Mstislav Rostropovich did more for the advancement of the cello than probably any other artist since Pablo Casals. Even after his sad passing in 2007 at the age of 80, is musical influence is felt not only in the cello community, but among orchestral musicians as well. This Deutsche Grammophon DVD is among the many tributes to Rostropovich that have surfaced over the short time since his passing. It features the Schumann Concerto and Bloch's Schelomo with Leonard Bernstein and the Orchestre National de France and Strauss' Don Quixote with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. All of these performances are given their first DVD release here. Schumann and Bloch are given intense, riveting performances by Rostropovich and orchestra alike. Any other cellist who played with as much force and aggression would be accused of overplaying, but with Rostropovich the intensity and conviction of his playing are what make the entire performance.

This is a strikingly good disc, notable as once for the full-bodied, golden tone of the piano (superbly recorded) and Siirala's ability to hold both long movements and large structures together with playing of refined musicality.

On Dr. John's first major-label effort, and first vocal studio album in ten years, he performs a set of pop standards including Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" and Johnny Mercer's "Accentuate the Positive." After starting out with a wild stage act and unusual costumes, Dr. John has evolved into a vocal stylist and piano virtuoso, which makes the idea of doing this sort of material appealing. And he does it well, turning out a leisurely duet with Rickie Lee Jones on "Makin' Whoopee" that won a Grammy (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group), and giving sad feeling to "My Buddy." Maybe he has changed since the Gris Gris days, but even a mellowed Dr. John is a tasty one.

In 1937, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton began leading a series of all-star swing recording dates. Although he would still be a member of Benny Goodman's organization for another three years, Hampton was a natural-born leader and his record dates featured top sidemen from a variety of major jazz bands. This CD begins the chronological reissue of all of this music (except alternate takes). Hampton is teamed with players from the Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington orchestras plus a large assortment of guests. Among the many highlights are "Hampton Stomp" (featuring Hampton playing rapid lines on the piano with two fingers), "Stompology," Johnny Hodges on "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and some good spots for Jonah Jones' trumpet.

"FAUST-Where Roads Cross" is a collector DVD including the documentary "Ist FAUST schön?" and the concert movie, "FAUST - Live in Lyon".

Slippery When Wet wasn't just a breakthrough album for Bon Jovi; it was a breakthrough for hair metal in general, marking the point where the genre officially entered the mainstream. Released in 1986, it presented a streamlined combination of pop, hard rock, and metal that appealed to everyone – especially girls, whom traditional heavy metal often ignored…

Although a Geordie lad himself, Lee Jackson's path to fame was realised in Brighton when he joined the solid R&B outfit Gary Farr and The T-Bones alongside Keith Emerson with whom he eventually rode the progressive wave in The Nice. With Emerson's departure into ELP, Jackson summoned bass guitarist Mario Tapas and the talents of old Newcastle cohorts Tommy Sloane and Charlie Harcourt to emerge as Jackson Heights.
Combined with Jackson's reputation in The Nice and Tony Stratton-Smith's confidence, Charisma provided the platform for their first effort, King Progress in 1970. King Progress offers a less complex structure than Jackson's past exploits with Emerson with more acoustic than electric reflections throughout…