Format > 180 Gram Vinyl

This re-presssing of the legendary FFSS version features great Spanish music played with precision and lucidity by Ataulfo Argena. One of the best recordings ever made. Sonically, this record – made in 1956/57 – is one of the best ever produced by DECCA. The listener is literally swept off his or her feet. To better enjoy this tremendous experience, we would advise listeners to put their feet up, relax, and listen with rapt attention. A “Do-not-disturb” sign on the door is to be recommended. The tremendous sound emanating from the loudspeakers immediately conveys the rousing nature of the music. Conducted by Ataúlfo Argenta, the London Symphony Orchestra plays with a rare vitality, pure enjoyment, precision and lucidity. This is a carefully chosen medley of Spanish music which, interestingly enough, was mostly written by non-Spanish composers. All in all, this has become a legendary recording, which caused quite a stir even in its mono version. The FFSS version ranks among the very best recordings ever issued.

Recording: December 1956 and January 1957, Kingsway Hall, London by Gordon Parry / Production: Erik Smith

España! Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol / Granados: “Andaluza” Danza española No. 5 / Chabrier: “España” / Moszkowski: Spanish Dances Book 1 - London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ataúlfo Argenta

1. Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol
2. Granados: “Andaluza” Danza española No. 5
3. Chabrier: “España”
4. Moszkowski: Spanish Dances Book 1

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The country-rock collection produced by Paul Rothchild is truly one of the best records by The Everly Brothers. Besides their trademark harmony, there's a great batch of contemporary 1972 songs written by John Sebastian, Kris Kristofferson, Jesse Winchester, Rod Stewart, Dennis Linde and the Everlys themselves. The studio crew is highlighted by guitarists Ry Cooder and Clarence White, pedal steel player Buddy Emmons, keyboardists Spooner Oldham and Warren Zevon, and John Sebastian on harmonica. Additional harmony is provided by David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Bonnie Bramlett.

1. All We Really Want To Do
2. Breakdown
3. Mandolin WIn
4. Up In Mabel's Room
5. Del Rio Dan
6. Ridin' High
7. Christmas Eve Can Kill You
8. Three-Armed Poker Playin' River Rat
9. I'm Tired of Singing My Songs In Las Vegas
10. The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
11. Stories We Could Tell

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The very fact that Manuel de Falla composed his ballet El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat) for the ambitious impresario Serge Diaghilev and his epoch-making Ballets Russes indicates the historical importance of this work. Although the Impressionistic character of the musical language reflects his studies with Debussy, the composer never once renounces his native origins. Overflowing with the thrilling rhythms and electrifying melodies of Spanish folkmusic, this work achieved worldwide popularity virtually overnight.

As so often before in this genre, the Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermet proves once again in this DECCA recording that he is a power to be reckoned with. The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande executes the slightest nuance, the most exquisite of figures and gentlest lyrical tone with meticulous precision. Powerful rolls of thunder, the click of castanets, lively rhythms and rich sonority conjure up a picture of fiery Spanish temperament so tangibly before our eyes that any comment on the recording quality appears almost superfluous. In a nutshell: this record is, quite simply, incredibly good

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Debussy, Fauré, Schoenberg and Sibelius were all under the spell of the Belgian symbolist Maurice Maeterlinck and set his play Pelléas et Mélisande to music in one form or another. Fauré’s incidental music was the second work, following Debussy’s opera, to be based on the tragic story of love, jealousy, death, and forgiveness. Fauré’s veiled, ambiguous harmonies and compositional style reflect in a quite amazing fashion the atmosphere at which Maeterlinck so often only hinted. The Suite op. 80 which Fauré himself put together and orchestrated is quite rightly called his symphonic masterwork. Here, as again in the Prelude to his only complete opera, Pénélope, one can experience the ecstatic, romantic, and – at the same time – refined and delicately woven musical language which often appears somewhat melancholy and veiled. His arching melodies, frequently inspired by Gregorian chant, are tinged with an archaic charm which is also to be found (though less obviously) in his suite Masques et bergamasques. Ernest Ansermet is in his element here conducting the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande who follow their founder’s every wish and let the colours on the composer’s palette shine out with delicate brilliance. Debussy’s Petite Suite is a fitting work to complement Fauré’s little-known symphonic aspect. This recording is like a precious gem and deserves a place on every collector’s shelf.

1. Prélude (Op. 80)
2. La Fileuse (Op. 80)
3. Malto Adagio (Op. 80)
4. Siciliene (Op. 80)
5. Pénélope (Prelude)
6. Overture (Op. 112)
7. Menuet (Op. 112)
8. Gavotte (Op. 112)
9. Pastorale (Op. 112)
10. En Bateau (Petite Suite)
11. Cortege (Petite Suite)
12. Menuet (Petite Suite)
13. Ballet (Petite Suite)

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Fleetwood Mac's first compilation is a hodgepodge of tracks from their first two albums, singles and sessions where Peter, John and Mick backed up Chicago piano legend Eddie Boyd. Standout tracks include The Sun Is Shining, Jigsaw Puzzle Blues, Albatross and Black Magic Woman.

With songs taken from Fleetwood Mac and Mr. Wonderful, Pious Bird of Good Omen serves as a worthy 12-track compilation of the band's early Peter Green days. Climbing to number 18 in the U.K., the album managed to catapult Fleetwood Mac's version of Little Willie John's Need Your Love So Bad into the English charts for the third time, resting at number 42. The album itself was released by Blue Horizon after the group's contract with them had expired, making it one of the best routes in which to explore their mingling of Chicago and British blues. Albatross, Black Magic Woman, and I Believe My Time Ain't Long are timeless Fleetwood Mac standards, representing some of the band's best pre-Rumours work. Anyone who isn't familiar with Fleetwood Mac's origins should use Pious Bird of Good Omen as a starting point in investigating the first wave of the band, which will almost certainly lead to further interests into albums such as English Rose, Then Play On, and Kiln House, and then into later albums like Bare Trees and Penguin, which reveal subtle yet effective changes in the band's blues sound. But even aside from its purpose as a collection, Pious Bird of Good Omen makes for a terrific laid-back stroll through some of the best British blues music ever made.

Fleetwood Mac The Pious Bird Of Good Omen Track Listing

1. Need Your Love So Bad
2. Comin' Home
3. Rambling Pony
4. The Big Boat
5. I Believe My Time Ain't Long
6. The Sun Is Shining
7. Albatross
8. Black Magic Woman
9. Just The Blues
10. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues
11. Looking For Somebody
12. Stop Messin' Round

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As is always the case with Wagner’s music and solemn, noble or divine happenings take place on the stage, the large brass instruments in orchestra pits all over the world are called upon to give their utmost. The idea of having a wind ensemble to perform the most magnificent-sounding passages is, therefore, not as far-fetched as it might seem. Wagner too appreciated the colourful sound which a wind-and-brass ensemble can produce, as is proved by the fact that in his 'Ring' cycle he introduced a complete 'wind band' consisting of 33 players.

Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble treat the arrangements with such care and respect that no one will miss the delightfully warm carpet of sound of the strings in the original version. Where lyrical sentiment is called for, the high woodwinds play airily and precisely and are supported by a sonorous, organ-like base which gradually builds up to dramatic musical exuberance. Even when the highest dynamic range has been reached, no particular register is dominantly in the foreground but blends in to produce powerful, harmonious surges of sound. These arrangements bring together dynamic agility, complete transparency and musicality. One really cannot wish for more Wagner than is offered on this LP.

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The Eastman Wind Ensemble is a model of a modern wind band and thanks to its flexible instrumental formation it has no problem with performing both older and more modern scores. Thus it is no wonder that four highly different composers are united in this album. Percy Grainger’s gripping arrangements of English folk melodies are happily found alongside Roger’s Japanese Dances and Milhaud’s wanderings through French provinces. And as an encore there are late-Romantic harmonies penned by the young Richard Strauss. Because all these works are original compositions, 'Winds in HiFi' is an excellent introduction to music for wind instruments.

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It is highly likely that many of the twelve tracks on this LP will seem familiar. In the 30s and 40s, when Gene Krupa broke away from Benny Goodman and established his own big band, these numbers were heard daily. Indeed, many of them were released by Columbia Records on 78rpm shellac discs. When Krupa signed a lucrative contract which was offered to him by Norman Granz from the Verve jazz label in the mid-Fifties and went on tour with Jazz At The Philharmonics, the idea was born to re-record the numbers using hi-fi. Young arrangers were commissioned to revamp the familiar themes and former stars such as the trumpeter Roy Eldridge and the singer Anita O’Day were brought into the studio. History has it that nothing brought Gene Krupa more pleasure than making this new recording. And his pleasure is clearly discernible on both sides of the album. It begins with 'Let Me Off Uptown', a witty dialogue between voices and trumpet, and ends with 'After You’ve Gone', a number hard to be equalled. In between are ten numbers in which Gene beats his heart out on the drums, Roy shines out on his brilliant trumpet, and Anita with her deep voice drags behind the beat with wonderful timing. Big-band jazz at its very best, not in the least dull or outdated, performed not by veterans but by mature experts – that is what you get a dozen times over with this disc: twelve numbers, well-known for many, many years, but all given a new look.

1. Let Me Off Uptown
2. Rockin’ Chair
3. Opus 1
4. Fish Fry
5. Drummin’ Man
6. Drum Boogie
7. Boogie Blues
8. Leave Us Leap
9. Slow Down
10. Wire Brush Stomp
11. That’s What You Think
12. After You’ve Gone

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George Benson, influenced by Wes Montgomery, had only just gone from being a well kept secret to a bright star in the celestial jazz firmament. Despite his tender age!! His youthful, happy-go-lucky ways may well have led him and his producer Creed Taylor to turn to this important Beatles album and – without great pathos or standing in awe - they put the music through a mincer as it were, adding a large pinch of jazz spice and a good portion of strings and Latin percussion on the way, and serving up this tasty dish to jazz freaks and beatniks. Today, almost 25 years later, this compilation, which ranges from 'Come Together' to 'The End', has lost nothing of its freshness and certainly need not shy away from comparison with the originals. These are no mere copies but little masterpieces in which the Fab Four’s immortal ideas have been taken up and re-mixed. George Benson’s singing is unobtrusive and reserved, knowing full well that he cannot hope to compete with John and Paul - but as a guitarist he certainly can stand alongside George in every respect.

1. Golden Slumbers/You Never Give Me Your... (Lennon/McCartney) - 4:48
2. Because/Come Together (Lennon/McCartney) - 7:23
3. Oh! Darling (Lennon/McCartney) - 3:59
4. Here Comes the Sun/I Want You (She's So... (Harrison/Lennon/McCarthy) - 9:02
5. Something/Octopus's Garden/The End (Harrison/Lennon/McCarthy/Starr) - 6:23

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This is just a taste of the tremendous shows at The Village Vanguard in December of 1960. Gerry Mulligan assembled many of jazz's top musicians to play complex and striking arrangements that also allowed for great improvisation. Amongst the players are trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, drummer Mel Lewis, clarinetist and alto saxist Gene Quill, and Mulligan himself on baritone.

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Gerry Mulligan's sessions with Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges and Paul Desmond belong in every well-stocked LP collection of jazz fans all over the globe. But if you happen to have missed out, then here's the chance to buy a fantastic, top notch re-release and put the needle to the groove as fast as you can. From first to last, you will hear what made jazz what it is from its beginnings around 1900 up to the present day: communication and interaction. Two highly sensitive, top calibre musicians neither of them easy men to deal with were invited into the Verve Studio towards the end of 1959. Here they prepared themselves well, practiced together, and devoted themselves to six numbers in a relaxed atmosphere of mutual respect where neither attempted to blast away the other. The numbers all come from the Duke Ellington Songbook and Gerry Mulligan's own, and are a sure guarantee for the best of the best. It must be mentioned that one of the best rhythm groups of westcoast jazz Jimmy Rowles, Leroy Vinegar and Mel Lewis provide the amazingly sensitive background for these two giants of mainstream jazz. The excellent recording technique of the Verve Studio in Los Angeles ensures that even 50 years later every single note played on baritone and tenor saxophones is sheer pleasure.

1. Chelsea Bridge
2. The Cat Walk
3. Sunday
4. Who's Got Rhythm
5. Tell Me When
6. Go Home

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Mulligan's 13-piece band in a great stereo recording from 1960. Two different ensembles including players such as Gene Quill, Bob Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Dave Bailey, Buddy Clark, Zoot Sims, and Mel Lewis.

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Two names spring to mind upon hearing the words jazz and samba, namely those of Stan Getz and Joo Gilberto. But really one should be thinking of Antonio Carlos Jobim, who, with his composition from 1958 Chega de saudade, first created the type of Brazilian samba that is known today as bossa nova. It was with one of Jobim's songs, Desafinado, that the bossa nova began its triumphant conquest of the USA. In 1962, Stan Getz made the work widely known when he recorded the number, together with Charlie Byrd, on his album Jazz Samba (Verve V6-8432). And it was this recording, along with Focus (1961), which was responsible for Getz's definitive comeback in the USA at that same time. Jazz Samba opened the floodgates to a new musical vogue, and although cool jazz had been swept aside by hard bop, the reserved and melancholy touch of Getz's style once again became all the rage. It is really not at all surprising, therefore, that the album Getz/Gilberto, recorded in March 1963 for the Verve label, was a winner right from the very start, bringing together as it did the two godfathers of samba Jobim and Gilberto with their American brother Getz. This music is like a pleasantly warm bath whose water is perfumed with essential oil, or like a mild summer night bathed in golden moonlight. The songs, all of them now classics in their own right, are filled with the joy of life, peace and harmony. What more can one possibly desire?

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At last, one might cry, at last these gems are available again after so many years! Strangely enough, connoisseurs of fine sound and music with a difference have been very reserved when it came to expressing their appreciation of the arranger, composer and conductor Gil Evans. Gil's milestones in jazz history (his work with Miles Davis and his melancholy trumpet is now legendary) have become entrenched in our memories thanks to his unusual combination of instruments: waldhorns, tuba, oboe - all played by jazz musicians. Speakers Corner has done it again, not to be missed!

1. The Barbara Song
2. Las Vegas Tango
3. Flute Song
4. Hotel Me
5. El Toreador

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It was often very frustrating for producers at the Blue Note label to have their superstars bought up by other recording companies. That’s precisely what happened to the greatest guitarists of the Sixties – Wes Montgomery and Grant Green who is now heard on the present disc. Neither of them were able to enjoy the big money, however, for they both died young. Verve’s producer Creed Taylor took care to give Grant Green a more up-to-date musical framework, ensured that he had plenty of time in the studio, and that the stereo recording technology was the best of its day. The two themes on the A side are developed tranquilly and provide a basis for long improvisations not only by Grant Green but also by Larry Young. Here, in this soundworld, Young at last manages to throw off his 'Jimmy Smith sound' and develops his own colouring. The tenor sax player Harold Vick is heard only in a few numbers: in particular he lends a new sound colouring to 'The Cantaloupe Woman' where the interplay between wind and strings is of constant interest.

1. The Selma March
2. Willow Weep For Me
3. The Cantaloupe Woman
4. That Lucky Old Sun
5. Daddy Grapes

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HANDEL/WATER MUSIC/MINUET FROM ''THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD''/ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC/GEOPRGE SZELL - LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

This is an exact reproduction of the 1962 Decca stereo record.

Composed in the spirit of the Baroque, the Water Music and Royal Fireworks Music were written by the highly regarded George Frideric Handel on commissions from Kings George I and George II of England.

The remarkable première of the Water Music – a suite of instrumental airs, fanfares, dances, and other delights – was played in 1717 by musicians in a barge who entertained the King and his entourage on a banquet held on board the royal barge which travelled up and down the river Thames. According to reports at the time, Handel’s new work was greeted with unanimous acclaim. Music appeared equally fitting for the solemn but festive commemoration of a peace treaty. The Royal Fireworks Music – originally scored for brass, oboes and bassoons, plus timpani and the bizarre serpent horn – was composed in 1749 for the victory gala in London’s Green Park celebrating the Peace of Aix-La-Chapelle.

In both pieces Georg Szell and the London Symphony Orchestra conjure up the full splendour of baroque tonality. Orchestra and conductor are clearly in a festive mood. The strings show rare form, lush and radiant. The brass are brilliant but never shrill. The atmosphere is transparent, the spatial effects are impressive.

For the outstanding quality of this recording we are indebted not least to its inspired recording engineer, Kenneth E. Wilkinson.

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On a late summer evening in 1963, a show took place at Los Angeles' open-air Greek Theatre in, which had fans flocking to the Hollywood mountains. Those who were not lucky to get a ticket climbed to the surrounding trees to see the Calypso man from a distance at least. Others were waiting, recording equipment at the ready, namely the sound engineers from RCA, and in the following year the eagerly anticipated album was released. Some of the songs, such a the giddy-paced 'Zombie Jamboree,' 'Look Over Yonder' and the delightfully schmaltzy 'Try To Remember,' had only been released as studio recordings. The majority of the other numbers were brand new and were now heard for the very first time in the exciting live atmosphere, something that comes over authentically in this release.

1. Look Over Yonder—Be My Woman, Gal
2. Glory Manger
3. Shake That Little Foot
4. Windin' Road
5. Hoedown Blues
6. Try To Remember
7. Why ‘N’ Why
8. Contemporary Dance
9. In My Father’s House
10. Hayoshevet Baganim
11. Cruel War
12. Pig
13. Sailor Man
14. Merry Minuet
15. Boot Dance
16. Zombie Jamboree

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This album provides a wonderful testimony to the Jamaican singer's flexibility. It includes songs such as 'Midnight Special,'A prisoner's nocturnal prayer for freedom, and 'On Top Of Old Smokey,' which Belafonte instills with intricate rhythm and Caribbean flair. And the tailor-made arrangements are no less thrilling: whether possessing all the drive of a stomping big band, filled with the intimacy of a smoochy small ensemble (with Bob Dylan on harmonica) or with an earthy, folksy, bluegrass sound - there's all that and plenty more!

1. The Midnight Special
2. Crawdad Song
3. Memphis Tennessee
4. Gotta Travel On
5. Did You Hear About Jerry?
6. On Top Of Old Smokey
7. Muleskinner
8. Makes A Long Time Man Feel Bad
9. Michael Row The Boat Ashore

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Songs from Africa: Just by reading this subtitle, one might well ask oneself whether an album with such an unpretentious title would ever manage to find its way to the charts. But as soon as the disc is placed on the turntable, all doubts are dispelled that this collection of songs was actually one of the top sellers of its genre in the Sixties. The melodies, all of which stem from South African tribal songs, are treated lovingly to sensitive new arrangements. It goes without saying that the producers only wanted a minimum of background instrumentalists for these two star singers in order to preserve the original character of the songs. A little bit of guitar here, a touch of mouth organ there, and the soft rhythm of drums are all that are needed for the soft springy sound. Central to the authentic sound is a mixed chorus that mostly uses the traditional art of antiphonal singing with the soloists.

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This is the recording that truly established Henry Mancini as both an innovator and a household name. While he had already nabbed an Oscar nomination, this soundtrack to the hit 1959 television series with its jazz score logged ten weeks at the top of the charts and remained a top seller for almost two years. While Blake Edwards' detective show may not have proved an enduring favorite, the music certainly has. Of course, the memorable Peter Gunn theme is the anchor here. The bass and drums interlocking provided hits for artists as diverse as Ray Anthony, Duane Eddy, Deodato and The Art of Noise. Mancini was working with some of the best musicians in the business with special mention going to trumpeter Pete Candoli, saxman Ronnie Lang and pianist Johnny T. Williams, who would later own his own truckload of awards as composer John Williams.

Originally issued on RCA Living Stereo the is another fine re-issue from the Speakers Corner label.

1. Peter Gunn
2. Sorta Blue
3. The Brothers Go to Mother's
4. Dreamsville
5. Session at Pete's Pad
6. Soft Sounds
7. Fallout!
8. The Floater
9. SLow and Easy
10. A Profound Gass
11. Brief and Breezy
12. Not from Dixie

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Track Listing

1. Robert McBride: Mexican Rhapsody
2. Ron Nelson: Savannah River Holiday
3. Lyndol Coleman Mitchell: Kentucky Mountain Portraits
4. Charles G. Vardell: Joe Clark Steps Out

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With the sixties British blues boom, which included acts such as John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, early Fleetwood Mac, and The Rolling Stones, a number of attempts were made to record the original blues masters such as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker (actually the tradition was continued in the nineties by John Lee Hooker with his 'The Healer' project) with some of the young upcoming 'white' blues players. Unfortunately many of the projects lacked real impact (usually the recordings were done on the cheap, over short periods, with most of the young musicians simply too intimidated by their idols to offer any real creative input), however these sessions with the great Howlin' Wolf proved to be one of the exceptions. Although pushing 60, and suffering from heart and kidney problems, the 'Wolf' was still in imposing form, and with backing musicians including his own superb guitarist Hubert Sumlin, Eric Clapton (one of the main catalysts of the sessions – along with producer Norman Dayron), Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Ian Stewart, Stevie Winwood, plus numerous drop in guests, the resulting sessions produced 'blues gold'.

1. Rockin' Daddy
2. I Ain't Superstitious
3. Sitting on Top of the World
4. Worried About My Baby
5. What a Woman!
6. Poor Boy
7. Built for Comfort
8. Who's Been Talking?
9. Red Rooster
10. Do the Do
11. Highway 49
12. Wang Dang Doodle

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Released a year after Big Brother And The Holding Company’s Cheap Thrills, here we have Janis Joplin fronting the Kozmic Blues Band. The arrangements are horn heavy and the material soulful and bluesy. Her soulful, explosive voice emanating from this tiny little girl captured the hearts of the entire Woodstock generation. For those fans whose ears are still ringing with the band's full, meaty sound and Janis' bluesy soul singing, this album is an absolute must. Speakers Corner has mastered this album from the original Columbia analog tapes.

Track Listing for Janis Joplin - I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!

1. Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)
2. Maybe
3. One Good Man
4. As Good As You've Been to This World
5. To Love Somebody
6. Kozmic Blues
7. Little Girl Blue
8. Work Me Lord

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The Incredible Jimmy Smith – that’s what is says so confidently on the cover with the black cat! The law demands that what is promised must be delivered – and a record collector is no less demanding. The fact that Smith moved the Hammond organ from the dance floor to the jazz scene and upgraded it to become a fully-fledged improvisation instrument is to be found in every good dictionary of music. But what resulted must be heard to be believed.

No problem for our cat, crouched low and ready to pounce. She slinks along the Rhythm and Blues path, purrs through the night, steps nimbly to the St. Louis Blues, and gives the somewhat aged Basin Street a gentle blow with her paw. In the background is her powerful clan: Kenny Burrell with his firm grip, Don Butterfield with his strong tone, the thundering Grady Tate, and last but not least Lalo Schifrin, who watches over the haunt with a glinting eye. And then of course there is the VERVE gang – who made a recording that is as black as the cat herself. Incredible!

1. Theme from Joy House
2. The Cat
3. Basin Street Blues
4. Main Title from The Carpetbaggers
5. Chicago Serenade
6. St. Louis Blues
7. Delon's Blues
8. Blues in the Night

Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery were as influential in the Sixties as they were popular. Smith brought the Hammond organ out of the chicken shacks and into mainstream jazz. Guitarist Montgomery is legendary for his choruses of octaves and strummed chords. And the two have complementary personalities: Smith's rushed intensity make Montgomery seem serene by contrast.

1. Down by the Riverside
2. James and Wes
3. Night Train
4. 13 (Death March)
5. Baby, It's Cold Outside

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This man is living proof that you can be born in Sheffied and still sing like a black man from Mississipi. His performance at the Woodstock Festival made him a cult star in the New World; and the New York Times called him the best singer of all times. His name? Joe Cocker! Joe always needed a little help from his friends to get him back on his feet after an exhausting tour or a drugs trip.It was this cover version of the classic Beatles song that made Joe Cocker and his first album famous, even though the title is the penultimate number on the B side. But no one minds that because all the foregoing songs are so powerful that waiting is sheer pleasure! Cocker’s own compositions are interpolated with dusky ballads such as Peter Dello’s 'Do I Still Figure In Your Life' or Bob Dylan’s 'I Shall Be Released' so that a wide range of emotions are interpreted. Without a doubt, many listeners would define this compilation as 'the very best' of Joe Cocker.

Fortunately, the sound on this VERVE recording is situated “on the sunny side of the street”. The immediate presence of the vocal part, a fresh instrumental timbre and a pleasantly dry playhouse atmosphere all guarantee sheer delight for listeners to this collector’s item.

1. Honeysuckle Rose
2. 'Deed I Do
3. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
4. Them There Eyes
5. Dream a Little Dream of Me
6. Tea for Two
7. Satin Doll
8. I'm Beginning to See the Light
9. Shiny Stockings
10. My Last Affair
11. Ain't Misbehavin'
12. On the Sunny Side of the Street
13. My Last Affair
14. My Last Affair
15. Robbins Nest (Breakdown)
16. Robbins Nest
17. Robbins Nest
18. Robbins Nest

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When someone such as Joe Williams (not be confused with Big Joe Williams) speaks of himself in one breath with the blues, then he is claiming a privilege, which can only be granted to a very few. But then - Williams, who grew up in the blues metropolis Chicago and performed as early as the Thirties with Jimmie Noones and later with Coleman Hawkins and Lionel Hampton, is one of the first and last of the great big band singers at one and the same time. As one of the permanent great musicians of the Count Basie Band, he helped the ensemble to renewed popularity in the Fifties, but then turned his attention to smaller bands, returning in later years to the all-star ensemble as a 'special guest'. 'Me And The Blues' manifests itself as blues from a modern viewpoint in that it amalgamates the austere, gritty primeval sound of the Southside with a brilliantly arranged big band sound. The result of this extremely pure synthesis of sound (also from a technical standpoint) reveals a variety of blues that integrates such elements of mainstream jazz as were typical of the day. It is no wonder therefore that all the great names such as Thad Jones, Clark Terry, Ben Webster and Kenny Burrell gathered together to participate as soloists or in the background in this recording.

1. I'm Sticking with You, Baby
2. Me and the Blues
3. Every Night
4. Rocks in my Bed
5. Come on Blues
6. Workin' (Work Song)
7. Soothe Me
8. Early in the Morning
9. Good Morning Heartache
10. Kansas City
11. A Woman
12. Hobo Flats

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Right from the very first hearing, absolutely every single jazzcritic shared the same opinion – whether trained musicians or not, true or would-be jazz expert: “A Love Supreme” is John Coltrane’s most important recording. And the rave reviews which appeared in the magazines Downbeat, Jazz Hot, Jazz Podium and Swingjournal reflected this: critics all over the world, in America, Europe and Japan recognized that Coltrane’s deep religious belief had influenced both his approach to life and his music-making. It not only enabled him to express himself with great intensity but also lent him the necessary inner peace to conceive a work of almost 40 minutes in length and to lead his quartet along the same path as himself.

The first section, entitled “Acknowledgement”, has a forceful bass line which runs throughout the whole work. The powerful sound increases in intensity, whereby the bass motif undergoes constant modulation, with John Coltrane’s meditative singing creating immense tension.

In “Resolution” Coltrane’s powerful, quasi hymnlike expression comes to the fore, with McCoy Tyner achieving equal intensity in his solo.“Pursuance”, with its density, quick-as-lightning runs and block chords, gives us a taste of John Coltrane’s later ‘free’ phase.“Psalm” is filled with the famous, almost static melodies rather like a fervent prayer which are so typical for John Coltrane.“A Love Supreme” has been a faithful companion and teacher of generations of saxophonists and its message goes way beyond Music and is still valid today, in 2001, the year in which John Coltrane would have celebrated his 75th birthday.

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This was the album that changed the way people looked at John Coltrane as a jazz artist. Early in his career, Coltrane was generally looked upon as a wild and unbrideled avant-gardist. However, when this record was released, his fans and critics alike were made to stop and take notice of the refined, musicality of this work. Coltrane is expertly backed by McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.

1. Say It (Over and Over Again)
2. You Don't Know What Love Is
3. Too Young to Go Steady
4. All or Nothing at All
5. I Wish I Knew
6. What's New?
7. It's Easy to Remember
8. Nancy (With the Laughing Face)

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

Johnny Hartman was many a jazzman's favorite singer for his musical acumen, gorgeous voice, and the sheer class that he exuded. This collaboration with saxophonist John Coltrane was a major success in every way for both of them. Be assured that this is no gmere uest star turn for Coltrane since he's working as before with drummer Elvin Jones, bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner.

The list of great performances here extends from the nearly-defnitive version of ''Lush Life'' to ''They Say It’s Wonderful'' which sounds as though it is clad in black silk, to the lyrical ''My One And Only Love.'' right up to the light-footed rumba ''Autumn Serenade.'' Here are six true masterpieces which will get right under your skin. Llisten to how relaxed and self-assuredly the crooner’s great voice carries the melody, which is then taken up and continued by John Coltrane on his instrument. Coltrane's Ballads record and his work with Duke Ellington had already demonstrated that he was a master of slow tempi and in this LP he once again paces slowly down this path.

This production which was produced by Bob Thiele and recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in March of 1963 and this is the best vinyl re-issue to date.

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John Lee Hooker himself did not know his exact date of birth. If he hadn’t died at around the age of 80, this ageless musician would still be easily pulling the next generation to his gigs. Hooker remains a phenomenon, a mysterious figure of black rhythm and blues, a charismatic king who reigns supreme in rock ‘n’ roll’s Hall of Fame. John W. Peters described his music as a synthesis of scorching emotional ardour, unrelenting rhythmic intensity, and original poetry of a highly personal character. Anyone hearing him for the first time may well be startled at the unfiltered passion and power of his music.

And another surprise is in store for those who compare Hooker’s late recordings with those made in the Sixties. His unmistakable, raw voice has fully matured, but his incantory style of singing appears markedly finer and more flexible. And then there is the perfect gem of a rhythm group whose sinewy sounds fill the grooves with merciless gravitational force. It’s enough to make your spine tingle!

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Johnny Cash was and will always remain a country music legend. When performing he chose to wear black as a symbol of solidarity with the oppressed and those who had no rights. His chosen outlaw image was just as convincing as the train-like boom-tiddy-boom sound of his rhythm group who lent their typical sound to many of his 500 songs. At the very zenith of his career, Cash (who himself had committed a few minor offenses) had the idea of singing and playing for the bad guys behind the prison walls for nothing. Initially his suggestion to market the live recording was rejected, but finally his record company decided to release the album At Folsom Prison. The surprise success of At Folsom Prison led Columbia Records to release At San Quentin shortly afterwards. The recording, in which Cash and his combo were frequently applauded more or less at the end of each verse, exceeded all expectations. Today it is still considered to be the "Man In Black's" best live recording.

Johnny Cash Johnny Cash At San Quentin Track Listing

1. Wanted Man
2. Wreck Of The Old 97
3. I Walk The Line
4. Darlin' Companion
5. Starkville City Jail
6. San Quentin
7. San Quentin
8. A Boy Named Sue
9. Peace In The Valley
10. Folsom Prison Blues

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Unfortunately, jazz fans in this century are forced to enjoy a concert by Johnny Hodges or Duke Ellington from the comfort of their television armchair. The climax of any of these recorded concerts is always found in the lyrical, gentle solos of the first-rate alto saxophonist. And one can see for oneself how seemingly effortlessly the notes just pour out of his instrument and how his restless eyes search contact with the audience. The melodies were almost always penned by Billy Strayhorn, Duke’s friend and alter ego.For the jazz producer Norman Granz, it was a foregone conclusion to record an LP with the two lyricists. And for Johnny Hodges, who had already released more than a dozen LPs to his name, this particular recording was to be the summit of his career. The swinging, schmaltz-free carpet of sound of Duke Ellington’s orchestra might well be better likened to the swell and surge of a calm sea over which the archlike melodies are allowed to unfold. Such a mood is virtually impossible to express in words - which is logical - for if it was easy then musicians would be authors, not musicians ...

One shouldn’t be tempted to first pick out the new titles such as “Your Love Has Faded” or “Tailor Made” in the belief that there is nothing new to discover in such numbers as “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”, “Day Dream” and “I’m Just A Lucky So And So”. That would be a real mistake - for it is precisely these catchy melodies, bedded in amongst the others, that make this album so exciting!And just listen to these wizards from the Ellington Band: they obviously thoroughly enjoyed performing ‘in the background’ for a change instead of playing solo and standing in the limelight.

There is plenty of good to be discovered in Johnny Hodges (even if gossip has it that he was no angel!), but for that you need the recordings being available. Thanks to the top-quality of this re-release of Verve 8452 you certainly don’t have to place top-bids at an auction anymore!

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

In 1969, when Jose Feliciano aroused the American people’s anger by singing live a soul version of their national anthem, the “Star-Spangled Banner”, he assured himself the reputation as one of the most successful cover-version performers of all times. He even carried off two Grammy awards for his soul version of the Doors number 'Light My Fire' which is found on the present recording. But this album, which proudly bears the title 'Feliciano!', does not merely excel for its hits from the Sixties such as 'California Dreamin’', 'Sunny' and three smash hits by the Beatles. It also reveals this entertainer’s stupendous musicianship on the acoustic guitar, and pampers the listener with creamy string arrangements and a thrilling Latino drive.

The very fact that the double bass jazz player Ray Brown can be found in the ensemble listing is an indication of the versatility of the musical concept of this disc. It might defy any attempt to put it in a pigeon hole, but it certainly deserves a place of its own on the record collector’s shelf!

1. California Dreamin'
2. Light My Fire
3. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
4. In My Life
5. And I Love Her
6. Nena Na Na
7. (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me
8. Just A Little Bit Of Rain
9. Sunny
10. Here, There And Everywhere
11. The Last Thing On My Mind

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This title is not eligible for further discount.

This 1967 recording originally released on Decca and reissued by Speakers Corner features the composer himself conducting two of his most popular works. Aram Khachaturian, the most well-known of all Armenian composers, believed that art should be closely bound to the people and indeed it was a pre-requisite for his own creative inspiration. Largely uninfluenced by the manifold trends of the 20th century, Khachaturian’s works reflect the folk heritage of his native country. In the two richly orchestrated ballets, which he himself later arranged into suites, we find the musical spirit and customs of an ancient culture. In particular the unrestrained exuberance of the Sabre Dance from Gayaneh has contributed to the immense popularity of this suite. The ballet Spartacus could be described as a monumental historical drama and made Khachaturian one of the Soviet Union’s most highly honoured composers.

That a slave uprising can not only be expressed in music but can also take place on an international dimension is admirably demonstrated by the maestro personally in this recording where Khachaturian takes on the role of leader of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Import

By the time Cream formed in 1966, Eric Clapton was already fairly well known, having already performed and recorded with the Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. However, it was in Cream that Clapton became a global superstar. Breaking free of the traditional rock & roll song structure for a more improvisational / jazz influenced take, the band’s long jams gave birth to a whole new approach to rock music. When their debut album Fresh Cream was released in 1966 it immediately became the standard by which all other bands of the era were judged. Includes 5 bonus tracks.

1. I Feel Free (Bonus Track)
2. N.S.U.
3. Sleepy Time Time
4. Dreaming
5. Sweet Wine
6. Spoonful
7. The Coffee Song (Bonus Track)
8. Cat's Squirrel
9. Four Until Late
10. Rollin' And Tumblin'
11. I'm So Glad
12. Toad
13. Wrapping Paper (Bonus Track)
14. You Make Me Feel (Bonus Track)
15. Lawdy Mama (Bonus Track)

Import

Riding fairly high on the success of their singles, Traffic consisting of Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood and Dave Mason, released its 1967 debut LP, Mr. Fantasy, which shot up to the number 16 slot on the UK albums chart. Aided by their use of unusual instruments (Winwood played the organ, Wood played flute and Mason the sitar) they created a hybrid of pop / blues rock with a sound that was somewhat unique for the time and which soon made them international superstars. This deluxe reissue includes 5 bonus tracks and a poster!

1.Paper Sun (Bonus Track)
2. Heaven In Your Mind
3. Berkshire Poppies
4. House For Everyone
5. No Face, No Name, No Number
6. Dear Mr. Fantasy
7. Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (Bonus Track)
8. Smiling Phases (Bonus Track)
9. Hole In My Shoe (Bonus Track)
10. Dealer
11. Utterly Simple
12. Coloured Rain
13. Hope I Never Find Me There
14. Giving To You (Bonus Track)
15. Am I What I Was Or Was I What I Am?

1. Crossroads
2. White Room
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Lay Down Sally
5. Wonderful Tonight
6. After Midnight
7. Can’t Find My Way Home
8. Badge
9. Same Old Blues
10. Cocaine
11. Layla
12. Sunshine Of Your Love

Until now, guitarist-singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney of the Black Keys took an extreme do-it-yourself approach to record making, hunkering down in a basement studio or setting up equipment in one of the abandoned factories of their native Akron, Ohio. Their modus operandi was more seance than session. With a minimal set of tools, they conjured up a big, swaggering blues-rock sound, seemingly drawn from some distant time and place yet too weirdly original to ever be called retro. As Rolling Stone put it in a review of their 2006 Nonesuch debut, Magic Potion, "Pure blues rock of this caliber is really timeless."

For this album, however, the Black Keys decided not to go it alone: Attack and Release is the result of one of the most audacious and eagerly awaited collaborations in alternative rock history. As producer, Auerbach and Carney chose Danger Mouse, the mega-eclectic sonic mastermind behind the Grammy Award-winning Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere and its multi-format hit, "Crazy", as well as the music-industry provocateur who created the mother of all mash-ups, The Grey Album. The Black Keys also deigned to work at an established studio, albeit one within driving distance of Akron. Suma Recording, a legendary spot in northeast Ohio renowned for its supply of great vintage gear, provided just the right ambience for the guys. As Carney put it, with genuine affection, Suma "smells like a moldy cabin and looks like a haunted house."

On Attack and Release, Danger Mouse is more creative co-conspirator than traditional figure behind the boards. He doesn't radically alter the duo's sound so much as coax out more of its inherent soulfulness, groove and bittersweet emotion. Two versions of "Remember When" illustrate how the duo can swing easily from smoldering ballad to thrashing rocker. "I'm more pleased with the sound of this record than any one we've ever made," says Carney, and Auerbach concurs: "We never let it all go like we did for this one, anything was game. It was just fun to make, and that's why I think it's so successful." The band adds more instrumentation to their mix, including piano, organ and moog synthesizer. Danger Mouse fashions subtle special effects, like the ghostly background choir that surfaces on the moody "I Got Mine", which sounds as if it were samples from some old Warner Bros. cartoon. The Black Keys also invited in a few special guests: guitarist Marc Ribot and clarinetist-flautist (and Pat's uncle) Ralph Carney, both veterans of Tom Waits' band and players on countless avant-rock/jazz/noise session. Jessica Lea Mayfield a/k/a Chittlin, an impressive 18 year-old bluegrass/country singer from Kent, Ohio, sings alongside a heart-breakingly plaintive Auerbauch on the slow-dance final cut, "Things Ain't Like They Used to Be"

Track Listing:

1. All You Ever Wanted
2. I Got Mine
3. Strange Times
4. Psychotic Girl
5. Lies
6. Remember When (Side A)
7. Remember When (Side B)
8. Same Old Thing
9. So He Won't Break
10. Oceans & Streams
11. Things Ain't Like They Used to Be

Import

Except for the taping of a live performance at the Portland Festival, Miles Davis' 1966 discography only lists Miles Smiles which was unusual considering the large output Miles and his ensembles produced for Columbia Records in the Sixties.

The bass player Ron Carter was best suited for the complicated rhythm part and remained Miles’s 'number one' in a quintet which gave a new interpretation to compositions by Wayne Shorter and jazz hits such as "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Eddie Harris and Jimmy Heath’s "Gingerbread Boy".

Every second of the nine-minute-long "Footprints" by Shorter is an absolute highlight, while the drumming of the young Tony Williams in "Freedom Jazz Dance" is full of vitality, with a quick pulse, and even described as threatening in the liner notes. This music is neither 'new stream' nor 'old guard' but good modern jazz according to Anthony Tuttle. That’s exactly what Miles Smiles was upon its release 40 years ago and that’s exactly what it has remained to this day!

Recording: October 1966 at Columbia Records­ Studios, New York, by Frank Laico Production: Teo Macero

1. Orbits
2. Circle
3. Footprints
4. Dolores
5. Freedom Jazz Dance
6. Ginger Bread Boy

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1980 was a magical year for The Doobie Brothers. Their best selling album of all time Minute By Minute went on to receive not one, but FOUR Grammy Awards that year….it was a history making musical event, and now Friday Music is very proud to release for the first time on 180 Gram Vinyl this award winning classic rock album from these Bay area legends Not only do you get the smash title track, but how about the #1 “What A Fool Believes” “ Dependin’ On You” plus all of the other Doobie classics that embody this ultimate career album. Mastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso and includes the original art elements and new liner notes. A sonic masterpiece waiting for you to enjoy!

1. Here To Love You
2. What A Fool Believes
3. Dependin’ On You
4. Minute By Minute
5. Don’t Stop To Watch The Wheels
6. Open Our Eyes
7. Steamer Lake Breakdown
8. Sweet Feelin’
9. You Never Change
10. How Do The Fools Survive

Even today Wagnerites still rave about the legendary Bayreuth recording of Parsifal whose lengthy score when conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch lasted a whole LP more than his fellow conductors’ recordings. But even taken at such a leisurely tempo, no one thought of looking impatiently at the clock. Just sit back and listen to the present recording of Wagner Preludes and you certainly won’t find this surprising. Bar for bar the maestro picks out even the finest particles of the musical structure and gives his Munich ensemble time and space to conjure up a delightful timbre. Just note the warmth and presence of the wind instruments – only Otto Klemperer managed to achieve comparable results in his recordings of the 1960s. Whatever sort of sound the engineers had had in mind for this recording on the Westminster label, they managed to get fairly close to the acoustical ideal of the Bayreuth Festival opera house. Luckily they were not tempted by the possibility of reproducing spectacular lateral effects which abounded in the early days of stereophony. The Wagner coming out of the loudspeakers is dry, analytical and quite, quite natural.

1. Die Meistersinger: Prelude
2. Tannhauser: Overture
3. Tristan Und Isolde: Prelude and Liebostod
4. Parsiful: Prelude

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Smetana’s symphonic poem “Má Vlast“ consists of several individual compositions which the composer put together at a later date to form a cycle and is one of the greatest testimonies to Czech national music. The Bohemian countryside and sagas are reflected in the tone poem From “Bohemia’s Woods and Fields“, while the programmatic “Moldau“ occupies a rightful place among the most outstanding works to have been written in the late 19th century. Thanks to its popular folk melodies, its clearly structured and recognizable “programme“, and brilliant orchestration, the work has never failed to arouse the enthusiasm of a wide public. Rafael Kubelik conducted numerous first-class orchestras both in the concert hall and in the recording studio, and won a deserved reputation as the Smetana connoisseur. He is to be congratulated on his choice of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for this recording: gentle and transparent in the gossamer-light orchestral passages, powerful and smooth when playing as a full tutti. This thoroughly satisfying performance is further enhanced by its excellent recording technique and is to be recommended to all collectors.

1. Vysehrad
2. Vltava (Moldau)
3. Sarka
4. From Bohemia's Meadows and Forest
5. Tabor
6. Blanik

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Haven't we always known that blasphemous laughter will land us in trouble? Just think what happened in the monastic whodunit 'The Name of The Rose' in which a god-fearing monk did his utmost to hide a book about laughter from curious eyes and so turned into a serial killer in old age. Actually, carnival merrymaking monks went unpunished in medieval times when they turned strict Christian values upside down once a year and celebrated a so-called 'Feast of the Ass' in their hallowed halls. First, a Boy-Bishop would be chosen from among the lower orders and choir boys who would read a burlesque, mock mass to hoots of laughter from the revelers. Meanwhile, other monks played cards and dice at the altar, burned incense made of dung and old shoe soles and sang dirty songs. The Clemencic Consort has reconstructed the music for a lifelike 'Asses Mass' from medieval manuscripts. Among profane songs, contrapuntal, polyphonic verses and melodies with an accompaniment based on fifths, we hear Gregorian chant accompanied by the growl, rattle and rasp of historical instruments.

1. Introitus
2. Ceremmnie De La Remise De La Crosse Au Maitre De La Fete
3. La Messe Des Anes Et Des Buveurs
4. Procession De La Fete Dieu

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All the composers in the world who write their own Folia don’t keep a close account of what they are doing. They mature patiently like the tree that does not haste his sap; they soak up everything and remain confident in the torments of spring, without anxiety that they might not know another spring. And spring comes and a quiet weariness overcomes them, even if they are patient, carefree and calm, as if all eternity lay before them. They can then love their Folia and their solitude; they endure the pain it causes them and succeed in investing the sound of their complaint with beauty.

1. Fons vitae/Dementia praecox angelorum Supra solmamirevt
2. Extravagans/Laurea minima/In vitro
3. Oratio pro-folia/Fama volat Citrus - Hesperides
4. Principalis. Fermescens/Inica exacta Adverso flumine
5. Parsimonia aristocraciae
6. Subtilis/De profundis - Extra muros
7. Vulgaris - Sine populi notione Vagula et blandula
8. Nordica et desolata/Aurea mediocritas
9. Nobilissima/Degradans et corruptae
10. De pastoribus/Mathematica dies irae /Crepuscularis/Sine nomine/Tristis est anima mea/Equites fortis armaturae/Audaces fortuna juvat/Sine praeputium/Ecclesiastica
11. Theatralis et hipocritae/Ruralis Alter indica perfecta
12. De Tolerentia aetherea/Fuga ficta et carrus triumphalis

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Regarded by many aficionados as Lee Konitz's finest album, Motion is improvisation at its purest: no arrangements, no rehearsals, just inspired seat-of-the-pants blowing. The mix of Konitz's ethereal alto saxophone and Elvin Jones' volcanic drumming provides a unique chemistry.

1. Fooling Myself
2. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
3. I'll Remember April
4. I Remember You
5. All of Me

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4th August 1952: apparently a particularly auspicious day in the life of Lester Young, known as 'Prez'. When he entered the New York studio with the Oscar Peterson Trio, he had absolutely no idea that twelve wonderfully swinging yet totally relaxed numbers would be set down by the producer Norman Granz. Two years previously the boss of Norgran and later of Verve signed a contract with Lester, although the musician’s physical and mental condition (as a result of excess alcohol, drug abuse and other vices) did not really warrant this. But his success at 'Jazz At The Philharmonic' and full concert halls in Europe filled the jazz tenor with new vigour. He lent genial virtuosity to both standard and blues themes; he latched on to the harmonies of the Oscar Peterson with immeasurable creativity. While laboriously earning his daily bread with Fletcher Henderson and Count Basie’s big bands, the jam in the sandwich was provided by the small ensembles where he performed with the singer Billie 'Lady Day'. But the topping on his cake was definitely his long improvisations on blues themes (which were recorded without a time limit), such as the free 'Ad Lib Blues' on this album, and those on standards from the American Songbook. His dry though mature renderings of 'Tea For Two' and 'Almost Like Being In Love' - free of unnecessary ballast, relaxed and without vibrato - have lost nothing of their fascination over the years. The 50-year span is quite unnoticeable, at least in this excellent re-release. There’s not a speck of dust anywhere to dull the shine!

Ad Lib Blues
Just You, Just Me
Tea For Two
Indiana
I Can't Get Started
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Almost Like Being in Love
There Will Never Be Another You

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Born in 1881, George Enescu led the life of a globetrotter. Although he became acquainted with all manner of schools and styles during his thorough studies in Vienna and Paris, it was invariably folk music that provided him with the most important source of inspiration. Thanks to their freshness and impressive thematic invention, the two Roumanian Rhapsodies have remained firm favourites to this day. Nothing in the music appears to demand great effort or mental struggle. The colourful mixture of lyrical and spirited passages seems completely natural and homogeneous, offering sheer delight for the ears right up to the final chord. Enescu’s carefree ‘hits’ serve as an ideal introduction to two orchestral heavyweights by Franz Liszt, which undoubtedly are to be counted as 'state of the art' works in this particular genre. Antal Dorati conducts the London Symphony Orchestra with a firm hand and complete concentration – as is demanded by this tightly knit score –, always managing to find the perfect balance between timbral force and transparency. Of course one can find elsewhere these compositions being performed faster, louder and with questionable sensational effects. But if you are looking for a faithful interpretation of the score, musicality and natural sound, then this is the recording for you.

1. George Enesco: Two Roumanian Rhapsodies, Opus II (No.1 in A Major/ No. 2 in D Major)
2. Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 / Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3

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Little Walter�s ascent to becoming one of the greatest exponents of the sound known as Chicago blues began in 1951 when he became a fixed member of Muddy Waters� band. Two years later he established his own group and rocketed to the top of the rhythm-and-blues charts with smash hits such as 'Juke', 'Sad Hours' and 'My Babe'. Along with his virtuoso technique and his love of experimenting with echo effects, Walter is noted for his clear, unfussed style which occasionally brings back memories of Louis Jordan�s saxophone melodies, thereby taking up influences from popular jazz.It is astonishing that Walter�s heritage is so small. Of the 100 recorded titles he recorded, only about half of them were ever released. The present album offers a portrait of the 'King of the pocket organ' and covers the whole spectrum of his playing, his instrument sometimes sounding like the human voice, a saxophone, or a snarling electric guitar. Harp fans and lovers of traditional blues certainly shouldn�t hesitate to secure their copy of this album

1. My Babe
2. Sad Hours
3. You're So Fine
4. Last Night
5. Blues With a Feeling
6. Can't Hold Out Much Longer
7. Juke
8. Mean Old World
9. Off the Wall
10. You Better Watch Yourself
11. Blue Lights
12. Tell Me Mama

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Appearing just a few months after the somewhat unsuccessful release of Lou Reed’s fairly underground first album and rocketing straight into the charts, this production had two British guardian angels to help it on its way, namely David Bowie and Mick Ronson, both of whom obviously knew how to steer Reed’s songwriting qualities into safe waters, without watering down his biting sarcasm and humorous provocation. And that’s why grating guitar rock ('Vicious') is found alongside a bittersweet, tender ballad ('Perfect Day') and even an old-time jazz parody ('Goodnight Ladies') which is sung with a tongue a heavy as lead. Why then compare this highly original music mix with others, when it’s so much easier to hear this record for what it is - a truly cult album?

1. Vicious
2. Andy's Chest
3. Perfect Day
4. Hangin' Round
5. Walk on the Wild Side
6. Make Up
7. Satellite of Love
8. Wagon Wheel
9. New York Telephone Conversation
10. I'm So Free
11. Goodnight Ladies

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With bossa simply everything goes and everything goes simply! A solitary voice, a simple wooden block or a solo guitar are all that are needed to conjure up the elementary forces of Brazilian music. But the great names didn’t necessarily love a one-man show with a nameless band in the background but often wrote recording history by getting their individual teams together and combining their creative powers. In Lalo Schifrin and Oscar Castro Neves, the guitar virtuoso and singer Luiz Bonfa had two top musicians at his side who all left their handwriting on this album. Schifrin worked on the large string arrangements while Bonfa put his pen to the songs for smaller ensembles. Well over the half of the numbers recorded here are by Bonfa, who even shared his work with himself in that he lent his voice to side one of the record and his instrumental skills to side two. And though he proves that he can go it alone, as in the popular 'One Note Samba', the less well-known but hear-worthy 'Samba De Duas Notas' tells us that with more of a crowd things get even better.

1. Samba De Duas Notas (Samba Two Notes)
2. Vem So
3. Sambalamento
4. Tristeza (Brazilian Blues)
5. Manha
6. De Carnaval (Morning Of The Carnival)
7. Silencio Do Amor (The Silence Of Love)
8. Domingo A Noite (Sunday Night)
9. Ilha De Coral (Coral Island)
10. Adeus
11. Quebra Mar (The Sea Wall)
12. Amor Que Acabou (The End Of Love)
13. Chora Tua Tristeza (Cry Your Blues Away)
14. Bossa Nova Cha Cha

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“My symphony will be something the world has never heard before. The whole of Nature will be lent a voice in it and will impart such deep secrets as those one might imagine in one's dreams.” Mahler’s vision of music which reflects the world finds its monumental culmination in his Third Symphony. The god Pan awakes to dull drum beats and rumbling basses. From afar a lied theme feels its way to the fore. The mild season of Spring dawns with song, sounds of nature and the budding of vegetation; then at last Summer marches in, grotesquely distorted in its exuberance, expressing the dualism of the innocence of Nature and its terrifying primeval force. Only in the finale are these contrarieties united in glorious harmony – although an undercurrent of doubt is always present. Sir Georg Solti and the London Symphony Orchestra are absolutely ideal for performing this mammoth, highly complex, multi-layered work. With fairly brisk tempi, clearly differentiated strings, and the usual excellent brass, Solti gives a gripping performance which no Mahler fan should miss - even if already has other recordings of the work in his collection.

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 - The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Georg Solti

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“What kind of a world is this which produces such sounds and forms to portray itself?” said Mahler of his First Symphony and gave the world his answer in the music. What at first sounds like “endless Spring” is transformed grotesquely to become an irreal collage. Just how deceptive is this idyllic landscape through which the wayfarer wanders? Distant fanfares, furtive melodies and strange cuckoo calls disturb the seemingly peaceful depiction of Nature before the cheerful theme melody pushes to the fore. But this peace is transient too. The wayfarer begins to increase his pace, he is not the hunter but the hunted in a hostile world. This symphony neither portrays nor describes – it presents the esthetic counterpart of reality. In view of the recent revival of Mahler and the resultant new recordings of his works, this early DECCA recording cannot be too highly praised. The disc guarantees not only a masterly performance but sumptuous sound and transparency. The owner of this particular recording of the Titan Symphony certainly needs no other and has every right to ask, “What kind of a record is this which produces such sounds...?”

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The search for the extra-musical world in Gustav Mahler’s philosophical and programmatic works will doubtless continue to occupy future generations of music scholars. Today’s music lovers, however, are wholly satisfied with the highly varied interpretations and impressive sound reproduction – which is precisely what Mahler himself wished for his rugged works. For decades Mahler’s dramatic musical masterpieces were misunderstood and scorned as “kapellmeister music”. Luckily interest in his works was revived and all nine symphonies were recorded in the 1960s by the recently deceased conductor Sir Georg Solti. Right up to this very day, his cycle has clearly lost nothing of its aura, its reputation for “never having been surpassed” – how could it otherwise have been so successful for so many years in the light of all the highly competitive, more recent recordings?

After the success of the new pressing of Mahler’s First Symphony (MUSD-SC-6113), it was high time that the Resurrection-Symphony became available on LP once more. And the result is most impressive. One can only hope that the complete Mahler cycle will one day be resurrected in vinyl.

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Mantovani creates such a lush and intense violin sound that that many critics believed it was the result of recording tricks, an assumption that Mantovani easily disproved with his numerous concerts. This record demonstrates the whole spectrum of one of the 20th century's most genial arrangers: 'I Dream Of Jeannie' is a wonderful example of the truly remarkable strings which is counterbalanced by such numbers as the sparkling 'Camp town Races' for example. Arranging folk songs for large orchestra can be somewhat perilous in that they easily become insignificant but Mantovani is in no danger of this here.

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