Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water was the hottest album in the land in 1970, and Paul Simon's tunes from that and their earlier albums unexpectedly find a congenial advocate in Paul Desmond. Against the odds as determined by bopsters, Desmond finds something beautiful, wistful, and/or sly to say in each of these ten tunes, backed by Herbie Hancock's Rhodes electric piano and a set of ravishing, occasionally overstated (as in "America") orchestrations by Don Sebesky. "The 59th Street Bridge Song" is given a jaunty, carefree rendition, adapting quite well to a jazz treatment (after all, Desmond's old teammate in the Brubeck quartet Joe Morello played drums on S&G's original record) and Desmond even does some cascading overdubs on his solo part. "Cecilia" is a fast samba, Desmond cleverly works his old "Sacre Blues" into the solo on "El Condor Pasa," and the title track has a breathtakingly pretty fadeout…

East coast band with strong Canterbury school besides Muffins or Happy The Man and RIO influences. However delivers a very experimental music rich in wind instruments, acoustic guitars and many vintage keyboards. They use their musical abilities to build upon the Gentle Giant and Canterbury foundation to create a music that can only be described as one of the better American efforts from the late '70s into the '80s.
"Sudden Dusk" (1981) has the feel if not the actual sound of the English Canterbury school married with a detectable American folk influence, producing rock/chamber compositions of unusual beauty and dimension… The usual reference points given include Zappa, National Health, Gentle Giant and the like, but the similarities to those groups are only in that these are first rate players and the fact that the music is often complex…

The soundtrack to a VHS cassette of Christine Alicino's "video paintings" (which can be viewed properly only when the monitor is stood on its side), Thursday Afternoon is an hour-long, uninterrupted ambient piece created in Eno's "holographic" compositional style, in which even the most brief snippet of music is representative of the performance as a whole.

Deluxe box set contains three CDs + two Blu-Rays. This limited edition deluxe boxed set comprises three CDs featuring a new remaster of the original album, along with superb new stereo mixes by Stephen W Tayler, including three session out-takes and new mixes of the single tracks 'Urban Guerrilla' and 'Brainbox Pollution'. Also included is a stunning new mix of Hawkwind's performance at the Greasy Truckers Party at the Roundhouse on 13th February 1972. The set also includes two region-free Blu-ray discs which feature Stephen W Tayler's stunning new 5. 1 Surround Sound mixes of 'Doremi Fasol Latido' and bonus tracks and the complete live Greasy Truckers Party performance. An additional bonus feature is the 1973 promotional film of 'Urban Guerrilla'. The set is completed with a 68-page illustrated book with new essay and a reproduction poster initially included with the first pressing of album in November 1972 making this boxed set the definitive release of this legendary album.

This 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes the original studio album, ten previously unreleased live tracks that were recorded during the band s three-night stand at the Los Angeles Forum in October 1976. Presented in an 11 x 11 hardbound book, the set also features rare and unseen photos from the era, a replica tour book, and three stand-alone posters.
The Eagles took 18 months between their fourth and fifth albums, reportedly spending eight months in the studio recording Hotel California. The album was also their first to be made without Bernie Leadon, who had given the band much of its country flavor, and with rock guitarist Joe Walsh. As a result, the album marks a major leap for the Eagles from their earlier work, as well as a stylistic shift toward mainstream rock…

In the liner notes to these carefully packaged reissues, all four of the Incredible String Band principals– co-founder Clive Palmer, core duo Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, and Elektra records executive Joe Boyd– offer their insights in separate essays. Three of them mention the smell of patchouli. Such were the times, certainly, but the ISB are loved equally by avant-garde musicians, psychedelia enthusiasts, and those slightly dweeby young gentlemen who hang around music shops on college campuses. The reissue of their first four albums probably put to rest any notion that the ISB were a properly great band, releasing just one true classic, but they were rarely anything less than brave, inspired, and profoundly weird.

Here's Brownie and Sonny's gospel album, recorded in 1957 at Jenny Lind Hall in Oakland, California. Those used to hearing this duo stomp and hoot the blues will be surprised as they tackle material like "What a Beautiful City," "I Shall Not Be Moved," "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray," and Gary Davis' "Get Right Church" in their own inimitable style. But an even bigger surprise comes with the liner notes, penned by major league baseball player Orlando Cepeda! By far the most interesting of all the many recordings this twosome made during their time together.

The overflowing talent of a young man, the ultimate songbook is now available. All of Brian's works & followers & influences are included! The Brian Wilson Songbook has already been published by us (ODR6962-63), but we have reconstructed his fertile mind in a way that does not duplicate a single song. We have not only shed light on Brian's work and his followers, but have also taken a multifaceted look at the songs that may have influenced him. Beginning with Jan & Dane's M1, the first part of the album continues with Brian's work, followed by two good covers of Beach Boys songs, and then we come to his ally Gary Usher. The all-star cast is then introduced with M11 by Van Dyke Parks, M12 by Sagittarius, and M13 by Bruce & Terry. In the middle section, Brian's followers lined up, with the sad M17, followed by the hidden masterpiece M18, which also featured Ian Matthews, and a series of good tunes. M19.20, which talked about his affinity with the hilarious soul of the Philadelphia Soul, picked up Yellow Balloon and Sunrays from the many groups influenced by the Beach Boys, and the story came to a climactic conclusion.

Celebrated violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter introduces a new concerto by her friend and frequent collaborator John Williams, with the legendary composer himself conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Composed especially for Anne-Sophie Mutter, John Williams's Violin Concerto No. 2 is the culmination of several years of collaboration and friendship between two of the world's most celebrated musical artists.

Though recorded on one day, at standard length for an LP, this is really two albums in one sleeve, showcasing two rather different formats this highly original guitarist pursued. "The Blues Sonata" is set up in a pseudo-classical three-movement manner, with a polonaise, ballad, and scherzo, and the liner notes refer to a sonata form of development. The classical trappings, if any exist, are worn very lightly by Byrd, his bassist Keter Betts, and drummer Buddy Deppenschmidt. "Polonaise Pour Pietro" is a very blues workout. "Ballade in B Minor" is Chopin-esque in melodic influence only, including the brush-stroked improvisation segment, and "Scherzo for an Old Shoe" sets up as a Latin-tinged number, then stays on one chord with an Andalusian strain…

Over the last half-decade, The Pineapple Thief - led by musical polymath Bruce Soord and bolstered by the involvement of master drummer Gavin Harrison - has rapidly ascended to the upper echelons of Europe’s Alternative Rock scene.

Seasick Steve releases his new album, Love and Peace, via Contagious Records. The album sees Steve mixing up all of his much-loved ingredients to deliver a fresh new record that offers the perfect antidote for the troubled times in which we live. Full of hope for the future, it’s a great mix of boogie, blues, rock, Americana and folk – all delivered in Seasick Steve’s unique style. It’s a sizzler of an album.

Birth Control's second album, Operation, stands as one of the band's finest recordings, getting the vote as the second best album of 1971 by one of Germany's leading music magazines. Operation has Birth Control employing a nine-piece string section as well as a smaller brass entourage in order to produce a larger sound, and while their progressive air is just beginning to flourish, a rather large difference in musical strength and instrumental craft is noted right away. Not fully abstract or left-of-center just yet, the powerful crunch of Bruno Frenzel's guitar surely leads the way, dominating the rhythms of every track while complimenting the aeronautics of the keyboard passages. With the tempos quicker because of the stern synthesizer work, the entire album moves along at a brisk pace…

Known best as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, American jazz trombonist Curtis Fuller also contributed to many classic jazz recordings, but, crucially, was a fine bandleader in his own right whose late 1950s and early 1960s output remains his best work. This four CD set features music from the era during which Curtis Fuller was at his musical prime, and when he released the strongest records of his career as leader or co-leader. Featuring eight such records in perfect re-mastered sound, this collection is an ideal starting place for newcomers to the great man's music and a fine reminder of his talent and creativity for everyone else.

A new 4CD clamshell box set by the acclaimed British ‘retro rockers’ Cats in Space. This special collection features the band’s first four albums with original singer Paul Manzi, Too Many Gods, Scarecrow, Cats Alive! (Recorded At The Motorpoint Arena In Cardiff) and Daytrip To Narnia.