Released in 1988, Guitar may be the most important and ironically one of the least-known entries in Frank Zappa's voluminous discography – which spans over seven-dozen LPs as of this writing. His proficiencies as a composer and instrumentalist have long been lauded. However, anthologies of this nature provide an outlet for the remarkable breadth and depth of Zappa's manual dexterity and improvisational scope, which can now be enjoyed on a myriad of levels…

Issued on Essential in 1994, Shriekback's double-disc Natural History set merely couples The Best of Shriekback: The Infinite (Kaz, 1987) with The Best of Shriekback, Vol. 2: Evolution (Kaz, 1988) under a new name. For the curious, this might be preferable to The Y Records Years (also a two-disc set, released six years later in 2000), since the terrain documented here is more expansive, covering the band from its inception through 1985's Oil and Gold. One major attraction is the number of selections on the second disc culled from the long out of print Jam Science. One major problem will be finding Natural History, as it has gone out of circulation since its release.

Born in Philadelphia on 11th December 1938, as a youth McCoy Tyner was encouraged to study piano by his mother and began lessons at age 13. Within two years music had become the focal point in his life and Tyner was playing on his neighbor's instrument, but his family soon invested in one of his own for the budding musician, following which he began hosting jam sessions at home. Among his friends were a number of other young musicians who would go on to make their mark in the field of jazz, including Lee Morgan, Archie Shepp, Bobby Timmons, Reggie Workman, and most notably, fellow pianist Bud Powell and his brother Richie. McCoy later said, Bud and Richie Powell moved into my neighborhood. Bud was a major influence on me during my early teens. He was very dynamic. Tyner later attended the West Philadelphia Music School and the Granoff School Of Music.

This album offers delightful chamber music of Giya Kancheli, regarded as one of Georgia’s greatest composers.

With 'Zenith', the internationally renowned soloists Anna Stegmann and Jorge Jimenez follow up their successful debut album 'Lunaris'. As there, the experts in historically informed performance practice have created with 'Zenith' a new sound world all their own, in which, artistically at the highest level and beyond conventions and stylistic dictates, they confidently transcend their original habitat.

Double Diamond is the sixth album by British jazz-rock group If and the second to be issued in the U.S. on the Metromedia Records label. With only Dick Morrissey left from the original band, the new line-up featured Fi Trench (keyboards) and Pete Arnesen (keyboards), Steve Rosenthal (guitar/lead vocals), Kurt Palomaki (bass) and Cliff Davies (drums)…

Over the ten years that the Romantic Piano Concerto has been running one of the projects most often requested by the many fans of the series has been a recording of the complete Lyapunov works for piano and orchestra. Well finally here it is!

This CD features pianist Tzimon Barto with a selection of the great piano works by Maurice Ravel. Tzimon Barto is known for his refreshing approach to known repertoire, as well as his broad range of tonal colour, qualities tailor-made for the piano music of Ravel. Barto's musical maturity, superb technique, and endless colour palette have made him one of the most radiant and unique personalities in the music world. This disc follows on the enthusiastic press and success of Tzimon Barto's début on Ondine - featuring keyboard pieces by Rameau.

This second installment from an electrifying concert should thrill Taylor fans and win a few converts. It defies odds that the pianist, after so many years, continues to astound with his totally original performances. This one is vintage Taylor, with the pianist in full throttle, winding and turning phrases with characteristic brilliance…

Arriving in 1967, Greatest Hits does an excellent job of summarizing Dylan's best-known songs from his first seven albums. At just ten songs, it's a little brief, and the song selection may be a little predictable, but that's actually not a bad thing, since this provides a nice sampler for the curious and casual listener, as it boasts standards from "Blowin' in the Wind" to "Like a Rolling Stone."…