Anybody interested in Don Byron gets his range, and his willingness to try almost anything that tickles his fancy, whether it be klezmer, swing, funk, out jazz, blues or funky soul. He explores and leaves his mark on something and moves on. From Music for Six Musicians and Tuskegee Experiments to Nu Blaxploitation and Bug Music, from Fine Line: Arias and Lieder and Plays the Music of Mickey Katz to Ivey-Divey, Byron has explored - not usually reverently - his inspirations and curiosities with mixed results, but it's the investigation that counts for him in the first place. Do the Boomerang: The Music of Junior Walker is a curious outing in that Walker didn't always write his own material, but he wrote enough of it (five cuts on this set) and, like Byron, put an indelible stamp on anything he took on, from singing to blowing the saxophone. Byron assembled a dream band for this offering that includes guitarist David Gilmore…

We know Hendrix was influenced by Bob Dylan, as shown by his covers of "All Along the Watchtower" and "Like a Rolling Stone" (live at Monterey). On this star-studded live jam previously released as a bootleg called Sky High, it's obvious Jimi listened to other people, too. He opens "Red House" quoting from "Crossroads," the Cream take on a legendary Robert Johnson blues. Later, Hendrix plays a Beatles tune and further tips his hat to Eric Clapton by closing with the unmistakable "Sunshine of Your Love" riff. At times, Hendrix and Johnny Winter lock into an elemental force, although a seriously drunk Jim Morrison doesn't add much except obscenities. The drumming of Randy Z. for the first half and Buddy Miles the rest of the way produces renewed appreciation for Mitch Mitchell and the way his inventiveness meshed so well with Hendrix's brilliance…

Electronic music maestro Paul Ellis continues his lifelong exploration into the aesthetics of minimalism, ambient, space music, and the classic sequencer-driven Berlin School sound, on his third Spotted Peccary Music release, Moth In Flames. The veteran artist meticulously crafts restrained pulsing electronics that provide the measured momentum to steadily move through a morphing soundscape of classic analog synth moods and atmospheric textures, on his most refined work to date.
Like a perfectly placed pendulum, the music of Moth In Flames steadily moves through the blurred boundary where melodic and ambient music overlap, pulling from both worlds while never straying too far into either…

The most comprehensive tribute ever issued on record to the art of the Italian pianist Sergio Fiorentino. Many recordings here newly remastered and receiving their first-ever issue in the digital age. A landmark set for pianophiles. This set has been curated by the collector Ernst Lumpe, who contributes a lengthy appreciation and introduction to the booklet of the set, alongside an essay by Christoph Schlüren & Ottavia Maria Maceratini. It was Lumpe who drew the pianist out of retirement during the 1990s, resulting in an ‘Indian Summer’ of recordings made in Berlin until not long before the pianist’s death in 1998. They are reissued here, alongside much less familiar solo and concerto recordings from the 1950s and 60s – ‘The Early Recordings’ – and separate sections dedicated to Fiorentino’s particular, free-wheeling mastery of Chopin and Liszt.

The most comprehensive tribute ever issued on record to the art of the Italian pianist Sergio Fiorentino. Many recordings here newly remastered and receiving their first-ever issue in the digital age. A landmark set for pianophiles. This set has been curated by the collector Ernst Lumpe, who contributes a lengthy appreciation and introduction to the booklet of the set, alongside an essay by Christoph Schlüren & Ottavia Maria Maceratini. It was Lumpe who drew the pianist out of retirement during the 1990s, resulting in an ‘Indian Summer’ of recordings made in Berlin until not long before the pianist’s death in 1998. They are reissued here, alongside much less familiar solo and concerto recordings from the 1950s and 60s – ‘The Early Recordings’ – and separate sections dedicated to Fiorentino’s particular, free-wheeling mastery of Chopin and Liszt.

Tribute to an outstanding 20th century pianist: SERGIO FIORENTINO - The legacy "He is the only other pianist," said legendary Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli about Sergio Fiorentino. How is it that one of the greatest musical geniuses of the 20th century is still so unknown? Sergio Fiorentino (1927-1998) was a remarkable Italian pianist whose career combined extraordinary artistry with a silent, almost mysterious presence in the music world. Born in Naples, Fiorentino showed an extraordinary talent at a young age and studied at the renowned San Pietro a Majella Conservatory with Alfredo Casella and Paolo Denza.

After years of friendship and shared music in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark, friends Camille Prenant and Casper Christensen release their first album together! Camille Prenant and Casper Christensen met in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 2019. They quickly became close and played together daily during their time in Holland. Since then, they have maintained their friendship through music by traveling across Europe, exploring new musical horizons, sharing their influences, and experiencing some memorable adventures during their tours and travels together.

Rhino released a comprehensive double-disc Otis Redding collection in 1998 called Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology. It was a generous 50 tracks and contained not only his hits, but lots of great lesser-known singles and album tracks, plus some live recordings. Eight years later, Rhino released a second Otis Redding collection, 2006's The Definitive Soul Collection, which isn't nearly as comprehensive or definitive as Dreams to Remember. It's a good 20 tracks slimmer for one thing, nor is it as far-ranging in its scope or as attractively packaged, for that matter. But while The Definitive Soul Collection pales when judged against its stellar predecessor, taken on its own terms, it's quite a good compilation, containing all of his biggest songs – "These Arms of Mine," "Mr. Pitiful," "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Respect," "I Can't Turn You Loose," "Try a Little Tenderness," and "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" – along with a good sampling of the best of the rest. Dreams to Remember may be the first choice for anybody looking for a double-disc set, but if that's hard to find, this is a good substitute.

Two welcome changes in style made Blue Valentine a fresh listening experience for Tom Waits fans. First, Waits alters the instrumentation, bringing in electric guitar and keyboards and largely dispensing with the strings for a more blues-oriented, hard-edged sound. Second, though his world view remains fixed on the lowlifes of the late night, he expands beyond the musings of the barstool philosopher who previously had acted as the first-person character of most of his songs. When Waits does use the first-person, it's to write a "Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis," not the figure most listeners had associated with the singer himself.

Dance, Dance, Dance: The Best of Chic is a greatest hits album of recordings by American R&B band Chic, released by Atlantic Records/Warner Music in 1991. The compilation covers the hits and best-known album tracks from the band's early career, 1977–1979, with the addition of 1982 track "Soup For One". (Note: the version used is the edited 7" version, the cover incorrectly lists the timing of the 12" mix.)

Nina Simone Van alle grote zangers en zangeressen uit de late twintigste eeuw was Nina Simone een van de moeilijkste artiesten om onder te brengen in een bepaalde groep. Ze nam op grote schaal soul-, jazz- en popnummers op die vaak ook op hetzelfde album verschenen. Ze ging ook gemakkelijk om met blues, gospelmuziek en Broadway. Op vlak van de emotie die ze overbracht, is het waarschijnlijk correct om haar te beschouwen als een soulzangeres. Net zoals Aretha Franklin of Dusty Springfield was Simone een eclecticus die een zeker soulgehalte toevoegde aan al haar werk. Dat was een van haar sterkste kwaliteiten en het is waarschijnlijk ook de reden waarom ze nooit een bijzonder grote massa fans had.

Kat is unashamedly bold & confident in her abilities as a vocalist and songwriter, effortlessly merging Soul, and classic R&B which transpired throughout the mature and well rounded 10 tracks from her debut opus released in 2021.

First-ever collection of Lulu’s complete recordings for Decca from 1964 to 1967. Includes the Top 10 hits ‘Shout!’ (here in its rarer mono single variation) and ‘Leave A Little Love’, plus other hits ‘Here Comes The Night’ and ‘Try To Understand’. Sleeve-notes include new quotes from Lulu. Includes two rare German language tracks. Great value with 42 tracks taken from two albums, a scarce EP and a raft of singles. Several tracks include session work from the legendary Jimmy Page. ‘Surprise, Surprise’ was an exclusive Jagger/Richards composition.

Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell is the sixth studio album by Meat Loaf and was written and produced by Jim Steinman. It was released sixteen years after Meat Loaf's first solo album Bat Out of Hell. The album reached number 1 in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Three tracks were released as singles, including "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)", which reached number 1 in 28 countries. Just like the first album of the trilogy, Bat Out of Hell II was a huge commercial success and sold over 14 million copies worldwide.

The orchestral works of R. Strauss have been at the center of Paavo Järvi's programming and recording projects as principal conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. He has recorded seven works on three discs, beginning with "Life of a Hero," and now comes the final installment, "Alpine Symphony," which will be the final installment of the series. Originally scheduled to be performed during Järvi's final season as principal conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the performance was postponed until April 2023 due to the Corona disaster, and was recorded live on that occasion.