Record Reviews

DAVID CROSBY ~ IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER MY NAME (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 081227320423 (Barcode: 081227320423) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the seminal debut album by legendary American singer / songwriter David CrosbyFind albums by this artist, recorded in the months following the release of Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist album "Déjà VuFind albums with this title", which saw all four members of the group releasing their debut solo albums. The album was recorded in San Francisco and features members of several groups associated with the SF scene at the time, like Jefferson AirplaneFind albums by this artist, Grateful DeadFind albums by this artist and SantanaFind albums by this artist, as well as solo artists like Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. The combined list of musicians participating on this album reads like the who´s who of American Rock at the time. The original album presented nine original songs by Crosby (one co-written with Nash and Young and one arrangement of a traditional song) and this reissue adds one bonus track, which is an outtake from the original sessions. It also includes a DVD-A with hi-res mixes of the album and some bonus textual material and new liner notes with Crosby´s commentary on the album´s songs. Of course this album is way beyond just a classic Rock masterpiece from the period when music thrived on Earth – it is a unique symbol of an era. This music symbolizes a generation, a social movement and a state of mind, which includes Flower Power, Psychedelia, Woodstock, Social Awareness and Enlightenment, all happening within a brief period of few years, which was the only Renaissance the American people experienced in their entire history, and which was over before it could achieve anything or change the brutal reality of the Corporate Nation. This music touched millions of people at the time but sadly managed to transfix only a handful of them in the long range, absurdly more outside of the US than Americans themselves. Musically the album is also a document of the period, when everything was conceivable, allowed and welcomed. The album mixes American Folk, Rock, Psychedelia, Jazz and European Folk influences completely naturally and mostly subconsciously, which creates a unique, one time experience, never to be repeated again. Crosby´s hesitance results in his vocal theatrics and the distinctive way he delivers the lyrics as spoken word rather than singing them at the dramatic peaks of some of the songs. The instrumental accompaniment, which features intensive guitar improvisations in the background, delivered often by more than one guitarist at the same time, is another dimension of this complex and multilayered music. Although the trademark vocal harmonies, which dominate Crosby´s earlier work with The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, are present here as well, they are definitely not the centerpiece of this album, which offers a much wider musical scope. The mayhem that dominated Crosby´s personal life in the years that followed the recording of this album had of course major consequences and as a result his next solo album ("Oh Yes I CanFind albums with this title") was released almost twenty years later, when the world was already changed beyond recognition. Crosby still performs and writes songs and his fifth solo album ("LighthouseFind albums with this title") was released recently (2016), but the magic spark glitters mostly in the hearts of those, like myself, who experienced this music in real time. An anthem of a generation, a bright star in a dark night sky, a sweet memory… whatever one might consider this album to be, it still has everything great music is supposed to have and once you open your heart to it, it will pay back handsomely. The choice is yours!

Updated: 11/08/2019Posted: 14/01/2017

CD+DVD 2 HDCD Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH ~ CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 081227329020 (Barcode: 081227329020) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the legendary eponymous debut album by Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist. David CrosbyFind albums by this artist, Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist and Graham NashFind albums by this artist play all the instruments and sing the divine vocal harmonies all by themselves, except for the drum parts played by Dallas TaylorFind albums by this artist. This expanded and remastered edition adds four previously unreleased songs to the ten original masterpieces included on the original album. What can I say about this album that has not been said already? Probably not much other than my very personal experiences, which are some of the most significant parts of the puzzle called "The Soundtrack Of My Life". Upon its release in May of 1969, the album became an immediate favorite of mine, lasting to this very day (almost fifty years now) and I will probably take it with me to my grave. Although all the ingredients that make this album what it is were scattered around for a while, before it was recorded, this particular amalgam of songwriting, vocal harmony, lyrical depth and pure genius was simply unprecedented. Of course The ByrdsFind albums by this artist, The Buffalo SpringfieldFind albums by this artist and The HolliesFind albums by this artist made superb music earlier on, but the magical bond that Crosby, Stills & Nash created was definitely an outcome way more significant than a simple sum of its ingredients. Considering the fact that part of the music on this album consists of vocals accompanied just by acoustic guitars points out that simplicity is definitely a key ingredient. The other songs, which use electric instruments, all played by Stills, are also quite straightforward. The only true complexity is reflected in the vocal harmonies, which are a first of its kind fusion of the American Country & Western vocal tradition and the splendid British Folk vocal tradition, masterly combined to create a new level of vocal virtuosity never previously attempted. Even the album´s cover is perfect; an astounding photograph by the great Henry DiltzFind albums by this artist, which was a mistake (figure it out) which could not be corrected as the house in the photograph was torn down the day after these pictures were taken. Talking about capturing moments in history… A few weeks after this album was released, Crosby, Stills & Nash would appear on the stage at Woodstock, joined by Neil YoungFind albums by this artist, and another piece of musical history would be made. So here it is, an icon of my youth (I wasn´t even eighteen when this album was released), which became an icon of my life, an eternal piece of musical perfection, which grabs me by my throat every time I listen to it, relentlessly after all those years.

Updated: 05/03/2017Posted: 05/03/2017

CD 1 HDCD Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH ~ DAYLIGHT AGAIN (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 081227329525 (Barcode: 081227329525) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1980 - 1982 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the third studio album by the seminal group Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist, recorded five years after it predecessor "CSNFind albums with this title" and thirteen years after the release of their sensational eponymous debut album. The album presents eleven new songs, all written individually or collectively by members of the group with occasional collaborations originating form outside the group. This expanded edition adds four previously unreleased tracks. The album started out as a Stills and Nash effort and Crosby joined shortly before the album was completed, which somewhat limits his input, but for the fans of the group this has little meaning since the most important ingredient of the Crosby, Stills & Nash magic, i.e. the vocal harmonies, are still here and are as convincing as ever. This album did not produce any great Rock anthems, like their debut, simply because the world and the music changed in the meantime and the age of brainwashing was already eating away the very last signs of intelligence on Earth, but in retrospect this album offers many very good songs, perfectly executed and beautifully sung, all of which are still valid today. Since most people missed this album when it was originally released, the fact that it is available again is a great opportunity to get to know it, better late than never. Personally everything these wonderful musicians ever put on record is a piece of history, which is worth hearing. Sometimes this is the only music that can make the world look slightly less gloomy than it really is…

Updated: 05/03/2017Posted: 16/01/2017

CD 1 HDCD Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

GIL EVANS ~ SVENGALI RHINO 081227372026 (Barcode: 081227372026) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2003 American (Canadian born) pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Gil EvansFind albums by this artist was always a beacon of inspiration and a forward thinking innovator, one of the few music individuals that kept pushing Jazz to and beyond its limits. He came to fame after working with Miles DavisFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but he continued to produce extraordinary pieces of music until his death in 1988. This album presents a live recording of Evans and his orchestra, performing six extended pieces arranged by him. This reissue includes a full version of one of the tracks as a bonus track, which appears in a shortened version on the original album. The music on this album presents a superb amalgam of cross-genre influences, encompassing all Jazz sub genres from Free to Jazz-Rock Fusion, bonded together by intricate orchestral arrangements, which no one else but Evans could create. The six pieces vary in style and atmosphere, but the album maintains a cohesive musical approach and the overall result is simply stunning. It is evident that the explosion of Jazz-Rock Fusion influenced Evans, who on this album embraces the (then) new development, including electric instruments in the orchestra, and doing it brilliantly and lovingly. Just a year later Evans will make the ultimate Fusion recording of his career, when the orchestra will record an album of Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist music. The list of musicians participating on this album includes guitarist Ted DunbarFind albums by this artist, tuba player Howard JohnsonFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Billy HarperFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Richard WilliamsFind albums by this artist and Marvin PetersonFind albums by this artist, electric bassist Herb BushlerFind albums by this artist and many others. The individual solos and the overall orchestral performances are all extraordinary and deeply inspiring. The inclusion of synthesizer player David HorowitzFind albums by this artist and his parts on this album are nothing short of prophetic. In retrospect this is one of the classic recordings of the era, which continues to be completely relevant to this very day, as well as a beautiful document of the Genius of Gil Evans. Every true Jazz connoisseur should have a copy of this album in his collection.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ WHAT`S IT GONNA BE, SANTA? RHINO 081227389222 (Barcode: 081227389222) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1998 - 2003 Released: 2003 This is a reissue / expanded edition of the nineteenth studio album by the legendary American group ChicagoFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1998 as “Chicago XXV The Christmas AlbumFind albums with this title”, which included the band’s interpretations of Xmas classics with just one original song. This reissue from 2003 adds six additional songs and the entire album is resequenced. Four founding members of the group: keyboardist Robert LammFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lee LoughnaneFind albums by this artist, trombonist James PankowFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Walter ParazaiderFind albums by this artist are still part of the lineup and between them wrote most of the arrangements on the album. The music remains within the established Brass-Rock idiom, with excellent brass arrangements, which have faithfully carried the group through their lengthy career, which knew some ups and downs, but in retrospect can be seen as one of the most spectacular in American Rock. Overall, this is an excellent album, full of brilliant music and excellent musicianship. They don’t make music like this anymore and despite the fact that this is Xmas music, the Rock spirit of it remains unchanged. For many Chicago’s faithful followers, this is just what the doctor prescribed. Of course it can be listened to all year round, Xmas or not! Since the Xmas albums are not included in the two studio albums Box Sets, they are worth having separately in every serious Chicago collection.

Updated: 20/11/2022Posted: 06/11/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

DEEP PURPLE ~ BURN (30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) RHINO 081227464127 (Barcode: 081227464127) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005 This is a reissue / remaster of the eighth studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was the first album by the Mk III lineup of the group that included vocalist David CoverdaleFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Glenn HughesFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented eight original songs co-written by the group members. This remastered edition was expanded with five bonus tracks, which are remixes of four album tracks and a B-side of a single. The lineup change had some minor influence on the musical direction, with included elements of soul and funk, but the prevailing riff dominated and Blues influenced style remained mostly intact. Coverdale turned out to be a fierce lead vocalist, to some degree more rounded and stable that his predecessor. Sadly, this lineup would exist for just over a couple of years, producing just one more studio album, called “StormbringerFind albums with this title”. Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. An absolute must in any decent record collection.

Updated: 22/07/2022Posted: 22/07/2022

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

DONOVAN ~ PIED PIPER RHINO 081227829025 (Barcode: 081227829025) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2001 - 2002 Released: 2002 This is the twentieth studio album by British singer / songwriter DonovanFind albums by this artist and his third album with children’s music. It presents thirteen songs, all by Donovan, mostly originating from his older albums, with three new songs for this release. The songs were re-arranged for this album and performed by Donovan, several additional vocalists, bassist Noel BarrettFind albums by this artist, drummer Danny ByrtFind albums by this artist and several guest musicians. The music is absolutely delightful, like everything Donovan ever recorded, and his love for children is obvious, which makes this little gem a true pleasure to listen to. There are very few other songwriters able to write such beautiful melodies, which although simple, have beautiful harmony and depth, which this album shows in full light. By the early 2000s, when this album was released, Donovan re-organized his life and career, starting a new path, which was more focused and relaxed than that the hectic preceding decades, and he started to record regularly, producing several excellent new albums since. Overall, although released as a collection of Children’s songs, this is a delightful album for children of all ages, and Donovan fans should find this a wonderful trip down memory lane. His voice in perfect form, and his charm still in place, this is an absolutely delightful piece of music!

Updated: 26/05/2023Posted: 26/05/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ VI DECADES LIVE (THIS IS WHAT WE DO) RHINO 081227932336 (Barcode: 081227932336) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1969 - 2014 Released: 2018 This is an archival collection of live performances by the legendary American Brass Rock band ChicagoFind albums by this artist, and a founding member of the genre. The Box Set includes four CDs and a DVD, which span, as the title suggests, six decades of this seminal band, with the earliest recording captured in 1969 and the latest in 2014. The Box Set is lavishly packaged in a book format and includes a book with wonderful photographs and other memorabilia. CD1 and CD2 present the full set of Chicago’s 1970 performance at the Isle of White Festival. CD3 presents performance from France, USA and Australia captured between 1969 and 1977. CD4 presents USA performances captured between 1978 and 2014. The DVD presents the German TV show Rockpalast concert from 1977 and one bonus video track from 1973. Obviously the first two CDs offer the most important material, with the band at their strongest ever (original) lineup, following the release of the first two (double) albums and just before the release of their third (also double) album. The compositions and the performances are absolutely marvelous and consists of some of the best Brass Rock music ever recorded. The other two CDs present later lineups of the group, which despite passing time managed to maintain an excellent level of music, perhaps less ambitious and complex than in the extraordinary initial period, but still coherent stylistically and way above what was happening in music as time passed. Chicago managed to overcome the tragic death of their founding member, guitarist Terry KathFind albums by this artist in 1978 and lineup changes and continued as a group, despite the changing musical trends and fads. Overall this is a fabulous addition to the Chicago recorded legacy, which no fan of the group would like to miss in their collection, with the first two CDs worth they weight in gold!

Updated: 25/09/2021Posted: 25/09/2021

4CD+DVD 5 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

DOORS ~ LIVE AT LONDON FOG 1966 RHINO 081227942151 (Barcode: 081227942151) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2019 This is an archival release presenting the earliest known live recording by the legendary American Rock group The DoorsFind albums by this artist comprising of vocalist Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist, organist Ray ManzarekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Robby KriegerFind albums by this artist and drummer John DensmoreFind albums by this artist captured at the LA London Fog night club in May of 1966, before the release of their debut album. The album presents seven songs, only two of which are originals and the rest are Blues standards. Sadly this release does not include the entire collection of songs that were captured on tape during this concert. This edition is the stripped down to the basics version of the lavish, but completely redundant (and hellishly expensive) 50 Anniversary Deluxe Edition, released in 2016, and offers identical musical contents. The attempts by the record labels to squeeze out the last penny out of the old material are really sickening. This version is finally worth its price. The music is mostly Blues based and proves that The Doors always were, for the entire relatively brief period of their existence, a Blues band in one form or another. All the elements that made the band one of the most important and artistically most ambitious American Rock band are already present in this virgin recording and in fact it encapsulates their entire id: the magnetic and charismatic vocals by Morrison, which were the focus of their act, the Jazz oriented organ layer by Manzarek which offered a tinge of Psychedelia, the Bluesy guitar parts by Krieger and the solid, rather basic but always right on the money drumming by Densmore. Although this album offers nothing new as far at The Doors contribution to American Rock is concerned, it is a nice piece of history and definitely a worthwhile addition to the group´s discography for completists. The sound quality, although primitive, is authentic and as such has its charm. I´ve had a good time listening to the music, but I am probably the least objective person on earth as far as the music of that period and everything about it is concerned.

Updated: 27/09/2019Posted: 27/09/2019

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

PAUL BUTTERFIELD ~ COMPLETE ALBUMS 1965-1980 RHINO 081227951955 (Barcode: 081227951955) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1965 - 1980 Released: 2015 This wonderful Box Set collects all the albums by American vocalist / harmonica virtuoso / bandleader Paul ButterfieldFind albums by this artist, recorded between 1965 and 1980, which constitute almost his entire recording career. These albums present some of the finest American Blues, Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock music ever recorded and pay a tribute to one of the finest and most important American Blues Masters, sadly often overlooked. Butterfield´s musical journey can be divided into several periods, all quite different from each other, yet all characterized by total dedication and extraordinary achievements by the leader and his various crews. The first two albums in this collection, recorded by the Paul Butterfield Blues BandFind albums by this artist, seem to be the most celebrated ones, as they feature the talents of the brilliant guitarist Mike BloomfieldFind albums by this artist, one of the best ever white Blues guitar players in history. Following the departure of Bloomfield the band morphed into a Brass-Rock ensemble, which played Blues influenced Jazz-Rock Fusion material, which was somewhat similar to Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist and ChicagoFind albums by this artist, releasing four more studio albums and one live album under the same moniker. After Paul Butterfield Blues Band folded, the leader switched to a much smaller ensemble, called Paul Butterfield´s Better DaysFind albums by this artist, which played material closer to the original Blues traditions and recorded two albums, and finally he recorded three solo albums, which were of significant lesser quality. Butterfield died tragically in 1987 from a drug overdose, following his friend Mike Bloomfield who died under similar circumstances in 1981. Although quite a few live albums appeared on the market after Butterfield´s death, this Box Set includes the only official live album from 1970 (as a 2CD album) and a previously unreleased live album from 1969. Butterfield´s harmonica playing was completely unique and his treatment of the instrument was completely innovative and unprecedented. He played long, complex, virtuosic solos, which to this day have absolutely no parallels. His ability to collect superb musicians to form his bands was another of his exceptional qualities. The list of the musicians who played on his bands over the years looks like a who´s who of the American Blues and Jazz-Rock, including guitarist Elvin BishopFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Mark NaftalinFind albums by this artist, saxophonist David SanbornFind albums by this artist and dozens of others. Overall this Box Set is full of absolutely stunning music, which must not be forgotten and is as fresh and powerful as it was at the time it was recorded. Absolutely essential to all Blues lovers, but honestly Jazz-Rock and Brass-Rock fans should have a field day with this chest of treasures. A must!

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: 14/01/2016

CD 14 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

BAD COMPANY ~ LIVE 1977 & 1979 RHINO 081227952334 (Barcode: 081227952334) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1977 - 1979 Released: 2016 This is an archival live album by the seminal British Rock supergroup Bad CompanyFind albums by this artist. Formed in 1973 by two former members of the legendary FreeFind albums by this artist, vocalist Paul RodgersFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon KirkeFind albums by this artist, who were joined by ex-Mott The HoopleFind albums by this artist guitarist Mick RalphsFind albums by this artist and ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist bassist Boz BurrellFind albums by this artist. The original lineup of the band managed to last for a whole decade, during which they recorded six studio albums, but not even one live album, which was highly unusual at the time. This album tries, albeit almost forty years later, to remedy the situation and presents two live shows by the band at its peak form, with the two recordings separated by almost two years, each presenting mostly songs from the albums released at the time, i.e. the first show with songs from "Burnin` SkyFind albums with this title", their fourth album released in 1977 and the second show with songs from "Desolation AngelsFind albums with this title", their fifth album released in 1979. Bad Company was a formidable live act, as these recordings show, which explains the enormous popularity they enjoyed at the time. They are also a living proof that the basic Rock formula of vocals, lead and bass guitars and drums are completely enough to create vital and extraordinary music, without electronics and other artificial trickery. Rogers, as usual, is simply beyond comparison to any other vocalist at the time and in truth to this very day. The band did not change their musical formula for the entire duration of their existence, which was based on great tunes, often soaked with Blues sensitivity, performed with great skill and total involvement, but eschewing unnecessary pyrotechnics. In many respects this album is a frozen memory of Rock´s last great moments, as the music was about to turn sour soon after with mindless Pop taking over and Rock disappearing as the musical pulse of the generations. Bad Company managed to survive Punk and New Wave, but they did run out of steam soon after and their sixth album, the last featuring the original lineup, was released when the band practically did not exist any more. This album pays tribute to the three instrumentalists in the band, who prove their great skills on these live recordings. Ralphs is obviously a superb guitarist, who was able to play great solos and support the flow of the music by supplying incredible riffs. Kirke is a great drummer, probably one of the very few top Blues-Rock drummers, who always exhibited brilliant sensitivity and technique. Burrell, who is sadly no longer with us, was a dazzling bassist and his work always provides the cement which kept the music together. Since nobody plays great Rock today as Bad Company did at the time, perhaps this album could serve as a source of inspiration to some young musicians to learn how it´s done…In the meantime we have this to remember what Rock was all about once.

Updated: 20/01/2017Posted: 20/01/2017

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JUDEE SILL ~ ABRACADABRA: THE ASYLUM YEARS RHINO 081227953423 (Barcode: 081227953423) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1971 - 1973 Released: 2006 This is a reissue / remaster of the first two albums by the enigmatic American singer / songwriter Judee SillFind albums by this artist: the eponymous “Judee SillFind albums with this title” from 1971 and “Heart FoodFind albums with this title” from 1973. The original albums are expanded by bonus tracks, which are alternate takes and live recordings. Sill appeared on the American Rock scene briefly and released just these two albums, and being almost completely forgotten she died from a drug overdose in 1979. At the early 1970s she was revered by many of her fellow Rock stars, like David CrosbyFind albums by this artist and Graham NashFind albums by this artist, who took part in the recording of the debut album. Following a lack of commercial success Sill was dropped by the AsylumFind albums on this label label and her third album was never completed. In retrospect she was a remarkable songwriter and an interesting singer, deserving wider recognition than she ever achieved, like many other great talents of that period. This reissue is a great reminder of her brief but extraordinary career. Overall, this is a wonderful opportunity to re-examine the legacy Sill left us, which beautifully reflects the feverish activity of the early 1970s, when some of the greatest music ever written was conceived and realized. Although five decades old, this music lost absolutely nothing of its beauty, depth and aesthetic values, which deserve to be remembered. A great opportunity to discover a forgotten jewel!

Updated: 16/08/2022Posted: 16/08/2022

CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ THE STUDIO ALBUMS 1979-2008 RHINO 081227954130 (Barcode: 081227954130) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1979 - 2008 Released: 2015 This is the second Box Set, which includes the remastered / expanded versions of further ten studio albums by the iconic American ensemble ChicagoFind albums by this artist, which defined the American variation of the Brass Rock genre, together with other ensembles like Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, DreamsFind albums by this artist, ChaseFind albums by this artist, FlockFind albums by this artist and many other less renowned music makers. Chicago were, in retrospect, the most prolific and enduring of them all and are undoubtedly an American Rock legend. They managed to combine incredible songwriting abilities, which resulted in their songs charting, despite the fact that they were hardy chart material, incredible instrumental abilities, superb vocalists and arrangement skills, which amalgamated Jazz, Blues, Rock and Pop, producing a unique sound, which managed to stay relevant despite the fads and fashions of the ever changing music scene. The ten CDs in this box include the following albums: “Chicago 13Find albums with this title”, “Chicago XIVFind albums with this title”, “Chicago 16Find albums with this title”, “Chicago 17Find albums with this title”, “Chicago 18Find albums with this title”, “Chicago 19Find albums with this title”, “Twenty 1Find albums with this title”, “Night & Day: Big BandFind albums with this title”, “Chicago XXXFind albums with this title” and finally “Chicago XXXII Stone Of SisyphusFind albums with this title”. Not included in this Box Set are albums, which were either live albums, Greatest Hits compilations or Christmas compilations. Chicago managed to maintain a relatively steady lineup, which of course helped to establish a polished style and superb interplay. By the time the last of the albums included in this Box Set was recorded, the following four founding members were still playing in the band: keyboardist Robert LammFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lee LoughnaneFind albums by this artist, trombonist James PankowFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / flautist Walter ParaziderFind albums by this artist. Bassist Jason ScheffFind albums by this artist was in the band since 1985 and drummer Tris ImbodenFind albums by this artist since 1990. Contrary to popular opinion I totally reject the accusation that Chicago completely lost their initial impact. The fact is that they still produce brilliant music, which gradually went through many changes, as did the entire music scene, but never lost their ability to write superb tunes and play with guts and gusto. The ten albums in this Box Set offer some incredible music and continue the Brass Rock tradition proudly, albeit in many different ways. Overall, this Box Set is an unbelievable treasure chest of incredible music and a Bible of American Brass Rock. It features simply superb music in general, from start to finish. The remasters improved the sound of the original albums, but the bonus tracks are quite insignificant. No serious music collection can afford not to include this Box Set, even if one owns all the individual albums already. Absolutely essential! 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: 25/09/2022Posted: 25/09/2022

CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

FACES ~ 1970-1975: YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE, SING OR ANYTHING… RHINO 081227954239 (Barcode: 081227954239) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1975 Released: 2015 This Box Set collects the four studio albums recorded by the legendary British Rock group FacesFind albums by this artist, remastered and expanded with previously unreleased bonus tracks and also including a fifth CD full of bonus material like B-sides, rarities, etc. Faces were formed in 1969 by members of the iconic Pop / Rock band Small FacesFind albums by this artist, following the departure of their lead singer / vocalist Steve MarriottFind albums by this artist, who left to form the supergroup Humble PieFind albums by this artist. The remaining musicians: keyboardist Ian McLaganFind albums by this artist, bassist Ronnie LaneFind albums by this artist and drummer Kenney JonesFind albums by this artist were joined by guitarist Ronnie WoodFind albums by this artist and vocalist Rod StewartFind albums by this artist, both ex-members of Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist´s group. The new quintet lineup dropped the "Small" part of the group´s name and became Faces, one of the most successful British Rock acts in the first part of the 1970. Faces released four studio albums: the debut "The First StepFind albums with this title" in 1970 (which in the US was released still under the Small Faces moniker), the second album "Long PlayerFind albums with this title" in 1971, the third album "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink…To A Blind HorseFind albums with this title" in 1971 and finally the fourth album "Ooh La LaFind albums with this title" in 1973. An ill-fated live album followed before Faces finally disbanded in 1975. In many respects Faces were the epitome of British Rock. They had everything that a great Rock group needed: superb musicianship, sublime songwriting, charismatic and powerful lead singer, years of experience and tons of talent. All those are apparent while listening to the albums in this Box Set, especially from a retrospective viewpoint. The debut album is still full of the Small Faces idiosyncrasies, but the later albums present a new crystallized identity of a group that has its own voice. The fact that Faces used almost exclusively their own original material is also remarkable. And of course they were paying a tribute to the British Blues, with their music being completely soaked in it. Another strange observation that struck me while listening to these albums is how similar this music is to the music Humble Pie played more or less in parallel. Perhaps Marriott´s departure was indeed premature and Small Faces might have developed into an environment he might have been comfortable with. In any case we can´t turn the wheels of change back and after all we were lucky to enjoy both of these sublime groups. The music in this Box Set is evidence of how great the music of the Golden Decade was, consistently strengthened with every reissue of music recorded at that time. The dichotomy between this music and the travesty we call music that is being produced today is simply devastating. This Box Set is an essential capsule of British Rock history, which should not be missed in any serious music collection. Absolute honey to my ears!

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

DOORS ~ OTHER VOICES / FULL CIRCLE RHINO 081227955403 (Barcode: 081227955403) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1971 - 1972 Released: 2015 This is the CD reissue of the two albums recorded by the three remaining members of The DoorsFind albums by this artist: keyboardist Ray ManzarekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Robby KriegerFind albums by this artist and drummer John DensmoreFind albums by this artist, following the death of vocalist Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist on July 3, 1971. The trio, realizing that the iconic group was gone, made a heroic effort to continue creating music together, even though the odds were all against them. Morrison was of course irreplaceable, and therefore the trio took the vocal duties upon themselves, which of course meant that this was a completely different group than the original quartet. Obviously it was a common mistake to see The Doors as a one man band with Morrison receiving all the attention and the credit. Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore were exceptional musicians, full of original ideas, superb instrumentalists and excellent songwriters. Their vocal abilities were questionable indeed, but in view of the circumstances they simply had no choice. These two albums comprise of original songs written by the three remaining group members with just one song being a cover. Manzarek and Krieger share the vocal duties, and although nothing like Morrison´s, they are not too bad after all. The instrumental work is of course excellent, with a much bigger versatility and an opportunity to feature longer solos and even try Jazzy improvisation on occasion. Unfortunately the trio run out of steam after these two albums and never recorded together again, although they did meet on occasion playing on various reunion / tribute concerts. In retrospect these two albums have certainly been neglected over time and it is great to see them available again, both as a tribute to the overall musical legacy of The Doors and as a "missing link" in their discography. Remastered and with one bonus track this reissue is definitely worth being checked out!

Updated: 11/01/2016Posted: 11/01/2016

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

BAD COMPANY ~ STRAIGHT SHOOTER (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 081227955533 (Barcode: 081227955533) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1974 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the second album by the seminal British Blues-Rock / Rock supergroup Bad CompanyFind albums by this artist. Formed in 1973 by two former members of the legendary FreeFind albums by this artist, vocalist Paul RodgersFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon KirkeFind albums by this artist, who were joined by ex-Mott The HoopleFind albums by this artist guitarist Mick RalphsFind albums by this artist and ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist bassist Boz BurrellFind albums by this artist. The original lineup of the band managed to last for a whole decade, during which they recorded six studio albums. The original album included eight original songs, one by Ralphs, two by Rodgers, two by Kirke, and three by Rodgers and Ralphs. This remastered edition adds a second CD full of bonus material (14 tracks), thirteen of which are previously unreleased, which include outtakes, alternate versions and B-sides, including studio chatter as well as intelligent and interesting booklet full of relevant information. Bad Company were beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the all time best British Rock bands, which embodied the process of the development of the British Rock music, which has taken place during the 1960s and included the Blues Revival, the birth of Blues-Rock and Hard-Rock. The band was less Blues oriented than its ancestor bands, especially Free of course, but the basic Blues structures were still very much in place, especially so on the first two albums by the band. Rodgers, who is the best white Blues vocalist that ever walked the face of the earth, sings Blues regardless of the specific environment he´s in at any specific moment. Whenever he opens his mouth, the Blues pours out, regardless if he means it or not, and this is of course his most important asset paired with his Godly voice. Bad Company allowed him to explore his talents as a singer and songwriter in a more comfortable environment than the turmoil surrounding Free during its troubled existence. The combined forces of the four musicians that were Bad Company proved to be an ideal amalgam of talents and abilities, turning them into a well oiled and highly intelligent music machine that was simply perfect and unstoppable. There in not even one slack track on this entire album, including the CD with the bonuses. Rock perfection incarnate! In retrospect this album joins the ranks of those essential classic albums, which will be standing on the pedestal of Rock´s achievements for as long as Rock itself will exist as a living musical form. Since they don´t make music like that any more, there is no danger of this music being replaced or forgotten any time soon, at least not as long as those who have been lucky to enjoy the bad company in real life.

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: 20/01/2017

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

BAD COMPANY ~ BAD COMPANY (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 081227955540 (Barcode: 081227955540) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the debut eponymous album by the seminal British Blues-Rock / Rock supergroup Bad CompanyFind albums by this artist. Formed in 1973 by two former members of the legendary FreeFind albums by this artist, vocalist Paul RodgersFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon KirkeFind albums by this artist, who were joined by ex-Mott The HoopleFind albums by this artist guitarist Mick RalphsFind albums by this artist and ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist bassist Boz BurrellFind albums by this artist. The original lineup of the band managed to last for a whole decade, during which they recorded six studio albums. The original album included eight original songs, three by Ralphs, two by Rodgers, two by Rodgers and Ralphs and one by Rodgers and Kirke. This remastered edition adds a second CD full of bonus material (13 tracks), nine of which are previously unreleased, which include outtakes, alternate versions and B-sides, including studio chatter as well as intelligent and interesting booklet full of relevant information. Bad Company were beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the all time best British Rock bands, which embodied the process of the development of the British Rock music, which has taken place during the 1960s and included the Blues Revival, the birth of Blues-Rock and Hard-Rock. The band was less Blues oriented than its ancestor bands, especially Free of course, but the basic Blues structures were still very much in place, especially so on the first two albums by the band. Rodgers, who is the best white Blues vocalist that ever walked the face of the earth, sings Blues regardless of the specific environment he´s in at any specific moment. Whenever he opens his mouth, the Blues pours out, regardless if he means it or not, and this is of course his most important asset paired with his Godly voice. Bad Company allowed him to explore his talents as a singer and songwriter in a more comfortable environment than the turmoil surrounding Free during its troubled existence. The combined forces of the four musicians that were Bad Company proved to be an ideal amalgam of talents and abilities, turning them into a well oiled and highly intelligent music machine that was simply perfect and unstoppable. There in not even one slack track on this entire album, including the CD with the bonuses. Rock perfection incarnate! In retrospect this album joins the ranks of those essential classic albums, which will be standing on the pedestal of Rock´s achievements for as long as Rock itself will exist as a living musical form. Since they don´t make music like that any more, there is no danger of this music being replaced or forgotten any time soon, at least not as long as those who have been lucky to enjoy the bad company in real life.

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: 20/01/2017

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JIMMY WEBB ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227955878 (Barcode: 081227955878) ~ USA ~ Classic Pop Recorded: 1970 - 1977 Released: 2015 This Box Set collects five (second to sixth) albums by the great American singer / songwriter Jimmy WebbFind albums by this artist, released between 1970 and 1977. They are: "Words And MusicFind albums with this title" from 1970, "And So: OnFind albums with this title" from 1971, "LettersFind albums with this title" from 1972, "Land`s EndFind albums with this title" from 1974 and "El MirageFind albums with this title" from 1977. Webb is one of the most influential figures on the American popular music scene, thanks to his phenomenal success as a songwriter. His albums, however, never really achieved much commercial success or recognition, which is a great pity as they are full of beautiful melodies and poetic lyrics. This is an excellent opportunity to re-discover them. Webb is also a very sensitive singer and his interpretations of the songs made famous by others, are often deeper and more interesting. Of course Webb will be remembered for his memorable collaboration with The 5th DimensionFind albums by this artist, Glen CampbellFind albums by this artist and numerous other Pop stars. The outrageously beautiful albums with British actor / singer Richard HarrisFind albums by this artist ("A Tramp ShiningFind albums with this title", "The Yard Went On ForeverFind albums with this title" and "My BoyFind albums with this title"), the first of which included the epic "McArthur Park", are to this day absolute Pop masterpieces, regardless of the denigration by some pompous music critics at the time of their release. Still active today as a performer and songwriter, Webb symbolizes the American songwriting at its best, in complete contrast to the infinite oceans of non-musical garbage that America produces on a massive scale. Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label 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 have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us 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. 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: 26/01/2019Posted: 09/01/2016

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ PROGENY: SEVEN SHOWS FROM SEVENTY-TWO RHINO 081227956417 (Barcode: 081227956417) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2015 This monstrous Box Set comprises of seven 2CD sets, which present seven concerts recorded between October 31, 1972 and November 20, 1972 during the North American YesFind albums by this artist tour promoting "Close To The EdgeFind albums with this title", their fifth album. The band at the time comprised of vocalist Jon AndersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Steve HoweFind albums by this artist, bassist Chris SquireFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Rick WakemanFind albums by this artist and the new drummer Alan WhiteFind albums by this artist. These concerts had an almost identical set list, which is of course reflected herein. Some of these recordings were already used in the past to compile the "YessongsFind albums on this label" live album released in 1973 but most are previously unreleased. By the time Yes recorded "Close To The Edge", there was absolutely nothing left of the initial spark of genius that was reflected by their first two albums. They were deeply into overblown and self-centered world, which had almost completely lost touch with reality. Anderson´s "mystical" lyrics were dangerously close to gibberish and his hysteric vocal extravaganzas reflected a state of blurred consciousness. Wakeman´s endless keyboard doodling was pompous and arduous, and the rest of the gang just schlepped along. Yes, things could be a lot worse and indeed they would soon be much worse with the release of the forthcoming albums, but it was already truly "close to the edge". Sarcastically, Yes were crowned as Kings of the Progressive Rock, whereas in fact their music completely stopped to progress (i.e. develop) from their third album on. It simply spiraled deeper and deeper into narcissism and arrogance, producing worthless Rococo trinkets hanging in the air. The melodies became simplistic, the endless instrumental passages became intolerably boring and a chill of emptiness took over. Oddly and completely beyond any reasonable explanation the Yes bandwagon keeps rolling to this very day, with this Box Set being a pinnacle of the theatre of absurd. The sheer audacity of releasing this Box Set is of epic proportions, and reflects the complete detachment between Yes and the real world. Even if God Almighty himself had have called upon Moses to come up the mountain to receive the ten commandments seven times in a row, that would have been considered way overboard. But apparently releasing a box of seven almost identical concerts played within twenty days of each other is fine with some people. Every live music performance is unique, true. But some are more unique than others. Box sets that present a series of live recordings captured in the span of a relatively short time and include repetitions of the same material do exist, but they all are completely justified, as opposed to this Box Set. "The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard RecordingsFind albums with this title" is a four CDs Box Set by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, presenting concerts played during four days and includes many repeated tunes. It is a singular most important collection of music ever produced on this planet. But Coltrane was God. "The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965Find albums on this label" is an eight CDs Box Set by the legendary Miles DavisFind albums by this artist second quintet, presenting music played just in two days. Of course there is repetition, but it is pure genius. And of course Miles thought he was God. "Performance Rockin` The Fillmore: The Complete RecordingsFind albums on this label" is a four CDs Box Set by British Rock Supergroup Humble PieFind albums by this artist, presenting four identical sets played in two days (i.e. each song is repeated four times, with just one exception), but they are miles apart from each other. It epitomizes Rock at its absolute peak, which is purely Devilish. I could of course go on and on listing Box Sets, which present extensive live recordings from every possible genre, which are all perfectly justifiable, make perfect sense and include fabulous music. Sadly nothing similar can be said about this Box Set. It symbolizes pure vanity and complete disregard towards the fans of the band, which are repeatedly requested to pay for the same material again and again, honestly offering nothing in return. The sound quality is of course still very much Lo-Fi, in spite of the great efforts made to improve it. Even the Roger Dean graphics, which I usually adore, look pale and weathered. This is cynical BS and if anybody tells you otherwise, you are being bullshited.

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: 28/12/2015

CD 14 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

HERBIE HANCOCK ~ THE WARNER BROS. YEARS (1969-1972) RHINO 081227959043 (Barcode: 081227959043) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1969 - 1972 Released: 2014 This Box Set collects the three albums pianist / composer Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist recorded for Warner Bros.Find albums on this label: "Fat Albert RotundaFind albums with this title", "MwandishiFind albums with this title" and "CrossingsFind albums with this title". The original albums are expanded with bonus material, which is rather immaterial as it consists of single versions or promo edits of the tunes already present on these albums. In order to read about the lineups and the significance of these albums please click on their titles to switch to their detailed descriptions. The booklet accompanying the Box Set includes a short essay by pianist / composer / writer Bob GluckFind albums by this artist, which also includes a few quotations taken from his book "You Will Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band". The essay is pretty basic, which is rather sad as a serious analysis of this music would have been in place. I guess that there wasn´t any budget for a more extensive write-up or inclusion of live recordings by the band, which would have justified the existence of this Box Set and somehow compensated for buying this music one more time. Of course this is momentous music, which deserves to be heard and if this Box Set gets to be listened to by a younger generation of listeners, who missed this music when it was happening in real time, its goal was achieved. People who already own the original vinyl LPs or the earlier reissues (which are still available) can easily skip this. Overall this is a rather dodgy reissue / repackaging effort of fantastic music and hopefully will serve a greater good by just being out there for the asking.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

BAD COMPANY ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227959241 (Barcode: 081227959241) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1974 - 1979 Released: 2014 This Box Set collects the first five albums recorded by the British Rock supergroup Bad CompanyFind albums by this artist and released between 1974 and 1979. The group was formed soon after the brilliant FreeFind albums by this artist fell apart and included Free vocalist Paul RodgersFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon KirkeFind albums by this artist as well as Mott The HoopleFind albums by this artist guitarist Mick RalphsFind albums by this artist and King CrimsonFind albums by this artist bassist Boz BurrellFind albums by this artist. This lineup recorded all these five albums. Musically Bad Company was initially a direct continuation of where Free left off, i.e. moving gradually away from Blues and Blues-Rock into straightforward Rock with just a tinge of Blues, which was still present mainly due to Rogers´ incredible voice, which sounds Bluesy whatever he sings. The first two albums are absolute classic and the rest slowly loosen the magic, but in retrospect are way better that anything recorded today. Personally anything that has Paul Rodgers singing on it is fine with me, as he is definitely one of my absolute top vocal favorites, not only because of his superb and unique voice but more importantly due to his wonderful musicality, feel and groove, especially for the Blues but also in the Rock idiom. Alongside Humble PieFind albums by this artist and Spooky ToothFind albums by this artist, Free and Bad Company were the very core of British Blues-Rock, which was absolutely unbeatable by anything else on this planet. Those bands flourished for a brief period of time between late 1960s and mid-1970s, leaving an unsurpassed heritage, which still is a beacon of excellence decades later. For fans of that genre, this Box Set is an absolute must! 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 Recommend To A Friend

JOE HARRIOTT / JOHN MAYER ~ INDO-JAZZ SUITE RHINO 081227960148 (Barcode: 081227960148) ~ UK ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1966 Released: 2013 This is a reissue of one of the most groundbreaking and revolutionary British Jazz albums, a debut recording by the ensemble that comprised of Jazz and Classical Indian Music players, which resulted in the birth of Jazz-World Fusion. The Jazz players, led by legendary saxophonist / composer Joe HarriottFind albums by this artist, a pioneer of British Free Jazz and again here of the British World-Jazz Fusion, included also trumpeter Eddie BlairFind albums by this artist (although most sources say Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, but I have the original LP), pianist Pat SmytheFind albums by this artist, bassist Rick LairdFind albums by this artist (although most sources say Coleridge GoodeFind albums by this artist, but I have the original LP) and drummer Allan GanleyFind albums by this artist. The Indian players included violinist / harpsichord player / composer John MayerFind albums by this artist, sitar player Diwan MotiharFind albums by this artist, tambura player Chandrahas PaigankarFind albums by this artist and tabla player Keshav SatheFind albums by this artist. The double quintet (or tentet) is completed by Classical flautist Chris TaylorFind albums by this artist. Together the ensemble performs four original compositions, all by Mayer. I have already written extensively about this music so I´ll only reiterate that it is completely unique, insanely ahead of its time and heroically pioneering, combining two idioms that seemed to be completely separated from each other. Thanks to Mayer´s superb compositions and his understanding of European music, he was able to amalgamate the Jazz improvisations and the Indian ragas and other traditional forms, despite the disparity in melody, harmony and above all rhythmic patterns between these two idioms. The result is simply divine and honestly, despite many attempts to replicate this amalgam by other musicians over the time, nothing sounds as natural, elegant and aesthetically perfect as this music. It is worth to ponder why this seemingly impossible blend worked out so well; the answer of course requires the understanding of the cultural and social atmosphere that existed in Britain in the mid-1960s, but especially so in London, which became the cultural center of the world with musicians from the British Commonwealth flooding the London scene and bringing with them their own musical traditions: Caribbean, Indian, African and others. All these cultures were embraced and absorbed without reservations of phobias, a natural, voluntary multiculti music being created in the process in Pop, Rock and Jazz. The music on this album and the further recordings by the [AJoe Harriott and John Mayer Double Quintet} are a wonderful example of that brief, but enchanted period of the British Music history. This album is an absolutely essential recorded document of the development of British and later European Jazz, which deserves to be listened to and studied by every music student in the world. This is music of everlasting value and its message of human tolerance, acceptance and unity is a beacon of hope, especially in the Dark Age we are living in now.

Updated: 20/05/2016Posted: 16/05/2016

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG ~ CSNY 1974 RHINO 081227960353 (Barcode: 081227960353) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1974 Released: 2014 This magnificent Box Set is the document of the legendary 1974 tour by the seminal Classic Rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist. Organized by the no less legendary Rock impresario Bill GrahamFind albums by this artist, the tour lasted between July 9th 1974 and September 14th 1974, totaling in 31 shows. An additional one-off show was also played on December 14, 1974. Overall this was the most extensive tour ever attempted by a Rock act to that date. The group was assisted by three additional musicians: bassist Tim DrummondFind albums by this artist, drummer Russell KunkelFind albums by this artist and percussionist Joe LalaFind albums by this artist. The Box Set consists of three CDs and a DVD, which are a selection from the music recorded and filmed during the tour. CDs 1 and 3 offer electric sets and CD 2 offers a purely acoustic set. The Box Set also includes a marvelous 188-page book with information and beautiful photographs. The entire Box Set is an obvious labor of love, mostly invested by Graham NashFind albums by this artist, who became a de facto group archivist and Joel BernsteinFind albums by this artist who was in charge of some superb productions over the years. The three CDs offer an amazing collection of forty songs, which in retrospect are some of the finest songs ever written, not only by the Mighty Four, but in the general Classic Rock idiom´s time span. They include of course material from the debut Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist album and the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album, as well as from the individual solo albums recorded by the group members. Some of the songs present in this box have never been released in their live version before. The sound quality and the individual performances captured on these recordings are some of the finest Classic Rock moments ever recorded. Every word and every sound are just perfect and exactly what is needed at the given moment. The intimacy and camaraderie between the group members and the rapport they manage to create with the audience are simply stellar. The four decades that separate the dates of the recording of these concerts and the date of the release of this Box Set did not manage to take an iota off the glory, beauty and artistry of the music presented here. The world managed to sink into darkness and stupidity, and as a result this music shines even brighter now than it did at the time of its creation. Thank God for the invention of sound recording. This Box Set proudly joins the great Classic Rock live recordings heritage that keeps some of us mentally alive today.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: 20/01/2019

3CD+DVD 4 Digipak Box Set Recommend To A Friend

ELECTRIC PRUNES ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227965181 (Barcode: 081227965181) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2013 This Box Set collects all five albums by the legendary American garage / psychedelic group The Electric PrunesFind albums by this artist, released between 1967 and 1969. They are: the eponymous debut "The Electric PrunesFind albums with this title" from 1967, "UndergroundFind albums with this title" from 1967, "Mass In F MinorFind albums with this title" from 1968, "Release Of An OathFind albums with this title" from 1968 and "Just Good Old Rock And RollFind albums with this title" from 1969. The original lineup of the group recorded only the two brilliant first albums, disintegrating amidst the recording of the third album, which was a complex religious concept project featuring Latin lyrics, composed by David AxelrodFind albums by this artist. A new lineup of the group without any of the original members recorded the fourth album, also composed by Axelrod, and then yet another lineup recorded the fifth and last album. The original group reformed in 1999 and released several albums since. The music contained on the first two albums is a brilliant and pioneering psychedelic Rock, which includes stunning instrumental work and use of novel instrumentation. The two concept albums are also interesting attempts to combine Rock and Classical music and profound subject matter. The fifth album is exactly what it says in its title, which at that period means quite a lot. Overall this is a brilliant trip down the memory lane and sadly another proof of the fact that they don´t make music like that any more… What a bummer… 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 Recommend To A Friend

MICHAEL FRANKS ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227969196 (Barcode: 081227969196) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1975 - 1980 Released: 2012 This Box Set collects five early albums by American singer / songwriter Michael FranksFind albums by this artist. They are his second (following the debut album released in 1973 on a small independent label) to sixth albums released originally between 1975 and 1980. Although often described as a Jazz singer, Franks can be hardly defined as a "proper" Jazz singer, and his multifaceted style as a songwriter and vocalist flirts freely with Jazzy Pop, World (mostly Brazilian) Music, Soul and Rock and quite honestly defies any attempt to be neatly categorized, which is of course wonderful. Franks is a superb example of a vocalist, whose severe limitations (delicate voice and quite limited vocal range) become completely irrelevant in view of his simply stunning delivery and tons of feel for the music and natural intelligence. His abilities as a songwriter are also extraordinary (sadly mostly unrecognized), combining beautiful melodies and sensitive lyrics, a true rare talent. On these albums Franks is accompanied by some of the finest American musicians, originating mostly from the Jazz or Jazz-Rock Fusion idioms and the instrumental work herein is simply outstanding with many marvelous solos and first class arrangements. These albums are simply pure delight and a wonderful testimony of Frank´s talents and achievements. It is perhaps time for a new generation of listeners to discover these precious gems and hear what real music is all about. Highly recommended! 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 Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ THE STUDIO ALBUMS 1969-1978 RHINO 081227969585 (Barcode: 081227969585) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1969 - 1978 Released: 2012 This excellent Box Set includes the remastered / expanded versions of the first ten studio albums by the iconic American ensemble ChicagoFind albums by this artist, which defined the American variation of the Brass Rock genre, together with other ensembles like Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, DreamsFind albums by this artist, ChaseFind albums by this artist, FlockFind albums by this artist and many other less renowned music makers. Chicago were, in retrospect, the most prolific and enduring of them all and are undoubtedly an American Rock legend. They managed to combine incredible songwriting abilities, which resulted in their songs charting, despite the fact that they were hardy chart material, incredible instrumental abilities, superb vocalists and arrangement skills, which amalgamated Jazz, Blues, Rock and Pop, producing a unique sound, which managed to stay relevant despite the fads and fashions of the ever changing music scene. The ten CDs in this box include the first three double albums: “Chicago Transit AuthorityFind albums with this title”, “Chicago (II)Find albums with this title” and “Chicago IIIFind albums with this title” as well as seven single albums: “Chicago VFind albums with this title”, “Chicago VIFind albums with this title”, “Chicago VIIFind albums with this title”, “Chicago VIIIFind albums with this title”, “Chicago XFind albums with this title”, “Chicago XIFind albums with this title” and finally “Hot StreetsFind albums with this title” (a.k.a. “Chicago XIIFind albums with this title”). Not included in the Box Set are “Chicago IVFind albums with this title”, which was a live album and “Chicago IXFind albums with this title”, which was a Greatest Hits compilation. All the albums, except the last one, were recorded by a steady lineup, which of course helped to establish a polished style and superb interplay. The lineup included bassist Peter CeteraFind albums by this artist, guitarist Terry KathFind albums by this artist (who died tragically in early 1978), keyboardist Robert LammFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lee LoughnaneFind albums by this artist, trombonist James PankowFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Walter ParaziderFind albums by this artist and drummer Danny SeraphineFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Laudir de OlivieraFind albums by this artist joined the group in 1973. Overall, this Box Set is an unbelievable treasure chest of incredible music and a Bible of American Brass Rock. It features some of the greatest American Rock guitar playing by the hands of Terry Kath, many of the sublimely composed early suites, which can easily be considered as Progressive Rock masterpieces, and simply superb music in general, from start to finish. The remasters improved the sound of the original albums, but the bonus tracks are quite insignificant. No serious music collection can afford not to include this Box Set, even if one owns all the individual albums already. Absolutely essential! 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: 23/09/2022Posted: 23/09/2022

CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ THE STUDIO ALBUMS 1968-1979 RHINO 081227971786 (Barcode: 081227971786) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 - 1979 Released: 2012 This Box Set collects all ten studio albums recorded by the celebrated Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist from the onset of her career until the end of the 1970s. Between the debut album "Song To A SeagullFind albums with this title" and the last album included here, the epic "MingusFind albums with this title", this Box Set includes some of the best music ever written, which not only encapsulates the spirit and the essence of the 1960s and 1970s, but in fact of the human condition at large. Musically these albums can be divided into two groups, five albums each. Whereas the first five albums present the gentle, folksy, acoustic side of Mitchell, the second batch sees her moving into much more complex music, heavily influenced by Jazz and featuring much more intensive instrumental backing and advanced experimentation. Regardless of the setting, her compositions always stand out as completely original and incomparable to anything else happening on the music scene. Mitchell was blessed by a gift, which enables her to compose music floating completely outside of the timeline. As a result each and every one of her songs is an instant "classic", with a life of its own, untouchable by time. The hundred and three songs present in this Box Set are all gems, sparkling and enchanting forever. Of course this Box Set should be an integral part of any serious music collection on earth and its contents is an essential food for body and soul. With recent sad news about Mitchell´s health condition one can only pray to hear more of her divinely inspired music in the future. In the meantime we can be grateful for what we have enjoyed already.

Updated: 19/12/2023Posted:

CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

INCREDIBLE STRING BAND ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227972530 (Barcode: 081227972530) ~ UK ~ Folk-Rock Recorded: 1966 - 1968 Released: 2012 This Box Set collects the first five (or rather four, since the fourth album was a double LP which was also released as two separate LPs in the US) albums recorded by the British Folk-Rock ensemble Incredible String BandFind albums by this artist and released between 1966 and 1968 on the ElektraFind albums on this label label. Originating from Glasgow, Scotland the band started as a trio playing acoustic Folk music and consisted of Robin WilliamsonFind albums by this artist, Clive PalmerFind albums by this artist and Mike HeronFind albums by this artist. Following the release of the first album Palmer left and the rest of the albums were recorded by the duo of Williamson and Heron. Legendary bassist Danny ThompsonFind albums by this artist guests on the second album which also features Williamson´s girlfriend at the time Licorice McCechnieFind albums by this artist. Licorice and Rose SimpsonFind albums by this artist, Heron´s girlfriend at the time, take part in the recording of the fourth (double) album. The band recorded three more (one of them another double) albums for Elektra and then switched to IslandFind albums on this label Records, recording five more albums for the label before calling it a day in 1974. In total they recorded twelve incredible albums (two of them double) in the span of just eight years, a remarkable achievement by any standard. They also appeared extensively on the BBC, which produced several radio session compilations released later on CDs. The albums included in this Box Set are a wonderful testimony of the rapid and wondrous development the Incredible String Band from a rather straightforward Folk trio to a Psychedelic, almost Avant-Garde Progressive Fork-Rock ensemble of incredible quality, almost unparalleled by any other act on both sides of the pond. The increasingly complex musical ideas and poetic lyrics are some of the finest examples of the great British Folk-Rock renaissance, which swept the Isles during the Golden Decade. Folk-Rock fans, who don´t have these albums in their collection, will find this Box Set as absolutely essential, especially the younger music lovers, who missed listening to this superb music while it was happening in real time. The older ones might want to renew these experiences by giving the Incredible String Band another chance, as they were indeed incredible. 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 Recommend To A Friend

BOOKER T. & THE MG`S ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227972547 (Barcode: 081227972547) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1962 - 1968 Released: 2012 This Box Set collects five early albums by American instrumental quartet Booker T. & The MG`sFind albums by this artist, which originally consisted of keyboardist Booker T. JonesFind albums by this artist, guitarist Steve CropperFind albums by this artist, bassist Lewie SteinbergFind albums by this artist and drummer Al Jackson, Jr.Find albums by this artist In 1965 Steinberg was replaced by Donald DunnFind albums by this artist and that lineup lasted until Jackson´s death in 1975. The quartet was the house band for StaxFind albums on this label Records and as such appeared on countless classic Soul albums in the 1960s and 1970s. In parallel they released instrumental albums as a quartet, which combined Funk, Soul, Rhythm And Blues and early Jazz-Rock Fusion. The albums included here are their first five studio recordings (except for a Xmas album) released originally between 1962 and 1968. The music includes some original compositions by the group members, but mostly covers of (then) contemporary Pop / Soul material, skillfully arranged by the group, with some absolutely classic riffs and moves, which are sadly rarely heard today. The cheesy organ sound of the first albums is so ridiculous, that it is a beauty of its own and a trademark of the time. Some fifty years after this music was recorded it is still a great fun to listen to, notwithstanding the guilty nostalgic feeling of times long gone. The group was so tight and professional that anything they played sounded smooth and funky, making you stand up and dance. These are immortal qualities, which keep this music alive and kicking. For young listeners and musicians this is a superb example of what great music is made off, and therefore a valuable lesson to be learned by all. As these albums clearly show, very limited resources, simple straightforward arrangements and a lot of talent are enough to create great music. Highly recommended! 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 Recommend To A Friend

SERGIO MENDES ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227975166 (Barcode: 081227975166) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1964 - 1968 Released: 2011 This Box Set collects the five albums by Brazilian pianist / composer Sergio MendesFind albums by this artist, released by AtlanticFind albums on this label Records between 1964 and 1968. During that same period Mendes also released albums for A&MFind albums on this label Records, mostly with a vocal group, which were much more popular and commercially successful. The Atlantic albums are more Jazz oriented and are one of the earliest examples of Jazz-World Fusion. Mendes gained popularity as one a several Brazilian artists, who swept the American music scene in the mid 1960s, popularizing the wonderful bossa nova movement. He combined his own composition with those of dozens of great bossa nova songwriters in Brazil, popularizing them in the USA. His various group included mostly Brazilian players, such as bassist Sebastiao NetoFind albums by this artist and drummers Chico BateraFind albums by this artist and Chico De SouzaFind albums by this artist, but he was often supported by top American Jazz players like trumpeter Art FarmerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, flautist Hubert LawsFind albums by this artist and many others. Sometimes he also used extensive orchestral arrangements, which of course sounded pretty kitschy at times. In retrospect Mendes and other Brazilian musicians / composers were responsible for opening up the American musical scene to new sonic and rhythmic vistas, which also invigorated the American Jazz scene immensely at the time. These albums include many of the classic bossa nova evergreens, and still are great fun to listen to, even if they sound somewhat outdated due to relatively simplistic production and problematic sound quality. For bossa nova fans these are absolute classics, others might like to take a trip down the nostalgia lane; whatever the reason, this music still has a lot of charm and zest. Recommended! Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label 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 have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to 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. 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: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227977061 (Barcode: 081227977061) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1980 Released: 2011 This Box Set collects five albums by the Brazilian music genius Antonio Carlos JobimFind albums by this artist, all released in the USA on the Warner Bros.Find albums on this label label. The first three, released between 1965 and 1967 are classic Bossa Nova albums, containing many of Jobim´s evergreens. The first if those ("The Wonderful World Of Antonio Carlos JobimFind albums with this title") features brilliant arrangements by Nelson RiddleFind albums by this artist, the second ("Love, Strings And Jobim: The Eloquence Of Antonio Carlos JobimFind albums with this title") is an instrumental only album arranged by Eumir DeodatoFind albums by this artist and the third features arrangements by the great Claus OgermanFind albums by this artist, who was in charge of most the arrangements of Jobim´s albums over the years. The fourth album included here, "UrubuFind albums with this title" from 1976, present Jobim´s return to Brazilian Folklore and his Classical Music ties and is much more advanced and complex musically than his earlier albums, being sort of a symphonic poem. The fifth album included here, a double LP originally, "Terra BrasilisFind albums with this title" from 1980, presents a new look at some of Jobim´s most popular songs, rearranged for a Jazz combo and strings, which includes many "definite" versions of those songs. Both albums were arranged by Ogerman. Overall this is a very strange selection of material, which is far from ideal as a package, but nevertheless includes some absolutely divine music, which should not be missed by any serious music lover. 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 Recommend To A Friend

GEORGE DUKE ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227980061 (Barcode: 081227980061) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1992 - 2000 Released: 2010 This Box Set collects five of the albums by the American keyboardist / composer George DukeFind albums by this artist released between 1992 and 2000. They are: "SnapshotFind albums with this title" from 1992, "IllusionsFind albums with this title" from 1995, "Is Love Enough?Find albums with this title" from 1997, "After HoursFind albums with this title" from 1998 and "CoolFind albums with this title" from 2000. Duke, who sadly died in 2013, was actively present on the music scene for almost five decades and in retrospect proved to be one of the most dynamic, versatile and inventive musical personalities among his American peers. His early career was connected with Jazz, but later on he was involved also with Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Funk, Soul Jazz and Pop, being equally brilliant in all these genres. The albums included here show mostly his work in the Funk and Soul Jazz idioms, and include both songs and instrumental pieces, all of which present Duke as a brilliant composer, who is able to create soulful tunes, which are both accessible and artistically astute. His keyboards work is simply stunning and has very few equals. The "After Hours" album is a return to his early Jazz days and partly features Duke in an acoustic piano trio format, which is simply exquisite. Overall this is a great collection of music, which presents just one of the many facets of Duke´s illustrious career, and although oriented towards less jazzy audiences, it is full of great melodic music and brilliant keyboards performances. Highly recommended! 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 Recommend To A Friend

DR. JOHN ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227983673 (Barcode: 081227983673) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1968 - 1973 Released: 2009 This Box Set collects five of the first six albums recorded by the American vocalist / songwriter / pianist / guitarist Dr. JohnFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mac RebennackFind albums by this artist) and released between 1968 and 1973. The decision to skip the third album (called "RemediesFind albums with this title") is completely beyond me. With a wonderful throaty voice and a superb musical sensitivity Dr. John firmly established a position of one of the most original and influential American music personalities. Dr. John managed to create a unique musical amalgam by mixing his original New Orleans roots with Blues, Jazz, Rhythm And Blues and Soul. The first two albums in this set are both completely zany Psychedelic trips, so unusual and far-reaching that they are considered as milestones of alternative music to this very day. The remaining albums are much more conventional and present Dr. John establishing his more mainstream approach, which mixes his New Orleans influences (Zydeco) with Blues, Soul, Boogie Woogie and Rock, which characterize his career to this very day. In many respects Dr. John always was a musician´s musician, earning respect and admiration from many of his peers. This explains the fact that many legendary musicians take part in these recordings, including Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist, Mick JaggerFind albums by this artist, Graham BondFind albums by this artist and many others. This Box Set is an excellent opportunity to get familiar with the Dr. John universe by those who managed to miss it until now, but also to revisit familiar ground by old fans, which don´t have these albums on CD. Warmly recommended! 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: 08/05/2023Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MANHATTAN TRANSFER ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227983697 (Barcode: 081227983697) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1975 - 2000 Released: 2009 This Box Set collects five (seemingly randomly selected) albums recorded by the American vocal quartet The Manhattan TransferFind albums by this artist and released on the AtlanticFind albums on this label Records label between 1975 and 2000. The group was founded in 1969 by vocalist Tim HauserFind albums by this artist, who was the quartet´s leader for many years until his death in 2014. They recorded their debut in 1971 for CapitolFind albums on this label Records, which made little impact, and their career took off after switching to Atlantic Records and releasing their second eponymous album, included here. By 1978 the quartet´s stable lineup, which lasted until Hauser´s death, was established and included Hauser, Alan PaulFind albums by this artist, Janis SiegelFind albums by this artist and Cheryl BentyneFind albums by this artist. Israeli pianist Yaron GershovskyFind albums by this artist serves as the quartet´s musical director since the late 1970s. Although similar to the European vocal Jazz ensembles like the Les Double SixFind albums by this artist, The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist or the Polish NOVIFind albums by this artist ensemble, which revolutionized the vocal Jazz scene in the late 1950s and 1960s, Manhattan Singers were much closer to the American vocal tradition, which includes Gospel and Soul, rather than Jazz. As a result their music was always closer to Pop than to Jazz, which is plainly evident by listening to the albums in this Box Set. Although they do use vocalese and some improvisation, their arrangements and performances are always polished and round, avoiding risks and exploration. Nevertheless they do what they do highly professionally and always sound exactly as what is expected of them, which makes them very popular worldwide. Overall this Box Set includes very nice vocal music, which is very easy to be loved, but has almost nothing to do with Jazz per se. It is of course great fun to listen to, especially while your brain is comfortably numb… 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 Recommend To A Friend

STEPHEN STILLS ~ LIVE AT SHEPHERD`S BUSH RHINO 081227984694 (Barcode: 081227984694) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 In 2015 I had the immense pleasure to catch a concert by Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist in Rome, which turned out to be one of the greatest musical experiences of my late life. It proved to me that talent knows no age limits and true Art overcomes the hurdles old age places in front of us all. For almost three hours Crosby, Stills & Nash took me back to the heyday of my youth via a music propelled time machine. I wept and laughed, sung along and joined the four thousand strong crowd in an ecstasy of nostalgia, but also in a feeling of togetherness that I can only remember as far back as the Woodstock days, where Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first gig together. This album presents a solo concert by Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist, captured in 2008, which presents his life spanning career as a singer / songwriter from his early days with Buffalo SpringfieldFind albums by this artist, via Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young), ManassasFind albums by this artist and his other endeavors. The concert includes fourteen songs, split into two sets: an acoustic and an electric set. The first set presents Stills completely solo just singing and playing his acoustic guitar, while the second set presents him playing the electric guitar and supported by keyboardist Todd CaldwellFind albums by this artist, bassist Kenny PassarelliFind albums by this artist and drummer Joe VitaleFind albums by this artist, all three also singing vocal harmonies. Stills wrote ten and co-wrote one (with Graham Nash) of the songs present here and three are by other songwriters. The album also includes a DVD with the same material. Albums like these are often criticized by critics as nothing more than a "dinosaur experience", with the artists performing just crowd-pleasers and basically riding on waves of nostalgia. This album is nothing of the sort. Yes Stills performs some of his material that has gained him his legendary status, but he also proves that he is completely relevant today and his music simply does not expire with time. In fact there are very few contemporary music acts that can stand up to such artists as Stills, both as far as vitality and surely quality is concerned. For the hordes of Stills fans (we are dying but we are still here) this is a must of course, but younger music lovers should also find this interesting, provided of course they have the ability to distinguish between music and the bullshit the media is brainwashing them with. I hope to catch these heroes of my youth live on stage again, even if I have to do it in a wheelchair.

Updated: 29/10/2016Posted: 29/10/2016

CD+DVD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

DOORS ~ LIVE AT THE MATRIX `67 RHINO 081227988487 (Barcode: 081227988487) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2008 This is finally the formal release of the legendary Matrix tapes capturing the DoorsFind albums by this artist live at the very early days of their career. Just a few months after their first album was released and before "Light My Fire" fired up the charts, they were just one more band playing the California coastal cities. But of course they were definitely not just "one more band" as these, far from perfect tapes, prove instantly. The Doors were the best American Rock band ever, and although they were still perfecting their act then and experimenting with it (something they never stopped to do) the visionary qualities are already there if you listen well enough. Including material from their first album, a few new songs from the second album (still not recorded at the time), and a lot of Blues, which all Doors members loved, to fill the blanks, this show is a time capsule preserving everything the Summer Of Love (although it was only early spring) was all about – intellectual freedom, total devotion to one´s art and complete disregard of authority, establishment and commerciality. i.e. the American Way Of Life. Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist is the actor and the poet, with music serving as the catalyst for his introvert sufferings, Ray ManzarekFind albums by this artist, with his miserable thin-sounding organ, manages to make magic with the keys on his keyboard, Robby KriegerFind albums by this artist plays the Blues, always, regardless what the tune is and John DensmoreFind albums by this artist keeps the whole lame wheelbarrow moving forward – towards Nirvana. This is, as said earlier, a time capsule, which proves that at that time even a seemingly uneventful gig at a dinky San Francisco club by a struggling young band was infinitely better that anything played in the 21st Century. Go figure?

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STEPHEN STILLS ~ JUST ROLL TAPE RHINO 081227997915 (Barcode: 081227997915) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2007 This is a wonderful album with archival material by the iconic American singer / guitarist / composer Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist. Stills recorded this material using some spare studio time following a recording session he played on, singing early versions of songs, some of which were destined to become anthems of his generation. He is completely alone in the studio with his acoustic guitar. The album includes twelve songs, eleven of which he wrote and one, the epic "Wooden Ships" he co-wrote with David CrosbyFind albums by this artist and Paul KantnerFind albums by this artist. The album also includes a bonus track, the source of which remains undisclosed. The original master tapes of these recordings were considered to be lost for decades and the fact we can listen to this music is a pure miracle. At the time these songs were recorded Stills was playing the last gigs with the disintegrating Buffalo SpringfieldFind albums by this artist and obviously already planning the forthcoming super trio of Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist. Three of the songs present here would be part of the eponymous debut album by Crosby, Stills & Nash, others appeared on the first two solo albums by Stills and on his first album with his group ManassasFind albums by this artist. Other great demo material by Crosby, Stills & Nash can be heard on their great archival "DemosFind albums with this title" album. This album shows Stills completely "naked" and as such emphasizes his enormous talent as a songwriter and performer. Although completely informal, this music is the sound of an era, where music stood at the centre of human Culture, not only as a symbol of Art, but also as a form of philosophical, social and political expression. Side Note: Just a few months ago I had the pleasure to attend the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert in Rome. Hearing four thousand people singing along with the legends on stage was a deeply moving experience, and so was their timeless exquisite music.

Updated: 09/02/2016Posted: 09/02/2016

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

PETER GREEN ~ WHITE SKY RHINO 1004 ~ UK ~ Blues This 1981 album is considered the most `rocky` album ever recorded by Peter GreenFind albums by this artist, with a super support band including Reg IsidoreFind albums by this artist (of the Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist band). The interesting point of this album is that all the songs were penned by his older brother Mike (they cooperated often during this period). Definitely worth checking out.

Updated: 12/12/2023Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	GREEN, PETER ~ KOLORS RHINO 1005 ~ UK ~ Blues 1983 album by Green with very strong support band featuring Reg Isadore, Dave Mattacks (of Fairport Convention) a.m.o. The material is mostly written by Peter`s brother Mike. Peter plays some great guitar here, as always, and this is a good example of his recordings at that period.
	CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GREEN, PETER ~ WHATCHA GONNA DO? RHINO 1006 ~ UK ~ Blues After leaving Fleetwood Mac at the end of 1970, the legendary blues guitarist disappeared from the scene for almost 10 years, resurfacing by the end of the 1970s to record a series of albums under his name. This continued till the mid-1980`s when he disappeared again, only to resurface again by the end of the 1990s. This 1981 album features the typical material Green recorded during this period, which was a mixture of blues and rock.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

	GREEN, PETER ~ COLLECTION RHINO 1011 ~ UK ~ Blues A great and extensive collection of the best material from Peter Green`s albums from late 1970s and early 1980s. Backed up by many legendary players, Green produced some memorable blues / rock material that stands the test of time fabulously.
	CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ ARCHIVES – VOLUME 4 (THE ASYLUM YEARS 1976-1980) RHINO 603497823680 (Barcode: 603497823680) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1979 Released: 2024 This is the 4th archival Box Set presenting recordings by the iconic Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. It includes six CDs worth of material spanning the years 1975 to 1979. The recordings include home and studio demos, live performances, alternate album tracks and other sources. All of the songs (except a few cases) are Mitchell originals and all were never previously released. CD1 presents eighteen tracks form various live concerts in 1975 and the 1976 US tour and one home recording. CD2 presents seventeen more tracks from the 1976 US tour. CD3 presents nine demos for the “HejiraFind albums with this title” album, three live concert tracks and two tracks from the “Hejira” sessions. CD4 presents two tracks from the “Don Juan`s Reckless DaughterFind albums with this title” album sessions, three tracks from the “MingusFind albums with this title” album sessions, eight live concert tracks from 1978 and four alternate tracks from “Mingus” sessions. CD5 presents one track from “Mingus” sessions, two live concert tracks from 1979, two tracks from the 1979 tour rehearsals and nine live concert tracks from the 1979 US tour. CD6 presents sixteen additional live concert tracks from the 1979 US tour. This wonderful time capsule enables listeners to take a time machine some forty-five years back in time and imagine they are sitting in a studio console room just a few meters away from Mitchell, who is singing her heart out or attending her concerts. At those peak moments of her career she was absolutely marvelous as a performer and a completely unique songwriter, who would change the face of music in the forthcoming decades. Accompanied by the top Jazz players of the period, including Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist, Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist and others, she sounds simply marvelous. Overall, this is a brilliant Box Set of enormous historical importance and an absolute must to all true Mitchell fans. The excellent sound quality of these recordings allows taking a fully enjoyable trip back in time, visiting the source of Mitchell’s illustrious career, with a hope that the next volumes of the archival series will bring many more hours of previously unheard material. This is beyond recommendation!

Updated: 16/11/2024Posted: 16/11/2024

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ AT NEWPORT RHINO 603497832071 (Barcode: 603497832071) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is a live album by the legendary Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, recorded in July 2022 at the Newport Folk Festival. The album presents twelve tracks, an intro and eleven songs, all bar one by Mitchell. Old?, Sick?, Broken? Hell, Joni has still more in her than most contemporary Rock scene put together. Although she is remarkably supported by the vocals of Brandi CarlileFind albums by this artist and an impressive cast of instrumentalist, she is still able to carry a tune in the unique way that remains unmatched in its power of expression, artistry and remarkable aesthetics. The entire concert is a wonderful tribute to one of the greatest American Rock artists of all time, and the crowd understands well the immense weight of the event, bursting into ovation, respectfully only when the music transforms into silence. What might have turned into a pitiful fiasco, turns out to be a victory of spirit over body in every sense. It must have been a truly heroic effort, considering Joni’s health condition, to agree to this concert in the first place and then to carry it out the way it appears here for everybody to hear. The only song Joni did not write is the magnificent rendition of “Summertime”, which shows her affinity to Jazz, which she displayed so many times in her career. Overall, this is a deeply moving album, full of sublime music and an almost supernatural presence of Joni. Should this be her last recorded moment (hopefully not), she definitely went out with a bang! I fell in love with her music well over fifty years ago and never stopped for a moment… Thank you Joni for all that musical bliss!

Updated: 19/12/2023Posted: 10/09/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

BECK, BOGERT & APPICE ~ LIVE IN JAPAN 1973 / LIVE IN LONDON 1974 RHINO 603497833252 (Barcode: 603497833252) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 2023 This Box Set presents two live concerts by the British / American Rock supergroup / power trio Beck, Bogert & AppiceFind albums by this artist, comprising of British guitarist Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist and American rhythm section comprising of bassist Tim BogertFind albums by this artist and drummer Carmine AppiceFind albums by this artist, both members of the legendary groups Vanilla FudgeFind albums by this artist and CactusFind albums by this artist. The Box Set includes two 2CD sets, the first with the previously Japan only release of a live recording in Japan in 1973, and the second with the previously unreleased live concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1974. The Box set is lavishly packaged and includes a hardcover book, tour book and a poster. The sound quality is absolutely sensational. The short-lived trio recorded only one eponymous studio album and disbanded before the second album was completed. The material recorded for the second album remains unreleased. The trio was a classic example of the Rock supergroup phenomenon, which started with CreamFind albums by this artist and dominated the scene in the early 1970s. All three musicians where absolute masters of their trade and superb virtuosi, who continued to develop the Rock Improvisation idiom started by Cream. They co-wrote most of their original material, but included also new interpretations of songs originating from the outside of the group. Despite their immense talents as instrumentalists, they lacked a lead singer of the scale of their instrumental powers and a composer, who would provide them with material, which would reflect their class, like Jack BruceFind albums by this artist, who filled both these functions in Cream. Nevertheless, they still remain as one of the most magnificent examples of Rock’s power trios and the material here is absolutely worth being revisited. Overall, this is an essential piece of the Classic Rock puzzle, a sublime document of the Rock Improvisation idiom and obviously a great tribute to the legacy of these sublime musicians, two of which are sadly no longer with us. An absolutely essential part of any serious Classic Rock collection!

Updated: 11/11/2023Posted: 11/11/2023

CD 4 Digibook Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, WASHINGTON D.C., 9/16/1971 RHINO 603497834174 (Barcode: 603497834174) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2024 This is an archival live album by the seminal American Brass Rock band ChicagoFind albums by this artist, recorded on September 16, 1971. The material is all previously unissued, except for one track. It is the second live album recorded the same year, after the “At Carnegie HallFind albums with this title” (or “Chicago IVFind albums with this title”) live album, recorded in April that year. It was recorded shortly before the band recorded their 4th studio album “Chicago VFind albums with this title”, and includes some early versions of material included on that album. The 3CD album presents twenty-six tracks, which span the band’s output released on their first three studio double albums. All the material (except one song) is original and was written and arranged by the group members. The group’s original septet lineup, with guitarist Terry KathFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert LammFind albums by this artist, bassist Peter CeteraFind albums by this artist, drummer Danny SeraphineFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lee LoughnaneFind albums by this artist, trombonist James PankowFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Walter ParazaiderFind albums by this artist, was one of the most versatile, talented and perfectly synchronized music ensembles ever. They defined the Brass Rock idiom completely and perfectly and no other ensemble managed to create as much creative music over the years. They were also superb instrumentalists, composers and arrangers, which set them apart from other Brass Rock manifestations. Of course Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist were also awesome, but they were completely different stylistically and conceptually, although definitely Brass Rock related as well. As usual, Kath’s incredible guitar technique and inventiveness stand out and he remains as one of the greatest guitar Masters in all time, sadly rather anonymous to most contemporary music listeners. An immediate instinctive comparison between this album and the “At Carnegie Hall” album comes up, but in fact it does not make sense for many reasons. This album is a straight-ahead document of one concert in its entirety, whereas the gigantic “At Carnegie Hall” was compiled from a series of eight concerts (released in its entirety as a 16CD set only in 2021). This album was recorded for documentation purposes and not for a formal release. In short a comparison is unnecessary and this album, despite the fact that the sound quality is a bit murky, is by all means a superb piece of music and an important historical document of an era and a musical genre almost extinct today. Overall, this is a brilliant snapshot of the essential Brass Rock ensemble Chicago at its musical peak, with almost three hours of Godly music, which no true music fan should miss. This is a true musical feast for my ears!

Updated: 16/11/2024Posted: 16/11/2024

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ ARCHIVES – VOLUME 3 (THE ASYLUM YEARS 1972-1975) RHINO 603497834303 (Barcode: 603497834303) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1975 Released: 2023 This is the third archival Box Set presenting recordings by the iconic Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. It includes five CDs worth of material spanning the years 1972 to 1975. The recordings include home demos, live performances, radio and TV broadcast and other sources. All of the songs (except two cases) are Mitchell originals and almost all (except one) were never previously released. CD1 presents two tracks form a Graham NashFind albums by this artist / David CrosbyFind albums by this artist session, four demos for the “For The RosesFind albums with this title” album and eighteen tracks recorded during a concert at Carnegie Hall in February 1972. CD2 presents four more tracks from the Carnegie Hall concert, six tracks from the early “For The Roses” sessions in April 1972, two tracks from a concert at Royal Festival Hall, six tracks from the later “For The Roses” sessions in July-August 1972 and finally two tracks from a benefit concert. CD3 presents six demos for the “Court And SparkFind albums with this title” album, one track from a Graham Nash session, one track from a Neil YoungFind albums by this artist session, six tracks from the “Court And Spark” sessions in September-October 1973 and finally six tracks from a concert at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in March 1974. CD4 presents sixteen more tracks from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion concert. CD5 presents two tracks from a concert at New Victoria Theatre in April 1974, one track from a concert at Wembley Stadium in September 1974, seven demos for the “The Hissing Of Summer LawnsFind albums with this title” album and finally seven tracks from the “The Hissing Of Summer Lawns” sessions in 1975. This wonderful time capsule enables listeners to take a time machine some fifty years back in time and imagine they are sitting just a few meters away from Mitchell, who is singing her heart out. At those peak moments of her career she was absolutely marvelous as a performer and a completely unique songwriter, who would change the face of music in the forthcoming decades. Overall, this is a brilliant Box Set of enormous historical importance and an absolute must to all true Mitchell fans. The excellent sound quality of these recordings allows taking a fully enjoyable trip back in time, visiting the source of Mitchell’s illustrious career, with a hope that the next volumes of the archival series will bring many more hours of previously unheard material. This is beyond recommendation!

Updated: 19/12/2023Posted: 19/12/2023

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

DOORS ~ LIVE AT THE MATRIX, 1967 RHINO 603497835911 (Barcode: 603497835911) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2023 This is an archival album by the legendary American Rock group The DoorsFind albums by this artist, which presents the entire material recorded during the group’s five-night residence in March 1967 at the San Francisco Marina District nightclub, called The Matrix. The 3CD album presents thirty-seven live tracks, all remastered from the original master tapes recorded at the time by the club’s co-owner Peter AbramFind albums by this artist. The material was recorded just a few weeks following the band’s debut album release and a few weeks before their iconic “Light My Fire” single changed American Rock forever. These poorly attended live performances were more “paid rehearsals” than gigs, as far as the group members were concerned, and present the group at the embryonic stage, before fame and glory engulfed and eventually destroyed them. Part of this material was released on the 2CD album “Live At The Matrix `67Find albums with this title” in 2008, which suffered from poor sound quality and bad editing, and definitely was not taken from the original master tapes, but rather from bootleg releases. This new release offers eight previously unreleased tracks and fourteen tracks taken for the first time from the original master tapes, all new to this release. These recordings prove that The Doors were a unique combination of superbly talented individuals. Jim MorrisonFind albums by this artist was a prophet, a poet and a charismatic frontman, Ray ManzarekFind albums by this artist was a sublime keyboardist, who could make his primitive organ sound lie a Symphony Orchestra, and who was a Jazz player deep inside, Robby KriegerFind albums by this artist was a superb Blues guitarist with a completely unique sound and John DensmoreFind albums by this artist was a versatile and highly sensitive drummer, who hold this completely unsubordinated band together. Bloody geniuses all of them. Overall, this is a superb historic document and an essential piece of The Doors puzzle, which proves they were great from day one and didn’t really change much over time, since they could never surpass themselves. Thy always were the ultimate American Rock band in all time, existed briefly for just four years, recorded six Godly albums and disappeared – a career perfectly suitable to what they stood for and lived for – like a comet crossing the sky.

Updated: 18/11/2023Posted: 18/11/2023

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG ~ LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST, 1969 RHINO 603497839612 (Barcode: 603497839612) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2024 This is an archival live album by the iconic Rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist, considered as one of the most important and pivotal Rock groups 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 album, recorded on September 20, 1969, before the debut album by the band was released, finds them in the light of the instant fame and glory, due to their stellar Woodstock Festival appearance a month earlier. The previously unreleased material presents seventeen tracks, which follows their show pattern of acoustic set (eleven tracks) and electric set (six tracks), where the quartet is assisted by bassist Greg ReevesFind albums by this artist and drummer Dallas TaylorFind albums by this artist. The obvious comparison between this recording and the Woodstock performance shows how much progress these musicians made in just one month, perfecting the vocal harmonies and getting the show together. Playing the Woodstock and these Fillmore versions opposite each other is a schoolbook exercise, for the very patient music enthusiasts, and a great fun. Although this album does not offer anything previously unheard, it is as perfect as any fan of CSN&Y could ask for, with impeccable performances and absolutely stunning sound quality and clarity. As such, it expands the historical document of the era (late 1969), when music making was at the epicenter of the cultural platform and before everything turned sour. Overall, this is an incredible find, which for people who had been lucky to experience this music in real time is absolutely priceless. If there is Godly Rock music, this is it, no questions asked. Beyond essential!

Updated: 19/11/2024Posted: 19/11/2024

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ MINGUS THREE (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 603497841035 (Barcode: 603497841035) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1957 Released: 2022 This is an expanded reissue / remaster of an album by American Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with pianist Hampton HawesFind albums by this artist and drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents the remastered seven original tracks (two Mingus originals, one Hawes original and four standards) on CD1 and eight outtakes from the session, all previously unissued, on CD2. This is a very rare opportunity to hear Mingus in the classic piano trio setting, where his bass playing is exceptionally fitting for this setting and his soloing is out there to be heard distinctly. The relaxed atmosphere of the recording brigs the best out of all three players, and the music swings splendidly, full of little quirks and turns jokingly exchanged between them. The presence of the outtakes, which laid undiscovered for fifty-five years in the vault, is a brilliant addition to the album, and allows both the fans to re-examine the different approaches to the same tune, which the trio tried out, and a couple of aborted attempts at them. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of Jazz history and an exceptional piano trio recording for lovers of Swing and Bebop, played by the best musicians at the time. The remastered sound quality is wonderful and the pleasure of listening to this splendid music can be enjoyed at full. Highly recommended!

Updated: 27/06/2024Posted: 27/06/2024

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ ARCHIVES – VOLUME 2 (THE REPRISE YEARS 1968-1971) RHINO 603497844524 (Barcode: 603497844524) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 - 1970 Released: 2021 This is the second archival Box Set presenting recordings by the iconic Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. It includes five CDs worth of material spanning the years 1967 to 1970. The recordings include home demos, live performances, radio and TV broadcast and other sources. All of the songs (except three cases) are Mitchell originals and almost all (except three) were never previously released. CD1 presents Mitchell singing her songs at her or her friend’s home either in late 1967 or early 1968. Also included are four outtakes from the recording session of the debut album “Song To A SeagullFind albums with this title” and a couple of songs recorded live during at a show. CD2 presents twenty-three tracks recorded live at Le Hibou Coffee House, another studio outtake, three more home recordings and finally a BBC radio broadcast from September 1968. CD3 presents twenty-two tracks recorded live at Carnegie Hall in February 1969 CD4 presents the two remaining tracks from the Carnegie Hall and outtakes from the “CloudsFind albums with this title” and “Ladies Of The CanyonFind albums with this title” and “BlueFind albums with this title” studio sessions, a TV appearance and more home demos. CD5 presents twenty-three tracks from the BBC “In Concert” broadcast from October 1970 and three more “Blue” outtakes. This wonderful time capsule enables listeners to take a time machine fifty-five years back in time and imagine they are sitting just a few meters away from Mitchell, who is singing her heart out. Already at those early moments of her career she was absolutely marvelous as a performer and a completely unique songwriter, who would change the face of music in the forthcoming decades. Overall, this is a brilliant Box Set of enormous historical importance and an absolute must to all true Mitchell fans. The excellent sound quality of these recordings allows taking a fully enjoyable trip back in time, visiting the source of Mitchell’s illustrious career, with a hope that the next volumes of the archival series will bring many more hours of previously unheard material. This is beyond recommendation!

Updated: 24/01/2022Posted: 24/01/2022

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO XXXVII CHICAGO CHRISTMAS (2019) RHINO 603497849758 (Barcode: 603497849758) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the twenty-fifth studio album by the legendary American group ChicagoFind albums by this artist, now in their sixth decade of continuous activity. It is the first studio album since “Chicago XXXVI NowFind albums with this title” from 2014. The album presents ten (one in two versions) songs, seven of which are new original songs by the band members and only three are standard Xmas songs in new arrangements. Three founding members of the group: keyboardist Robert LammFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lee LoughnaneFind albums by this artist and trombonist James PankowFind albums by this artist are still part of the lineup and between them wrote most of the songs on the album. The music remains within the established Brass-Rock idiom, with brilliant melodies and excellent brass arrangements, which have faithfully carried the group through their lengthy career, which knew some ups and downs, but in retrospect can be seen as one of the most spectacular in American Rock. The fact that this album includes primarily new original Xmas songs testifies to the longevity and continuous creative power Chicago are able to kindle. Overall, this is a brilliant Rock album, steady as a rock (he he) and full of brilliant music and excellent musicianship. They don’t make music like this anymore and this album, being an exception, is a perfect proof of that statement. For many Chicago’s faithful followers, this is just what the doctor prescribed. Of course it can be listened to all year round, Xmas or not!

Updated: 04/11/2022Posted: 04/11/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JONI MITCHELL ~ ARCHIVES – VOLUME 1 (THE EARLY YEARS 1963-1967) RHINO 603497849963 (Barcode: 603497849963) ~ CANADA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1963 - 1967 Released: 2020 This is an archival Box Set presenting early recordings by the iconic Canadian singer / songwriter Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. It includes five CDs worth of material spanning the years 1963 to 1967. The recordings include home demos, live performances, radio and TV broadcast and other sources. Most of the songs are Mitchell originals and include no less than twenty-nine songs never previously released or re-recorded by her. CD1 presents Mitchell singing traditional Folk material and songs written by other songwriters, accompanying herself on guitar. CD2 to CD5 present Mitchell singing mostly original material, with CD2 covering years 1965 to 1966 and CD3 to CD5 including music originating in 1967. This wonderful time capsule enables listeners to take a time machine fifty-five years back in time and imagine they are sitting just a few meters away from Mitchell, who is singing her heart out. Already at those early moments of her career she was absolutely marvelous as a performer and a completely unique songwriter, who would change the face of music in the forthcoming decades. Overall, this is a brilliant Box Set of enormous historical importance and an absolute must to all true Mitchell fans. The excellent sound quality of these recordings allows taking a fully enjoyable trip back in time, visiting the source of Mitchell’s illustrious career, with a hope that the next volumes of the archival series will bring many more hours of previously unheard material. This is beyond recommendation!

Updated: 02/10/2021Posted: 02/10/2021

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MILES DAVIS ~ RUBBERBAND RHINO 603497850785 (Barcode: 603497850785) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 1985 - 1986 Released: 2019 This is an album by iconic American Jazz trumpeter / composer Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, recorded in late 1985 / early 1986, following Davis’ departure from ColumbiaFind albums on this label and new contract with Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, which was supposed to release the album at the time, but scrapped it, releasing the legendary “TutuFind albums with this title” a year later. As such, the album was often referred to as “the lost Miles Davis album”, until its release thirty-four years later, although some of the material was used on the last Davis’ album “Doo-BopFind albums with this title”. The album presents eleven tracks and features various studio musicians and singers, some of which are co-credited as authors of the music, in addition to Jazz musicians appearing on some tracks, like guitarist Mike SternFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bob BergFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Adam HolzmanFind albums by this artist and others. The album cover features one of Miles Davis’ paintings. The music has very little to do with conventional / traditional Jazz per se, and marks Davis’ interest in Funk, Soul and Rap. The overall result is an amalgam of various Pop trends, spiced up by Davis’ incredible (as always) trumpet playing on top. Warner Bros. decision to scrap the album was completely justified at the time, as releasing the album would have damaged Miles’ Jazz reputation, surely in the eyes of his followers, which were not prepared for such radical change in style and sound. “Tutu” offered a much milder and more Jazz oriented alternative and opened the way to the “new” Miles Davis, and the albums that followed created a new image, which was embraced in time by most of his followers. Additionally, the album suffers from some production / sound problems, which were solved on those later albums. Overall, the album emphasizes the pioneering spirit of Miles Davis and his vision, which was always way ahead of the music scene, as in this case. His trumpet playing is as Godly as ever and most of the music here reflects perfectly the ever-evolving path he threaded, often quite alone. The album definitely deserves to be a part of the definitive Miles Davis collection!

Updated: 12/03/2022Posted: 12/03/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

JAMES TAYLOR ~ THE WARNER BROS. ALBUMS 1970-1976 RHINO 603497852390 (Barcode: 603497852390) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1978 Released: 2019 This Box Set offers a reissue of the six albums recorded by the iconic American singer / songwriter / guitarist James TaylorFind albums by this artist, released on the Warner Bros.Find albums on this label label. Following the recording of his debut album on the BeatlesFind albums by this artist´ owned AppleFind albums on this label Records, Taylor signed with Warner Bros. and released his second to seventh album on that label, which were hugely successful and established him as one of the voices of the Woodstock Generation. The albums were carefully remastered under the supervision of the Peter AsherFind albums by this artist, who was Taylor´s manager and produced the first three albums in this Box Set, which is carefully designed and includes detailed information about recording dates and personnel, which sadly is not always the case with Box Sets of this kind. This Box Set includes some of the most beautiful songs written by American music makers over time. Most of the songs were written by Taylor, but he also used a few songs by other songwriters. His idiosyncratic voice knows no equals to this date and his heartfelt singing lost nothing of its magic touch. He was accompanied by the absolute crème de la crème of instrumentalists and his albums were carefully arranged and produced. In retrospect these six albums are all absolute gems, which lost nothing of their power of expression and intrinsic delicate beauty during the years that passed since they were recorded. Taylor´s music impersonates American Classic Rock at its best, incorporating, mostly subconsciously, elements of Country & Western, Blues, Jazz and other indigenous American music sources with Pop and Rock, creating a unique style of his own, but one that corresponded to the music made in America at the time by many other Artists like Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist, Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Carole KingFind albums by this artist, Carly SimonFind albums by this artist (to whom he was married at the time), Simon & GarfunkelFind albums by this artist, Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist and others. Many of these artists made appearances on the albums included here, the most surprising being probably Jazz guitar virtuoso John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, who contributed one of the songs and played guitar on it. Overall this Box Set is a true treasure chest of superb music, which deserves a proud place in any serious music collection. For me this is of course a voice of my Generation, but the music is absolutely relevant also today and hopefully some young listeners will discover this timeless piece of Art. Beyond essential!

Updated: 10/08/2019Posted: 10/08/2019

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

GRAHAM NASH ~ OVER THE YEARS... RHINO 603497858026 (Barcode: 603497858026) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 - 2016 Released: 2018 This is a 2CD compilation album by iconic British Classic Rock vocalist / songwriter Graham NashFind albums by this artist, which is a collection of songs he wrote for his solo albums and collaborations with David CrosbyFind albums by this artist, Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist and Neil YoungFind albums by this artist, collectively and individually. CD1 present fifteen tracks previously released on albums, except for two tracks which appear here in previously unreleased mixes. CD2 presents fifteen tracks of previously unreleased demos, except one previously released on the “ReflectionsFind albums with this title” album and two on the “DemosFind albums with this title” album, both originally released in 2009. The album reflects perfectly the sublime talents of Nash as singer and songwriter, spanning his entire career, albeit very briefly considering the vast recorded legacy Nash managed to create over the decades. The second CD with the demos is of course more interesting to Nash fans, who probably already own the songs on the first CD, and the album is worth getting just to hear that previously unreleased material. Overall, this album offers some rare previously unreleased material by one of the most creative Classic Rock musicians, which in many respects is one of the founding Fathers of the genre. Nash added the British sophistication and finesse to his American partners, thus amalgamating the best of Rock. A must to Nash fans / collectors!

Updated: 11/05/2022Posted: 11/05/2022

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD ~ WHAT`S THAT SOUND? – COMPLETE ALBUMS COLLECTION RHINO 603497860678 (Barcode: 603497860678) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1966 - 1968 Released: 2018 This is a Box Set presenting the newly (2017) remastered versions of the three original albums recorded by the seminal American Classic Rock group Buffalo SpringfieldFind albums by this artist. The remastering was done under Neil YoungFind albums by this artist´s supervision and he claims that these remasters offer a superior sound quality better that any previous version of these albums. The box set includes the mono and stereo versions of the first two albums and the stereo version of the last album, on five separate CDs. The eponymous debut album included here is the second version of that album, which includes the single "For What It´s Worth", but drops the song "Baby Don´t Scold Me" from the stereo version. In complete contrast to the "Buffalo Springfield (Box Set)Find albums with this title" compilation released originally in 2001, this Box Set adds no bonus tracks, concentrating on the original versions of the albums. In retrospect the three albums are a spectacular document of the process of turning American Folk music into Classic Rock, under the influence of the British Invasion. Preceded of course by The ByrdsFind albums by this artist, Buffalo Springfield travelled on the same path from Electric Folk to Folk Rock via a brief Psychedelia period, but completed it in a much shorter period of time that lasted less than a couple of years. With the immense songwriting and guitar playing talents of Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist, Neil Young and Richie FurayFind albums by this artist, the band had the potential of becoming a huge and lasting success, but alas as it often happens with to much talent and even more ego within one outfit, the band was over before it reached its peak, which perhaps is all for the better in retrospect. Their recorded legacy offers some of the most amazing songs ever written, which sound as good today as they did at the time of their recording. For the avid Buffalo Springfield fans and followers this Box Set might be redundant to some degree, but it is an excellent opportunity for new listeners to discover this important chapter in American Classic Rock. 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: 26/01/2019Posted: 26/01/2019

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ORNETTE COLEMAN ~ BEAUTY IS A RARE THING: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC RECORDINGS RHINO 71410 (Barcode: 081227141028) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1959 - 1961 Released: 1993 This magnificent Box Set includes some of the most revolutionary music ever recorded on this planet. Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist’s music dropped on the jazz scene with the force of an atom bomb by the end of the 1950s. Although other great jazz pioneers, especially John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, were already slowly approaching the free / Avant-Garde jazz idiom, Coleman’s bold and fearless attack on the conventional jazz form was completely radical and innovative, splitting the jazz community immediately into the pro and contra camps, with discussions as heated as they can get. Coleman was ridiculed and called bad names by critics and listeners alike, who failed to comprehend his prophetic statement, and it took many years before this music was widely accepted into the jazz canon and treated with the proper esteem. Recorded between May 1959 and March 1961 (less than 2 years!) this music includes all 9 Coleman’s albums released on Atlantic (The Shape Of Jazz To ComeFind albums with this title, Change Of The CenturyFind albums with this title, This Is Our MusicFind albums with this title, Free JazzFind albums with this title, Ornette!Find albums with this title, Ornette On TenorFind albums with this title, The Art Of The ImprovisersFind albums with this title, TwinsFind albums with this title and To Whom Who Keeps A RecordFind albums with this title), as well as previously unreleased material and selections from Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist’s Jazz AbstractionsFind albums with this title featuring Coleman. As usual in such Box Sets, the music is presented in chronological recording order. As to the musicians, most of the music was recorded in quartet setting, with Coleman and trumpeter Don CherryFind albums by this artist as the permanent core of the group and various bass / drums rhythm sections, which included Charlie HadenFind albums by this artist, Scott LaFaroFind albums by this artist and Jimmy GarrisonFind albums by this artist on bass and Billy HigginsFind albums by this artist and Ed BlackwellFind albums by this artist on drums. The legendary “Free Jazz” session features a double quartet and includes Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist on bass clarinet and Freddie HubbardFind albums by this artist on trumpet. There is hardly any need to go into the description of the music itself - whole books have been written on the subject and the music is indescribable anyway. What is important however, is the fact that any respectable jazz collection could never be considered comprehensive if it didn’t include this music. Absolutely essential!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 6 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

IRON BUTTERFLY ~ HEAVY RHINO 71521 (Barcode: 081227152123) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 1993 1st album by this revolutionary US group, which shaped the future of Rock as we know it. Great composers and terrific players, they crafted a wonderful combination of the Psychedelic sounds with some heavier riffs, exploring for the first time what was to became later hard rock. Although some critics tend to ignore their compositions as shallow, a careful listen (and retrospect) really shows they had a lot to say. A classic of the genre.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

IRON BUTTERFLY ~ METAMORPHOSIS RHINO 71522 (Barcode: 081227152222) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 1993 5th album. The album`s title is quite appropriate as to its contents. The group (under the direction of the keyboards player Doug Ingle) tries to expand the sounds and the direction of their music to new and more ambitious teritorries and escape the `one heavy riff` image. The original guitar player was replaced by two guitarists and sophisticated (for that time) studio technology was used. The critics and the fans were not happy with the change, but in retrospect this is a big step forward on their earlier monolithic approach. A piece of history.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GARY BURTON ~ GARY BURTON & KEITH JARRETT / THROB RHINO 71594 (Barcode: 081227159429) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 1994 Two superb albums from 1970 & 1969 on 1 CD. American vibraphonist Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist is a monumental figure in the jazz pantheon and his consistent numerous recordings over the years constitute an amazing body of music. The quintet recordings with pianist Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist (another monumental figure) are advanterous and sophisticated, bordering on free at some moments. Incredible support by bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bill GoodwinFind albums by this artist (on both albums). The ThrobFind albums with this title album borders on Fusion with guitarist Jerry HahnFind albums by this artist contributing some wicked phrases. Burton of course shines with his incredible speed and virtuosity. Essential!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JOE ZAWINUL ~ THE RISE & FALL OF THE THIRD STREAM / MONEY IN THE POCKET RHINO 71675 (Barcode: 081227167523) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 1994 Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist arrived in the US in 1958, after being one of the first European musicians to win a scholarship to Berklee, but he left the school almost immediately and became active on the US jazz scene as pianist, arranger and composer. He played with Maynard FergusonFind albums by this artist, Slide HamptonFind albums by this artist and Dinah WashingtonFind albums by this artist before landing on the piano chair with Cannonball AdderleyFind albums by this artist’s quintet, where he stayed for 9 years (1961-1969). Towards the end of his Adderley days Zawinul played for almost 2 years (1969-1970) with Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, participating in the seminal recordings Miles made at that period. In 1970 Zawinul formed the legendary Weather ReportFind albums by this artist, which would revolutionize the jazz and fusion genres and continue (in a slightly different direction) the pioneering breakthroughs made by Davis. Over the years Zawinul recorded only three albums as a leader (on AtlanticFind albums on this label and VortexFind albums on this label), two of which are included here (The eponymous album from 1969 was really the starting point for Weather Report). Money In The PocketFind albums with this title, recorded in 1965, finds him in a setting similar to his Adderley’s quintet gig both musically and personally. He uses the quintet’s bass player (Sam JonesFind albums by this artist) and drummer (Louis HayesFind albums by this artist) and adds three excellent horn players: Blue MitchellFind albums by this artist (trumpet), Joe HendersonFind albums by this artist (tenor sax) and Pepper AdamsFind albums by this artist (baritone sax). The sextet plays a great set of bebop material, including mostly original material by Zawinul, Jones and Henderson and two standards. Zawinul’s elegant and soulful piano playing sets a firm basis for the music’s graceful flow. The Rise & Fall Of The Third StreamFind albums with this title, recorded in 1967, is a completely different album and a most ambitious and pioneering jazz venture for the time. It involves a meeting between the American jazz tradition and the European classical tradition, but as the title suggests it was meant to be a new kind of synthesis to the one attempted earlier in the US by Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist and named “The Third Stream”, which seemed to be forced and artificial rather than natural. A meeting between Zawinul and American classical composer William FisherFind albums by this artist led to the two of them working together in an attempt to create a natural synthesis of the two musical worlds. The project involved a jazz ensemble and a string quartet, playing music composed and arranged by Fisher. The jazz ensemble includes Zawinul on acoustic and electric piano, Jimmy OwensFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Richard DavisFind albums by this artist on bass, Roy McCurdyFind albums by this artist and Freddie WaitsFind albums by this artist on drums, Warren SmithFind albums by this artist on percussion and Fisher on tenor sax. The result is a stunning piece of music, a completely new and previously attempted kind of musical vista. In retrospect one can of course hear the seeds of what Zawinul will be doing just a couple of years later with Davis and then Weather Report. Although sadly overlooked and rarely mentioned, this is a seminal album in every respect and surely ahead of its time in every respect. For the intelligent jazz lover, interested in the forces that forged the jazz revolution of the late 1960s this is an absolute must!

Updated: 09/01/2025Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JOHN COLTRANE ~ THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC RECORDINGS RHINO 71984 (Barcode: 081227198428) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1959 - 1961 Released: 1995 This magnificent Box Set compiles everything John ColtraneFind albums by this artist recorded for AtlanticFind albums on this label – his second long-term recording stint with a label following his PrestigeFind albums on this label period and preceding his final years on Impulse!Find albums on this label. The first 6 CDs include all the 10 Coltrane’s LPs released on Atlantic (Giant StepsFind albums with this title, Coltrane JazzFind albums with this title, My Favorite ThingsFind albums with this title, Bags & TraneFind albums with this title, Olé ColtraneFind albums with this title, Coltrane Plays The BluesFind albums with this title, Coltrane’s SoundFind albums with this title, The Avant-GardeFind albums with this title, The Coltrane LegacyFind albums with this title, Alternate TakesFind albums with this title), but the material is organized in chronological order (by session). The 7th CD adds over an hour of never before released material. All this music was recorded over a period of just over two years (January 1959 – May 1961), but it includes some of the most pivotal Jazz recordings ever. The Atlantic period is a superb document of transition for the Jazz Giant. Stylistically it presents the steady move from Bebop and Hard Bop to Free. Instrumentally it shows the shift from tenor saxophone to soprano saxophone. It also reveals the process of crystallization of Coltrane’s great classic quartet (see The Classic Quartet: Complete Impulse! Studio RecordingsFind albums with this title), whereas by October of 1960 three quarters of the quartet (with McCoy TynerFind albums by this artist on piano and Elvin JonesFind albums by this artist on drums) were already in place and only the bassist Jimmy GarrisonFind albums by this artist was to join soon after. Two of the sessions present here are collaborations with other co-credited Jazz Giants: “Bags & Trane” with the great vibraphonist Milt JacksonFind albums by this artist and “The Avant-Garde” with legendary trumpeter Don CherryFind albums by this artist. The music is of course divine – absolutely nothing I can say about it would ever come close to the experience of actually listening to it. This music influenced every Jazz musician and Jazz lover on earth and left a mark on contemporary music, which has no equals to this day. It also shows Coltrane as a great composer for the first time, with some of his greatest melodies like “Giant Steps” and “Naima”. His interpretation of “My Favorite Things” is of course probably the most commonly known Jazz anthem ever. This sublime music is an integral part of Art’s cannon and an everlasting evidence of human (or perhaps super-human) genius. Absolutely essential!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 7 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

IRON BUTTERFLY ~ IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 72196 (Barcode: 081227219628) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 1995 2nd album by US band Iron ButterflyFind albums by this artist and one of the anthems of the rock generation. The 17+ minutes title track (entire second side of the LP) was truly revolutionary, introducing a hypnotic riff and a long drum solo, that would have been unthinkable on record before. Althouugh the title track is the most famous of their tunes, the shorter tunes are all superb as well, with great cooperation between the keyboards an the guitar. Bonus material includes a live version of the title song as well as a single version. An absolute classic!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ PASSIONS OF A MAN: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC RECORDINGS 1956-1961 RHINO 72871 (Barcode: 081227287122) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1956 - 1961 Released: 1997 This superb Box Set includes the music Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, one of the most charismatic and outspoken jazz musicians, recorded between January 1956 and November 1961 – almost a six years span. It includes the 6 albums released by AtlanticFind albums on this label (Pithecanthropus ErectusFind albums with this title, The ClownFind albums with this title, Blues & RootsFind albums with this title, Oh YeahFind albums with this title, Tonight At NoonFind albums with this title and the double live album Mingus At AntibesFind albums with this title) as well as the Teddy CharlesFind albums by this artist album Word From BirdFind albums with this title on which Mingus plays bass. Some previously unreleased alternate takes are also included, as well as a long (over 70 minutes) interview with Mingus by Nesuhi ErtegunFind albums by this artist, the producer of all these sessions. This period is considered his most productive and stable and the bulk of his best compositions are included here. He plays bass and piano and the list of names of the musicians playing with him here sounds like a “who’s who” of modern jazz, including Jackie McLeanFind albums by this artist (alto sax), Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist (piano), Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist (drums), Booker ErvinFind albums by this artist (tenor sax), Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist (alto sax and bass clarinet), Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (trumpet), Bud PowellFind albums by this artist (piano) and many others. This is magnificent music in every respect – Mingus at his peak as composer and bandleader, surrounded by musicians of the highest class creates beautiful collages linking blues, bebop and the emerging free form jazz. I highly recommend to read Mingus’ autobiography “Beneath The Underdog” (one of the most original and striking jazz books ever written) as a companion to this music. Absolutely essential!

Updated: 11/01/2024Posted:

CD 6 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

LOVE ~ FOREVER CHANGES (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73537 (Barcode: 081227353728) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2001 3rd album by LoveFind albums by this artist and one of the finest rock albums of all times. A superb collection of songs with brilliant strings and brass arrangements - years ahead of their time. This album remains to be a favorite both among the fans and the critics and is a never-ending sonic experience. Unfortunately this was to be the last album by the original band. This edition includes several bonus tracks. Absolutely essential!

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

LOVE ~ LOVE (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73567 ~ USA ~ Classic Rock 1st album from 1966 by this superb US group. Pioneers of the West Coast sound and genious singwriters, they had a strong cult fllowing not only by their fans but also by many fellow musicians, who appreciated and often envied their talents. Led by Arthur Lee (one of the most idiosyncratic and enigmatic talents of the 1960`s) they also had another terrific composer in Bryan MacLean. The debut album is a bit raw, but all the signs of greatness are already there. This edition includes the entire album in mono and stereo version as well as bonus tracks. A classic!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

LOVE ~ DA CAPO (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73604 ~ USA ~ Classic Rock 2nd album from 1967. With some additional musicians Love create here a Psychedelic opus, dedicating the entire second side of the LP to one improvised piece 19+ minutes long - an unprecedented step towards modern rock. The shorter songs on the first side on the LP are all brilliant, typical of their capability and a foresight to the next album, which would top anything done in rock music beforehand. This edition includes the entire album in mono and stereo version as well as bonus tracks. A classic!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

LOVE ~ FOUR SAIL (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73640 (Barcode: 081227364021) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2002 4th album by the US band LoveFind albums by this artist. By the time this album was released Arthur LeeFind albums by this artist was the only original Love member left in the group and his domination was complete. However, this still is a very good album, with Lee`s superb songwriting strong as ever and a solid support from the new band members. More rocky then the previous albums and with a harder sound, this was to be the last truly worthwhile effort by the band.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

BILL EVANS ~ YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SPRING (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 73719 (Barcode: 081227371920) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 Released: 2003 Although recorded in 1977 this wonderful album by Bill EvansFind albums by this artist was only released originally in 1981, after Evans` untimely death. Evans of course was the greatest jazz pianist of all time and a class in himself. His superb technique, but even more importantly his exceptional feel of melody and lyrical expressionism are unmatched. His favorite format was the piano trio (piano, bass & drums) and the majority of his very extensive recorded legacy is in that format. This album is a prime example of the trio format (with Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist - bass and Elliot ZigmundFind albums by this artist - drums). An absolute must!

Updated: 23/02/2024Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

HERMETO PASCOAL ~ SLAVES MASS (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 73752 (Barcode: 081227375225) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2001 Brilliant album by the Godfather of Brazilian Jazz-World fusion. Hermeto PascoalFind albums by this artist is one of the most fascinating musical figures on the Brazilian scene and all his recordings are a feast to the ears. He is a master of many instruments and a superb composer. On this album he is supported by a stellar cast of Brazilian (Airto MoreiraFind albums by this artist, Flora PurimFind albums by this artist, a.o.) and US (Ron CarterFind albums by this artist, Alphonso JohnsonFind albums by this artist, a.o.) musicians and creates a wonderful texture of sound. A beauty!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ YES (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73786 (Barcode: 081227378622) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2003 1st album by YesFind albums by this artist. Anderson, Bruford, Banks, Squire & Kaye were to change the face of Rock as we know it with this sensational and astounding debut album. Full of new and original ideas, new sound and instrumentation that was to become the model for all Prog to come, this is a cornerstone of rare magnitude. Although naive and imperfect at times, this is my favorite Yes album and nothing done later by Yes had similar impact on music as this album. Absolutely essential!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ TIME AND A WORD (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73787 (Barcode: 081227378721) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2003 2nd album by Prog icons YesFind albums by this artist. Although this was the least commercially sucessful album by Yes, in retrospect it presents an ambicious effort by the band to establish a unique identity, preserving the charming freshness and somehow naive approach. This was also the last album to include Peter BanksFind albums by this artist (guitar), who was soon to leave Yes to start his own band FleshFind albums by this artist (later to be joined by Tony KayeFind albums by this artist (keyboards) as well). As imperfect as it might seem, this is still one of my favorite Yes albums (along with the debut), before pompous and over-visceral efforts took over. Essential!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ THE YES ALBUM (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73788 (Barcode: 081227378820) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 3rd album from 1971. This is a transition album marking the formation of the second Yes line-up, with Peter Banks replacement on guitar - Steve Howe. Howe`s versatility and obvious virtuosity matched the Yes `concept` perfectly and the group was fusing into an organic and definitive Prog unit. For the first time this album features solely compositions by the band members and unleashes the power of the band to its full capacity. Essential!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ FRAGILE (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73789 (Barcode: 081227378929) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2003 4th album by YesFind albums by this artist. This is where the definitive Yes line-up first recorded together, after the flamboyant Rick WakemanFind albums by this artist replaced Tony KayeFind albums by this artist on keyboards (or rather keyboard kingdom). Although the album was put together rather haphazardly fast to mark Wakeman`s arrival (and to pay for his keyboards), the group managed to complete a Prog masterpiece - a canon example of what the genre was all about - something that would be cherrished and immitated for generations to come. This album also marks the first collaboration with the graphic artists Roger DeanFind albums by this artist, who created the famous Yes logo and was in charge of the design of their lavish album artwork. Essential!

CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ CLOSE TO THE EDGE (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73790 (Barcode: 081227379025) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003 5th album by YesFind albums by this artist. By the time this album was released, the group was already deep into its somewhat overblown and self-centered world, with Jon AndersonFind albums by this artist`s mystical lyrics sounding dangerously close to gibberish and Rick WakemanFind albums by this artist`s showmanship on the keyboards pompous and tireing. Don`t get me wrong - this is great music and a Prog classic in every respect, but the initial spark, brilliance and energy was slowly, but surely being lost in the process. This was also the last Yes album to feature the brilliant drumming of Bill BrufordFind albums by this artist, who left to join King CrimsonFind albums by this artist by the time this album was released.

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73791 (Barcode: 081227379124) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2003 7th album by YesFind albums by this artist. With Alan WhiteFind albums by this artist on drums, the group set to record their next showcase. The resulting double album was received with mixed feelings for the first time in their career. Many fans saw an album comprised of 4 long suites as utterly overblown and self-indulgent. This was just too much of the same. Others prised the album as revolutionary and prophetic. In retrospect this was a heroic effort, but with little musical consequence - it just didn`t contribute anything new neither to the group nor to the Prog genre. After this album Rick WakemanFind albums by this artist announced (for the first time) that he was leaving the group. His coming and going would become legendary...

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

YES ~ RELAYER (DELUXE EDITION) RHINO 73792 (Barcode: 081227379223) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1974 8th album and definitely the last of the great YesFind albums by this artist epics - from that moment on the band will be ridden with personell changes and internal frictions, rending it virtually non-productive. The young Swiss keyboards player Patrick MorazFind albums by this artist replaces the ever restless Rick WakemanFind albums by this artist, who keeps coming and going through the Yes revolving door. Moraz is an excellent player and does a superb job, considering he was drafted just a few weeks prior to the recording sessions. The music stays very much in the same pattern as the last 2-3 albums, with just 3 long pieces. The new eddition includes interesting studio and live bonus material.

CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CHICK COREA ~ TONES FOR JOAN`S BONES RHINO 75352 (Barcode: 081227535223) ~ USA ~ Jazz The 1966 debut album by Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist (recently re-mastered on RhinoFind albums on this label and originally released on a small label called VortexFind albums on this label, which belonged to AtlanticFind albums on this label). Chick leads a quintet with Woody ShawFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Joe FarrellFind albums by this artist on sax, Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist on bass and veteran Master Joe ChambersFind albums by this artist on drums (Farrell will of course return and play with Chick many more times later, including the first version of Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist). The music – composed by Chick except one tune by Kurt WeillFind albums by this artist – is basically Hard Bop with a distinct Latin tinge, which of course is hardly surprising as Chick paid his dues playing in several Latin bands led by Mongo SantamariaFind albums by this artist, Willie BoboFind albums by this artist, etc. His stint with Stan GetzFind albums by this artist also included a lot of Latin influenced material (Steve also comes from Stan’s band). The album lost none of its power and excitement over the years and is a damn good listen. To get the complete session I recommend the Inner SpaceFind albums with this title CD as a companion.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY RHINO 76171 (Barcode: 081227617127) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2002 1st album by ChicagoFind albums by this artist. A revolutionary Jazz-Rock epic (originally a double LP) similar to the work done by Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, but more rock based. The quality of the material as well as the level of musicianship is astounding for a group of young players recording their debut album and with no studio experience whatsoever. The work of the group`s guitar player - Terry KathFind albums by this artist - is much in the forefront and deserves all possible prise. They took the rock world like a storm and a series of strong consecutive releases for over 30 years ensured their monumental status for posterity. Essential!

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO (II) RHINO 76172 (Barcode: 081227617226) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2002 2nd album by ChicagoFind albums by this artist and the first under the shortened name from Chicago Transit AuthorityFind albums by this artist. Another double LP, second in the row, and even stronger then the debut, as the group gained some studio experience and managed to write some terrific new material. Most of the music, although split on the album into individual tracks, was in fact long thematic suites. The performances are flawless and inspiring, the vocals strong and expressive, the music intelligent and moving - what else can one wish for? Absolutely essential!

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO III RHINO 76173 (Barcode: 081227617325) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2002 3rd album by ChicagoFind albums by this artist. Yet another double LP (3rd in a row, but alas the last) and more brilliant music, similar in style and structure to the previous efforts. Most of the material consists of three extended suites, each one different in style, giving ample opportunity for extended solos and interplay. It is truly amazing how the group managed to sustain such a high level of composing and playing, such volume of music, all this in a short span of time. Essential!

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ AT CARNEGIE HALL (IV) RHINO 76174 ~ USA ~ Brass Rock 4th album (recorded 1971), and the first live recording. After releasing 3 consecuitive double LPs Chicago astounded the music world with the release of this 4 LPs set - the first ever in Rock. The beautiful packaging and the enclosed goodies (photos & posters) made this one of the most memorable albums in the history of Rock. The music includes selections from the 3 first albums, as well as new tunes performed here for the first time. The recording quality is simply breathtaking, especially in view of the fact that Carnegie Hall was built and designed for acoustic (mostly classical) music. Also the ability of the band to perform live the complex and lengthy compositions is truly amazing. This is undoubtedly one of the most important live albums ever recorded and this expanded reissue, which includes a whole CD worth of bonus material is a treasure not to be missed.

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 4 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO V (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 76175 (Barcode: 081227617523) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2002 5th album by ChicagoFind albums by this artist. This is a first single LP they recorded, but although it contains less material, the quality remains incredibly high. As usual, several band mebers contribute their compositions, each one quite different, but all superb. In a sense this is the most advanturous Chicago album and the most progressive one, with obvious attention to albums released by other groups at the time. Another milestone.

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CHICAGO ~ CHICAGO VI (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO 76176 (Barcode: 081227617622) ~ USA ~ Brass Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 2002 6th album by ChicagoFind albums by this artist. It marks for the first time some changes in the group`s musical approach. Guest musicians were invited to participate on the album and the meterial consists of shorter and more concise tunes, some of which are definitely less advanturous then their traditional (so far) material. Nevertheless this is still a great band at work and this album has a lot of gems in it, worthy of repeated listening.

Updated: 18/04/2020Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH ~ DEMOS RHINO 79854 (Barcode: 081227986438) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 - 1971 Released: 2009 My initial expectations from this album were somewhat mixed. As much as I love the music Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist made over the years this seemed as yet another attempt to capitalize on some irrelevant material by the music magnates. Boy was I wrong! This is truly magnificent stuff, which made me literally shed a tear while listening. These demo versions of songs that we all are familiar with in their fully developed versions recorded later by the group, are wonderful examples of the talent and imagination these three musicians possessed. Most of the album is just the songwriter singing solo with an acoustic guitar accompaniment and it´s truly amazing how much music can be delivered under such minimalistic circumstances. Their voices in the full magnificence of their youth, full of life, joy and even optimism (in spite of the serious and often melancholic subject matter) are heartbreaking and sadly remind me about time passing by way to quickly and all of us getting mercilessly old. But never mind my personal nostalgic perspective; this is magnificent music created in unusual, inspired times, which stays relevant in full, a musical naked truth! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 21/01/2019Posted:

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve HDCD Remastered Recommend To A Friend

TERRY REID ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 825646163960 (Barcode: 825646163960) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1968 - 1991 Released: 2015 This Box Set collects five of the six albums by the British vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Terry ReidFind albums by this artist released between 1968 and 1991. They are: his debut album "Bang, Bang You`re Terry ReidFind albums with this title" from 1968, this eponymous second album "Terry ReidFind albums with this title" from 1969 (both produced by Mickie MostFind albums by this artist), the third album "RiverFind albums with this title" from 1973, the fifth album "Rogue WavesFind albums with this title" from 1978 and finally the sixth album "DriverFind albums with this title" from 1991. The fourth album "Seed Of MemoryFind albums with this title" from 1976 was sadly left out simply since there is no place for six albums in a five albums box; how stupid is that? Reid is sadly almost completely unknown to Rock fans, probably due to the fact that he refused several times offers that can´t be refused, like fronting Led ZeppelinFind albums by this artist (he recommended Robert PlantFind albums by this artist for the job) or fronting Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist as their lead singer. His solo albums never achieved commercial success, despite the fact that they were all excellent, which is a great pity. Reid´s completely original timbre of voice is one of the most unique in Rock history and his sensitivity and intelligence as a musicians were truly above most of his contemporaries. Reid incorporated in his music Blues and Soul influences, creating a long string of memorable performances over the years. He also cooperated with many first-rate musicians over time, like Graham NashFind albums by this artist, with whom he co-wrote songs and who produced his fourth album. When listening to these albums in retrospect it becomes obvious that success is blind as a bat, and in countless cases it prefers worthless twits to hidden geniuses. At least this music is now available again for future generations and hopefully it will be discovered by some and even properly appreciated. This is, after all, a great chapter in Rock´s history. Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label 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 have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us 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. 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: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ THE ARK RHINO / FOO-EEE 70538 (Barcode: 081227053826) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the second album of the set. The music was recorded at The Ark in Boston on July 1969 and the lineup of the Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist, Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Art TrippFind albums by this artist. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 16/02/2023Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ UNMITIGATED AUDACITY RHINO / FOO-EEE 70540 (Barcode: 081227054021) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the fourth album of the set. The album presents thirteen tracks, which were recorded at Notre Dame University on May 12, 1974. The lineup of the Mothers Of Invention includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, George DukeFind albums by this artist, Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, Tom FowlerFind albums by this artist, Ralph HumphreyFind albums by this artist, Napoleon Murphy BrockFind albums by this artist, Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist, Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist and Chester ThompsonFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion and political / social satire. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 31/03/2023Posted: 30/03/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ SAARBRUCKEN 1978 RHINO / FOO-EEE 70543 (Barcode: 081227054328) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 1991 This is a bootleg album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released officially by Zappa in 1991 as part of the "Beat The Boots!Find albums with this title" Box Set, which included eight bootlegs. The LPs in this Box Set (edition of 600 copies) were not available individually, but the CD versions were made available individually on the Rhino / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 70537 to 70544. In the UK these CDs were released on the Essential / Foo-eeeFind albums on this label label as catalog numbers 956 to 963. This is the seventh album of the set. The album, which was originally a double LP, presents seventeen tracks, which were recorded in Saarbrucken on September 3, 1978. The lineup of the ensemble includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Denny WalleyFind albums by this artist and Ike WillisFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tommy MarsFind albums by this artist and Peter WolfFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, bassist Arthur BarrowFind albums by this artist and drummer Vinnie ColaiutaFind albums by this artist. The music is a typical selection of Zappa’s advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion and political / social satire. The sound quality is quite reasonable in view of the illegal circumstances surrounding the recording process, often done on inferior equipment. It is of course an invaluable historic document of Zappa’s Genius. It is also valuable not only for its musical content, but also as an authentic document of the Music Industry bootlegging phenomenon and the attempts to fight it. Zappa pioneered (as he did in many areas) the idea of releasing the bootlegs on his own label, following the “if you can’t beat them, use them” formula, which later on became known as “The Official Bootleg” phenomenon still popular today.

Updated: 30/03/2023Posted: 11/03/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS ~ ON TOUR WITH ERIC CLAPTON (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO HANDMADE 603497949885 (Barcode: 603497949885) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2010 This is a reissue of the third album by American singer / songwriter couple Delaney BramlettFind albums by this artist and Bonnie BramlettFind albums by this artist, known as Delaney & BonnieFind albums by this artist and later on as Delaney & Bonnie & FriendsFind albums by this artist. This album, their only live recording and their first release on AtcoFind albums on this label Records, was recorded during the band´s UK tour in December 1969 and released in 1970 as a single LP. This reissue considerably expands the scope of the album offering entire 4 CDs full of music, presenting four entire concerts. The album was recorded by a dream team of top American and British musicians, which included Delaney Bramlett on guitar and vocals. Bonnie Bramlett on vocals, Rita CoolidgeFind albums by this artist on vocals, Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist on lead guitar and vocals, Dave MasonFind albums by this artist on guitar, George HarrisonFind albums by this artist on guitar, bassist Carl RadleFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bobby WhitlockFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bobby KeysFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jim PriceFind albums by this artist, drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist and percussionist Tex JohnsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents original songs, which were penned by the Bramletts, as well as classic Rock And Roll numbers. This album brought Delaney & Bonnie to the center of attention of many listeners, who missed their two earlier albums entirely, most probably due to the fact that if featured Clapton, who of course was a superstar. But the music of Delaney & Bonnie was stylistically very different to what earlier Clapton recordings offered of course and presented an unprecedented mixture of Rhythm And Blues, Soul, Blues and Gospel with Rock and Pop, creating an entire new musical universe. This album turned out to be a huge commercial success, but in retrospect failed to establish Delaney & Bonnie as major artists and their career disintegrated after their divorce in 1973, after they managed to record three more excellent albums. This album belongs to the small and exclusive "club" of the best live Rock albums, which also includes Joe CockerFind albums by this artist´s "Mad Dogs & Englishmen: The Complete Fillmore East ConcertsFind albums with this title", Humble PieFind albums by this artist´s "Performance Rockin` The Fillmore: The Complete RecordingsFind albums with this title", Allman Brothers BandFind albums by this artist´s "The 1971 Fillmore East RecordingsFind albums with this title" and a few others. Luckily for the music connoisseurs all these essential albums have also been released in expanded multi-CD versions, which allow the listener to witness the entire performances from which the original albums were assembled upon their original release. This limited edition lavishly packed Box Set, which is a mock of a road case, includes some of the most vital music Rock And Roll produced at its peak, and is a must have in every comprehensive Rock record collection and an essential piece of music history. The same set in a "fat boy" CD case was reissued by RhinoFind albums on this label Records in 2017, which makes it much affordable than the original, now out of print, release. Essential stuff!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 01/06/2018

CD 4 Digipak Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend