SAN DIEGO — A year ago, I enthusiastically wrote that more truly great albums were released in 1972 than in any other year before or since. To make my case, I cited classics by such diverse artists as Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Little Feat, Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Chick Corea, Ornette Coleman, Gentle Giant, Frank Zappa and a good number more that indelibly rocked my world in my mid-teens. So, how does 1973 fare by comparison? Quite well, thank you, although the role of music in my life changed dramatically that year. What had been an often-shared experience w…
