By the late '70s, brothers Ron and Russell Mael were at an impasse. Their outlandish and theatrical glam rock band Sparks had achieved notable success earlier in the decade when they moved from Los Angeles to England and released a string of oversexed, over-produced, over-the-top albums that would be some of their best-received work, starting with 1974's stellar (and ridiculous) Kimono My House. Things quickly cooled off after a couple years, however, as the brothers returned to their native Los Angeles, reconfigured their backing band, and put out one disappointing record after another. With poor record sales, a dwindling fan base and their fate in the balance, they made a bold about face. Disco was in full swing, and Italian producer Giorgio Moroder was one of the principle voices of the genre, visible for both hits under his own name and his iconic production on Donna Summer's 1977 number one hit "I Feel Love." In 1978, Sparks and Moroder began work on what would become No. 1 in Heaven, abandoning rock and guitars for synthesizers, sequencers, and disco beats.

"Mofo" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their 1997 album Pop, and was released as the album's final single on 8 December 1997. The song was partially written about lead vocalist Bono's mother, who died when he was 14 years old. Other songs which Bono wrote about his mother include "Lemon", "I Will Follow", "Iris (Hold Me Close)" and "Tomorrow".

Rainbow is the seventh studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, originally released on November 2, 1999, via Columbia Records. On June 12, 2024, Carey confirmed a 25th anniversary edition of the album would be released on June 14, 2024. The anniversary edition features several bonus tracks not included on the original album, as well as a new recording for the album, titled “Rainbow’s End.”

It happens at times that a stone cold classic from a bygone era gets rediscovered. But how often does that rediscovery happen when the band is still around? And how often does it lead to a new album? That’s the surprising circumstance behind the Staples Jr. Singers’ long-awaited second album, Searching. You likely know the Staples Jr. Singers—the family band from Aberdeen, Mississippi—from their first and only record, 1975’s When Do We Get Paid (Luaka Bop, 2022). They made that record themselves when they were only teenagers. Finally, in a moment they’ve been waiting for most of their lives, the family is back with their sophomore album, Searching. Recorded in 2023 in West Point, Mississippi, and Nashville, Tennessee, and produced by Ahmed Gallab, aka Sinkane, the first pressing comes with a booklet of photos by Adam Wissing and notes by Anton Spice.

Grady Tate has been one of the world's most versatile, frequently-recorded musicians for more than 40 years. He is often featured as a distinctive drummer, but in fact, he is also one of the best vocalists in the world. For this album, Grady Tate selects everything from standards to '50s musical hits number to his own composition, but the common theme is "love". That is the very message Tate, who celebrated his 70th birthday during the recording date, wanted to remind people of. Grady's voice swings gently and sometimes longingly together with the finest trio.

Chambers' latest release, Urban Groove, is about as good as it gets. An energizing set of standards and originals performed with the likes of Eric Reed, Gary Bartz, and Rufus Reid, Chambers is in top form, showing off his amazing technique not only on drums, but also vibes and marimba. Still, Chambers is careful not to pull too much attention away from his sidemen. Gary Bartz is electrifying throughout, and Eric Reed shines on piano.

Seal (Deluxe Edition) unveils ten previously unreleased recordings, offering alternate versions of album tracks like “Newborn Friend” and “Don’t Cry,” as well as a haunting take on “Dreaming In Metaphors” that features Seal alone at the piano.

Spiritual Jazz 16is a focus on Riverside and its associated sister labels. Riverside itself was founded in 1953 by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer, and became an important purveyor in that decade and beyond of what would be marketed as of modern jazz. That coinage was itself an amorphous, umbrella term that essentially created a demarcation from the vocabulary of pre-war classic jazz and inter-war big band swing, thus recognizing that improvising artists were breaking new creative ground that would subsequently give rise to a flurry of sub-genres, for example bebop, hard bop, cool, modal and Latin jazz. And it's from this multiplicity of sub-genres that we choose the deepest, most vibrant selections that the vast, pan-generational catalogue of Keepnews & Grauer has to offer.

2024 release. Nonesuch Records releases Rectangles and Circumstance, an album of ten songs co-written and performed by Caroline Shaw and So Percussion.

Parlophone Records proudly announces DAVID BOWIE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!, a 5CD and 1 Blu-Ray Audio set that explores David Bowie’s journey from February 1971 through the creation of the Ziggy Stardust character, the recording of the iconic THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS album, and captures the international mania that surrounded the Ziggy phenomenon in the form of UK radio sessions and TV performances, as well as live tracks from Ziggy and the Spiders’ 1st October 1972 show at the Boston Music Hall.

Announcing the debut album from one of London’s most electrifying acts, New Regency Orchestra. An 18-piece Afro-Cuban jazz big band, inspired by the musical melting pot of NYC in the 1950s, but with the punch and power of a whole host of London’s best Latin and jazz musicians. Blowing new life into these compositions, the album is a reimagining of some of the finest music from that golden era. From early 1950s René Hernandez and Tito Puente, through to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin, produced and performed with fresh fire.

Amos Hoffman is an internationally recognized Israeli jazz guitarist and oud player, celebrated as a pioneer in blending Middle Eastern rhythms and melodic themes with modern jazz. MINOR OPERATION is his sixth album, recorded with an outstanding trio featuring Santi Debriano on bass and the legendary Lenny White on drums.

One of Antonio Carlos Jobim's best-known albums, 1970's „Tide“ is a companion piece to 1967's „Wave“, a similarly lush and smooth collection for producer Creed Taylor's CTI Records. In fact, this album's lengthy title track is a theme-and-variations exploration of the main melodic line from WAVE's title track.

"Indigos" is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. This album stands as an outstanding example of the Ellington Orchestra playing Jazz, features standards such as "Mood Indigo", "Autumn Leaves", "Prelude To a Kiss" and more.

Dive into the serene world of Roland Voss (alias Lemongrass) with “Lotus,” an exquisite blend of Lo-Fi, Chillout, and Chill Beats. 10 tracks that are perfect for creating an ambiance of peace and concentration. This album promises to be a cherished addition to your music collection, evoking the tranquil beauty of Japanese landscapes, the serene atmosphere of the natural parks from Tokyo to Okinawa, as well as the rich tapestry of Japanese culture.