It is a measure of the respect in which Sir Charles Mackerras is held in Czechoslovakia that this recording should have been possible. The compliment is no less than his due, for no man has done more to win acceptance in this country for Janacek as one of the great composers of the twentieth century. With Simon Rattle now taking his place as the leader of the 'second generation' of Janacek conductors in this country, we are fortunate indeed.

SONHO 70 album, it is an early 70's album, making a progressive transition bewteen Gismonti's Estreia 1969 album and all the other albums of the later 70's. The bossa-nova influences are gone in this album and we get into Gismonti's pure style: a kind of complicated mix between classical music and popular brazilian musics. This album features very creative and powerfull melodies, very spirited, that you will not find anywhere else. This is an authentic Gismonti masterpiece.

The Doors' 1967 albums had raised expectations so high that their third effort was greeted as a major disappointment. With a few exceptions, the material was much mellower, and while this yielded some fine melodic ballad rock in "Love Street," "Wintertime Love," "Summer's Almost Gone," and "Yes, the River Knows," there was no denying that the songwriting was not as impressive as it had been on the first two records…

Jocy de Oliveira - Illud Tempus (2000) {OODiscs oo65 rec 1995}
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© 1995, 2000 OODiscs / Jocy de Oliveira | oo65
Classical / Modern Classical / Experimental / Avant-Garde

Recorded live during performances at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, in March 1995. "The electroacoustic part, like a collage, builds a dreamy sound landscape…through processed sampled sounds of citations from Yanomami chants to improvisations by myself and Joseph Celli…" (liner notes). Packaged in a standard jewel case with 5-panel insert of liner notes. A renowned pianist in avant-garde classical music in the '70s and '80s, Jocy de Oliveira Carvalho was the child of a mixed French and Portuguese family living in South America. She began studying piano in São Paulo with Joachim Klias, and then had an opportunity to continue her work in Paris with Marguerite Long, the brilliant avant-garde scene of the city exerting a profound effect on her.

The co-leaders of this date first met back in the 70's, when pianist Marc Copland's instrument of choice was the saxophone. Whereas the teaming of the pianist's trio with sax great Dave Liebman reflects a natural extension of their fairly recent collaboration at the Santa Fe, New Mexico Jazz Festival. With this release, Copeland brings his elegant touch to the forefront, which is a characteristic that intrinsically complements, his partner's lofty excursions on both tenor and soprano saxophones.

All 20 of the Lucky Millinder Orchestra's valuable 1941-1942 recordings are on this recommended CD. Millinder himself was not a musician and his only vocal here is mostly shouting on "Ride, Red, Ride," but he was an effective bandleader and frontman. Other than a couple of World War II propaganda songs, the music on these sessions emphasizes swing, and several notable artists are featured. Sister Rosetta Tharpe (who also played excellent guitar) has six rollicking showcases, and among the soloists are clarinetist Buster Bailey, tenorman Stafford Simon, pianist Bill Doggett, and (on the final four songs) altoist Tab Smith and the rapidly emerging trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. On "Little John Special," Dizzy quotes directly from the as-yet-unwritten "Salt Peanuts." Other highlights include "Rock Daniel," "Apollo Jump," "Rock Me," "That's All," and "Mason Flyer."

Tommy Flanagan - Overseas (1957) {Prestige OJCCD-1033-2 rel 1999}
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© 1957, 1999 Prestige Records / Fantasy | OJCCD-1033-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Piano

This studio session represents one of Tommy Flanagan's earliest dates as a leader, recorded while he was in Stockholm, Sweden. Bassist Wilbur Little and a young Elvin Jones on drums provide strong support, but the focus is on Flanagan's brilliant piano. The brilliant opener is a potent brisk run through Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," followed by a faster than typical "Chelsea Bridge," which the leader playfully detours into another Billy Strayhorn composition ("Raincheck") for a moment, while also featuring Jones' brushwork in a pair of breaks. Flanagan's approach to the venerable standard "Willow Weep for Me" is steeped in blues, backed by Little's imaginative accompaniment.

Featuring the best material from their first two albums as well as their classic debut single "Market Square Heroes," 1984's Real to Reel is an excellent live document of Marillion, the undisputed leaders of the short-lived mid-'80s progressive rock revival. In fact, these recordings make a strong case for the many fans who actually prefer the band's more refined live versions over their rather flat studio counterparts. For the uninitiated, Marillion basically picks up where Peter Gabriel-era Genesis left off, writing complex, multifaceted, and unashamedly overblown compositions topped with dense, often incomprehensible lyrics from vocalist Fish. Thematically, the darkly ironic "Assassing" and the flippant "Garden Party" are complete polar opposites and clearly display the band's incredible creative scope. But the album's centerpiece has to be the dramatic, ten-minute war chronicle "Forgotten Sons."

Italian pop singer Umberto Tozzi began singing at a very young age, joining a band called Off Sound in 1968 and later teaming up with Adriano Pappalardo. "Un Corpo un 'Anima" became his first hit in 1974, and he recorded his debut album, Donna Amante Mia, in 1976. Ti Amo followed in 1977, and the successful Tu was released in 1978. Tozzi's breakthrough came a year later when he climbed the Italian and Latin American charts with "Gloria," a song covered by Laura Branigan on her 1982 self-titled debut record.

The legendary musical project Era come back with album "The 7th Sword". Through this new opus of original compositions, its creator Eric Levi proves once again that he is free from all musical dictates and still creates surprise. His music carries the listener into another dimension, with an imaginary language and a timeless sound that has already fascinated more than 10 million people around the world. This 7th album also features a new remix of the famous song "Ameno" to mark its 20th anniversary.