Given that Jimi Hendrix's career as a frontman lasted only about three years, it might be hard to believe that there's still great material that hasn't been officially released even 40 years after his death (of course, unofficially released is a different matter). But here is Jimi's three-night stand at Winterland in San Francisco from October of 1968, which, despite excellent recordings by Wally Heider, sat largely unreleased until 2011. A single disc was compiled and released by Rykodisc in the late '80s (there was also a hard-to-find three-track bonus disc), but had been out of print for years when this box set arrived.
The Winterland shows were notable for a few reasons. The original Jimi Hendrix Experience had been together for two years and were probably playing at the height of their powers in October 1968 (they would break up in June of 1969)…

Bangor Flying Circus was an American rock trio from Chicago, formed in mid-1967. It consisted of David "Hawk" Wolinski (bass, keyboards, vocals), Alan De Carlo (guitar, vocals), and Tom Schiffour (drums), who was replaced in late 1968 by former H.P. Lovecraft member Michael Tegza (drums, percussion). Wolinski and Schiffour had previously been in Shadows Of Knight. They released one selftitled album in 1969 before they broke up, after which Wolinski and De Carlo formed Madura.
You won't find a heavy, distorted organ, embedded classical/baroque music, or psychedelic sounds, what most people associate with progressive rock. What you will find are strong rock composition sprinkled with jazz and occasional country fills by guitarist Alan DeCarlo…

On their second album since their 2005 reunion, synth pop pioneers Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark rekindle the spirit of two new wave classics, the first being their own "slept on" masterpiece from 1983, Dazzle Ships, an album that pushed the boundaries sonically. From the blippy, robotic, and almost musique concrète opener "Please Remain Seated" to the geometric sleeve that credits DZ designer Peter Saville with Executive Art Design, English Electric carries on the pop-meets-avant-garde spirit of that fan favorite album. It gives up a love song like "Night Café" that's so glossed and polished that it could be used in a John Hughes film, and then it offers an edgy swerve like "Decimal," where answering machine messages, countdowns, and other disembodied voices provided some kind of silicon chorus that's equally majestic and precise…

Avid Jazz continues its occasional Three Classic album plus series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Don Ellis complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details.
“How Time Passes”; “New Ideas”; “Essence”; plus 4 tracks featuring Don Ellis from the Charles Mingus album “Dynasty”
Three early albums from vastly under-rated trumpeter, composer and bandleader Don Ellis showing the direction he was to follow over the next fifteen years or so before his tragically early death at age, just 44! If you check out the names of the guys Don was playing with in the early sixties it will give you a clue as to where his music was heading. In New York, Don had met fellow jazz searchers like Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy and George Russell. On our three selections you will hear him playing with a new breed of upcoming jazz men like Jaki Byard, Ron Carter…

Tramseböx (1975). Debut album from Swedish psych/prog band. 9 tracks of ambitious, spooky 1970s psychedelia with atmospheric and cosmic sounds. With Swedish lyrics and focus on guitars, that are often quite fuzzed out. Compared to their 2nd album, "Gudang Garam", this is more in the direction of hippie psych, at times reminiscent of both Älgarnas Trädgård as well as Träd, Gräs & Stenar. Even seen them being compared to Kennelmus and Bent Wwind. The sound have been cleaned up from the mastertape. First time on CD…

The perfect distillation of the classic Teutonic Electronic sound. The tracks begin with waves of synthetics unfolding, sequencer slowly filtering into the mix, and then long, undulating multi-layers of synthetic sound mutating from one cosmic, symphonic theme into the next. A cerebral listening trip extraordinaire.

Comprehensive 3CD set featuring all of The Artwoods’ A and B sides, plus four previously unissued early acetate recordings by the Art Wood Combo. Also includes several BBC radio sessions with unique tracks and a long-lost live recording from Denmark at tail-end of their career. The compilation benefits from the involvement of the band’s guitarist Derek Griffiths and basisst Malcolm Pool, plus legendary blues producer Mike Vernon.
Back in the mid-‘60s, The Artwoods were one of the most vital, impressive R&B bands on the circuit, fronted by Art Wood (elder brother of future Faces/Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie) and also boasting future Deep Purple organist Jon Lord, renowned drummer Keef Hartley, guitarist Derek Griffiths and bassist Malcolm Pool. Between 1964 and 1967, the band recorded seven singles, the ultra-rare EP ‘Jazz In Jeans’ and a nearly as scarce LP, ‘Art Gallery’, mostly for Decca…

Hammond's debut recording from 1964 - much of which remains in his live repertoire to this day.
John Hammond, Jr. is one of a handful of white blues musicians who was on the scene at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-'60s. That revival, brought on by renewed interest in folk music around the U.S., brought about career boosts for many of the great classic blues players, including Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, and Skip James. Some critics have described Hammond as a white Robert Johnson, and Hammond does justice to classic blues by combining powerful guitar and harmonica playing with expressive vocals and a dignified stage presence. Within the first decade of his career as a performer, Hammond began crafting a niche for himself that is completely his own: the solo guitar man, harmonica slung in a rack around his neck, reinterpreting classic blues songs from the 1930s, '40s, and '50s…

Originally recorded in Paris at a pair of two-day sessions in 1977 and then released as a BarClay Records LP that same year, this fine duo set features the sturdy soul-jazz organ of Rhoda Scott paired with Kenny Clarke on drums, and together they create a remarkably full sound. It is worth noting that two of the best numbers here are Scott originals, "Bitter Street," which opens the album, and the funky "Toe Jam."

The late '60s and, most especially, the 70s have inspirited the music and the rock from all over the place, so that it evolved all the way up to contributing to the appearance of the most prestigious and prodigious ensembles. Locomotiv GT is a band that's legendary in the Hungarian Rock scene, but also in the Occident, lighting up an irresistible and torrential rock, in a way that made them classic. For the culture of rock, Locomotiv GT marks moreover an independent and styled breath than something typical and inspiring - nevertheless, it goes as a defining reference.
Locomotiv GT processed, during the classic period, all the fantasy and the asperities of hard and blues rock. Yet, in almost the same general way, their music consistently caught a much more artistic brightness (and all sorts of jazz, pop, melodic, lyrical and experimental accents)…

Starry Sky is something for those who likes quieter sounds. The listener on this album is not really new to sounds, but the music sounds somehow still quite. The best is to take off and relax. The three long parts are identical by their design. Dominating gentle harmonies, punctuated with a subtle percussion. As said, it all sounds very nice, but it also has about a thousand times heard. Relaxation is flooding the market every year. Even at this point, "Starry Sky" a good recommendation for all those looking for relaxing music, for sure, this album is well made.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the first ever release of "Harrodian Event #1”. Recorded in January 1972, this rare recording features a unique event where seven gifted Progressive musicians came together to record a session of unique experimental music. Keyboard player J. Peter Robinson (a member of Quatermass, later in Brand X), John Gustafson (Bass) had also been in Quatermass and would go on to play with Steve Hackett, Ian Gillan and Roxy Music), Martyn Ford had been an arranger for Barclay James Harvest before working with the major names in rock, Paul Buckmaster had worked with David Bowie, Third Ear Band and many more, whilst Trevor Morais would find fame in Quantum Jump and working with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The music of the Harrodian Event touches on the styles later developed by artists such as Henry Cow or even Frank Zappa…

The legendary heavy metal band Impellitteri have legions of fans around the world.
The band is known for their exciting music which features addictive riffs, mesmerizing melodies, Guitar Hero Chris Impellitteri’s guitar virtuosity, lead singer Rob Rock’s vocal range and power, all supported by the incredible rhythmic foundation performed by bassist James Pulli, while Slayer’s former Drummer Paul Bostaph sit behind the kit for the new album “War Machine”.
To date Impellitteri have sold over 2 million records worldwide and have performed on the same stages as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Journey, and the list goes on and has been featured on multiple magazine covers, television, radio, and internet shows…

The satin Shearing sound is in perfect form here - backed by added strings and woodwinds conducted by Billy May - and key proof that Billy could come up with some richly subtle arrangements when he wanted! Most prominent instrumentation comes from George's piano, and the group's trademark vibes, guitar, and wonderful percussion - but the backings also nicely compress some strings and reeds in ways that flesh out the sound, yet never take it over! It's almost as if Billy's just flavoring the Shearing combo sound just a bit - adding just a dose of magic to cuts.
In Black Satin, the George Shearing Quintet - with added orchestrations - all in a blend that's got that pillow-soft sound that Shearing did so well back in the 50s! Arrangements are by George and Billy May - the latter of whom is especially subtle here, bringing things in with the best ballad mode he'd use behind Sinatra…

The set encompasses the Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015 remastered edition of the album for the first time on CD; a complete Rush concert recorded in February 1978 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, newly mixed by longtime Rush engineer and original A Farewell to Kings producer Terry Brown from the multi-track live tapes; four newly-recorded cover versions of songs from the original album by Dream Theater, Big Wreck, The Trews and Alain Johannes; and an instrumental studio outtake of the spacey sound effects the band has creatively titled “Cygnus X-2 Eh."
On 1977's A Farewell to Kings it quickly becomes apparent that Rush had improved their songwriting and strengthened their focus and musical approach. Synthesizers also mark their first prominent appearance on a Rush album, a direction the band would continue to pursue on future releases…