For a band that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, Strawbs still sound amazingly spry on Settlement. That’s a testament to both their staying power and their ability to transcend genres to create music that relates to the world in which we are currently trapped. Dave Cousins assembled a lineup of old hands, Dave Lambert on guitar, bassist Chas Cronk, and Tony Fernandez on drums, all veterans of the classic Strawbs bands of the ‘70s…

Filmed at Tokyo s famous Budokan Hall in April 2004, this Blu-ray captures Dream Theater on the tour in support of their 2003 album Train Of Thought . Most of the tracks from that album are included along with songs from right across their career. Dream Theater s musical virtuosity is renowned and their live performances are legendary and this show from Japan is undoubtedly one of their finest. Filmed in high definition and now released on Blu-ray for the first time this is undoubtedly Dream Theater at their very best. / Bonus Features: Riding The Train Of Thought Documentary / John Petrucci Guitar World / Jordan Rudess Keyboard World / Mike Portnoy Drum Solo / Dream Theater Chronicles 2004 Tour Opening Video / Instrumedley Multiangle Bonus / Line-up: James LaBrie (vocals, percussion); John Myung (bass, stick); John Petrucci (guitar, vocals); Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals); Jordan Rudess (keyboards) / TRACK LISTING: 1) As I Am 2) This Dying Soul 3) Beyond This Life 4) Hollow Years 5) War Inside My Head 6) The Test That Stumped Them All 7) Endless Sacrifice 8) Instrumedley 9) Trial Of Tears 10) New Millennium 11) Keyboard Solo 12) Only A Matter Of Time 13) Goodnight Kiss 14) Solitary Shell 15) Stream Of Consciousness 16) Disappear 17) Pull Me Under 18) In The Name Of God

Featuring a true golden-age cast, this 1967 Radio Broadcast hums and bubbles with invigorating warmth and unquenchable passion under the sprightly baton of Rafael Kubelik. Thomas Stewart is a intelligent Sachs, who brings real weight and power to the great Act III monologue but who retains real lyricism for the role's more tender moments. It would be inconceivable that Gundula Janowitz's creamy-voiced Eva would pass him over if it were not for the ardent, fiery Walther of Sándor Kónya, who gives voice to an ethereal rendition of the Prize song. Thomas Hemsley is an nuanced Beckmesser thankfully devoid of caricature, and Franz Crass is a warm, fatherly Pogner. Brigitte Fassbaender may be the most sensuous Magdalena on record, and is paired expertly by the great Gerhard Unger, at his considerable best as David.

During the late '50s, Ella Fitzgerald continued her Song Book records with Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, releasing a series of albums featuring 59 songs written by George and Ira Gershwin…

Many a guitar fan would have predicted that a summit between legendary guitarists Andy Summers (the Police) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) would result in a guitar solofest. But the music on their first collaboration together, I Advance Masked, stresses guitar textures and moods over indulgent soloing. Although the recording sessions weren't entirely enjoyable for Summers (who was experiencing marital problems at the time), some very beautiful music can be found on the resulting album. The music for the track "Girl on a Swing" does an excellent job of conveying the song's title in one's mind, and the duo's guitars weave wonderful polyrhythmic guitar lines throughout "China – Yellow Leader." "The Truth of Skies" is an atmospheric piece, created by a wash of keyboard sounds and guitar dissonance, while "New Marimba" would have sounded right at home on an early-'80s King Crimson album. I Advance Masked has a dreamlike quality to it, and is definitely not typical rock music. It's highly recommended to fans of these two great and original guitarists.

On Andy Summers and Robert Fripp's second album, Bewitched, the duo offered a new batch of their instrumental songs, which turned out to be much more rock-oriented than their texturized 1982 debut, I Advance Masked. The album was originally going to be a more musically varied affair – at the time, Summers talked about recording calypso and Tex-Mex/Ry Cooder-like tunes with Fripp, but they never saw the light of day. Like its predecessor, it contains plenty of great guitar work, with songwriting being stressed over instrumental virtuosity. For example, Summers and Fripp know how to subtly insert challenging sections into their songs (such as the 7/4 time signature in "Maquillage"), without making them seem like an obvious attempt to impress fellow musicians. Although '80s-sounding electronic drums are primarily used for backbeats (such as the track "Train"), it doesn't take away from the album's charm. Whereas their last album featured a few compositions that were quite King Crimson-like, their sophomore effort contains a few that sound like Police instrumentals (the title track). Unfortunately, Bewitched would prove to be Summers and Fripp's last collaboration together.

Gordon studied with Phil Woods in his younger days but has transcended any influence from him and has found his own voice. His playing is without any of the cliches one could imagine in contemporary alto playing, and his tone on both alto and soprano is really nice. What sets this recording apart is the presence of the three horns - Tim Hagans on trumpet and Mark Turner on tenor saxophone. Several of the tunes really get into the voicings of two and three horns together, creating harmonies and sounds that are inventive and inspiring. There is a lot of improvising even when all three horns are playing at once and it works. The line between composition and improvisation is fluid and seamless. Imaginitive and cohesive playing by all five musicians, and always seeming to fit the spirit of the composition.

This 8-piece band consists of musicians with different musical backgrounds, but they are led by a guitarist/composer who loves progressive rock. Discus' music tends to mix prog, jazz, Indonesian pop, Gamelan, Zappa, swing, fusion, and even a bit of zeuhl to form a highly original, and diverse sound. These guys, for example, are not afraid of jumping from a progressive Gamelan section straight into something influenced by the 1940s jazz scene. The jump from style to style is fascinating, and refreshing to hear. Discus' debut CD serves as a great introduction to each of the musician's background (almost similar in concept to Yes' "Fragile"), but it isn't entirely progressive rock. The album begins and ends with two rather long prog compositions that mix Gamelan and local influences. Another track features smoking Zappa-esque fusion…

Forty-fifth anniversary box set release from The Velvet Underground & Nico featuring the latest remastering. Set consists of 6 discs includes 29 unreleased tracks in a 92-page hardcover book packaging with a sticker of banana. Japanese edition features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD player). The set includes both stereo and mono versions of the album "The Velvet Underground & Nico" (Disc 1-2), as well as Nico's 1967 solo debut CD "Chelsea Girl" (Disc 3), a studio session at Scepter Studio recorded to acetate, and unreleased recording footage from rehearsal at Andy Warhol's Factory in January 1966 (Disc 4), and a live show from Columbus, Ohio (Disc 5-6).

Second album Moving in the Right Direction Count Basic made an international name for itself in the sector of sophisticated pop music with a jazzy touch and has been compared to bands like the “Brand New Heavies“, “Jamiroquai“ or “Incognito“. In this field, almost no compilations exist that didn't include one of Peter Legat’s melodious songs. The album included a cover version of Maze's "Joy and Pain" that topped the NAC radio charts within just five weeks, hit #23 of the Austrian album sales charts, and several airplay charts all over the world. Right from Count Basics' early days there was a friendly connection between Peter Legat and Austria's own turntable and remix celebs Kruder & Dorfmeister. This resulted in more than seven remixes to be released on the Count Basic "Remix Hit Collection" in July 1996, and made Count Basic the "most remixed" artist by K & D.

Enclosure of the music magazine "Good Times" (Edition Discographien) Special Edition "Fools Garden" March 2018. German pop group Fool's Garden formed in 1991, comprising singer Peter Freudenthaler, guitarist Volker Hinkel, bassist Thomas Mangold, keyboardist Roland Röhl and drummer Ralf Wochele. Debuting in 1993 with the album Once in a Blue Moon, two years later Fool's Garden issued their sophomore effort Dish of the Day, scoring an Asian chart hit with "Lemon Tree." Go and Ask Peggy for the Principal Thing followed in 1997.