I aptly discovered this group on the 25th December 2009. I had been searching through the archives, hoping I could find an obscure funk album with each member varying significantly in styles, an interesting cover, vaguely political lyrics, and very tight and memorable grooves. I was getting slightly worn out and frustrated that I couldn't find the album to peak my enthusiasm, until I found this one on Christmas Day.

A sublime set of roots, vocal and dubbed out instrumental magic, Close Encounters Of The Third World is a real lost gem in the treasure-filled Creation Rebel back catalogue. A true cross-atlantic collaboration - initial rhythm tracks were laid down in London in 1978, with horns and vocals overdubbed at Channel One in Jamaica, before bandleader Crucial Tony returned to London with the tapes for the album to be mixed by a visiting Prince Jammy. Originally released on pre-On-U Sound label Hitrun, and the second album released by the group chronologically. Unavailable for 45 years, it has been carefully pieced back together, for this new edition featuring extended 12” discomix versions of “Beware” and “Natty Conscience Free”, re-cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Includes new sleevenotes by reggae scholar David Katz that tells the story of the album in full, plus download card.

One of jazz’s most powerful tenor saxophonists is heard at his freewheeling, unfettered best on The George Coleman Quintet in Baltimore, a hitherto unheard live recording due from Reel to Real Recordings as an exclusive.

The 'No Fun Mondays' covers series launched in March 2020 on Green Day's YouTube channel. Like many musicians, Armstrong expected to spend much of 2020 on the road, touring in support of the band's chart-topping February album, 'Father of All.' However, once the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to put those plans on pause, Armstrong got busy with a different kind of work.

Warner Classics’ final release for Beethoven’s 250th anniversary year is a charming programme of chamber music with flute. The four works, all dating from the earlier years of the composer’s career, were recorded in June 2020 in Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal by a distinguished group of musicians led by Daniel Barenboim, here in his role as pianist, and flautist Emmanuel Pahud.

Her second album. Bonnie Koloc was one of three performers who, during the early 1970s, made up the celebrated ‘Trinity of the Chicago Folk Scene’. The other two were John Prine and Steve Goodman.

Returning to the studio after a hiatus of over 50 years, Taylor has reclaimed her music. She also was inspired to write again. The result was Hey There, a coy invitation penned especially for the session. Taylor rounded out the record with a choice selection of jazz and blues standards, including her signature songs, 'This Is My Night To Dream' and 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire'. At an age, 85, where she is virtually without musical peer, who could imagine a jazz singer sounding as vibrant, aggressive and progressive as she did in her hit-filled 20s? That's Myra Taylor. Prepare to be amazed.

There are a handful of landmark albums in any genre. In the blues, one of them is Muddy Waters' "Folk Singer". Originally released in 1964, "Folk Singer" was the only acoustic album Waters ever recorded, thus becoming the first and perhaps best blues concept album ever. Now, "Folk Singer", which includes fellow blues greats Buddy Guy and Willie Dixon backing up Waters, is being re-released in an expanded version that features two bonus tracks recorded during the two 1964 sessions that followed those for the album - "The Same Thing" and "You Can't Lose What You Never Had". Muddy Waters was the king of electric Chicago blues, but on Folk Singer he proved to be, simply, one of the greats of 20th century music.

"The Total J.J. Johnson" is an album by jazz trombonist and arranger Jay Jay Johnson and Big Band recorded for the RCA Victor label. The Allmusic review observed it as "the emphasis is on the arranged ensembles, making this project an excellent example of Johnson's often-overlooked writing talents".

The Nordic Jazz Quintet was formed in 1974 with one musicians selected from each of the Nordic countries. This release features the Nordjazz Suite, by Ole Kock Hansen, as well as two more originals from the transnational group.

Libby Morris is a Canadian comic actress. She appeared in several BBC radio shows of the 1950s and moved into TV and film from the 1960s onwards. She then moved on to London, England, where she starred in her own show doing impersonations "Ad - Libby" is her 1966's album released via RCA Victor label.

With Player's Club, saxophonist Marion Meadows has created a warm, congenial environment, distinguished by his trademark blend of smooth-jazz, R&B and funk. The title track finds Meadows’ soprano and tenor saxes driven by a funky bass line and baritone sax, and Meadows floats sweet, wistful soprano sax over a slow-simmering groove on “Sweet Grapes”. The ballads “Suede” and “Romantica” exhibit Meadows’ lyrical side, and things get livelier on “After 6:00” and “Diggable”; the former track features a sprightly, catchy melody, while on the latter, spirited sax rides an equally energetic house beat. Guitarist Chieli Minucci appears on two tracks; he contributes Spanish guitar to the sultry Latin number “Noche Privada”, and provides delicate accompaniment on the ballad “Deska”, Meadows’ heartfelt valentine to his wife. There’s much to enjoy on Player's Club, an inviting place that fans will undoubtedly want to visit again and again.

…A gifted American jazz singer with a strong, wide-ranging voice and uncluttered style. This isn't Sutton's tribute to Sinatra, although all the material here was recorded and made famous by him.

Sergey Rachmaninov was better known in his day for his pianistic virtuosity than for his compositions, but his creative output has long been acknowledged as the enthralling legacy of a major creative artist. A thrilling masterpiece based on Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Bells is a choral symphony in all but name, its theme giving Rachmaninov the opportunity to explore his fascination with bell sounds. Spring is a dramatic portrayal of rebirth in a land gripped by ice, while the Three Russian Songs are folk-song settings that became a hit at the premiere under the baton of Leopold Stokowski. The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.

This CD recording is the result of a succession of different moments of musical happiness and the encounter between the solo harpist of the Basel Symphony Orchestra Aurélie Noll, and two exceptional musicians. María Cristina Kiehr (soprano) and Yolena Orea-Sánchez (violonchello) have put their talent and artistic sensitivity at the service of this wonderful repertoire. The special sound of the harp creates a kind of new relief here and lends this unusual album its special charm. The program includes works by Reynaldo Hahn, Tchaikovsky, Manuel de Falla and Gabriel Fauré.