Top 5 “Even if it’s jazz or the quiet storm/ I hook a beat up, convert it into hip-hop form.” —“I Ain’t No Joke” (Paid in Full, 1987) “Thinkin’ of a master plan/ ’Cause ain’t nothin�   More

Top 5 Barry Harris with Chuck Israels and Mel Brown (Friday, Feb. 15, at Jimmy Mak’s) Pianist Barry Harris, still sharp and dextrous at 83, is one of the last great bebop innovators we have, and bass   More

Top 5 “True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes,” Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984)Less funk-punk than tribal new-wave, the lone highlight of the Chili Peppers’ first outing finds Anthony Kiedis embodying the col   More

Top 5 Califone, Quicksand/Cradlesnakes (2003)Not only a Thrill Jockey fave, but one of the best bands of the past decade, in my opinion. These dudes mix gorgeous folk melodies with out-there noise like    More

Top 5 Buddy HollyHe inspired generations of musical nerds from Elvis Costello to Kanye, not to mention most of the current-day NBA. You know you’ve arrived when Weezer writes a song about you. Ray    More