Most Porcupine Tree fans already know this, but lead guitarist Steven Wilson is also a keen experimental artist, although he keeps that facet of his activities well separated from his progressive rock career. Starting in 1994, Steven Wilson began solo recordings described as "experiments in texture," resulting in his work under the name Bass Communion. Atmospherics is a collection of short pieces that are original compositions, remixes, and extracts of pieces from other Bass Communion albums for use in television and radio. Even though these pieces are short, each track has its own unique qualities (in relation to only the other tracks on this album) that result in a listening experience that isn't dulled down by stagnant repetition but is instead a fairly eclectic collection ambient atmospheres…

This awesome but underrated record from unjustly forgotten US band from Boston was released on Cotillion Records in 1972 and contained very ambitious, well-arranged and truly inspired, jazzy progressive rock with memorable and complex tracks, full of interesting ideas. Their music was characterized by fine electric guitar & Hammond phrases mixed with excellent and intensive violin, flute and sax solo parts. Because the Guns & Butter’s line-up was predominantly jewish, there was more than a hint of traditional jewish music in their sound, which gave them a unique and distinctive sound. This beautifully varied and simply stunning music can be compared to early Kansas, Jethro Tull and Darryl Way’s Wolf. Unfortunately, the record went completely unnoticed and as a result the band split up.

Primarily a set of standards, the quartet (with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Jean-Luis Rasinfosse, and drummer Jeff Brillinger) starts with "Two a Day," a brisk but brief original blues by the leader. Baker is at his lyrical best as a trumpeter on the foot patting take of "If I Should Lose You," while his hushed vocals prove effective during an otherwise rather long "This Is Always." Markowitz is an especially sensitive accompanist through this studio session.

The Dave Matthews Band made their reputation through touring, spending endless nights on the road improvising. Often, their records hinted at the eclecticism and adventure inherent in those improvisation, but Before These Crowded Streets is the first album to fully capture that adventurous spirit. Not coincidentally, it's their least accessible record, even if it's more of a consolidation than it is a step forward. Early Dave Matthews albums were devoted to the worldbeat fusions of Graceland and Sting, but his RCA efforts incorporated these influences into a smoother, pop-oriented style. Here, everything hangs out…

The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.
An acclaimed French pianist known for his jazz interpretations of classical works, Jacques Loussier rose to prominence leading his trio in the 1960s. A gifted classical musician in his youth, Loussier gravitated toward jazz and issued a series of innovative, genre-bending albums under the Play Bach title in which he reworked the music of Johanne Sebastian Bach…

For the first time on CD: The radio session of classical rock influenced great German krautrockers Amos Key. Amos Key owed great debts to Bach, Beethoven and Schumann, adding a heavy krautrock twist to a music closely resembling the Nice or Egg, full of angst and weird psychedelic and space-rock touches (Freeman Brothers: In A Crack In The Cosmic Egg). Amos Key lived in Munich and consisted of great organ-player Thomas Molin, congenial bass-player Andreas Gross and superb drummer Lutz Ludwig. This fairly competent outfit recorded the radio sessions before they released their famous and very rare album "First Key" in 1973 on label "Spiegelei". Sadly bandleader and organ-player Thomas Molin passed away in the 90ies but bass-player Andreas Gross tells the band story in a very vivid and funny way. 24 pages booklet contains also a lot of unseen photos.

The second chapter of this concept CD, which was released and played live at "E-Day 2009", continues the musical road with analog, romantic flavored electronics, fine Berlin School sequencing patterns, vintage drums and encompassing solos (which are kept to a minimum this time), all spread out over seven "parts". The warm, inviting and smooth atmosphere makes this melodic, retro-infused music shine like a diamond, as it gradually unfolds for the listeners ears.

Band principal Adrian Jones (Guitars) is supported by top class musicians from The Netherlands: Peter Vink on bass (Q65/Ayreon/Star One), Pieter van Hoorn on drums (Knight Area), and Britain: Marc Atkinson on vocals and Brendan Eyre on keys (Riversea). The package is completed by Antonio Seijas' beautifully haunting artwork. The result is a sonic treat with truly soaring moments on tracks such as Frozen Moment, A Secret, The Weight, and the epic title track. One Eye on the Sunrise is mandatory listening for prog fans and will surely be talked about as one of the best releases of 2012.

The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.

Probably from the mid-'70s, this is later Horton, with John Nicholas on guitar and Ron Levy on piano. The album features a variety of material, including a good version of "Hard Hearted Woman." Not vintage, but worth a listen.
Big Walter Horton, sometimes known as Shakey Walter Horton, is one of the most influential blues harmonica players of all time, and a particular pioneer in the field of amplified harmonica. He isn't as widely known as his fellow Chicago blues pioneers Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II, due mostly to the fact that, as a rather shy, quiet individual, he never had much taste for leading his own bands or recording sessions. But his style was utterly distinctive, marked by an enormous, horn-like tone, virtuosic single-note lines, fluid phrasing, and an expansive sense of space…

Versus is a long-gestating audio document of the collaboration between Detroit techno luminary Carl Craig, pianist Francesco Tristano, and French orchestra Les Siècles, conducted by François-Xavier Roth. All the aforementioned musicians (along with Germany's Moritz von Oswald, who serves as "spiritual advisor" for this recording) premiered Versus on-stage in 2008, reportedly to five standing ovations. Instead of taking the easy way out and just releasing a recording of the concert, Craig and company spent nearly a decade working on this album, taking full advantage of the capabilities of the recording studio. The orchestrations are rich and expressive yet intricate and fine-tuned, and they provide a hefty kick when necessary…

This important German hard/heavy/progressive rock band was formed in Berlin in 1968 and they started as a mainly instrumental jazz rock outfit. Despite some line-up changes they recorded four studio albums in four years' time. In these albums anyone can detect the changes of their sound, from the early jazz rock style to heavy prog rock. However, it's their 1975 release ''Plastic People'', which established them as a progressive rock band. This amazing album is a mix of heavy progressive music with krautrock, symphonic tendencies and jazzy doses. Keeping their well-known hard 'n' heavy style Birth Control added a lot of different elements in their music,making this album a must-have record. Numerous fantastic interplays, jazzy passages, great use of keyboards and a krautrock atmosphere with intense vocals are mixed with heavy rock to result a memorable release.

Two stray Chet Baker 10" titles and a few associated alternate takes are gathered on this single disc. Grey December is one of the better CD reissues featuring Baker's early-'50s recordings on Pacific Jazz, the purveyors of West Coast cool. The instrumental sides feature two septet sessions in December of 1953 and the vocal sextet session dates to February of 1955 - all three of which feature Baker and pianist Russ Freeman. Rather than present these sides chronologically, the four vocal tracks precede the decidedly lengthier 1953 instrumental sessions - a programming decision that works remarkably well. Enthusiasts of Baker's laid-back vocals should consider the February 1955 sessions as essential…

Collection of field recordings originally recorded on New Years Eve 1989 by Ko De Korte and Tom Haarsama. Additional overdubs produced by Bruce Watson at Delta Sonic Sound - Memphis, TN 2018. Real and raw from one of North Mississippi Hill Country Blues' best - Jessie Mae Hemphill.
A Mississippi singer/guitarist, Jessie Mae Hemphill weaves strong Delta traditions into her idiosyncratic style. Hemphill comes from a musical background - reportedly, her grandfather was recorded in the fields by Alan Lomax in the '40s. Jessie Mae learned how to play guitar as a child by watching her relatives perform…

The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.
One of the more popular performers in the idiom somewhat inaccurately called "contemporary jazz," David Benoit has mostly performed light melodic background music, what critic Alex Henderson has dubbed "new age with a beat." Benoit has done a few fine jazz projects (including a tribute to Bill Evans and a collaboration with Emily Remler) but most of his output for GRP has clearly been aimed at the charts. He studied composition and piano at El Camino College and, in 1975, played on the soundtrack of the Robert Altman-film Nashville…