Cream was the first of three supergroups spawned by the Yardbirds' three stellar axmen (they preceded the original Jeff Beck Group by a year and Jimmy Page's Led Zeppelin by two). The trio of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce, and drummer extraordinaire (and band founder) Ginger Baker earned a reputation for fiery live performances rife with improvised blues-based jams (epitomized by Willie Dixon's "Spoonful") that could last half an hour. Two of this set's four discs are devoted to live Cream, showcasing prowess and interplay so powerful as to overshadow its occasional lapses into self-indulgence. Clapton admirers more familiar with his latter-day laid-back persona may be shocked at the incendiary musician showcased on these live cuts. Cream progressed over the course of its three and a half studio records (included here in their entirety). Electric blues evolution was their forte, but they also captured sounds that were moody and acoustic-tinged ("As You Said," "Passing the Time"), music-hall-influenced ("Mother's Lament," "Wrapping Paper"), and progressively poetic ("Deserted Cities of the Heart," "Pressed Rat and Warthog"). –Jerry McCulley

Nouveau Swing is a spectacularly expressive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized post-bop and contemporary studio masterpiece led by the legendary New Orleans alto saxophone vanguard pioneer and cultural monarch Donald Harrison, digitally preserved and released on compact disc in 1997 under the prestigious banners of Impulse! and GRP Records. Spanning over 65 minutes of breathtakingly intense, conceptually profound instrumental interactions across 14 definitive tracking alignments, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute peak monument in late-1990s acoustic jazz archaeology. The record serves as the definitive manifesto for Harrison’s trademark "Nouveau Swing" philosophy—a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that brilliantly grafts the foundational swing, complex chord changes, and sophisticated harmonic structures of hard bop onto the infectious, modern rhythmic grooves of contemporary R&B, hip-hop, funk, and reggae.

Duo (Amsterdam) 1991 is a spectacularly expressive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized avant-garde jazz and free improvisation live masterpiece co-engineered by two of the absolute ultimate vanguard monarchs of radical sonic architecture, multi-reed genius Anthony Braxton and German piano titan Georg Grawe, released in 1997 by the premier independent Chicago archival preservation imprint Okka Disk. Spanning nearly 46 minutes of breathtakingly intense, conceptually unbound instrumental interactions across 3 sprawling, episodic structural movements, this high-fidelity restoration serves as an absolute pinnacle monument in early-1990s European free-music archaeology. Captured live in concert at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam on November 14, 1991, during a historic European meeting, this unique duo configuration executes a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that completely shatters traditional chordal templates, bridging structural American jazz mathematics with European post-serialist avant-garde piano geometries.

A Little Touch Of Harry is a spectacularly expressive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized mainstream and cool jazz studio masterpiece led by the legendary American tenor saxophone vanguard traditionalist Harry Allen, released in 1997 by the premier independent Japanese archival preservation imprint Sound Hills Records. Spanning over 66 minutes of breathtakingly swinging, conceptually pure melodic interactions across 12 definitive tracking alignments, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute pinnacle monument in late-1990s traditional jazz archaeology. Celebrated globally as a definitive champion of the classic swing and breathy Webster-esque tenor lineage, Allen utilizes this elite studio laboratory to execute a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that breathes vibrant new life into the Great American Songbook, balancing deep historic reverence with immense improvisational clarity.

British Polygram TV's Greatest Hits is a fine 20-track collection that contains all of Kiss' best songs, from "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Strutter" to "Beth," "Plaster Caster," and "Cold Gin," on one disc. For casual fans, this is likely all the Kiss they would need, even if it does contain a few odd selections.

The Collected Works was a triple-disc box set that included all of the duo's albums, but no rarities. For average fans – even fairly dedicated ones – that set contained most everything they would need, even if the sound quality was a little below average. Old Friends is a three-disc box set that was designed to replace The Collected Works, but it fails to achieve its goals despite its improved remastered sound. Part of the reason is the content itself – all five albums plus the rarities on this set could have fit on three discs, offering a real complete recorded studio works, but the compilers decided to truncate the albums and toss on a handful of rarities. The result certainly isn't bad – after all, it features all of the hits, most of the major album tracks, the 1975 reunion "My Little Town," and a couple of good rarities like "Blues Run the Game" – but it isn't all it could have been. If you already own The Collected Works, Old Friends serves little purpose unless you're a collector or audiophile, and if you're a neophyte, you're better off obtaining the original albums, not this well-intentioned and enjoyable but ultimately unsuccessful compilation.

SILVER, 1997's double-disc Steppenwolf anthology, digs deeper into the crFme de la crFme of this classic rock band than the 1999's single-disc ALL TIME GREATEST HITS. Steppenwolf was one of the first bands to specialize in cranked-up-to-ten anthems. These guys definitely lent a helping hand in creating heavy metal.
The Steppenwolf sound is best displayed on the hits ("Born to Be Wild," "Magic Carpet Ride," "Rock Me"). These songs remain rock-radio standards. Also featured are such highlights as the mid-paced "It's Never too Late" and a pair of anti-drug diatribes, "The Pusher" and "Snowblind Friend."

The symphonies presented on this CD are all quite different in their compositional intentions and basic stylistic traits, but they do evidence certain parallels in their formal design (two works in one movement, two times three movements), their origins and in several other aspects.

Feel Like Blowing My Horn is a spectacularly vibrant, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized classic Chicago blues studio masterpiece led by the legendary American barrelhouse piano pioneer and vocal titan Roosevelt "The Honeydripper" Sykes, reissued with bonus material in 1997 by Bob Koester's premier independent blues preservation imprint Delmark Records. Spanning over 50 minutes of raw, infectious instrumental and vocal interactions across 14 tracks, this high-fidelity restoration serves as an absolute peak monument in 1973 urban blues archaeology. Originally recorded in August 1970, the session captures Sykes returning to a robust, horn-augmented ensemble format, executing a fierce, liberating sonic blueprint that seamlessly marries his booming, boogie-woogie piano architecture with sophisticated jump blues and traditional South Side ensemble dynamics.

Sa Va Bella (For Lady Legends) is a spectacularly soulful, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized late-career studio masterpiece led by the legendary American vibraphone visionary Milt "Bags" Jackson alongside an elite acoustic quartet and special guest vocal icon Etta Jones, released in 1997 by the premier major imprint Warner Bros. Records. Spanning nearly 58 minutes of deeply expressive, telepathic instrumental and vocal interaction across 10 timeless selections, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute pinnacle statement in late-1990s post-bop archaeology. Conceived entirely as a deeply moving, elegant tribute to the legendary women of jazz and blues vocal history—including Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan—Jackson utilizes this brilliant laboratory to execute a highly refined, blues-drenched sonic blueprint that seamlessly marries his crystalline, fluid vibraphone lines with rich harmonic vocal foundations.

If Summer Had Its Ghosts is a spectacularly fluid, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized contemporary jazz studio masterpiece led by the legendary British percussion visionary Bill Bruford alongside an elite, world-class acoustic superpower trio featuring guitar/piano maestro Ralph Towner and double bass titan Eddie Gomez, released in 1997 by Robert Fripp's independent archival preservation imprint Discipline Global Mobile. Spanning over 49 minutes of breathtaking, deeply poetic instrumental interaction across 11 tracks, this high-fidelity restoration serves as an absolute peak monument in late-1990s progressive jazz-rock and chamber jazz archaeology. Moving completely away from his heavy electronic setups, Bruford utilizes this unique acoustic alliance to execute a highly refined, transparent sonic blueprint that seamlessly marries intricate, odd-meter structures with expansive, lyrical improvisational soundscapes.

Dynamite Deluxe brings a unique sound / to the table with their demo release / Eimsbush Tapes Vol 1 showcases their skill / lyrically and musically with each track

MEGA db is a spectacularly kinetic, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized studio masterpiece by the legendary Japanese jazz-fusion powerhouse duo Jimsaku, released in 1997 via the prominent regional imprint Fun House. Spanning over 40 minutes of blinding technical virtuosity across 8 tracks, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute pinnacle statement in late-1990s J-Fusion archaeology. Established by the formidable, world-renowned rhythm section of bassist Tetsuo Sakurai and drummer Akira Jimbo following their iconic tenure in Casiopea, Jimsaku completely shattered fusion boundaries on this record. The album stands as a monumental landmark, representing the final studio effort of their original 1990s run before an extended multi-decade hiatus, capturing their signature high-octane rhythmic interplay at its absolute peak.

After The Break is a spectacularly eclectic, deeply nostalgic, and masterfully sequenced cross-generational compilation album, curated and issued in 1997 by the specialized television marketing division of Sony Music. Spanning nearly 68 minutes across 20 beautifully remastered tracks, this high-fidelity studio document frames a highly compelling retrospective concept: gathering iconic, radio-defining vocal masterpieces that capture an atmospheric, laid-back mood across several musical eras. Rather than restricting itself to a single decade or genre, the anthology fluidly moves between multi-faceted cornerstones of American and British music history, effortlessly weaving together mid-century traditional jazz pop, 60s sunshine folk rock, 70s funk/soul foundations, and late-80s club-infused rhythm and blues.

Jimi Hendrix A self-taught guitarist, Hendrix began his musical career backing such R&B greats as Ike and Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, The Isley Brothers, and B.B. King. Brought to London from New York by former Animals bassist Chas Chandler, Hendrix quickly established himself as the brightest new star on the burgeoning progressive rock scene of the early '60s. Along with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell he formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience.