Trio X (Joe McPhee - reeds/brass, Dominic Duval - bass, Jay Rosen - drums) This numbered and limited edition box contains most of the results of a 2006 Mid Western Tour by this distingished trio which has been together since the mid 1990s…

Acker Bilk was a solid English Dixieland jazz clarinetist who also crossed over into easy listening albums. Acker Bilk Plays Lennon & McCartney probably won't be enjoyed by most rock or jazz fans but it is an entertaining listening experience. One of the interesting things about it is that it includes as many solo cuts from the careers of Lennon & McCartney as it does tracks that the two wrote for The Beatles. The album's sweeping string arrangements and insipid keyboard lines sometimes get in the way of Bilk's concise clarinet playing but his musical personality still manages to shine through. Bilk mostly sticks firmly to the melodies of the songs but often starts improvising at the fade out. Ultimately, the album may contain kitschy elevator music but it's of the sort that's played in the better elevators and the tunes do show how melodically gifted both John Lennon and Paul McCartney were.

Until the arrival of the Sugarcubes, jazz fusion band Mezzoforte was Iceland’s best-known musical export. The group was formed in 1977 at a Reykjavik high school by Fridrik Karlsson (b. 24 April 1960; guitar), Eythór Gunnarsson (b. 9 September 1961; keyboards), Jóhann Ásmundsson (b. 30 March 1961; bass), and Gunnlaugur Briem (b. 8 September 1962; drums). They signed a recording contract with local label Steinar, and with the assistance of Stefán S. Stefánsson (saxophone) recorded their debut album.

Originally released in 1966, Bernard Haitink's vivid recording of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3 in D minor is coupled here with a 1973 performance of Das klagende Lied; since these are among the least performed and least familiar works in Mahler's catalog, the pairing is mutually beneficial to each, and listeners who have neither in their collections would do well to consider snapping up this affordable set. Perhaps the only flaw should be mentioned up front: though virtually no tape hiss is audible, there is a bit of an acoustic "vacuum" around the sound of the musicians, suggesting that the analog masters have been cleaned up a bit too efficiently and some resonance seems lost.

As we all know, Iron Maiden is one of the essential names in Heavy Metal. As usual in our successful collection The Many Faces, we submerge ourselves to explore the lesser known works of the band. You will be able to enjoy the work of bassist Steve Harris as producer of the band Slammer. You’ll also hear Stratus, drummer’s Clive Burr band after leaving Maiden. Also included are the big hits of the first two albums of the band (their favorites for many fans) with the voice of Paul Di’Anno, the original singer. All these rarities and more, complete this important album not only for Iron Maiden fans, but also for all hard-rock music lovers. With extensive liner notes, remastered sound and beautiful cover art, The Many Faces Of Iron Maiden is an album to collect…and remember that this won’t be available on streaming platforms.

Whatever it is or isn't, acid jazz is full of groove DNA and even when chilled, it makes the feet move. This third installment in the Diggin' Deeper: The Roots of Acid Jazz series, which collects likely funk, jazz, soul, fusion, and disco sides from the deep Columbia/Epic/Sony catalog, includes such gems as Art Blakey's "Cubano Chant" and Lalo Schifrin's "Jaws," a Shaft-meets-Frankenstein hybrid version of the Jaws movie theme. This set moves and grooves from end to end, and even listeners with little interest in the acid jazz movement that surfaced some two decades after most of these tracks were recorded will find a great little alternative dance album lurking here.

Basketball made him a star, but the late Wayman Tisdale considered music his first love. Fans who only remember his All-American days at the University of Oklahoma or pro hoops career will be able to hear Tisdale's love for and skill as a bass guitarist on the soundtrack to “The Wayman Tisdale Story,” a new documentary about the multitalented Tulsan.

The Third Solo Album from the Toto Guitarist and Singer Where "Luke" Gets the Heaviness Out of his System, Since He Has to Put the Reigns on his Metallic Inclinations in the Context of his Day Job. Lukather Once Again Demostrates his Monstrous Talent with an Outstanding Set of Songs and Musicianship. It Ain't Toto for Sure, but If You Are a Toto Fan and Lean Toward Some of their Louder Rock Pieces, Then this Disc is Absolutely Essential for Your Collection.

The long-awaited live album from Dirkschneider's 'Back To The Roots' was released on October 28th via AFM Records. During the tour rock legend Udo Dirkschneider was presented a 'Sold Out'-Award for the extremely successful Dirkschneider tour, where 31 out of 48 Europe shows were sold out! 'It's unbelievable, I never expected this tour to be so overly successful', Udo comments, 'It's beautiful to see how many people walk with me on my personal way of saying goodbye to the ACCEPT chapter.' The singer with the charismatic voice had his musical breakthrough with ACCEPT in the early 80s. 'It's still so much fun to sing these songs live, they are a part of my biography, but nevertheless it's about time to turn that page. There was so much talking and speculations about me and ACCEPT, so this is kind of a musical statement from my end - which seems to be very interesting for the fans who came to these shows'.

Perhaps best known for their 1986 worldwide hit single Take My Breath Away, Berlin built their core fan base from the release of the 1982 mini album Pleasure Victim. Containing the underground hits Sex (I'm A…), The Metro and Masquerade, each single managed to make an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Despite the modest chart placings of the singles and the album itself, Pleasure Victim remained consistently popular and eventually reached platinum status in the U.S. selling more than one million copies.

A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana, an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up – soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher – this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven’s Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel’s supreme ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus are also included.

SAHARA is a mid-70's act that produced two albums, but prior to that they'd worked and released another as SUBJECT ESQ. The music is rather typical early 70s proto-prog with elements of JETHRO TULL (for the flute-guitar interplay), early YES, and the occasional saxophone riffs remind of early VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR…