Record Reviews
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  | MIKE BLOOMFIELD ~ IT`S NOT KILLING ME
ACADIA 8098 (Barcode: 805772809826) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2006
1st album by US most formidable white (and Jewish of course) Blues guitar hero Mike BloomfieldFind albums by this artist, who by the time this music was recorded has already established a legendary status among Blues aficionados and music lovers in general, following his remarkable work with Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, Paul Butterfield Blues BandFind albums by this artist, Electric FlagFind albums by this artist and Al KooperFind albums by this artist´s "Super SessionFind albums with this title" meetings. Considering his status, the album was a huge disappointment at the time of its release, as it didn´t follow the formula of extended solo guitar fireworks in the Blues vein, which everybody expected. Bloomfield decided to get away from that formula and record a much more relaxed album, surrounded by many of his faithful cohorts from years past, including his ex-Electric Flag buddies Mark NaftalinFind albums by this artist on keyboards and Nick GravenitesFind albums by this artist on backing vocals. Although a fair share of Blues material is present, Bloomfield also tackles Rhythm And Blues and even Country, with his soloing subdued and mighty guitar work kept in the background. He did however write 10 of the 11 tracks on the album, sticking to his own music rather than playing over Blues standards. If one has to criticize, the only poor decision here was Bloomfield handling the lead vocals, rather than leaving that part to much abler singers, like Gravenites (something that worked wonderfully on the singer´s debut solo album. But in retrospect every note played by Bloomfield is worthy of admiration and preservation, and considering this is the first reissue of that album on CD, this is a treat any way one looks at it. Definitely worth investigating!
| | Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | BLUES PROJECT ~ LIVE AT THE CAFÉ AU GO GO (EXPANDED EDITION)
ACADIA 8070 (Barcode: 805772807020) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 1965 - 1966 Released: 2004
1st album by US group Blues ProjectFind albums by this artist, formed in 1965 by blues fanatic Danny KalbFind albums by this artist and four other Jewish NY youngsters (well who else would play the Blues if not Jewish kids), including the legendary keyboardist Al KooperFind albums by this artist, freshly out of the first electric Bob DylanFind albums by this artist band. The Blues Project became the resident band at the NY club Café Au Go Go, drawing large crowds and swiftly becoming one of the most popular NY bands, with the Blues revival flourishing in the background and Blues-Rock being born. Therefore it´s hardly surprising that the band would record their debut album live at the club, which has become their place of residence, although starting off with a live album was hardly an acceptable norm. They were however always strongest live, as their future albums would prove. Although firmly based in the Blues tradition, the band played a strange amalgam of tunes, which included early Psychedelic adventures, Rock, Jazz and Rhythm And Blues, creating a unique sound and breaking new musical ground on the way. Kalb played some nifty guitar licks, Kooper was always brilliant on organ and electric piano and the other band members contributed their share, which all together sounded quite brilliant. The album includes 2 sessions, the first with the band´s lead singer Tommy FlandersFind albums by this artist, who left the band soon after, and the second without him. This new reissue includes all the tracks recorded during both these sessions, presenting the full document of the band at the time. In retrospect this is all not only great music, but a great trip down the memory lane – no one plays such honest music today. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | GARY BURTON ~ NEW VIBE MAN IN TOWN / WHO IS GARY BURTON? / IN CONCERT
BGO 1519 (Barcode: 5017261215192) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1968 Released: 2024
This is a reissue / remaster of three early albums by American vibraphonist / composer / bandleader Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist, released originally on the RCAFind albums on this label label. Burton started his musical career at a very early age and was considered a prodigy. Choosing the vibraphone as his “weapon of choice”, and his decision to play Jazz rather than classical music made him a sensation and he recorded the first of the albums included here at the age of eighteen, quite an unprecedented event at the time. CD1 presets his first two albums, eight and seven tracks, recorded in 1961 and 1962 respectively. CD2 presents the 10th album, with eight tracks recorded in 1968, which is the only live recording by Burton and the one before last album released on RCA.
“New Vibe Man In TownFind albums with this title” was recorded in a trio setting with bassist Gene ChericoFind albums by this artist and drummer Joe MorelloFind albums by this artist. All the tracks are standards. “Who is Gary Burton?Find albums with this title” was recorded in a septet setting with trumpeter Clark TerryFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bob BrookmeyerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, pianist Tommy FlanaganFind albums by this artist, bassist John NevesFind albums by this artist and drummers Morello or Chris SwansenFind albums by this artist. Four of the tracks are standards, two are by Swansen, who was Burton’s classmate at Berklee Collage of Music and finally one is by British trombonist / composer Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, who was his Berklee teacher and later a lifelong friend and musical collaborator.
“In ConcertFind albums with this title” was recorded with the revolutionary quartet, which included guitarist Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist, and sounded like something from another planet, being one of the earliest Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles, which changed the face of music. Except for one cover of a song by Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, all the tracks are originals, three composed by Burton, two by Coryell, one co-composed by the two and finally again one track by Gibbs.
Overall, this is a brilliant reminder of the early musical path by one of the most important American Jazz figures, which is perhaps also the most “non-American” Jazz figures, closer to the European sound and aesthetics than to his roots, which are still plainly present on his first two albums. This reissue joins the other three reissue projects of Gary Burton recordings on RCA, released by the great British BGOFind albums on this label label, which now cover ten of the eleven RCA recordings.
| | Updated: 29/07/2024Posted: 29/07/2024 | CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BYRDS ~ THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA ALBUMS COLLECTION
SONY 886978738028 (Barcode: 886978738028) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1965 - 1971 Released: 2011
The legendary US group The ByrdsFind albums by this artist have in mid-1960s almost singlehandedly transformed the music scene from a bunch of Folkies to a horde of Rockers almost overnight. Brilliantly catching up on the "Bob DylanFind albums by this artist going electric" trend, they recorded a series of absolutely outstanding albums, which remain to this day some of the best music ever recorded on this planet. Using the US Folk tradition to the max, Dylan included, with clever and conscious lyrics and exquisite vocal harmonies, they added the electric guitars and spiced everything with their incredible talents and musical sensitivity. In time they incorporated Psychedelia and other influences (including Jazz), and pioneered other new developments themselves, which earns them a highly respected place on the pedestal of modern music. In retrospect, no other US group matched their achievements, although many tried to do so. This marvelous Box Set collects all the eleven albums The Byrds released on the Columbia label (13 CDs as two albums are double) between 1965 and 1971, beautifully remastered and with a plethora of bonus tracks and a highly informative booklet with detailed information about every track included. This is such a tremendous body of music of staggering importance and beauty that any recommendations would only lessen its true value. Absolutely classic and essential stuff!
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 13 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | LEONARD COHEN ~ THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA ALBUMS COLLECTION
SONY 886978718426 (Barcode: 886978718426) ~ CANADA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1967 - 2009 Released: 2011
America didn´t really need another Jewish Prophet… Zimmerman created enough mayhem as it was, protesting out loud, corrupting the youth and what have you. Just look what happened: the god-fearing American Folk music went electric and turned into Rock, to be followed by the Summer Of Love and later Woodstock! Sodom and Gomorrah! And on top of all this another Jewish poet / singer / songwriter arrives from the north and adds oil to the fire…
The connection between Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist is obvious; they both deal often with the same subject matter and similar modus operandi, cleverly crafting revolutionary ideology and dressing it up with music. In many respects Cohen arrived on the scene just after Dylan peaked, and whereas Dylan never managed to recreate the golden era of his youth, Cohen aged well, continuously producing new albums, which were always up to date, both musically and intellectually.
These collected recordings are a staggering monument presenting Cohen´s talent. Everybody knows some of his songs, which in time became timeless anthems, but listening to these sixteen (one double) albums chronologically and in full is a true mind-blowing experience. He is a Prophet, a Sage and a great Artist indeed and what is amazing is the simplicity and honesty of his artistic way, devoid of any trickery (studio or otherwise), with minimal orchestration and shunning unnecessary camouflage, just straight to the point riding on the strength of his expressive vocals and heartfelt melodies. In retrospect Cohen is a symbol of minimalism at its most effective.
Of course the "completeness" status of this Box Set has been undermined by the fact that Cohen released already two additional studio albums, after this Box Set was assembled and released: the 2012 "Old IdeasFind albums with this title" and the 2014 "Popular ProblemsFind albums with this title" and two live albums. Future edition of this Box Set might rectify this hitch.
This Box Set is a capsule of good taste, healthy mind and aesthetic symbolism of a time, none of which are to be found today anywhere. An absolute must and an essential piece of what we (still) call Culture, which is disappearing as these words are being written…
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 18 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | LEONARD COHEN ~ THE COMPLETE STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION
SONY 886979617728 (Barcode: 886979617728) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1967 - 2004 Released: 2011
America didn´t really need another Jewish Prophet… Zimmerman created enough mayhem as it was, protesting out loud, corrupting the youth and what have you. Just look what happened: the god-fearing American Folk music went electric and turned into Rock, to be followed by the Summer Of Love and later Woodstock! Sodom and Gomorrah! And on top of all this another Jewish poet / singer / songwriter arrives from the north and adds oil to the fire… The connection between Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist is obvious; they both deal often with the same subject matter and similar modus operandi, cleverly crafting revolutionary ideology and dressing it up with music. In many respects Cohen arrived on the scene just after Dylan peaked, and whereas Dylan never managed to recreate the golden era of his youth, Cohen aged well, continuously producing new albums, which were always up to date, both musically and intellectually. This collected studio recordings are a staggering monument presenting Cohen´s talent. Everybody knows some of his songs, which in time became timeless anthems, but listening to these eleven albums chronologically and in full is a true mind-blowing experience. He is a Prophet, a Sage and a great Artist indeed and what is amazing is the simplicity and honesty of his artistic way, devoid of any trickery (studio or otherwise), with minimal orchestration and shunning unnecessary camouflage, just straight to the point riding on the strength of his expressive vocals and heartfelt melodies. In retrospect Cohen is a symbol of minimalism at its most effective. This box is a capsule of good taste, healthy mind and aesthetic symbolism of a time, none of which are to be found today anywhere. An absolute must and an essential piece of what we (still) call Culture, which is disappearing as these words are being written…
| | | CD 11 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | RITA COOLIDGE ~ RITA COOLIDGE / NICE FEELIN`
BGO 0846 (Barcode: 5017261208460) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2009
This is a reissue of the first two albums by American Rock vocalist Rita CoolidgeFind albums by this artist, both released in 1971. Together the twofer presents twenty wonderful songs written for her by the best songwriters of the period and she is accompanied by a stellar lineup which includes keyboardists Leon RussellFind albums by this artist and Booker T. JonesFind albums by this artist, guitarists Spooner OldhamFind albums by this artist, Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist, Marc BennoFind albums by this artist and Clarence WhiteFind albums by this artist, bassist Chris EthridgeFind albums by this artist, drummer Jim KeltnerFind albums by this artist and many others, as well as brass and string sections.
Coolidge was discovered by the team Delaney & BonnieFind albums by this artist and very quickly became a permanent part of the American Rock scene singing backing vocals on countless classic Rock albums by Leon Russell, Joe CockerFind albums by this artist, Graham NashFind albums by this artist, Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, Stephen Stills and many others. She was blessed by a wonderfully expressive voice and a superb feeling for Soul / Rhythm And Blues / Rock, which she expressed both as a backing vocalist and a lead singer.
This reissue is a wonderful reminder of these wonderful days when American Rock was most productive and capable of creating lasting music. Although Coolidge enjoyed a successful career in the years that followed these two early albums and her work with the a.m. artists are for me the pinnacle of her artistic achievements.
Overall this is a great glimpse at the days when everything sounded better, looked nicer and tasted sweeter then ever. An absolute Classic Rock bonanza!
| | Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 20/09/2020 | CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG ~ DÉJÀ VU
ATLANTIC 075678264924 (Barcode: 075678264924) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 1994
This is the debut album by the iconic Classic Rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist, considered as one of the most important and pivotal Rock albums of all time. The group combined four young (at the time) Rock stars: the hippie dreamer David CrosbyFind albums by this artist, the folksy / bluesy Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist, the elegant, intellectual and romantic Brit Graham NashFind albums by this artist and the tough rocker Neil YoungFind albums by this artist, all four blessed with extraordinary voices and sublime songwriting talents. This unique combination of musical personalities already tested and perfected within the Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist framework was simply matchless by any contemporary Rock group at the time. This highly anticipated album, following the instant fame and glory of the group due to their stellar Woodstock Festival appearance proved to be everything that might have been expected and more. Assisted by bassist Greg ReevesFind albums by this artist and drummer Dallas TaylorFind albums by this artist (and a brief contributions by Jerry GarciaFind albums by this artist and John SebastianFind albums by this artist) they recorded nine original songs (two by each of the group members and one co-written by Stills and Young) and the cherry on top in the form of the Woodstock Generation anthem, the Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist song "Woodstock" inspired by the festival´s events.
The music is a prefect blend of vocal harmonies and instrumental work, which renders sublimely the beauty and the depth of the compositions. The clever and meaningful lyrics add another layer to the musical framework, creating a set of songs, which in time became anthems not only in the long and successful career of the group and its individual members, but more importantly reached a legendary status of Anthems of a Generation, which firmly stands to this very day.
It is very difficult to understand what makes this album to stand out from thousands of other recordings of the period. Beyond the above mentioned objective reasons, which contribute to its success, there are also additional factors, historical, social, psychological and even philosophical. This album defines a specific moment in American history, in which the "American Values" were seriously questioned, perhaps for the first time. The anguish and the confusion of the young generation (in America, but also in the entire world for that matter) were perfectly echoed in the songs by the Classic Rock Artists, who were the bards and often the prophets of their generation, continuing the process initiated in the 1950s by the Beat Generation and continued by the Protest Poets of the 1960 (Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist). Sadly that poignant moment of American history proved to be brief, and tragically insignificant in retrospect. The mass media and political / social processes proved to be most successful in turning the American public into a mindless mob.
Now, almost fifty years after it´s release, this is still a sublime piece of music, which deserves to be cherished, remembered and repeatedly re-visited by every sensitive, open-minded cultural person on this planet.
| | Updated: 21/01/2019Posted: 21/01/2019 | CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ TURNING TO CRIME
EAR MUSIC 4029759157151 (Barcode: 4029759157151) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is the 22nd studio album by the iconic British Rock / Prog band Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist and their first album dedicated entirely to covers of Classic Rock songs by such legends as Fleetwood MacFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, YardbirdsFind albums by this artist, CreamFind albums by this artist and others. The lineup includes vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Steve MorseFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don AireyFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. A few additional musicians appear on selected tracks. The album presents twelve tracks, the last of which is a medley of five songs, so altogether the album includes covers of sixteen songs.
The album, recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, was put together by recording the five members of the band in separate studios and then pasted together by the band’s regular producer Bob EzrinFind albums by this artist, for whom this was the 4th DP album he produced.
Although Deep Purple created a plethora of great original songs during the fifty plus years of their existence, they were always superb interpreters of songs written by other songwriters, starting with their debut album. This album proves that they indeed are able to put new life into songs, which are mostly as old as the group, and that without damaging the original songs and often improving on them.
The instrumental abilities that come together on this album are absolutely convincing, which of course is no surprise to any music lover familiar with Deep Purple’s legacy, Gillan is still a mighty vocalist, losing just a bit of his upper range, which is all for the better. Sparkled with some British sense of humor and obvious love of the subject matter, they are simply unbeatable. Veterans, grandpas, dinosaurs and whatever they are called, they still easily kick the ass of any band half their age.
Overall, this is a superb Rock album, which combines tradition, great selection of material and sublime musicianship, which is way more than one dares to expect from any contemporary Rock music. The fans of the group need no convincing and the youngsters might just learn something from what it has to offer. Hats off are in order and hopefully see you all on stage one day soon, lads.
| | Updated: 05/08/2024Posted: 25/12/2021 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | JULIE DRISCOLL / BRIAN AUGER / TRINITY ~ OPEN (DELUXE EDITION)
CASTLE 0978 (Barcode: 5050159197828) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2004
2nd album by one of the most distinctive female voices ever on the UK scene. Julie DriscollFind albums by this artist was undoubtedly the most talented interpretter of soul material in her unique style which mixes soul with jazz and heavy psychedelia. Combined with the amazing talents of the organ player Brian AugerFind albums by this artist (see his releases), they were deadly. Just listen to Julie`s performance of DonovanFind albums by this artist`s `Season Of The Witch` - this surely must be one of the highlights of female singing in music`s history. The bonus material includes their amazing psychedelic hit `This Wheel`s On Fire`, penned by Bob DylanFind albums by this artist. Absolutely essential in any person`s collection!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | BOB DYLAN ~ 1970
COLUMBIA 194398564128 (Barcode: 194398564128) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2021
This is a sensational archive album by American prophet / singer / songwriter Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, which collects three and a half hours of unreleased studio recordings from sessions that took place between March and August of 1970. These two sessions produced two Dylan’s albums released the same year: “Self PortraitFind albums with this title” and “New MorningFind albums with this title”, which are dramatically different from each other, and as we can now hear, consisted of only small part of the music that was captured during these sessions. Dylan is accompanied by wonderful musicians, like organist Al KooperFind albums by this artist, guitarist David BrombergFind albums by this artist, bassist Harvey BrooksFind albums by this artist, drummer Russell KunkelFind albums by this artist and others, but perhaps the most astonishing personal appearance on this album is that of George HarrisonFind albums by this artist, who plays guitar and sings on nine tracks during the May 1st session. The album presents a mixture of original songs by Dylan and songs by others, mostly American songwriters and one BeatlesFind albums by this artist song, as well as a bunch of folk songs. Most of the material written by others appeared on “Self Portrait”, whereas most of the original material appeared on “New Morning”.
There is no need to say much more about this music and try to be innovative, as Dylan and his music was already analyzed by so many music writers. As to the fact that his music has been archived more extensively than any other musician in history in an extensive series of the archival releases, most comprehensively on “The Bootleg SeriesFind albums with this title” (up to now in 15 volumes) and other Box Sets, has always kept me wondering how much of it is really historically necessary and revealing, and how much was just milking money in the process. History will most probably decide…
I have always been a great admirer of Dylan and he undoubtedly is one of the most influential artists in the Soundtrack of my Life, probably more as a poet, a rebel and a prophet than as a songwriter. But he did write some of the greatest songs of the 1960s, which live forever.
With Harrison on board, this album will probably rise more interest than most of the other archival material by Dylan, but nevertheless it is a wonderful time capsule, definitely worth revisiting.
| | Updated: 14/03/2021Posted: 14/03/2021 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BOB DYLAN ~ THE ORIGINAL MONO RECORDINGS
SONY 886977610424 (Barcode: 886977610424) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1961 - 1967 Released: 2010
Half a century ago, in the early 1960s, music was going through a period of rapid and revolutionary change, a complete metamorphosis in fact, with brilliant new ideas and bold steps into the unknown and the unprecedented happening almost instantly, and new directions, genres and sounds being born on the fly. However, the sound technology, which was the tool used to capture and then reproduce music was moving at a much slower pace. It took almost a decade for the vinyl LP, which was introduced in 1948, to become the de facto industry standard. Similarly the stereo sound, initially introduced in 1958, also took almost a decade to become the industry standard.
Therefore, most of the music released in the early to mid 1960s was in fact recorded, mixed and manufactured in the mono format, with later recordings available in separate mono or stereo versions, until the mono format was eventually dropped completely. The original mono versions were later electronically transferred to stereo, creating the so called "fake stereo" effect. Now, half a century later, many music and sound connoisseurs wish to hear the music of that period as it was originally recorded and intended to be heard, i.e. in the mono format, which in turn gave birth to a new trend of original mono format reissues, which is quite popular among the "insiders" of the record collecting niche.
This magnificent Box Set is a result of the "mono craze", but of course it is much more than just a nostalgia trip. It includes the first eight albums recorded by singer / poet / prophet Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, who singlehandedly not only revolutionized music, as we know it, but also stirred up the American morality, shaking the often false foundations, upon it was based. Dylan "invented" Rock, by electrifying American Folk, for which he was bitterly criticized and treated as a "traitor". But the young generation, which was about to become "Flower Children" and later the angry, outraged post-Woodstock anti-establishment generation came into being because of his prophetic, bitter and profoundly accurate poetry, which is all heard here, on these albums. There is no other singular representative of the American People, who made such an intense impact on American culture and morality, as documented herein.
These eight albums, starting from the eponymous 1961 release and ending with the 1967 "John Wesley HardingFind albums with this title" are all masterpieces and together present a magnificent piece of history of human culture. They present a gradual development from the pure acoustic Folk music, which Dylan with his voice, guitar and harmonica brought to perfection, into a full electric Rock ensembles, which featured the genius of keyboardist Al KooperFind albums by this artist and guitarists Mike BloomfieldFind albums by this artist and Robbie RobertsonFind albums by this artist (the latter member of The BandFind albums by this artist, which was Dylan´s touring band at the time). This is music history in the making. But of course there are also the words, the lyrics, the poems, which at the time were cutting through the American (as well as World) conscience, rising questions never before asked. Many of these questions remain unanswered to this vey day…
I can not imagine any true Homo Sapiens not having these albums as part of his cultural diet. By hey, the world is moving on, getting stupider by the minute, so I suppose considerably fewer people listen to this music today than half a century ago. O tempora o mores!
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 9 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | FAIRPORT CONVENTION ~ FAIRPORT CONVENTION (EXPANDED EDITION)
POLYDOR 044006829128 (Barcode: 044006829128) ~ UK ~ Folk-Rock
Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2003
This is the debut album by the legendary British Folk-Rock group Fairport ConventionFind albums by this artist, which was one of the pioneering and groundbreaking recordings of that genre in Britain. The group was a sextet at the time and comprised of lead vocalist Judy DybleFind albums by this artist, vocalist Ian MacDonaldFind albums by this artist, guitarist Richard ThompsonFind albums by this artist, vocalist / guitarist Simon NicolFind albums by this artist, bassist Ashley HutchingsFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin LambleFind albums by this artist. A band fronted by a female vocalist was a novelty on the British scene. The debut album presented twelve songs, seven of which were originals and five were American Folk-Rock songs.
The musical setting of the debut album clearly shows the band influenced by American Folk-Rock, especially early American Electric Folk-Rock bands like Jefferson AirplaneFind albums by this artist, ByrdsFind albums by this artist, Left BankeFind albums by this artist etc., and singers / songwriters like Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Tim HardinFind albums by this artist and others. Created at the very peak of Flower Power, the album was also influenced by Psychedelia, Avant-Garde Jazz and contemporary Classical music, as appropriate for the period. These influences are much more subtle that those of the American Electric Fork-Rock, but they are the reason why this album is not a stylistic carbon copy but an original attempt to find their own artistic expression and in many respects is much more complex than albums by their American counterparts.
The album was almost completely ignored at the time of its release, which prompted the band to switch to Island Records, where they subsequently released the bulk of their legendary classic material, with Dyble being replaced by the superb Sandy DennyFind albums by this artist. In retrospect the album sounds a bit naïve today, but all things considered it still is a great piece of music and a wonderful document of the times, definitely worth revisiting.
This remastered and expanded edition adds for bonus tracks, which include a rare studio track, the band´s first single and a couple of live French TV recordings as well as a nice booklet with rare photographs and informative comments by Hutchings. This is a first rate treat for the band´s many fans.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JONATHAN GEFFEN / DANNY LITANI ~ IT`S ALL FOR NOW, FOR NOW IT`S ALL
PHONOKOL 4158 (Barcode: 7296134415824) ~ ISRAEL ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2001
Following the 1973 Yom Kippur war Israel was swept by a tidal wave of public anti-government protest, which eventually led to radical changes both in Israeli society and the state´s government. The protest was often spearheaded by Israeli intellectuals, including writers, poets and musicians. During that period writer / poet / satirist Jonathan GeffenFind albums by this artist and singer / composer Danny LitaniFind albums by this artist combined forces and presented a live show, which included music, sketches, standup comedy and a lot of political satire, which proved to be immensely successful with the Israeli public. This album, originally a double LP, presents a live recording of the show, with the leader supported by excellent musicians and friends, including Matti CaspiFind albums by this artist, Shalom HanochFind albums by this artist and Ariel ZilberFind albums by this artist. Litani wrote most of the original music in the show except a few songs by Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, with lyrics translated into Hebrew by Geffen, who wrote also all the original lyrics and spoken texts. This is a great document of the time and a great fun, with most of the satire being completely relevant today, 35 years later.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | EERO KOIVISTOINEN ~ HATI HATI
SVART 352 (Barcode: 6430050663032) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by a quartet led by Finnish Jazz Giant, saxophonist / composer Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist with three representatives of the younger generation of the Finnish Jazz scene: pianist Alexi TuomarilaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jori HuhtalaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jussi LehtonenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tunes, seven of which are original compositions by Koivistoinen and one is an arrangement of a Bob DylanFind albums by this artist song.
During a career that lasts for over five decades Koivistoinen amassed an incredible legacy of music. As one of the founding Fathers of Finnish Jazz he continuously performed, recorded, led ensembles, and toured both locally and internationally, in short was and still is "Mr. Jazz" in the best and most accurate meaning of the term. He always combined the two most vital qualities essential for a great Jazz musician: a superb and very personal technique and a very personal, instantly recognizable compositional skill. Consistently and marvelously Koivistoinen established his position as one of the leading world-class post-Coltrane saxophonists over the years, and his playing lost absolutely nothing of its fluency, vitality and most importantly that incredible "coolness" which makes him stand apart from most other players.
This album is a superb example of melodic Modern Jazz, which flows gently from one tune to the next completely naturally and coherently. Koivistoinen´s compositions are all absolute gems, each and every one of them immediately deserving a status of a standard. Since the very early days he always managed to amaze me time after time with the gorgeousness of his tunes and the ones present here are no exception. Of course great tunes are basis of everything in Jazz, which this album demonstrates repeatedly.
The saxophone performances are also stunning and stellar, with a wonderful natural flow and lucidity. Even when the improvisations become complex and dense, they sound absolutely melodic and crystal clear. Careful listening reveals the entire Jazz tradition, which Koivistoinen´s playing is based on, and yet he remains completely original and always full of imagination. It is not surprising that for me Koivistoinen is one of the absolute top active world saxophone players and hopefully this will continue to be the case in years to come. The fact that Koivistoinen is first and foremost Finnish and European, which forged his musical personality and allowed it not to be overwhelmed by the American Jazz tradition, creating a wonderful amalgam of European elegance and taste with the original American spirit of the idiom.
Over the years Finland continuously produces wave after wave of extremely talented and creative musicians, including those active on the Jazz scene. Therefore it is not surprising that the younger players on this album are all masters of their trade. Tuomarila, who is naturally given a greater exposure, is an absolutely wonderful pianist, with exceptional sense of melody and fluidity, which turns his solos into micro masterpieces. Huhtala supports the music solidly and with a great sense of harmony. Lehtonen takes a very conservative approach trying to be as much respectfully unobtrusive as possible, which in case of this rather soft and delicate music is the best approach.
Overall this is a stunningly beautiful album, full of exquisite music and stellar performances, as always in the case of anything Koivistoinen is involved with. His many fans will find this album a worthy continuation of his splendid legacy and those who are not familiar with the Master, will perhaps be caught in the net of his magic notes. Thank you Eero for making this great music, which is able to make us smile again!
| | Updated: 19/12/2022Posted: 25/11/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | AL KOOPER ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS
SONY 888750990723 (Barcode: 888750990723) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 1968 - 1972 Released: 2015
This Box Set collects five of the six albums recorded by iconic American singer / songwriter / bandleader / producer Al KooperFind albums by this artist and released between 1968 and 1973 on the ColumbiaFind albums on this label label. They are: his debut solo album "I Stand AloneFind albums with this title", the second "You Never Know Who Your Friends AreFind albums with this title", the third "Easy Does ItFind albums with this title", the fourth "New York City (You`re A Woman)Find albums with this title" and the sixth "Naked SongsFind albums with this title". His fifth album "A Possible Projection Of The Future / Childhood`s EndFind albums with this title" remains sadly in its obscurity.
It is hard to imagine the shape of American music without Al Kooper, starting from his contribution to Bob DylanFind albums by this artist´s revolutionary early electric era which led to the inception of Rock, via the initiation of Brass Jazz-Rock Fusion with Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, Southern Rock with Lynyrd SkynyrdFind albums by this artist and hundreds of albums he either played on or produced. His exceptional gift for crafting memorable melodies, writing elaborate orchestral arrangements and singing his heart out; all those made him one of the absolute geniuses of the American popular music in the 20th Century.
His solo albums are all brilliant collections of superb songs, performed with elegance and zest, full of Kooper´s unique genius. The fact that it took over forty years for these albums to make it to CD, partly for the first time ever, is a sad, sad reminder of our era, where music understanding and appreciation is almost completely lost, giving place to stupidity and ignorance, fads and hypes.
I urge everybody to give those five albums a serious listen and discover their beauty, depth and above all musical genius. This is some of the best American music made during the Golden Decade, and the fact that it remains forgotten is a crying shame.
Side Note
The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label, the "5 Original AlbumsFind albums with this title" by UniversalFind albums on this label, the Box Sets by RhinoFind albums on this label and other similar releases are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard for the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our Cultural Legacy with respect and loyalty.
The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. Most importantly these Box Sets don't include any booklet offering a historical background and perspective about the Artists and the Music, which are extremely important and vital to the preservation of our Culture and passing the knowledge to the next generations.
In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!
| | Updated: 05/04/2024Posted: | CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | EWA LIPSKA / ZBIGNIEW PREISNER ~ 2016 DOKAD?
UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557360660 (Barcode: 602557360660) ~ POLAND ~ Sung Poetry
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is a live recording of a concert, which presents a series of compositions by composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist with texts by poetess Ewa LipskaFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by several vocalists, including Lisa GerrardFind albums by this artist, Edyta KrzemienFind albums by this artist and others, a large mixed choir and many instrumentalists, including pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, organist Jozef SkrzekFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist and others. Both Lipska and Preisner also contribute spoken / sung parts. The 2CD album presents twenty-two tracks, which are also available on the enclosed DVD.
The music, which encompasses Classical, Folkloristic and Popular music elements, offers a form of a contemporary oratorio, but the subject matter is completely secular, and touches on deeply philosophical / political / social matters, which trouble the Polish society, as much today as it did through the ages. Lipska’s tongue, sharp as a razor, is completely ruthless and slaughters holly cows by the dozen, often shockingly “in the face”, which often is the only way to jiggle people out of their lethargy. Preisner’s music fits the “wild” and provocative lyrics perfectly, creating an amalgam of somber, deadly serious atmosphere with seemingly lighter interludes of cabaret-like textures.
Of course one can always ponder on the effectiveness of “protesting” in Art, and the realization that even the most talented human beings, like Allen GinsbergFind albums by this artist and the entire Beat Generation, or Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and the entire Protest Generation, or Marek GrechutaFind albums by this artist, or Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist managed to change anything in the long run, prevent wars, social injustice or human stupidity. And yet, the Artists simply must do, what they do, since they just wouldn’t be Artists if they wouldn’t do what they do, hoping that someone will hear what they mean.
Overall, this is a monumental stage enterprise, which forces the listener to face a mirror, and which uses an entire arsenal of Cultural armament: music, poetry, spoken word, etc. to make one simple, but powerful statement: “wake up! I consider myself extremely happy to be able to count several of the protagonist of this ambitious masterpiece as my friends. Thank you for the words and the sounds!
| | Updated: 24/05/2024Posted: 24/05/2024 | 2CD+DVD 3 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHARLES LLOYD / JASON MORAN ~ HAGAR`S SONG
ECM 2311 (Barcode: 602537245505) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013
This is a beautiful duo album by veteran US saxophonist Charles LloydFind albums by this artist and much younger pianist Jason MoranFind albums by this artist, who plays with Lloyd since several years. The album comprises of fourteen pieces, eight of which are Jazz / Rock / Pop standards, which receive here a very special treatment and one is an original composition by Lloyd. The remaining five are also composed by Lloyd and constitute a musical suite, which gives the album its title.
Lloyd´s status as a player is beyond legendary and his latest output completely defies the limitations that age imposes on people, which is absolutely astounding. His tone, sensibility, aesthetics and virtuosity are simply stunning and being enhanced by maturity and experience give a new meaning to the term "musical perfection". Moran, one of the most important pianists to emerge on the US scene in the last decade, proves to be both a worthy partner and a faithful supporter to Lloyd´s artistry.
Lloyd´s decision to revisit some of the most iconic Jazz standards, as well as no less iconic pieces by Bob DylanFind albums by this artist or Brian WilsonFind albums by this artist (the Beach BoysFind albums by this artist) is somewhat surprising, as he is known to concentrate mostly on his original material. These Jazz standards are obviously very dear to his heart to return to them with such love and sensitivity. The non-Jazz material is a nice reminder of the period when Lloyd´s music was a part of the emerging Jazz-Rock scene in the US, one of the most exciting periods in music history.
Lloyd plays flutes on this album, which is also quite a rare occasion to be reminded how beautifully he can handle that instrument as well. The interplays and musical conversations between him and Moran are a striking example of mutual empathy, understanding and respect between musicians, regardless of their age difference.
Overall this is a superb album, full of deeply moving music from start to finish, perfectly and most sensitively performed by Master musicians and beautifully recorded. One can hardly ask for anything more as far as musical aesthetics and creativity are concerned. This is superb music in every respect and a must for any serious Jazz listener.
| | | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | BOBBY MCFERRIN ~ SPIRITYOUALL
SONY 888837183826 (Barcode: 888837183826) ~ USA ~ Gospel
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013
This album by US vocalist / composer extraordinaire Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist is a profound back to the roots examination of his musical path so far and its origins. It presents thirteen songs, seven of which are traditional spirituals, five are his original compositions and one is a Bob DylanFind albums by this artist song. All these songs have a common musical ground, going back to the roots of American music and even deeper back to the African sources of this music. McFerrin is accompanied by a splendid group of instrumentalists, which includes keyboardist Gil GoldsteinFind albums by this artist, who also plays the accordion extensively on this album and who is responsible for the superb arrangements, guitarist Larry CampbellFind albums by this artist, bassists Esperanza SpaldingFind albums by this artist and Larry GrenadierFind albums by this artist and drummers Charley DraytonFind albums by this artist and Ali JacksonFind albums by this artist. Spalding also adds her vocals on several tracks and four background vocalists participate on a couple tracks.
McFerrin also uses this album to pay a tribute to his father, Robert McFerrin, Sr.Find albums by this artist who was the first African-American to sing a title role at the Metropolitan Opera. Several of the spirituals covered by Bobby on this album were recorded by his father on his 1957 solo album "Deep RiverFind albums with this title", and receive here a renewed treatment. The entire album is full of spirituality, faith and love, expressed in a humble, honest and most sincere way, without any attempt to preach or convert. It reflects accurately and beautifully McFerrin´s personality, who is one of the kindest and friendliest persons I have ever had the pleasure to meet and spend time with.
Musically this album is less adventurous than McFerrin´s earlier work, but of course in this case it is all quite intentional. And yet he gets to display an enormous range of his vocal abilities, singing words, scat, vocalese and uttering sounds, all the above with his usual elegance and eloquence. The instrumental accompaniment is also first-rate, with a unique, mostly acoustic and down to earth sound, which suits this music perfectly, being a perfect example of "less is more".
Overall this is a perfect example of an album, which is most entertaining and yet at the same time is superbly executed, intelligent and deeply emotional – a rare event indeed. Every music lover on earth should be able to enjoy this music immensely simply opening the heart and ears at the same time. Thank you Bobby, again!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ORFEUS / HASSE WALLI & ZEUS ~ POP LIISA VOL. 15 & VOL. 16
SVART 088 (Barcode: 6430065583523) ~ FINLAND ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2017
The Finnish Rock band OrfeusFind albums by this artist, formed in 1971, followed the same path that many other similar bands also traveled on, starting as an impressive Progressive Rock outfit and by the mid 1970s switching gradually into more commercial, mainstream Rock oriented act. At the time this live radio broadcast was recorded, they were at the peak of their Prog period, as this performance undoubtedly proves. Organist Heikki HiekkalaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jan OdnerFind albums by this artist, bassist Klaus StoltFind albums by this artist and drummer / vocalist Urpo LeppanenFind albums by this artist perform just four lengthy covers of highly ambitious material (The BandFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. Jack BruceFind albums by this artist and Pink FloydFind albums by this artist), which feature the heavenly sound of early 1970s, with heavy Hammond parts, screaming guitars solos and high-pitched vocals (in English) as appropriate for the Prog of the time. It is a great reminder what Prog was all about during its first reign, to which it sadly never managed to return again.
Guitarist Hasse WalliFind albums by this artist is rightly considered as the Godfather of modern Finnish Rock. He was the lead guitarist of Blues SectionFind albums by this artist, the band that started it all and spawned Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist and WigwamFind albums by this artist. He formed the band Hasse Walli & ZeusFind albums by this artist in 1972 after a period of inactivity caused by an injury, joined by four excellent musicians: guitarist Tommy KnifFind albums by this artist, bassist Renne AngelvuoFind albums by this artist and drummer Ari ValtonenFind albums by this artist. The group existed for a brief period of time and didn´t manage to record an album, and this live radio broadcast is the only recorded evidence of their existence. They perform four extended pieces, three covers (Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist, Frank Zappa, and Bob DylanFind albums by this artist) and one original by Walli. As with the Orfeus set, this is a wonderful reminder of what Classic Rock / Prog sounded at their best. This "Popstudio" broadcast is the earliest of those included in this wonderful series.
Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early to mid 1970s that one is able to hear and for Classic Rock and Prog-heads this is an absolute must have!
Side Note
The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled.
The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD.
The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes.
This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.
| | Updated: 14/05/2020Posted: 14/05/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROLLING STONES ~ IN MONO
ABKCO 018771834526 (Barcode: 018771834526) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1963 - 1969 Released: 2016
This spectacular Box Set collects all the mono recordings by the seminal British group The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, which include the group´s early UK and US albums and a new one CD collection of non-album tracks. The Box Set includes altogether fifteen CDs, beautifully packaged in mini-replicas of the original albums and includes a booklet telling the story of the music in this Box Set.
People are of course divided into three groups: those who loved The Rolling Stones, those who loved The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, and of course the vast majority, who don’t know what I am talking about. The Stones and The Beatles competed for the love and attention of the music lovers in the 1960s, and then the Beatles were gone and Stones are still very much on. They were always diametrically different – the Stones were always about the Blues, and everything they ever played derived from their love of the Blues. The Beatles had never anything to do with the Blues and they were all about nice tunes that everybody could hum along.
The Stones went through several phases during the 1960s, which this Box Set covers in detail. They moved form the early Blues influences into Rhythm And Blues, and then into Psychedelia. By the end of the decade they managed to crystallize their songwriting, which resulted in an a stream of everlasting songs, which are as relevant and musically perfect today as they were fifty years ago, since true Art is completely immune to the tides of Chronos.
And what´s all this Mono madness you ask? Well most of the music recorded before and during the 1960s was in fact recorded and mixed into a mono (one channel) mass reproduction format, which was the format the artists and the producers approved. The stereo format was treated as an option and took over the market only by the end of the 1960s. Therefore the music, as heard here, is how it was meant to be heard in the first place, Capish?
This Box Set follows previous box-sets and of other reissues of early albums by artists like Miles DavisFind albums by this artist or Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, and of course The Beatles, released in their original mono format, all of which are breathtakingly beautiful, both as historical documents and spectacular pieces of 20th Century Culture.
Although definitely not cheap, this Box Set is an absolutely essential piece of Rock history and I can´t imagine any serious Rock lover / collector who can resist this offer.
| | Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 09/06/2017 | CD 15 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | BEN SIDRAN ~ DYLAN DIFFERENT
BONSAI 091101 (Barcode: 794881938421) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009
This is a superb album by American vocalist / keyboardist / songwriter Ben SidranFind albums by this artist, recorded in France with mostly European Jazz musicians, including French bassist Marcello GiulianiFind albums by this artist, Swiss drummer Alberto MalloFind albums by this artist, French guitarist Rodolphe BurgerFind albums by this artist, American trumpeter Michael LeonhartFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Bob MalachFind albums by this artist and various guests. As title suggests, it presents twelve songs by American singer / poet / songwriter Bob DylanFind albums by this artist. A companion album of the same material was recorded live and released as “Dylan Different Live In ParisFind albums with this title” a year later.
Although Sidran preserved Dylan’s lyrics, his interpretations of the songs take many liberties with the melodies, tempi and rhythms, often making the songs almost unrecognizable. The result is absolutely brilliant and the Jazzy arrangements, which characterize most of Sidran’s work, are a true masterpiece. His keyboard work is also exceptional and combined with his idiosyncratic vocals present an irresistible combination of talent, intelligence and aesthetics. I have been a faithful and enthusiastic follower of his work since the early 1970s and he never failed me over time. My favorite period of his work is his output on the Go JazzFind albums on this label label in the 1990s. Since the early 2000s he’s been releasing albums on his own label NardisFind albums on this label.
Overall, this is a double treat, both for lovers of Dylan’s work and the incredible figure of Sidran, who keeps reinventing himself now in the sixth decade of his career. Lovers of Jazz-Pop Fusion should be absolutely delighted!
| | Updated: 27/01/2024Posted: 27/01/2024 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL SOLTAN ~ MALOGRANIE
ART HORSE 002 (Barcode: 5902659800329) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is the debut solo album by Polish guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Michal SoltanFind albums by this artist, who is known to Polish Jazz / Fusion fans from his work with Imagination QuartetFind albums by this artist and the two albums they released earlier on. On this album Soltan is accompanied by many established Polish Jazz / Fusion musicians, the list of which is way too long to be detailed here, as well as a string quartet and guests from US. I should however give credit to the superb rhythm section, which keeps this music rolling: keyboardist Milosz OlenieckiFind albums by this artist (who also co-arranged the music with Soltan) bassist Lukasz MakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist (who plays on most of the tracks). The album presents ten original songs (one features wordless vocalese), all written and composed by Soltan, and one bonus track which goes back to the IQ days and presents the vocalese song in an instrumental version.
The music is a delightful collection of beautiful songs, all carefully weaved and beautifully executed. Bordering somewhere between Jazz, Funk and ambitious Pop, the music is uncompromisingly sophisticated, rich and elegant. Combined with the intelligent texts, vocalese and instrumental solos (especially the unisono vocalese / guitar solos by Soltan himself) the album flows like a dream and seems to be over in a jiffy. The craft of songwriting, which often seems to be completely lost these days, comes alive in these songs like a dream.
Soltan is not a spectacular vocalist (neither was Bob DylanFind albums by this artist or Marek GrechutaFind albums by this artist), but he does not has to be, since his songs call for expressive delivery, perfect diction and above all a heartfelt feeling of the music and the texts. Soltan has all the above in abundance and they all obviously work wanders, as this album is a true gem from start to finish.
The instrumental arrangements are also perfect, all done sparingly and almost entirely acoustically, with short but superbly focused solos and careful consideration of what is right for each song. Although the instrumental parts are almost entirely Jazzy, they do not take control of the overall sound and feel of the music and remain as elegant ornamentation. The focus remains on the songs and the meaningful lyrics, which is exactly right here.
Albums like this one are sadly very rare these days, and almost never manage to catch my attention for a span long enough to fall in love with the songs like in this case. Even if the songs have a tinge of sadness and melancholy, but also a great sense of humor, they are like the proverbial "honey on the heart"; unadulterated intellectual and emotional pleasure! Thank you Michal for the effort to share your world with us! Of course this album is an absolute must for all true music lovers, especially the hopeless romantics ;)
| | Updated: 02/12/2017Posted: 02/12/2017 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | SPIRIT ~ FUTURE GAMES / SPIRIT OF 84
BGO 0657 (Barcode: 5017261206572) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1976 - 1984 Released: 2005
This is a reissue of two albums by the seminal American Rock group SpiritFind albums by this artist. Those are the last two of the five albums released by the MercuryFind albums on this label Records label, following the five albums the group released on OdeFind albums on this label and EpicFind albums on this label labels. The albums are separated by seven years of hiatus, which characterized most of the late years if the group´s career.
In between these two albums Spirit released the "The Adventures Of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy In Potato LandFind albums with this title" album in 1981, which included material recorded in 1972 and 1973 and was partly re-recorded in 1981.
"Future GamesFind albums with this title", originally released in 1977, was practically a solo album by guitarist / composer Randy CaliforniaFind albums by this artist, who wrote almost all the songs and played most of the instruments, assisted only by Ed CassidyFind albums by this artist on drums and a few unspecified guests. It emphasized California´s superb songwriting and spectacular guitar playing, often compared to that of Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist, who is given a tribute by including the Bob DylanFind albums by this artist´s "All Along The Watchtower" all time classic associated with the Godly version performed by Hendrix.
The album is a masterpiece of late Psychedelic Rock, presenting twenty-two short songs creating a fascinating Sci-Fi like story. California used novel (at the time) studio techniques and completely unprecedented use of multi-layered sound effects and other studio paraphernalia. It still sounds absolutely innovative today, well over four decades later.
"Spirit Of 84Find albums with this title", released as "The Thirteenth DreamFind albums with this title" outside of the US, was recorded by a reunited lineup of Spirit, which included apart from California and Cassidy also original members Jay FergusonFind albums by this artist on vocals and guitar, John LockeFind albums by this artist on keyboards and Mark AndesFind albums by this artist on vocals and bass, as well as a bunch of guest musicians. The original lineup was reunited for the first time since the recording of the classic "Twelve Dreams Of Dr. SardonicusFind albums with this title" album in 1970 (hence the title).
The material includes several remakes of old songs from the first four albums by the group as well as a few new songs, recorded "live in the studio". Although obviously opportunistic / nostalgia based, this is still some of the best American Rock even created, and these fine musician performing together are simply unbeatable.
Overall this is Classic Rock stuff that nobody makes today, hence an absolute must to any serious Rock fan and record collector!
| | Updated: 12/09/2020Posted: 12/09/2020 | CD 2 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | SPIRIT ~ TWO SIDES OF A RAINBOW: LIVE AT THE RAINBOW 1978
ESOTERIC 2704 (Barcode: 5013929480483) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1978 Released: 2019
This is an archival / reissue album by the American Rock group SpiritFind albums by this artist recorded live at London´s Rainbow Theatre. After five year absence from the UK scene Spirit returned as a lean and mean power trio with Randy CaliforniaFind albums by this artist on vocals and guitar, Larry KnightFind albums by this artist on bass and Ed CassidyFind albums by this artist on drums. The Rainbow was intended as a location to record a live album and the concert was indeed recorded, but sadly it turned out that California´s guitar track was left unrecorded. This resulted in the need of the guitar to be re-recorded and overdubbed with the live tracks, producing no less than three somewhat different versions of the album being released: "LiveFind albums with this title" in UK, "Made In GermanyFind albums with this title" in Germany and "Live SpiritFind albums with this title" in the US.
Three decades later a board mix cassette was discovered, which captured the entire Rainbow show, including the six encores, and after some serious repair work the entire show and the remastered edition of "Live Spirit" were released as a 2CD album "Two Sides Of A RainbowFind albums with this title" in 2012, sadly making very little impact at the time. This reissue offers another careful remaster of the entire content and elegant packaging, as always with EsotericFind albums on this label Records, and is another attempt to bring this great music to the attention of Rock and Spirit fans.
The music includes mostly original material from the fabulous Spirit songbook, most written by California and two by Jay FergusonFind albums by this artist, but also a few covers of Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and other songs associated with Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist. The Spirit songs get a much more Hard Rock oriented treatment, in contrast to the finesse and complex vocal harmonies that characterize the studio versions of these songs. The focus of this album is obviously on California´s guitar pyrotechnics, in which he clearly pays tribute to the legacy of Hendrix.
By the time this music was recorded, Classic Rock was slowly disintegrating and this album is a wonderful document of the last great days of idiom, soon to be gone. Spirit was undoubtedly a manifestation of the finest aspects of American Rock, leaving a unique and completely idiosyncratic legacy, which deserves to be remembered. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 10/07/2020Posted: 10/07/2020 | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | STILLS & COLLINS ~ EVERYBODY KNOWS
SONY 190758010625 (Barcode: 190758010625) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018
This is a sensational album by two of the American Folk / Rock icons: vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist (born 1945) and vocalist / songwriter Judy CollinsFind albums by this artist (born 1939), making an album together for the first time, which is hard to believe but true. They are accompanied by organist Russell WaldenFind albums by this artist, bassist Kevin McCormickFind albums by this artist and drummer Tony BeardFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten exquisite songs, three by Stills, two by Collins and five (one each) by other Pop / Rock icons: George HarrisonFind albums by this artist, Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist, Tim HardinFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and Sandy DannyFind albums by this artist.
The music is everything one might expect from these two legends – wonderfully melodic, mostly melancholic and low key, full of brilliant harmonies and accompanied by elegant instrumental work, which is simply perfect for this kind of atmosphere. The arrangements of the five songs, which most music lovers are familiar with in their original versions is fresh, intelligent and truly inspired.
Both Stills and Collins sound surprisingly fresh and clear, as if untouched by the tides of time, and Stills delivers some sweet solo guitar work, which remains unparalleled. The closing track of the album sounds as strong as the best work of Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist, but the entire album is completely coherent and absolutely top notch both vocally and instrumentally.
Although "instant classic" is a much overused term these days, if any album deserves to be called that – this is the one. Could have been (or perhaps should have been) recorded in the 1960s, but here and now, fifty years later, it is definitely better late than never!
A complete unadulterated delight from start to finish!
| | Updated: 01/04/2018Posted: 01/04/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ BROADWAY THE HARD WAY
ZAPPA 3879 (Barcode: 824302387924) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 53rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1988. The album presents seventeen tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, but also some covers including one song by The PoliceFind albums by this artist on which StingFind albums by this artist sings lead vocals. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of three live albums recorded during this tour, together with “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Make A Jazz Noise HereFind albums with this title”.
The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist.
With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed!
Overall, although thirty-three years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 05/12/2021 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE
ZAPPA 3883 (Barcode: 824302388327) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 57th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1991. The 2CD album presents twenty-five tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, except for a couple of arrangements of Classical Music pieces by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and Bela BartokFind albums by this artist, which is relatively a rare event on Zappa’s albums. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of four live albums recorded during this tour, together with “Broadway The Hard WayFind albums with this title”, “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Zappa `88: The Last U.S. ShowFind albums with this title”.
The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist.
With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed!
Overall, although over thirty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 13/03/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE BEST BAND YOU NEVER HEARD IN YOUR LIFE
ZAPPA 3881 (Barcode: 824302388129) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 55th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1991. The 2CD album presents twenty-eight tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, but also several covers of classic Rock songs, including “Stairway To Heaven” (Led ZeppelinFind albums by this artist), “Purple Haze” (Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist), “Sunshine of Your Life” (CreamFind albums by this artist) and others, which is relatively a rare event on Zappa’s albums. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of three live albums recorded during this tour, together with “Broadway The Hard WayFind albums with this title” and “Make A Jazz Noise HereFind albums with this title”.
The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist.
With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed!
Overall, although thirty-three years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 10/12/2021 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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