Few rock & roll records rock as hard or with as much originality as the Pretenders' eponymous debut album. A sleek, stylish fusion of Stonesy rock & roll, new wave pop, and pure punk aggression, Pretenders is teeming with sharp hooks and a viciously cool attitude. Although Chrissie Hynde establishes herself as a forceful and distinctively feminine songwriter, the record isn't a singer/songwriter's tour de force – it's a rock & roll album, powered by a unique and aggressive band. Guitarist James Honeyman-Scott never plays conventional riffs or leads, and his phased, treated guitar gives new dimension to the pounding rhythms of "Precious," "Tattooed Love Boys," "Up the Neck," and "The Wait," as well as the more measured pop of "Kid," "Brass in Pocket," and "Mystery Achievement." He provides the perfect backing for Hynde and her tough, sexy swagger. Hynde doesn't fit into any conventional female rock stereotype, and neither do her songs, alternately displaying a steely exterior or a disarming emotional vulnerability.

These three sonatas - composed originally for the viola da gamba and harpsichord - are very musically-appealing compositions. And unlike previous Baroque cahmber-music tradition, the harpsichord is not relegated to mere continuo but projected into the spotlight as co-soloist - perhaps to showcase some of Bach's keyboard virtuosity. There are several fine period recordings of these works on viola da gamba and harpsichord (Savall, Peri, Crum, Wispelwey) or modern cello with harpsichord (Ma, Tortelier). But if your taste favors all modern instuments (cello, piano), then this circa-80's CD by the legendary Martha Argerich and Misha Maisky is the ticket.

While Eternity's Children lacked the consistency and originality to assume a spot in the pantheon of true sunshine pop greats, they also deserve far more than mere footnote status - assembling their two studio LPs and a handful of singles, Rev-Ola's definitive retrospective not only posits the group for reappraisal, but proves that their finest moments rank alongside anything in the soft pop canon. Although the presence of producer Curt Boettcher guarantees comparisons to like-minded (but more commercially successful) acts like the Association and Sagittarius, Eternity's Children's lush, overlapping harmonies were all their own, and their songs cut an impressive swath of stylistic territory, from the gorgeous, bossa nova-like "My Happiness Day" to the gritty blue-eyed soul of the Chips Moman-produced "The Sidewalks of the Ghetto"…

This CD is quite a bit different than most audiophile releases for it contains rare rather than famous recordings. 1959's The Fourth Herd (which features an all-star group of studio musicians and Woody Herman alumni along with his octet of the time) was only put out briefly by Jazzland while the music on 1962's The New World of Woody Herman was never available commercially before; both were originally cut for the SESAC Transcribed Library and were available only to selected radio stations on a subscription basis. The earlier session has solo spots for tenors Zoot Sims, Al Cohn and Don Lanphere, trumpeters Nat Adderley and Red Rodney, vibraphonist Eddie Costa and Herman on clarinet, a bit of alto and two vocals; Cohn and pianist Nat Pierce wrote most of the colorful and diverse arrangements. By the later session (which has charts by Pierce, Gene Roland, Phil Wilson and Bill Chase)…

A lost studio recording from a legendary blues man! Bluesman George “Mojo” Buford started blowing the harmonica in his teens, eventually linking up to tour with fellow Mississippian Muddy Waters. Adopting his nickname from ravenous crowds requesting Muddy’s “Got My Mojo Working,” Buford gained the attention of some gifted young rockers (including lead guitarist of The Trashmen!), who steered him into the studio for three smokin’ ‘69 sessions - the results of which we’re finally hearing for the first time!

A highly skilled guitarist known for his fluid, effects-heavy playing, British musician Steve Hillage has collaborated with countless musicians and influenced several genres over the course of his lengthy career, particularly space rock, prog, ambient, and techno. Initially associated with the Canterbury Scene during the late '60s and early '70s, Hillage played in groups such as Uriel and Khan before becoming a key member of psychedelic cult favorites Gong during the '70s.
1979 was an incredibly busy year for Steve Hillage - possibly too busy, what with three albums hitting the market in a brief span of time. Live Herald was a strong summation of his live performances, and Rainbow Dome Musick was a left turn into ambient music which, a decade later, would inspire Hillage and his constant partner Miquette Giraudy to get into the EDM scene as the ambient house act System 7…

Logikal is the second release from Irish guitarist John O'Connor's eclectic group EKO. The sound centers around O'Connor's guitars as he cooks up an old-world folk music hybrid that extends to Andean, Celtic, Irish and Caribbean influences. Gutsy finger-picking gives way to laidback island flavorings and easygoing changes. Several musicians with rock and folk backgrounds are heard, like percussionist Hossam Ramzy, Bob Loveday from Penguin Cafe Orchestra and the versatile Danny Thompson on double bass. The sound is ethnically based and highly charged with large doses of clean, lighthearted fun.

Before the arrival of Carlos Santana's eponymous band, the San Francisco rock scene drew the inspiration for its jam-oriented music mainly from blues, rock, and Eastern modalities. Santana added Latin music to the mix, forever changing the course of rock & roll history. On their groundbreaking debut album, the group mix Latin percussion with driving rock grooves. Santana's unique guitar style, alternately biting and liquid, vies with the multiple percussionists for the sonic focus. Unlike later efforts, Santana's first album features an abundance of loose, collective compositions based on a couple of simple riffs ("Jingo," "Soul Sacrifice"). This approach allows for Santana and his bandmates to flex their improvisational muscles to fine effect. The high-energy level on Santana is infectious – the laid-back feel of other '60s San Francisco groups was clearly not for Carlos and co.

Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhaus Orchester, Leipzig follow the international success of their recording of Gershwin's piano concerto in F with five of Bach's best loved concertos for keyboard, a recording which has already stayed 7 weeks in the Italian Pop charts. The soloist is young Iranian-born Bach specialist Ramin Bahrami. Well known on the international concert platform, Ramin Bahrami studied with the legendary American Bach pianist Rosalyn Tureck, the artist who perhaps more than any other brought the composer's keyboard works to the attention of the public through her research and recordings.

Dresden was a music capital of European rank during the 17th-18th centuries. It was in Dresden that important composers and musicians of the time lived and worked. The Dresden Baroque Orchestra is committed to offering energetic, historically-informed interpretations on baroque instruments and to the rediscovery of forgotten works from the collection of the Dresden court chapel. This collection contains numerous works by composers famous and not, some 1800 manuscripts in all.

Mozart wrote two major masses as a boy: the easy-going Domincus Mass (K 66) and the Waisenhaus Mass in C Minor (K 139 / 47a). The latter was misdated by Köchel; it was thought to be too mature for the mass that Mozart was known to have composed for the imperial orphanage in 1768 (Mozart's trumpet concerto which was premièred at the same event is sadly lost). When the attribution became surer, accusations were made that Leopold had contributed to its composition. Whatever the truth of the matter be, it's miraculous. As evocative as the three-part Kyrie is, the Crucifixus and Agnus Dei could pass muster if tacked on to the torso of the Mass in C Minor, K 427 (the latter is lacking these two sections). Unlike his later missae, the Waisenhaus Mass follows the Neapolitan format where the Gloria and Credo feature extensive arias.

This is no ordinary recording of J.S. Bach’s six masterpieces of Baroque instrumental music. For starters, the pieces are interwoven with period-instrument transcriptions of piano music written in the early 1950s by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.

Johann Stamitz’s six Violin Sonatas op. 6 were first published following his death - which is hardly surprising, for who besides the composer himself would then have been able to meet their breakneck violinistic challenges? Stamitz was famous for his absolutely incredible finger dexterity, a reputation that this father of the German violin school continues to enjoy even today.