Not to state the obvious, but the reality is that The Pearl Sessions by Janis Joplin is primarily for completists and musical historians. That's fine; given its design and contents it appears it was meant to be. The two-disc package includes the original album and mono 45 masters of six of its tracks – including "Me & Bobby McGee," "Move Over," and "Get It While You Can." These are interesting, but they don't hold a candle to the stereo album mixes. It's the second disc that holds the fan treasures. The studio banter by Joplin, producer Paul A Rothchild, and the Full-Tilt Boogie Band is priceless. It offers proof of Joplin's exacting standards when it came to getting across the maximum emotional impact of a song, as well as her vulnerability - asking for guidance from Rothchild as to how to approach a particular take (he hands control right back to her)…

The French Black & Blue label was savvy enough to spirit Brooks into a studio when he was touring the continent in 1975 as part of Chicago Blues Festival '75. As befits the jam-session ambience of the date (pianist Willie Mabon, harpist Mack Simmons, and two-thirds of the Aces are on hand), hoary standards predominate: "Crosscut Saw," "Things I Used to Do," "Mama Talk to Your Daughter," and the ubiquitous title track (which remains a signature song). The omnipresent "The Train and the Horse" returns as well.

This was Billie Holiday's penultimate album, recorded when her body was telling her enough was enough. During the sessions with arranger Ray Ellis she was drinking vodka neat, as if it were tap water. Despite her ravaged voice (the sweetness had long gone), she was still an incredible singer. The feeling and tension she manages to put into almost every track set this album as one of her finest achievements. "You've Changed" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" are high art performances from the singer who saw life from the bottom up.

With a musical vision that is at the same time dark and ominous, yet stylish and sophisticated, Univers Zero are one of the most unique and influential bands ever to be associated with progressive rock, and the undisputed creators of the genre known as 'chamber rock'. Getting their inspiration from such diverse sources as rock, jazz, European folk and classical music (both ancient and modern), they have forged a distinctive sound that has received widespread critical acclaim, as well as influencing a vast number of contemporary avant-garde bands and ensembles.
Hailing from Belgium, the band was formed in 1973 by drummer Daniel Denis and trumpeter Claude Deron, with the original name of Necronomicon - though this was changed to Univers Zero (after a book by Belgian novelist Jacques Sternberg) in 1974…

The fan-geared Format follows in the footsteps of 1995's Alternative which collected the synth pop group's B-sides from the years 1985-1994. Here, it's 1996-2009, which means from Bilingual to Yes with a couple of musicals, ballets, and silent film soundtracks in between. Remixes are, for the most part, left for another set and while many fans keep up with PSB singles for the B-sides, this set, like Alternative, is appreciated by the faithful for its ease of use alone. Highlights include grand moments like "The Truck Driver and His Mate" and "How I Learned to Hate Rock 'N' Roll," along with some more whim-like numbers like "We're the Pet Shop Boys." If B-side collections spawned singles, the redo of "In Private" with Elton John as guest would be huge, and it's interesting how the demo of "Confidential" for Tina Turner recasts the song as one wistfully pining for a closeted lover…

The sole album by this forgotten US band was released in 1974 on small Mach Records and is probably the best example of early 70’s British progressive music (of The Moody Blues, Procol Harum or King Crimson) combined with heavy rock sounds (of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Uriah Heep). Most of the album was filled with varied and cleverly-arranged songs definitely influenced by the great names mentioned above, but it must be stressed that Leviathan had its own sound as well characterized by combination of Mellotron and Hammond organ sounds, electric guitar riffs and fine Zeppelin-ish vocals. The band was definitely a true representation of classic rock music! This remastered CD edition was expanded by 2 tracks from very rare vinyl single.

Greg Osby's outings for Blue Note are always challenging, always extending one boundary or another in his own idiosyncratic jazz iconography that uses elements of the historical tradition, the mainstream, and the avant-garde> in forging that signature. Public was recorded in January, 2004 at New York's Jazz Standard. Osby was playing in support of 2003's excellent St. Louis Shoes album. That band - trumpeter Osby on alto, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Rodney Green - all make this gig. The only change is the replacement of pianist Harold O'Neil with Japanese prodigy Megumi Yonezawa. The material features live renditions of three tunes from St. Louis Shoes; there are the reinventions of the two bebop classics, "Bernie's Tune" and "Shaw Nuff," each with staggered, jagged harmonic frameworks that are alternately jaggedly and pristinely wrought…