MUSIC
NEWS & NOTES SPOTLIGHT
NOVEMBER
2010 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
DANAL
MUSIC - A great pop/rock CD with a wide breadth of memorable music
and musicianship, Walls Of Jericho is a splendid introduction
to the music of Mark Newman. Accurately described as a triple
threat musician, Newman’s music and vocals are truly first rate
while his guitar work is nothing to scoff at. In fact, fans of Duane
Allman and Dicky Betts should give a listen to Newman’s electric
guitar work which is highlighted here along with his performance on
dobro, lap steel, mandolin and bass. A number of musicians assist
Newman on Walls Of Jericho, including drummer Shawn Murray
who really drives on the big beat. I was thinking as to who Newman
reminded me vocally and I right away thought of the soulful rock vocals
of Gregg Allman but also Newman’s cover of the ‘60s rock
classic “White Bird” originally from It’s A Beautiful
Day is a most fitting and rarely witnessed tribute to that underrated
band’s great psychedelic rock singer David LaFlamme. Even with
so many influences and music musical touchstones on hand, Newman’s
own songs are really what carries his superbly recorded CD into the
end zone. Time well spent for classic rock fans, Mark Newman’s
Walls Of Jericho establishes him as a significant recording
artist in his own right. www.kayosproductions.com
/ www.MarkNewman.us
EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT - I’ve always been a big fan
of Eagle’s new rock recordings, case in point being their 2003
Procol Harum classic, The Well’s On Fire and while it’s
been a long time since that Harum record came out, 
Eagle
brings their roster up to date in 2010 with I Feel Like Playing
from guitar legend Ronnie Wood. The CD echoes his work
with Rod Stewart and The Faces back in the early '70s as well as major
influences from his 35 year history with The Rolling Stones In fact,
if Mick had appeared on the album it was sound just like the Stones.
Wood has written some fine new tracks here and his guitar playing
and vocals are superbly tracked in the wide screen mix. Wood’s
painting artwork also graces the CD booklet while the music inside
featuring key appearances from music legends like Jim Keltner (drums),
Darryl Jones (bass), Billy F. Gibbons (guitar), Slash
(guitars), Flea (bass), and other notable rock legends
like Blondie Chaplin and Bobby Womack on backing vocals
and much 
more.
Plugging his 2010 Atlantic Records CD, Going Back—rock
drummer turned pop star Phil Collins brought his latest album
to the the stage and the results can be appreciated on Eagle's DVD
Phil Collins - Going Back - Live At Roseland Ballroom NYC.
Collins is a famous fan of classic Motown top 40 classics and
backed by a solid band, he gets to relive his past out on stage performing
a 25+ track, two hour set introducing new versions of classics made
famous by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Martha & The Vandellas,
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Supremes and more. Backing Collins
are first rate players including Motown session heroes, The Funk
Brothers as well as members of Genesis including guitarist Daryl
Stuermer and drummer Chester Thompson. Bonus tracks here
add in an interview track with Phil and rehearsal footage for the
June 2010 live show complete with Phil’s own commentary. www.EagleRockEnt.com
EVERSO RECORDS - Commenting on her 2010 CD Tears, Lies
And Alibis, singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne says,
‘I am thrilled to tell you that I am officially the president
and CEO of my own record label called Everso Records and Tears,
Lies, And Alibis is its first release. I’ve made records
for 20 years and never been more excited. I finally have the creative
control I’ve needed to get my vision out there.’ On Tears,
Lies, And Alibis, Shelby delivers the goods on album that veers
between upbeat, sassy pop, as heard on the lead off cut “Rains
Came” and quite dark, sometimes depressing tracks here such as
“Like A Fool,” which is really low key country twang and
quite emotive. To be honest, I really love the upbeat bounce of “Rains
Came” and wish Shelby would stick to that side of the pop line
but when she gets moody, look out. A bunch of great players assist
the Alabama born, L.A. based Lynne including engineer Brian “Brain”
Harrison, guitarists Val McCallum and Ben Peeler,
session heroes David Hood (bass) and Spooner Oldham (keys),
several drummers and much more. Lynne blew my mind with her spine-tingling
vocal performance of the Plastic Ono Band classic “Mother”
at the John Lennon “Come Together” tribute concert planned
that although planned before, took place just weeks after 9/11. With
her new music, Ms. Lynne still has the power and presence to send
chills down your spine. Reflecting numerous changes in her life, both
upbeat and downbeat, Tears, Lies, And Alibis is nevertheless
the musical side of Shelby she wants you to hear. www.ShelbyLynne.com
FIRE
SIGN RECORDS - The
latest sonic exploration from NYC based singer-songwriter Lou Barlow,
You Shouldn’t Have To Shout So Loud is a six track, 2010
CD of new music from True Nature. The CD follow up to Barlow’s
2009 True Nature release of Feels Like Centuries, the second
True Nature CD carries on the sound with a new sense of musical drive
and purpose. As on Feels Like Centuries, Barlow’s joining
together of like minded musicans is quite amazing, once again including
guitarist Gerry Leonard, bass great Tony Levin, while
still on the traps and producing is Aaron Comess. The cover
art is once again interesting too—a child on the battlefield
of life with two six shooters ready to make or break it. As on the
‘09 release, Lou has put together a great lineup to help fulfill
his studio vision. These guys are some of the best in the modern music
world and you can hear why Barlow is so thrilled to have a supporting
cast of players of this dynamic and expertise to help calculate his
sound and vision. In his liner notes for You Shouldn’t Have
To Shout So Loud Barlow adds, ‘This companion EP to Feels
Like Centuries marks the completion of an albums worth of material
with one of the greatest studio bands ever.’ That is quite true,
however these new 2010 tracks—which Barlow claimed in late ‘09
was planned to be even more guitar heavy all around—are truly
memorable with more than one highlight. You Shouldn’t Have
To Shout So Loud is a good pick for fans of Gerry Leonard’s
early 2000s wall of guitars sound with David Bowie, as well as rock
fans who also appreciate the eclectic rock dynamic of Peter Gabriel
and U2. www.TrueNatureBand.com
HOR
RECORDS
- One of the reassuring mainstays of top 40 FM radio during the ‘70s,
The Doobie Brothers make a solid comeback with the 2010 CD/DVD
release of World Gone Crazy. Heck, it even makes
me feel good as an American to see a local paper like The New York
Post endorsing the set as their pick for Grammy Award “album
of the year.” Well, for early listeners, classic Doobies tracks
like “Listen To The Music” and “China Grove” left
great memories of just how tight they are as a band. If you liked
the Doobie Brothers of 1972, you’ll like this album. The band's
founding frontmen—Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston—get
solid support from longtime members John McFee (on guitars,
violin, mandolin and banjo) and Michael Hossack (drums and
percussion). Also adding to the festivities are guest appearances
by former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald and country music
icon Willie Nelson appears on a track here. Featuring that unmistakable
Doobie Brothers sound, World Gone Crazy was co-produced
by Ted Templeman, who worked with the Doobies on their string
of classic records. Interestingly, the first single from the album
, “Nobody” is actually a newly recorded version of the group’s
1971 single debut. As a fine addition to the double disc set, the
DVD included here
presents an
extensive and quite entertaining Doobie Brothers documentary and a
new music video of their “Nobody” single. www.DoobieBrothers.net
LARKIO
MUSIC - Back in 1969, singer-songwriter and keyboard great Gary
Wright was a member of British rockers Spooky Tooth and that summer
of ‘69 the band released one of the best albums of that magical
year, the ever-popular Spooky Two. The album was produced by
Stones / Traffic studio wizard Jimmy Miller but despite the enormous
inroads made by the album, the band followed up in 1970 with an avant
gard album with French composer Pierre Henry and that move—coupled
with Wright's departure after the Henry album—just
about closed the door on their big promises and commercial breakthrough
of the Spooky Two era. 
Just
around the time of his first solo album from 1971, Extraction,
Gary Wright also became a huge musical force in the music world, joining
forces with Beatles guitarist George Harrison on a number of key projects,
starting with Harrison's 1970
breakthrough solo breatkthru' album All Things Music Pass. Although
his biggest solo hit, “Dreamweaver” came out nearly 35 years
ago, Wright has continued on making solo albums, some under the radar
of the 21st century music world, including several instrumental New
Age flavored albums no doubt shaped by his interest in Far Eastern
philosophies as well as a comeback and subsequent DVD in 2007 with
the original members of Spooky Tooth. During the summer of 2010, Wright
was also part of Ringo Starr’s All Starr band and the band celebrated
Ringo’s 70th birthday with a show at Radio City Music Hall in
NYC. Long time Wright fans will get a kick out of Gary’s 2010
comeback album, fittingly entitled Connected. Featuring ten
new Wright originals, Connected features Wright’s vocals
and inimitable keyboard sounds and effects with added guitar spots
from fretboard aces Joe Walsh and Jeff “Skunk”
Baxter with Ringo Starr taking the drum spotlight on the album’s
lead off track “Satisfied”. Born the same year as his late
great friend George Harrison, Wright has really been around the musical
world for quite a long time and it’s quite gratifying to hear
him having such a great time, well Connected to his many fans
all over the world. www.TheDreamweaver.com
PARLOPHONE - Even a randy prog maven like this humble reviewer
sometimes can’t resist saying some nice things about a youthful
new pop talent worth giving an ear to. We’re talking about U.K.
singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle—an up and coming pop
talent who sounds slightly influenced by both the bluesy cabaret chanteuse
vibe of Amy Winehouse and the bouncy, ‘60s pop / vaudeville era
of Sandy Shaw. Introducing, England’s latest pop trendsetter
Eliza Doolittle, who strikes a blow for 21st century pop. Fittingly,
Eliza’s web site has a special blog devoted to her hero John
Lennon, and her 13 track self-titled debut album on Parlophone—the
home label of The Beatles—exudes a special glow. Whether or not
Eliza becomes the new Beatles is somewhat humorous conjecturing, but
clearly there’s a whole bunch of bouncy pop confections that
effortlessly crosses over and back between vintage retro pop, R&B
flavored soul-pop and a more mature blues-pop . www.ElizaDoolittle.com
VIBRO-PHONIC - 2010 has proved to be a classic year for L.A. pop
and making the cut this year is the latest long player from The
Jigsaw Seen called Bananas Foster. The eleven
cut CD goes retro when it has to but the novel, postmodern approach
keeps the music fresh and the sound current. A fine quartet featuring
Dennis Davison (vocals), Jonathan Lea (guitar), Tom
Currier (bass) and Teddy Freese (drums), the Jigsaw Seen
is augmented on the album by guest artists including L.A. pop mavens
Probyn Gregory and David Nolte. Vintage gear like the
mellotron give the music a prog-pop dynamic and in some cases the
music successfully evokes the spirit of classic late ‘60s bands
like the Left Banke and The Bee Gees. Whereas many bands are cutting
out packaging and going with downloads only in some cases, The Jigsaw
Seen have always been known for their intriguing packaging and the
seen to be believed CD art and packaging of Bananas Foster is
a concept unto itself and makes an cool compliment to a band renowned
for their futuristic / retro approach to pop. www.Vibro-Phonic.com
INSTRUMENTAL
ASTRAL
WEB /
JAM RECORDINGS - Based out in Michigan, Jeremy heads
up Jam Recordings and one artist he’s recorded with and continues
to plug in his vast pop catalog is Argentina born multi-instrumentalist
/ keyboard synthesist Cazenave. On his latest album Ser,
the Spain based Cazenave sounds influenced by instrumental chill
music avatars like Vangelis and T. Dream and others but he also adds
guitar into the mix as another color. The mood is also very influenced
by early Pink Floyd, Kitaro and Anthony Phillips among others, while
the mostly instrumental album also features a couple guest vocals
from Jeremy himself! One other thing about this album is the very
interesting artwork and design. The whole thing is quite oblique and
makes an interesting spin for fans of modern rock electronica. In
addition to Casenave’s many instrumental albums, he’s also
quite a pop maven and you can hear a good example of his devotion
to the folk-rock and pop genre on his album Pack.
Released recently in 2008 on his Astral label, I believe the recording
is actually from 1998. On Pack, Cazenave sounds influenced
by pop mavens like Robin Hitchcock and as such his guitar and vocal
approach—with vocal cameos from the González sisters—is
very retro-cool. Cazenave
is a fine spin either as New Age electronica or as a very rockin'
pop experience. www.JamRecordings.com
BLAZZ
MUSIC - Guitarist Ben Rogers is the boss of Australian
instrumental surf-rock. Backed up by his group The Ben Rogers
Instrumental Asylum, Ben has really been on a roll thanks to several
key releases, including the 2007 release of Reverb Rehab. Backed
up by the same band of players on that album—Nikki Scarlett
(bass, ukulele) and Denis Close (drums, rhythm guitar,
sound effects)—Ben now presents a great follow-up with 2010’s
Instrumentally Disturbed. Ben Rogers records
the same type of surf-music that Jimi Hendrix would have liked—plenty
of hard rock riffing, enough echo to fill a stadium and the tracks
to make it all click. Ben really comes into his own as a composer
on the humorously titled Instrumentally Disturbed CD. Even
so, for this writer the two highlights here are a pair of cover tracks
that project just how original and bold Rogers can get as a guitar
stylist. Back in 1962, the all girl group The Exciters had a huge
pop smash with “Tell Him”—produced by Lieber and Stoller—that
brought them to the top ten of the music charts. In the process, Rogers
and his Asylum have transformed what was a national girl group hit
in ‘62 into a raging instro-rock classic. It's just amazing stuff
really. Also, one of the all time classic songs, “Beyond The
Sea” is given a new twist on Ben’s take of the track with
the original 1943 French title, “La Mer”. Even though “Beyond
The Sea” has been recorded by 400 artists at least, Ben really
puts a cool instro spin on this timeless classic. Looking for a comforting
musical sanitarium where instrumental rock inosculates with surf and
retro rock? Welcome to The Ben Rogers Instrumental Asylum. www.BenRogers.com.au
/ www.Blazz.com.au
BLUE ARMADILLO - Having built his guitar reputation working
with hard rockers Whitesnake, Juicy Lucy and Snafu, guitarist Micky
Moody puts his guitar legacy in order with his 2010 CD entitled
Electric Journeyman. Moody has backed up the
best U.K. singers including Eric Burdon, Frankie Miller, Chris Farlow
and more, but the accent on his own CD is instrumental rock of the
highest caliber. It’s just amazing how true to Moody’s hard
rock and blues rock background you can get while still immersing yourself
in a new type of instrumental rock sound that borrows from jazz-rock
fusion, Hank Marvin / Shadows era dynamics as well as the classic
dueling rock guitar sound of great bands like Wishbone Ash and Thin
Lizzy. Perhaps it’s Moody’s background working with film
scores and T.V. commercials that gives his sound an intriguing sense
of immediacy and purpse not easily conceived of. If you dig hard rock
and inventive electric guitar instrumentals, Micky Moody is your man.
www.BlueArmadillo.com
EAGLE
ROCK ENTERTAINMENT
-
One of the main things that irked me about Emerson Lake & Palmer
was they didn’t have a guitarist in the band, although that changes
with Eagle’s 2010 CD release of Working Live - Volume 3
by ELP drumming wizard Carl Palmer. On the front cover
of 
the
CD booklet are the subtitled words Featuring Pictures At An Exhibition
and this CD’s condensed 23 minute version—a
completely instrumental pure rock version of the Mussorgsky classic—is
chock full of soaring electric guitar sounds care of Paul Bielatowicz
replacing Keith Emerson’s organ as the main instrument. Palmer
really nails the nut rocker on the head with this fantastic live album
which tastefully opens with a track you might have heard of called
“Peter Gunn”, while the six track, 45 minute CD proceeds
to lay out a strategic rational as to why Palmer has long been considered
one of the key architects from the dawn of the '70s progressive rock
era. www.EagleRockEnt.com
EMI
MUSIC - I remember interviewing Don Wilson, cofounder of
The Ventures just before they were inducted into the Rock and
Roll hall of fame in early 2008. Sadly, Don’s cofounder in The
Ventures, Bob Bogle passed away soon afterward. Even so, Don
keeps the Ventures’ legacy up to date with a 2010 CD from EMI
in Japan entitled In My Life, which stacks up
to be a fantastic guitar tribute to the music of the Beatles by their
‘60s competition, The Ventures. An excellent, nostalgic guitar
instrumental album, the 15 cut CD features previously released material,
remixes and six new tracks. Wilson once again teams with a fine band
who pay great respect to the music of The Beatles as well as the Ventures
guitar sound. Guitarist Bob Spaulding is in fine form and Spaulding’s
on Ian Spaulding also appears in this latest Ventures lineup
on bass. The downside is, In My Life is only available in Japan.
EMI Japan has printed a nifty booklet with amazing cover art, but
the inside booklet is all in Japanese! Get it for the music though.
www.TheVentures.com
FRÉMEAUX - Over in France, the sound of Gypsy Jazz is
alive and well on the Fremeaux label. They’ve released three
huge Django Reinhardt box sets over the past year or two and they
keep the vintage guitar sound of Django’s modern day disciples
with a number of popular artists such as Gypsy Jazz guitarist Romane,
who has a 2010 album on the label entitled Impair & Valse.
The time-honored sound of the Gypsy waltz came out of the “Musette”
tradition huge in the dancehalls of Paris before the war, and with
his Gypsy jazz guitars ablaze, Romane performs these pieces amazingly
well, accompanying himself on rhythm and solo lead guitar with fine
backing from bassist Alice Bassié. Romane’s percussive
acoustic rhythm keeps the waltz beat strong. Extensive liner notes
of the history of the Gypsy waltz are well written by Francis Couvreux
and the recording sound and mastering are first rate. The CD features
a number of extras including a CD ROM track with tab and scores. If
you like the swinging sound of Gypsy Jazz, with the focus on the guitar
specifically, Romane is a great discovery. Same could be said about
another Frémeaux release by The Angelo Debarre Quartet
entitled Impromptu. Unlike the Romane CD, Debarre’s
approach to Gypsy Jazz blends a number of voices including rhythm
guitar, contrabass and violin. Debarre released the 13 track 2007
recording, Live In London with his group in 2009, and Impromptu
recaptures a studio set recorded in London in May 2002, so it’s
cool to have this early snapshot of Debarre and his group on a session
that brings a fresh perspective and concept of Django Reinhardt’s
music. www.Fremeaux.com
OGLIO
- Although he’s most well known for writing some of the greatest
pop and rock standards of the 20th century with his group The Doors,
(“Light My Fire”, “Tell All The People”) the love
that Robby Krieger keeps for the guitar is a concept that transcends
musical genres. So you know Krieger can write pop standards, but you
might not know he’s even more in his element as a jazz / rock
instrumental guitarist. Krieger nearly invented the art of crafting
a psychedelic jazz guitar solo in a rock song, but on his long awaited
2010 comeback album Singularity, Krieger paves
a another road on a CD that crafts ten instrumental rock tracks that
borrow from jazz, flamenco and funk jazz as well as rock. In this
instrumental album setting you can really focus on and appreciate
Krieger’s guitar sound, incorporating Flamenco with electric
rock guitar styles. Interestingly, Krieger composed many of these
tracks with Arthur Barrow, who also serves on bass and keyboards
as a member of the large studio band backing up the rock legend on
the Singularity album. Krieger’s CD cover art painting
is pretty ominous yet it really fits Krieger’s time-honored guitar
sound and style on a CD that further casts his legacy deep and wide.
www.oglio.com
/ www.TheDoors.com
SPEKTRUM PRODUCTIONS - On the back cover he looks like he burning
in the fires of the almighty, but the music just smokes with God-given
fury. We’re talking about the 2010 CD from Kentucky based heavy
metal guitarist Michael Shouse, entitled Alone On The
Sun. Shouse’s music is definitely instrumental
hard rock / heavy metal but it’s done well and he’s clearly
put some thought into the packaging, design and music concept. The
album features some fine backing musicians and there’s even a
vocal track to add to the fun. The CD also features an enhanced feature,
including a music video for the title track, guitar tabs and more.
Commenting on his release, Shouse adds, ‘I haven't played another
persons music in 22 years. I did however decide to learn all I could
about the guitar and to be an instrumentalist when I first heard Satriani's
Surfing With The Alien. I loved how he arranged and focused
on the melody but was also creative. My faves are Satriani, Gilbert,
Wylde, Petrucci, Malmsteen, Vaughn. I’ve never learned any of
their stuff, but have gotten ideas from listening to them. Every lick
on the CD is an original lick. I have been coming up with them over
the last few years. There are things on there that have never been
done or attempted on the guitar. That’s why I wanted to put the
tab on the CD. The guitar on the back of the CD cover is a 7 string
Carvin, like all my guitars. All I play is Carvin. The 7 string is
strung differently, it has regular 6 strings and the first string
is a middle E string. It gives me 2 octaves of E next to each other,
which gives me the weird licks on "The Arabian". Find out
more about other reviews and the musicians on the CD on my site.'
www.mikeshousemusic.com
REISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
ANGEL AIR RECORDS - Although
Angel Air are primarily involved with releasing new and vintage albums
from English artists, they stretch out into welcome territory with
a new double disc release from American pop culture icons Tommy
James & The Shondells. Angel Air’s 2010 CD/DVD release
from Tommy James—entitled Live And On Fire—features
a live 2000 DVD concert video of Tommy 
James
& The Shondells down on Bleecker Street in the Village performing
all their big hits like “Hanky Panky”, “I Think We’re
Alone Now”, “Mirage” and many more. Throughout the
twelve track live show, James is backed up by a fine band, including
excellent lead guitar player John Golden. The DVD also features
several bonus features including a new, in depth, sit-down interview
with Tommy discussing key points and memories of his star-studded
career. Unknown to many fans, Tommy James also released a great comeback
studio album in 2006 entitled Hold The Fire and that
studio CD comprises the CD half of this double CD/DVD set. Anyone
who might have written Tommy James off as a ‘60s phenomenon should
give a listen to just how well he brings the ‘60s into the new
millennium on the Hold The Fire album. Guitarist Golden, Smithereens
drummer Dennis Dyken and a whole lot of other fine musicians
help bring these legendary ‘60s flavored pop songs to life. The
Hold The Fire album sounds great and is superbly produced by
Tommy and Jimmy “Wix” Wisner. Angel Air does the
reissue / repackage thing among the best and fittingly, the CD/DVD
set features a detailed booklet filled with color pics of the 2000
show along with a 2010 essay on Tommy and his historic song contributions
to the world of ‘60s pop and beyond. Back
in the 1970s Stray was one of the great U.K. rock bands. Combining
unique melodies and arrangements with hard rock licks, the group featured
the guitar and voice of Del Bromham. In 2009, Angel Air released
a double CD set from Stray entitled New Dawn, coupled with
a live CD entitled Alive And Giggin’. Following up on
that release, Angel Air also have a new for 2010 album from Stray
entitled Valhalla. Produced by Chris Tsangarides,
on Valhalla Stray live up to their legacy as one of the hardest
working bands in U.K. rock over the past 40 years. Stuart Uren
(bass) and Karl Randall (drums), back up Del’s guitar
and vocals on the hard hitting studio sound of Valhalla. In
addition to the occasional new album album, as in the case of Stray,
Angel Air are best known for their impressive reissue catalog and
high on the list of 2010 reissues is Dangerous Music,
from singer-songwriter Robin George. First released in
1985, the twelve cut CD is reissued in 2010 by Angel Air, complete
with four bonus cuts and in depth CD booklet complete with July 2010
liner notes by John Ogden. George has played with U.K. rock
legends including Robert Plant, Roy Wood and Carl Palmer to name a
few and backing up his songs, lead vocals and guitar/keyboards on
Dangerous Music are great players including Pino Palladino
(bass), Phil Lynott (bass) and others. Another U.K. reissue
classic on Angel Air is the 2010 reissue of Walking Into Mirrors
from singer-songwriter Johnny Warman. Released in 1981
by Rocket Records, Warman’s first solo album featured a guest
appearance by Peter Gabriel, but Elton’s label soon pared
down it’s roster and a second release vanished. Thankfully, Angel
Air has done a fine job on the reissue of Warman’s ‘81 classic,
adding in six bonus cuts and several enhanced CD-rom promo videos.
In addition to Gabriel’s guesting, the CD also features Warman
getting key backup from rock heroes like Larry Fast (synths),
Dave Lawson (keyboards) and Jerry Marotta (drums). Also
in 2010, Angel Air strike pop-rock gold with a rare double CD set
from legendary U.K. rockers Magna Carta entitled Midnight
Blue / Live & Let Live. Originally released
in 1982, Midnight Blue offers a mix of classic light and breezy
pop rock sounds that evoke a soft kind of West Coast American country
rock sound laced with a quintessential English soft-rock vibe that
really benefits from a great group performance and fine songs from
Magna Carta singer-songwriter and front man Chris Simpson.
Not only does Simpson prove to be an effective singer-songwriter but
his guitar skills are in fine form throughout the 19 track Midnight
Blue album which features the original album complete with a number
of bonus cuts. Simpson and the many fine musicians—including
various members from bands such as 10cc and Sad Cafe—in Magna
Carta are spotlighted on the live half of this fine CD set. Live
& Let Live showcases twelve Magna Carta live performances
taken from various live shows recorded between 1992 and 2007. With
track listing, artwork and remastering overseen by Chris Simpson,
the double CD Midnight Blue / Live & Let Live set is tastefully
packaged and is complete with twenty page booklet detailing the history
of Magna Carta. www.angelair.co.uk
/ www.magnac.com
/ www.stray-the-band.co.uk
/ www.TommyJames.com
CONCORD MUSIC GROUP - There’s
only one cure for the blues on a stormy Monday and that’s to
spin the upbeat, inspirational music of guitar great Wes Montgomery.
Before he moved on to CTI Records, Wes was a king of the long players
at the Riverside label and, delving into the Riverside vaults, Concord
makes good on the Montgomery legend with a 2010 CD reissue of Boss
Guitar—recorded in NYC on April 22, 1963. Boss Guitar
typifies the class and finesse Montgomery brought to the world
of early ‘60s jazz and backing up the guitarist on this recording
are Mel Rhyne (Hammond B-3 organ) and Jimmy Cobb (drums).
For the Concord 
Music
Group remasters, the label has employed the golden ears of Joe
Tarantino, who has done an impressive job on the remastered CD
sound of Boss Guitar. The album is part of the latest series
of CD remasters from Concord Music Group that shines a light on their
famous Original Jazz Classics Remasters series. Commenting
on the series, Nick Phillips of Concord adds, ‘Like the
previous titles in the series, these are all-time classic recordings
by some of the most legendary artists in the history of jazz.’
Also released with the Wes title in this late 2010 CD reissue blast
from Concord is Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus by
Vince Guaraldi Trio. Although best known for his piano-based
impressions of the Peanuts cartoon series, Guaraldi became
a legend overnight with his Jazz Impressions Of Black Orpheus soundtrack
which—recorded in late ‘61 and early ‘62—included
his most treasured composition, the ever brilliant “Cast Your
Fate To The Wind”. Released initially on Fantasy Records—now
part of the Concord Music Group—the 2010 CD remaster of this
Guaraldi favorite features the original eight cut album as well as
five bonus cuts. Same pretty much could be said for the other recent
CD reissue titles in Concord’s Original Jazz Classics Remasters,
including Dig by Miles Davis featuring Sonny
Rollins (recorded in October 1951 for Prestige Records), Chet
Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You (from trumpet master turned
singer Chet Baker, recorded in August 1958 for the Riverside
label) and Waltz For Debby by Bill Evans Trio (recorded
live at the Village Vanguard in June 1961). 24-bit remastering, insightful
new liner notes and key bonus tracks makes each of these essential
jazz CD remasters from Concord Music Group satisfying listening for
long time jazz fans and newcomers alike. www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
EAGLE
ROCK ENTERTAINMENT
-
Perhaps the crown jewel in Eagle’s late 2010 DVD lineup of hits,
Ladies & Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones recaptures
the British 
invasion
heroes, post ‘60s during four nights of performances in Texas
during their 1972 tour. Minus the Stones genius, multi-instrumentalist
and founder Brian Jones, this DVD captures a pretty rough and ready
snapshot of the Stones during their “Exiles” era and for
the most part the DVD combines tracks from Exile On Main Street,
Sticky 
Fingers
and Let It Bleed with the set only looking back to the
Jones era, hit single Stones on the closing “Jumpin’ Jack
Flash”. That said, the Glimmer Twins get ace support from their
fabled rhythm section and historic session heroes like Mick Taylor
and Nicky Hopkins. In addition to the 15 track live performance,
the DVD also includes two revealing interviews with Mick Jagger
from 1972 and 2010. Probably the most widely acclaimed DVD from
Eagle in 2010 was Eagle Rock Classic Albums Series Unveils The
Story Of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers’ Damn The Torpedoes.
The original 56 minute documentary compiles newly filmed interviews
with all the Heartbreakers including Tom Petty and guitarist
Mike Campbell as well as a big supporting cast of producers
and engineers. Following the tragic passing of pop legend 
Maurice
Gibb, at age 53 in 2003, his brothers Barry Gibb and Robin
Gibb pretty much retired the group name, but they reunite for
a 2010 look back at the legacy of the Bee Gees with In
Our Own Time. The Bee Gees were a pop force to be reckoned
with since they broke out on the world wide stage back in 1967. Discovered
by Brian Epstein and Robert Stigwood, the band achieved untold success
and their incredible story is summed up on the nearly two hour documentary.
Performance footage is superbly meshed with the intimate struggles
and triumphs that have made them one of the world’s most adored
musical families. From the incredible family footage of their early
years to Robin and Barry ruefully reworking tracks in 2010, capped
off with an extensive range of interviews, both new 
and
old, makes In Our Own Time the most up close, in depth and
personal look at the Bee Gees story yet. Another legend given the
royal treatment by Eagle, The Everly Brothers are feted on
The Everly Brothers Reunion Concert - Live At The Royal Albert
Hall. Filmed on September 23, 1983, the brothers reunion
concert has finally been reissued on DVD. All the hits are here—”Cathy’s
Clown”, “Love Is Strange”, “Bye Bye Love”
and more—while the band backing them, including guitar hero Albert
Lee and others is first rate. In addition to the 22 track concert,
there’s also a mini documentary / history on the Everly’s
featuring the brothers along with contributions from Chet Atkins,
Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty and others while 2010 liner
notes by writer Al Heller puts this historic two hour event
into context. www.EagleRockEnt.com
EXPRESSION RECORDS - A fretboard master of many hats and guises,
guitar genius and innovator Phil Manzanera is without a doubt
one of the key figures behind the shaping of early ‘70s rock
music and it’s subsequent offshoot, namely progressive rock fusion.
Exploring the concepts behind Manzanera’s unique contributions
to the guitar world and 20th century pop and rock music in 
general,
the 2010 release of Phil Manzanera - The Music 1972 - 2008 combines
25 key music selections spread over two CDs, along with a third disc—a
DVD combining eight different video tracks, including a 24 minute,
2008 documentary called “Revolution To Roxy” as well as
other various video productions and live performances spanning the
years 1975-2006. Roxy of course, is a reference to Phil’s early
‘70s guitar playing and contributions in Roxy Music, and
the group are represented with several classic tracks on disc one,
as well as previously unseen Roxy Music footage on the DVD disc. Featured
on CD 1 are other tracks Phil plays on including Roxy, tracks from
solo albums by Brian Eno, as well as album cuts from
Phil’s prog-rock entourage 801 and Phil’s own ‘70s
solo albums. As great as that early Manzanera sound was and still
is, the second CD here is really the meat of the matter for long time
fans. Featuring a number of selections from several of Phil’s
albums from 2000-2010, CD 2 merges some of the best tracks from Manzanera
albums such as Vozero, 6PM and 50 Minutes Later. Commenting
on The Music 1972 - 2008, Phil adds, ‘When choosing the
songs and music from a body of work that, so far, has spanned 35 years,
I did wonder if some common thread would emerge, and I guess it did...namely
my passion for experimentation and musical exploration through sound
and collaborations. I have never wanted to play it safe, even if it
means, as the great music writer Ian MacDonald said of me, ‘soaring
like an angel one minute and stumbling like a sleepwalker the next’.
Superbly packaged with colorful unique artwork and packaging,
the booklet of the triple disc The Music 1972 - 2008 features
key color pictures of Manzanera through the years and insightful 2008
liner notes written by Phil and his childhood friend, the late Ian
MacDonald that sheds further light on Manzanera's amazing guitar-based
musical journey. www.manaznera-themusic.com
MVD
VISUAL / CHROME DREAMS - Like so many of the expert DVD
masterpieces on the Chrome Dreams label, the 2010 release of Brian
Wilson - Songwriter 1962 - 1969 opens up a pandora’s
box of information surrounding the music of The Beach Boys and
the group’s founder and mentor Brian Wilson during their
heyday, throughout much of the 1960s. It’s a double DVD that
runs over 3 hours and features some intriguing bonus footage including
an additional feature called "The End Of An Era - The Beach Boys
In 1970". For impeccable insights into the group’s early
rise as representatives of the Southern California youth movement
of the early ‘60s and their early explorations into classic rock,
this in depth look into the musical mind of Brian Wilson and how he
shaped one of the most influential rock groups of all time is quite
impressive. With the key vintage b&w and color footage from the
'60s, the DVD is brought up into the now with new interviews from
long time Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston, along with a whole
litany of the historic producers, session players and assorted family
friends that surrounded the Wilson clan back in the heyday of the
‘60s. www.MVDb2b.com
SHAME FILE MUSIC - I’ve always been a big fan of experimental
music going back to listening to Wendy Carlos (and Walter before the
big change), Yoko Ono, Edgard Varese, Colin Noncarrow, Ragnar Grippe
and Luciano Berio to name a few. One label keeping that spirit of
experimental music alive is the Australian Shame File Music who strike
avant gard gold with a 2010 CD release from legendary Australian experimentalist
Arthur Cantrill—entitled Chromatic Mysteries: Soundtracks
1963-2009. Released in 2010, the Chromatic Mysteries
CD presents an intriguing cross-section of instrumental
avant gard flavored sounds that incorporate subtly captured environmental
soundscapes to fully blown abstract electronic music and musique concrete.
I can remember thrilling to Pink Floyd on their thoroughly uncommercial
Ummagumma masterpiece from 1969, and you can say the spirit
of Chromatic Mysteries is right up early Floyd’s musical
alley, minus the more conventional rock instrumentation. Cantrill
recorded a number of his compositions with his co-composer Corinne
Cantrill and, as indicated in the superbly designed 16 page CD
booklet, there’s plenty of history and mystery behind the Cantrill’s
intriguing sonic explorations. In addition to the Chromatic Mysteries,
Shame File Music has also released a comprehensive, 2010 double
CD set entitled Artefacts Of Australian Experimental Music:
Volume II 1974-1983. Somewhat along the lines of the
Cantrill CD, Shame File’s Artefacts CD set explores the
explosion of instrumental Australian experimental music; from the
mid ‘70s use of synths and computers, through to the radical
fringes of post-punk, noise/audio collage and the beginnings of industrial
and dark wave. Like the Cantrill release, the CD booklet for Artefacts
is quite comprehensive, giving a good indication of the amazing sonic
delights on these CDs. www.ShameFileMusic.com
THINK
RECORDS - 1980 was most bizarre year indeed. Aside from the obvious
ominous endings in December of that year, there was a touch of humor
and pop culture strangitudes as well! I can remember watching the
Caveman movie with Ringo and sultry cave woman and soon to
be wife Barbara Bach in early '81. Then there was Popeye,
which incidentally after way too long, was reissued as a beautifully
packaged CD on the Japanese boutique label Think. I think I'm definitely
going to check this movie out because the soundtrack music simply
fantastic. Basically, the music was written and produced by Harry
Nilsson and Van Dyke Parks, who receive great backing from
The Falcons—a band featuring Ray Cooper, Doug
Dillard, Klaus Voorman and of course Parks and Nilsson.
Several of the key artists appearing in the movie—including Robin
Williams, Shelly Duvall and Ray Walston appear here
too singing Nilsson's amazingly appropos music! As such, most of the
songs reflect or relate to events in the movie but fans of Nilsson’s
orchestral strings and the quirky pop productions of Parks will not
be disappointed. Released on Boardwalk Records in 1980, Popeye
is super look back and a kinder, gentler time in American pop
music lore. www.ThinkRecords.net
/ www.harrynilsson.com
/ www.fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com
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