Three CD set exploring rock's dark underbelly and explorations in the occult, witchcraft, bad majick and satanism from 1966 onwards. As the Fab dream of the first half of the 1960s began to fade and the acid took it's unpredictable hold, spirituality in it's many forms provided some outlet for many of pop and rock's weariest souls and most enthusiastic experimenters. As the rock became harder and more progressive, the drugs grew dirtier and peace and love began to falter, the individualistic indulgence promised by the occult and it's many sisters drew it's cloak around already established acts and birthed countless other bastard and hybrid offspring. Divided into several offshoots and outlets - Buried Underground, Phantom Sabbaths, Popular Satanism, She Devils, Folk Devils, Evil Jazz, Beelzefunk and Incantation Chants - 'The Devil Rides In' captures a snapshot of that time and place, when rock, jazz, funk and folk took a step into the darkness, returning with tales of possession, witchcraft, covens, occult ceremonies, black masses, sabbats and encounters with He Who Walks Backwards himself. Enthusiastic and celebratory in places, damaged and cautionary in others, these artists offered a counter balance to the thread of Christian and Eastern spirituality also working it's way into rock at that time. Sometimes overtly, sometimes veiled, but always with something to say.

Tim Simenon's Bomb the Bass pet project pumped some of the best acid house straight into late-'80s dance clubs. Best known stateside for the seminal "Beat Dis," similarly groundbreaking slow-beat club groove, and the Burt Bacharach cover "Say a Little Prayer," Simenon's brand of acid-laced rap and snappy sampling kept sweat flowing coast to coast. Unfortunately, by the time the band's second album appeared in 1991, Bomb the Bass was all but forgotten in the beginnings of the grunge backlash. However, the sonics have continued to percolate, hence the welcome appearance of the U.K. compilation Beat Dis: The Very Best Of, which serves up a healthy hodgepodge of hits and a neat tweak for aging ravers' long-lost brain cells. In no particular order, Beat Dis unravels 1988 through 1991, commencing with the 12" version of "Beat Dis" and ending with the absurdly short "Megamix," while hitting all the important points in between. First-wave favorites include the aforementioned "Say a Little Prayer" and "Shake It," while the 1991 incarnation weighs in mightily with "Dune Buggy Attack" and the British hit "Winter in July".

From Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin to Mahler and Bartok, European classical music has been a source of inspiration to numerous jazz musicians. The 19th Century compositions of the Strauss family are the subject of All That Strauss, which documents a New Year's 2000 concert by the Vienna Art Orchestra–one of Europe's most adventurous big bands. It is quite appropriate that this Strauss tribute concert was performed in Vienna and that the orchestra has Vienna in its name; for many classical greats have lived in Austria's largest city, including Johann and Eduard Strauss. While the Vienna Art Orchestra's love of the Strauss legacy is obvious, the band doesn't treat its compositions like museum pieces. Instead, time-honored compositions like "Donauwalzer," "Albion Polka," "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag, ein Abend in Wien" and "Lagunen Walzer" are given serious jazz makeovers, and arranger Mathias Rüegg sees to it that the orchestra takes a lot of chances with the material.

Franck Pourcel & his Grand Orchestra.
French violinist Franck Pourcel is best-known for his jazzy string arrangements of pop hits, as well as his lush easy listening arrangements and film scores.
By 1958, Pourcel started recording classical music. His series of Pages Célèbres led him to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra, The Society of Concerts for the Conservatoire, The BBC Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, and the Lamoureux Orchestra at the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

World-renowned American death metal icons Nile return in 2024 with their highly-anticipated 10th onslaught, The Underworld Awaits Us All. Boasting airtight technicality and unrelenting brutality, the new album pushes each member of Nile - founding mastermind/guitarist Karl Sanders, longtime drum master George Kollias, vocalist/guitarists Brian Kingsland and Zach Jeter, and bassist Dan Vadim Von - to their furthest extremes both in artistry and performance.
Each track soars as a technical tour-de-force - featuring career-defining extreme drumming from Kollias, as well as razor-sharp soloing from all three active guitarists and palpable bass exploration. A perfect example of this equation is pinnacle burner “Under the Curse of the One God”, combining sinister atmospherics with breakneck pacing and whirlwind, vicious riff acrobatics…

Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass add plenty of spice to this Christmas jazz CD, not only with superb, fresh charts but a few surprising selections. The rich brass and reeds carry the deliberate rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which segues into a perky Latin-flavored chart of "I'll Be Home for Christmas." "Away in a Manger" is not the commonly heard melody but one first written in 1887, though the music will likely be familiar, even if one doesn't associate it with the well-known lyrics. The lush setting of "The Christmas Song," which likely set Mel Tormé and Bob Wells for life with royalty checks due to its many recordings, showcases the leader's valve trombone and pianist David Restivo. "My Favorite Things," originally written for The Sound of Music, has gradually been transformed into double duty as a Christmas carol; this swinging interpretation works very well. Johnny Mandel, the composer of many memorable melodies, deserves greater recognition for his gorgeous piece "A Christmas Love Song"; this arrangement deserved to help put it on the jazz map. Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass consistently delivered first-rate music throughout their existence, this holiday CD no exception.

Recorded live at the Zurich Jazz Festival in 1980, this was America's first taste of the wild abandon that is the Vienna Art Orchestra and expatriate Lauren Newton's glorious vocal instrument. This is a 13-piece big band led by the beautifully weird compositional, instructional, and arranging craziness of Mathias Rüegg. They trash and revere all traditions – both historical and avant-garde at the same time – while using them both along with carnival and circus music, classical forms and fugues, and French salon music. They swing here like a Mingus big band playing "Jelly Roll, But Mingus Rolls Better," with soloists who could care less what the ensemble chart says and vice versa. Newton, mixed high above the prattle, soars with the intensity of a pianist while blowing Jon Hendricks away at his own game. The fun really begins when the ensemble changes tempos two or three times and sections play against each other as in "Concerto Piccolo," even if begun by the lilting line of the title's instrument.

The instrumental trio The Three Suns had been around for about two decades, capturing fans as far-ranging as First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and the Platters (who took their Twilight Time to the top of the charts), when they cut this record for RCA s famed Living Stereo series in 1959. And, no doubt inspired by the new-fangled recording technology in RCA s Studio A, they turned in one of the most wacky and entertaining Christmas albums of the era, adding rock and roll guitar and instrumentation as varied as chimes, bells, oboes and two (!) tubas to create a Space Age stereophonic spectacular suitable for the Jetsons next holiday party. This record s long been cherished by Christmas music devotees, and our Real Gone worldwide CD debut reissue features a sparkling remastering job by Maria Triana at Sony s Battery Studios and liner notes by Joe Marchese. Every bit as fizzy as the champagne you re going to open to toast the season!

As part of my project "follow me with bach" in 2021 I performed all sonatas and partitas for violin solo by J.S.Bach (BWV 1001-1006) in one day in Würzburg in the pilgrimage church "Käpelle", the "Hofkirche" of the Würzburg Residence but also in an unusual place, the Würzburg main station. The concert in the train station was one of the most intense experiences I have ever had as a musician. For in this unfamiliar environment, the ambient noise there and in the coming and going of the audience surprised by the music, Bach, fascinating for everyone, unfolded a completely different power than in the concert hall. Bach in the train station became train station in Bach.

Fusion for Miles brings together Eric Johnson, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Warren Haynes (Govt Mule), Jimmy Herring (Allman Brothers), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Bill Connors (Chic Corea), Steve Kimmock(The Other Ones), Bireli Lagrene and Jeff Richman,each paying an inspired guitar tribute to one of the top founding fathers of contemporary jazz and fusion. These guitarists are all world renowned and collectively make a once in a lifetime musical statement.

Open Spaces (1971). Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of Open Spaces by CMU, the band's debut album from 1971, this unique masterpiece is a much sought after collectors item originally released on the Transatlantic label. CMU (Contemporary Music Unit) were a unique fusion of Progressive rock, Jazz and Folk influences. In keeping with the mood of the times, Open Spaces touches a style that evokes the work of contemporaries Affinity or even Arthur Brown. In Larraine Odell, CMU had one of the few female vocalists of the Progressive era, a fine vocalist supported by a fine band…

Shaman provides music and titles "evoking images of ancient and non-Western cultures". Conceptually, the album seeks to transport the listener into the mystical past of early civilization. Parsons accomplishes this by using some of today's most sophisticated music gear. Here his synth programming abilities are evident as Parsons creates sounds alien to the acoustic world. Repetitive patterns, reminiscent of '70s Berlin School, influenced by Eastern sensibilities are at the core of this release. Most of the six tracks build from a feeling of anticipation and continue on to sweep us away in a rapid swirl of synth rhythm patterns. The philosophy behind Shaman may be from the dawn of time, but the sounds are that of the 21st century.

Avi Lebovich & The Orchestra – Groove Collage (2008) is an album by Avi Lebovich, an Israeli composer, bandleader, and producer, known for blending various genres such as jazz, funk, soul, and world music into unique, vibrant soundscapes. Released in 2008, Groove Collage features a mixture of complex rhythms, catchy grooves, and rich instrumentation, creating a high-energy and engaging listening experience. The album is an exploration of groove-based music, incorporating a wide array of styles and influences while maintaining a cohesive, contemporary feel.

Arnon Palty – Pocket Size Pocket (1995) is an album by Arnon Palty, an Israeli musician and composer. Known for his experimental approach to music, Palty blends elements of jazz, ambient, and world music, creating a unique sonic landscape. Pocket Size Pocket is an instrumental album that showcases Palty’s distinctive sound, characterized by subtle compositions, improvisation, and a focus on melodic textures.

Satoshi – Takino (1992) is an album by Satoshi, a Japanese artist known for his ambient, new age, and instrumental music. The album, Takino, was released in 1992 and offers a blend of minimalist compositions and atmospheric soundscapes, drawing influences from both Japanese traditional music and contemporary instrumental genres. The music on Takino is a peaceful, introspective exploration of sound, making it ideal for fans of ambient, world music, and new age styles.