contestants forever.

One thing I have noticed, though, among the people who have been the most successful on that show is the fact that they seemed to lose their weight following some variation of the low-carb lifestyle. Ryan Benson, Matt Hoover, and most recently, Erik Chopin all experienced major triple-digit weight loss success because of the low-carb diet that you and the nutrition team on “The Biggest Loser” put them on.

Why can’t the viewers at home be told what kind of diet plan is being used with each contestant? Wouldn’t that be helpful for fans of the show looking for weight loss advice to know it was livin’ la vida low-carb that produced the improvements in weight and health?

I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to work with the show because I believe it can provide the public with a weekly reminder of the power of lifestyle change. The trainers and nutrition team members all agreed that a carb-controlled, moderate fat, high protein eating strategy would be the best starting point. Each contestant then modified this general approach to suit his or her preferences.

“The Biggest Loser” book and cookbook each discuss the eating plan in detail and provide recipes. Many of the winners have pushed the carb intake very low at times, and have focused on lean protein and low carb vegetables, but many big losers have cut calories and weight without being so restrictive with the carbs. I agree that it could benefit viewers to know more about what each contestant is eating.

9. Speaking of the contestants, how are some of the older contestants from Season 1 and 2 doing now? The long-term success of any diet program is determined by whether the person strictly adheres to the concepts of that plan in the short term or transitions their new lifestyle choices into a permanent way to eat and live. Are there any stellar examples, such as Kelly Minner (another one who lost her weight with low-carb), who have continued to keep the weight off years later?

I believe the contestants have done better than some might expect, considering how difficult it is to keep weight off in today’s world. We expected some to keep most of the weight off, and some to regain most of the lost weight, depending on each individual’s ability to stick to the principles they learned while living in an optimal environment for fitness.

Although almost every contestant has continued to lose weight for several months at home, I believe a very big predictor of long-term success is the extent to which one is able to reorganize one’s life to accommodate the time needed to exercise and prepare healthy food. One stellar example is Matt Hoover, who has maintained most of his 157-pound weight loss since November 2005 by exercising most days and livin’ la vida low-carb.

10. On behalf of my readers who so faithfully visit my blog day after day for new information about diet and health, let me say THANK YOU to you, Dr. Dansinger, for being willing to challenge the status quo in the great debate over obesity. It’s a noble subject to address and we need more leaders like you willing to stand up and speak the truth rather than simply regurgitating the same failed messages over and over again.

Do you have anything positive to share with that overweight or obese person who is reading this interview right now to encourage them that they can succeed at weight loss?

Jimmy, my gratitude goes out to you and your readers for stimulating public interest and debate on nutrition issues. Despite how seriously damaging the obesity epidemic has become, I am optimistic that things can change in the future.

I would like to remind doctors and other health professionals that lifestyle change is one of our most potent treatments and preventive measures for chronic illness, and that our enthusiasm when discussing these issues with our patients is crucial.

And for the overweight person reading this, you know you’ll succeed once you decide you’ll never give up trying! I wish you all good health for many years to come!

About the Author

Michael Dansinger, MD MS provides articles about health medicine.Michael Dansinger, MD, is an internationally recognized authority on dietary and lifestyle counseling for weight loss and prevention of obesity-related medical problems.

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Til the Livin’ End [Bonus DVD] $10.38 Propelled by a frantic speed-streak not seen this side of Texas’ Speedealer, Seattle’s Zeke straddle that fine line between hardcore and speed metal on their sixth album — and first since getting back together as a slimmed-down trio — Til the Livin’ End. Produced by alternative rock guru Jack Endino, the album’s “15 tracks in 30 minutes” approach kind of says it all about both the band and their music; but before you automatically envision the Ramones (they’re here as well, but mostly in spirit), think Motörhead gone hardcore, since tracks like “Long Train Runnin’,” “Hold Tight,” and the very “Metropolis”-ish “Dragonfly” all recall the immortal Lemmy and his charges. The agonized howl of singer/guitarist Blind Marky Felchtone is partly to blame there, but really, no complaints. And frankly, who knows if Motörhead ever achieved the shocking velocity of Zeke’s “The Hammer.” Other than that, it’s rather remarkable to hear Felchtone effortlessly driving the Zeke bullet train — rounded out by the so-tight-it’s-stoopid rhythm section of bassist Diamond Jeff Matz and drummer Donny Paycheck — while holding down this considerable workload with nary a bum note in sight. And thankfully, just when both their speaker cabinets and most listeners’ intensity thresholds are approaching an utter and complete melting point, Zeke ease off the throttle just a smidgeon on the likes of “Little Queen,” the oddly named “Dolphin Wolf,” and the closing tandem of “Ride to Live” and “Ever Onward” (which may sound like the title to a Manowar track — but it ain’t!). In summary, Til the Livin’ End sounds like a concerted statement of an album, and if it was intended to announce Zeke’s official comeback, it did so with authority. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi Performers: Chris Johnsen – Guitar (Electric)

Let’s Think About Livin’ $129.98 From the moment he discovered Elvis in August 1955 and followed the King across the Texas Plains, Bob Luman’s career as a rocker was set in stone. It was just a matter of time before he would follow in Presley’s footsteps. Although Bob Luman has become an icon to rockabilly collectors today, his earliest recordings are scattered across dozens of obscure or out-of-print LPs and CDs, with sound quality often leaving much to be desired. Finally, Bear Family has released the box set that Bob Luman’s fans have eagerly awaited. This box gathers together all of Luman’s earliest records, including his 1955 Texas recordings and his contribution to that cinematic classic, ‘Carnival Rock.’ Also included are Luman’s Abbott, Imperial and Capitol recordings (1957/58) from Texas and Los Angeles and his entire output for Warner Bros. (and 1959 – 1962) Hickory Records (1963-1967). Many of these recordings appear in stereo for the very first time. Although Bob Luman’s Hickory recordings show a strong country influence, Luman never left his rockin’ roots for very long. As Texas legend Mac Curtis observed, “Bob Luman was a rocker right to the end.” These four CDs are accompanied by a lavishly illustrated book by music historian Hank Davis. It includes previously unpublished interviews with Luman’s guitarist James Burton, songwriter John D. Loudermilk, and running buddies Bobby Bare and Mac Curtis. Taken together with Bear Family’s 5 CD set of Luman’s later work for Epic and Polydor (BCD 15898), Bob Luman’s life and recording career have now been given the full Bear Family treatment. A companion piece to these box sets is a DVD of exciting 1958/59 Luman performances from Town Hall Party (BVD 20004), which feature James Burton, Joe Maphis and Merle Travis. The wait is over. The ultimate Bob Luman experience is finally here for his legion of fans as well as for collectors of ’50s rockabilly Performers: Anita Kerr – Choir, Chorus; Dorothy Ann Dillard – Choir, Chorus; Hoyt Hawkins – Choir, Chorus; Hugh Gordon Stoker – Choir, Chorus; Louis Dean Nunley – Choir, Chorus; Millie Kirkham – Choir, Chorus; Ray C. Walker – Choir, Chorus; Billy Sanford – Guitar; Bob Luman – Vocals, Guitar; B

Livin It: Testimonies $14.99 “A hugely successful partnership between actor/producer Stephen Baldwin and world evangelist Luis Palau, the “Livin Itâ€? tour kicked off in 2004, combining innovative youth ministry and performances from some of the finest extreme sports athletes anywhere. The annual series of events now reaches thousands each year in America. > “Livin It Testimonies” presents the heart of the tour in a fresh and fun magazine format. Along with full-color action photography, readers will enjoy learning about these athletes’ love of sports, passion for Jesus Christ, and desire to use skateboarding and BMX riding to reach today’s urban youth with the life-saving gospel message.>”

Livin’ Large, The $2.5 Rated: RSynopsis: Synopsis: This hilarious, free-wheeling (The New York Times) urban comedy about the price of success’skewers well-earned targets with unpretentious charm and vigor (The Hollywood Reporter)! Make no mistake about it: Livin Large will leave you laughin large! His entire life, Atlanta native Dexter Jackson (Terence ‘t.C. Carson) has dreamt of one thing: breaking into the world of TV news. So when, by freak coincidence, he lands a job as Channel 4′s Man About Town, he finally thinks he’s made it. But in order to compete on the ladder of success, Dexter soon begins to change his image and sell out his friends on TV! Before long, he finds himself shunned and alone, and faced with a not so black-and-white choice: save his career or his soul!Bonus Features: Original Theatrical TrailerAudio: English (Stereo Surround), Spanish (Stereo Surround)Subtitles: English, French, SpanishFullscreen, Widescreen (1.85)Specifications: Box Office:

Livin’ It Up! $7.98 Sometime after his acrimonious departure from Van Halen, Sammy Hagar decided that it would be best if he turned himself into a hard rock version of Jimmy Buffett. Since he already had his Cabo Wabo Cantina in San Lucas, plus his Cabo Wabo tequila, he was already halfway there — he was celebrating the beach as much as he was playing music — but with his 2006 album Livin’ It Up! he finally makes the musical transition to full-time beachfront rockin’. Not that this is the manic, balls-out hard rock that made his reputation — taking a cue from Jimmy, Sammy turns the intensity down a couple of notches (after all, you don’t want things to be too rough and rowdy on a beach), adds some acoustic guitars, and even some country-rock flair, most notably in his ingenious reworking of Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar.” The fact that Sammy is covering a country song about a bar gives a good indication of where he’s coming from on Livin’ It Up!: he’s aiming for the aging rock & rollers who have started listening to country, but still love classic rock (he covers Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35″ and rewrites the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” as “Let Me Take You There”) and spend most of their time fantasizing about “Living on a Coastline” or “Sailin” to “Mexico” or taking “One Sip” as they drive “Halfway to Mexico,” knowing that they’ll do this all “Someday.” It’s silly and obvious — and it also feels like an advertisement for Cabo Wabo enterprises — which would be irritating if the album weren’t so much fun. The thing is, Sammy Hagar really believes in Livin’ It Up! in this fashion, so nothing feels forced or contrived here, and the greater musical variety not only makes this record more interesting than his last several records, it also makes it more fun to listen to repeatedly. Plus, having the hints of country, blues, and soul scattered among the rock & roll sounds appropriate for a veteran rocker, which Sammy certainly is. But as Livin’ It Up! proves, not even veterans need to settle down — an introspective record would sound wrong coming from Hagar, and this nonstop beach party simply sounds right. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Performers: Tim Hockenberry – Piccolo Trumpet, Trombone; Dave Zirbel – Pedal Steel; Gibby Ross – Shaker, Cowbell, Tambourine, Timbales, Conga; Kari Hagar – Vocals (Background); Nicole Summerwood – Vocals (Background); Roy Rogers – Slide Guitar; Aaron Hagar – Vocals (Backgro

Livin’ Free $22.38 There’s nothing unusual about four kids who go to school together starting a rock band, but Schibbinz were a bit different than most garage bands of the ’60s — the band was formed in 1965 in Cordoba, Argentina and featured Mike McNertney (guitar and vocals), Pat McNertney (bass and vocals), and Kelly Fero (drums and vocals), three sons of American diplomats assigned to the South American nation, with Carlos “Payo” Giraudo, a Cordoba native, joining them on guitar and vocals. Even without the exotic locale, the group’s sole album, Livin’ Free, would probably have earned them a cult following among collectors of ’60s rarities; it’s an uncommonly artful and intelligent exercise in folk-rock with fine guitar work, excellent harmonies and unusually strong original tunes written by Giraudo and Fero. (Giraudo would later go on to a career in classical music and was director of a symphony orchestra in Cordoba). Though the opening title cut is energetic and there’s a fiery remake of “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” this album clearly leans to the folkie side of folk-rock, and while the CD reissue includes a cover of “Gloria,” it’s significant that when these guys reached for a Rolling Stones cover, it was “Lady Jane.” The album’s biggest flaw is the audio; the album was recorded on semi-pro gear using a single microphone and no overdubs, so plenty of subtleties get lost in the shuffle here, and this is music that seems to have more than its share of fine details (not helped on the reissue by the fact the master tapes have been lost so the music had to be remastered from a clean LP copy). It’s overstating the case to call this a lost classic, but Livin’ Free is certainly a cut above the average home-recorded garage rock stuff of the era (especially considering the fact the oldest member of the band was all of 17 when this was cut), and it’s interesting to speculate where a group with this degree of talent and ambition would have gone if they hadn’t split up a few months after its original release. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Livin’ in Exile $8.78 Let’s see: the band is called Blood for Blood, the album is called Livin’ In Exile, they represent the East Coast and the release is on Victory. Without even listening to a note on this record, you already know what it’s going to sound like. But for all those with their head in the clouds: hardcore in that metallic chugga-chugga sort of way with some hits of OI! and a blatant Slapshot influence -they’re both from Boston after all. But what makes this stand out is a lack of cheesiness, testosterone -well, maybe a little bit- and bone headed lyrics. Even a Motorhead cover of “Ace of Spades,” but like they needed it to impress all the Victory Record followers. ~ Mike DaRonco, Rovi Performers: Chris – Vocals (Background); Erick Medina – Vocals (Background); Jay E – Vocals (Background); White Rob – Vocals (Background)

Livin’ on Love $13.58 Deborah Coleman detected a void in the music stratum and successfully filled it: A lead guitarist/vocalist playing the in the male dominated world of blues-rock. Others like Bonnie Raitt and Marie Muldaur have contributed to varying degrees in the contemporary blues scene (and other styles) but Coleman with her string of five consistently strong albums in only seven years demonstrates that she is serious about her craft and knows her calling as a blueswoman. Livin’ on Love combines slow-grind blues pieces, R&B and gutsy rockers with a soulful voice and exemplary guitar playing proving that she’s here to stay, not merely passing through. ~ Dave Sleger, Rovi Performers: Al Gamble – Piano; Billy Crawford – Guitar; Deborah Coleman – Vocals (Background), Guitar, Vocals; Jimmy Thackery – Guitar; Marty Binder – Drums

Try Livin’ It $13.58 Dreadlocked electric guitarist Hiram Bullock is best known as a monster of modern jazz fusion, with legendary associations stretching from Jaco Pastorius to Gil Evans, David Sanborn, and the Brecker Brothers. He’s also amassed an impressive catalog of solo recordings but offers a unique twist on his usual presentation on Try Livin’ It, by working with a handful of legendary peers (Will Lee, Ricky Peterson) and offering more of his stellar string crackle — all in the service of pop-oriented vocal tunes. It’s always exciting listening to Bullock’s raging bed of electricity, but he has to mellow it out a bit for harmonic anthems like “After the Fall” and worldbeat lite tunes along the lines of “Try Livin’ It.” His voice is convincing on tunes like the up-groovin’ title track, he gets a good groove going on “Can’t Fight the Funk,” and his attempts at thoughtful social commentary (“Greed,” “Melancholy Night”) are thought-provoking. But in the end, it’s pretty much a well-played, slickly produced urban adult contemporary project with a few crunchy guitar lines and lots of little pleasantries that aren’t half as exciting as his instrumental music. That’s not to say it’s not appealing, just that his singer/songwriter persona will most likely always be secondary to his fusion guitar god status. ~ Jonathan Widran, Rovi Performers: Katreese Barnes – Vocals (Background); Kenya Hathaway – Vocals (Background); Ricky Peterson – Vocals (Background), Fender Rhodes, Organ, Keyboards, Piano (Electric); Tom “Bones” Malone – Horn; Charley Drayton – Drums; Clint DeGanon – Drums; David Delhomme – Synthesizer, Keyboards; Frank Gravis – Bass;

Livin’ in the Zone $13.58 Leading into what sounds like the intro to “Rock Me Amadeus” on the first track of Livin’ in the Zone is a spoken word statement of purpose where various people take the mic to lay out what it really means to be living as such. Apparently, to one person that means, “The place in which all dreams and wishes manifest itself.” Incorrect grammar aside, the track leads one to expect an epic R&B concept album. In actuality, keyboardist/producer Lesette Wilson has crafted an average, while admittedly accomplished, instrumental pop album targeted at a contemporary jazz audience. Having worked with such diverse artists as Fela Anikalupo-Kuti and Roy Ayers has earned Wilson an impressive pedigree, and her chops are in full effect. Many of the tracks feature elaborate arrangements replete with strings and horn hits. Unfortunately, most of the album was sequenced on keyboards, and there is a stiffness to the arrangements. It is only too bad that Wilson did not take a little more time and employ some musicians to play actual instruments. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi Performers: Felicia “F-Sharp” Jefferson – Vocals (Background); Lesette Wilson – Voices, Fender Rhodes, Piano, Keyboards; Tony O. – Voices; Arthur White – Guitar; Carlos Henderson – Bass; Qabid Hakim – Bass; Ralph Rolle – Drums; Roger Bryan – Sax (Tenor); Shelene Thomas – Vocals (Background), Vocals

Little Bit About Us $8.48 Little Bit About Us

The Little Book About Pastel $10.45 The Little Book About Pastel

Let’s Think About Livin’ (Import) $152.27 From the moment he discovered Elvis in August 1955 and followed the King across the Texas Plains, Bob Luman’s career as a rocker was set in stone. It was just a matter of time before he would follow in Presley’s footsteps. Although Bob Luman has become an

Livin On Love $19.99 R&B singer Peggi Blu comes from Gospel roots. She was a 1986 winner of Ed McMahon’s “Star Search” which led to a recording contract with Capitol Records. She later became a top session background vocalist, working with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Tracy Chapman, Kylie Minogue, Aaron Neville, David Foster, Cherelle, Burt Bacharach, Irene Cara, The Crusaders, Smokey Robinson, The Staple Singers, Phyllis Hyman & many more. She had a few solo albums of her own in the 80′s. She now returns with this 2002 CD. Gerald Albright guests on “Go Away Little Boy”. Performers: Bridgette Bryant – Vocals (Background); Gerald Albright – Bass (Electric); Maxi Anderson – Vocals (Background); Monalisa Young – Vocals (Background); Peggi Blu – Vocals (Background); Terry Bradford – Vocals (Background); Terry Young – Vocals (Background); Wil Wheaton – Vocals (Background); Brandon Fields – Saxophone; David Loeb – Strings, Piano, Synthesizer; Grant Geissman – Guitar, Guitar (Electric); Paul Goldberg – Drums; Ted Perlman – Guitar (Nylon String), Wah Wah Guitar, Multi Instruments, Piano, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar

Livin’ on the Fault Line $37.59 Livin’ on the Fault Line fell between two of the Doobie Brothers’ biggest-selling records. The album had no hit singles, and one-time leader Tom Johnston kept a markedly low profile (this would be his last record with the group, not including a later reunion). Despite this, Livin’ on the Fault Line contains some of the most challenging and well-developed music of the band’s career, with Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald really stepping to the fore. There’s a vague mood of melancholia running through the songs, as well as a definite jazz influence. This is most obvious on the title track, which has several instrumental passages that showcase the guitar abilities of Simmons and Jeff Baxter. Similarly, “Chinatown” is a spooky mood piece not unlike the smooth fusion of late-period Steely Dan or Little Feat. But “Echoes of Love” and “Nothin’ But a Heartache” are both intelligent, glistening pop songs that confirm Simmons and McDonald as first-rate tunesmiths. The record slips a little at the end, with a plodding R&B song and a Piedmont guitar instrumental thrown in as filler. Overall, though, this is a chapter in the Doobie Brothers’ history that deserves a second look. ~ Peter Kurtz, Rovi

Honky Tonk Livin’ $13.58 Honky Tonk Livin’, the Starline Rhythm Boys follow-up to their debut release Better Luck is a Barroom Away, was voted 2002 Album of the Year on the Freeform American Roots Chart. Out of print for the past few years, Honky Tonk Livin’ is available again as a re-release on Cow Island Music. Produced by Sean Mencher of High Noon fame, Honky Tonk Livin’ includes 14 original compositions as well as covers of previously unreleased songs by Wayne Hancock and Leroy Preston. Performers: Big Matt Little – Spoken Word; James McGirr – Trumpet (Muted); Bill Bratcher – Bass (Acoustic), Vocals (Background); Danny Coane – Vocal Harmony, Banjo, Harmony Vocals, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic); Frank Orsini – Mandolin, Fiddle; Kevin Maul – Dobro, Pedal Steel, Guitar (Steel), Guitar (12 String); Mark Cousins – Drums (Snare); Al Lemery – Guitar (Electric Bariton