Record Reviews

ARTHUR BROWN ~ DANCE (EXPANDED EDITION) ESOTERIC 2847 (Barcode: 5013929484795) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 Released: 2023 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by British vocalist / songwriter Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent team including guitarists Andy DolbyFind albums by this artist and Barry ClarkFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Chris NicholsFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve YorkFind albums by this artist, drummer Charlie CharlesFind albums by this artist, percussionist Eddie EdwardsFind albums by this artist and saxophonist George KhanFind albums by this artist. The original album presents eleven tracks, six of which are original songs by Brown, two are by Dolby, and the rest are interpretations of songs by others. The expanded edition adds six bonus tracks recorded live by the BBC, all of which appear on the original album. Brown is one of my all-time favorite British artists, whom I have been following since the late 1960s. His idiosyncratic vocal abilities and incredible musicality is completely unique and his cross-genre explorations, which include everything between Rock, Progressive Rock, Avant-Garde Rock, etc., always spiced with Jazzy underline accents and textures, as well as complete disregard of conventions and Artistic compromises, have always been a source of pure delight. This album is disguised under the “Dance” moniker, but in fact is a wonderful collection of brilliant songs and clever, often satirical lyrics, which are completely timeless. The excellent remaster brings the music up to date and the saxophone solos by Khan are alone worth the price of the album. Overall, it is great to see this, mostly forgotten, album back to circulation, and it is a true joy to listen to it again. Still alive and kicking, but sadly mostly in the shadows, Brown deserves to be listened to and learned from, as he remains a true icon of British / European Rock.

Updated: 05/01/2024Posted: 05/01/2024

CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

MANFRED MANN CHAPTER THREE ~ RADIO DAYS VOL. 3 EAST CENTRAL ONE 3 (Barcode: 5060051334481) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1968 - 1970 Released: 2019 This is the third volume of an archive series collecting the BBC radio recordings by the various groups led by British keyboardist / composer / bandleader Manfred MannFind albums by this artist. This volume, recorded between 1968 and 1970 includes the recordings by the short lived Manfred Mann Chapter ThreeFind albums by this artist, which consisted of Mann on keyboards and Mike HuggFind albums by this artist on vocals and piano (the only survivors from the Manfred Mann group), German saxophonist Bernie LivingFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve YorkFind albums by this artist (ex-East Of EdenFind albums by this artist) and drummer Craig CollingeFind albums by this artist (ex-ProcessionFind albums by this artist). A five piece brass section: saxophonists Clive StevensFind albums by this artist, Carl GriffithsFind albums by this artist and Dave CoxhillFind albums by this artist, trombonist Gerald DrewettFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Sonny CorbettFind albums by this artist completed the lineup. The album presents forty five tracks, which include radio, live and studio recordings, original announcements and interviews and even radio commercials, altogether a superb historical glance at British Jazz-Rock at its best. By late 1970 Manfred Mann Chapter Three fell apart and Mann continued with the newly founded Manfred Mann`s Earth BandFind albums by this artist, which is featured on the next volume of this series. Before Manfred Mann Chapter Three was officially launched, Mann and Hugg created a soundtrack to the "Venus In Furs" movie and twenty four excerpts from the soundtrack are included here (all previously unreleased). The radio recordings include not only BBC material but also Australian and Swedish radio recordings. Manfred Mann Chapter Three was a realization of a dream Mann kept in his mind since he started the group Manfred Mann in 1963. Finally liberated from the Pop / Rock image he was free to indulge in Jazz, which was always his preferred habitat. The group offered some of the most interesting British Jazz-Rock recordings on the two albums it managed to release before disbanding. Both the albums and the material presented here are a most welcome reminder of an Avant-Garde attempt to combine Free Form Jazz with Rock. Overall this is an absolute must for all Manfred Mann fans and connoisseurs of British Jazz-Rock of the mid to late 1960s period and a stunning historical document of the period, which should not be missed! The music was compiled by Greg RussoFind albums by this artist, who also wrote the informative booklet accompanying this album – great job mate!

Updated: 13/07/2019Posted: 12/07/2019

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend