Every once in a while, a single instrument arrives and rewrites the rules. Not just for music, but for culture itself. Think about it. A strip of brass and a few keys gave birth to jazz. A solid block ...

This fortnight, Mike's cued up four newish releases with very different approaches to modern jazz. We have a couple piano trios (one of which calls in reinforcements from time to time), a duet with ...

Five rock songs that were made better by drum machines, with iconic entries by New Order, Phil Collins, Yes, Billy Idol, and ...

About 10 years ago, a disgruntled pianist in Los Angeles named John Wood began a popular bumper sticker campaign with the slogan, "Drum Machines Have No Soul." Not everyone was convinced, including ...