The most popular and successful lineup of Return to Forever – Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, and Al Di Meola – was coming off the Grammy-winning No Mystery when it recorded its third and final album, Romantic Warrior. It has been suggested that in employing a medieval album cover (drawn by Wilson McLean), using titles like "Medieval Overture" and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant," and occasionally playing in a baroque style, particularly in Clarke's "The Magician," Corea was responding to Rick Wakeman's successful string of albums on similar themes. Certainly, the music suggests that the musicians have been listening to Wakeman's band, Yes, among other progressive rock groups.

…it's one of the quartet's last recordings, but the legendary luminosity of sound is still there, as is the beautiful precision, perfectly complemented by Pollini's clarity and control of touch. But it's by no means a cold, clinical performance - the first movement is powerfully dramatic, the Andante expansively lyrical, and the start of the Scherzo has never sounded darker or more mysterious.

Jeff Liberman is a guitar player in the best tradition of ’70s guitar Gods like Hendrix, Trower, Clapton or Zappa. The perfect mix between virtuosity and feeling with a gift for brilliant songwriting. Between 1975 and 1978, Liberman self–released three albums on his own Librah label which were some of the first private pressings to gain recognition amongst psych collectors in the ’80s. Jeff Liberman was born in South Side of Chicago in 1954. Coming from a place where Blues and Jazz music has a strong scene, he got inspired by a few local musicians, including Charley Wolfer. “He was great and taught me such songs as ‘Suzy Q’ by Creedence and ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ by Iron Butterfly. Just a great player. Other influences are Phil Upchurch, Leo Pucinakis and Ron Seroggin.”

For his new recital disc, the acclaimed Finnish guitarist Ismo Eskelinen had the aim of creating a programme that works like a story: ‘a modern guitar album that lends itself to continuous listening from beginning to end’. The pieces that he has selected are united by the fact that, with the exception of Tan Dun, Eskelinen has collaborated closely with all the composers. In the liner notes to the album he expresses his admiration for how intuitively they all understood the essence of the guitar, even though none of them is a guitarist. ‘Everyone has found a unique way to bring his own musical style to the guitar, and each of the composers is clearly recognizable.’

Born in Denmark but beginning her musical career in New York, it was in Japan that Annekei first made her name as a recording artist, with this eponymous album marking her debut. Musically, smooth R&B, singer/songwriter pop is the order of the day, exemplified by the single "Brother," and "Close Your Eyes," her winning song from Showtime at the Apollo in 2003.

Vibrant young pianist, Isata Kanneh-Mason, presents her sparkling second album, Summertime, as she takes us on a journey through the musical landscape of 20th century America. Isata brings her signature flair to this virtuosic and spiritual music for solo piano, including a world premiere recording of a Samuel Coleridge-Taylor piece, the fiercely challenging Barber sonata, and dazzling arrangements of Gershwin's songs.

The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970, by songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of Beatlesque pop, classical arrangements, and futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's leader, arranging and producing every album while writing virtually all of their original material…

Over the past couple of years, the Alternative Singles vinyl issues have become highly popular amongst fans with different recordings of each single and sometimes tracks that weren't actually singles at the time being issued as such. Most of the recordings are taken from overseas broadcast, rehearsal sessions, discarded mixes and unused demos versions but all of them fascinating. Here we have gathered together all the A & B sides plus some extra bonus tracks.

Looking for a fresh start, Budgie signed with A&M Records in 1976 and released the strangely titled If I Were Brittania, I'd Waive the Rules. The band continued to incorporate new elements into their sound here, showing a special interest in funk on such tracks as "Anne Neggen" and "Sky High Percentage." …

In 1975, Humble Pie came sputtering to a halt after a series of less than inspiring albums. Surprisingly, frontman Steve Marriott's first solo album after the split, 1976's Marriott, is a sprightly, rollicking affair that is light on the blues-rock of Humble Pie and heavy on soul, funk, and hard-charging rock & roll. The album is divided into a British side (recorded by Marriott's band that included ex-T. Rex guitarist Mickey Finn) and an American side (with backing by a raft of West Coast session players including Michael Nesmith sidekick Red Rhodes on pedal steel). The British side is a rocked-out blast of noise with Marriott's wailing vocals sounding rejuvenated and his live-wire guitar playing fully to the front.

Includes all the band's official releases in replica cardboard sleeves, a cd with live tracks and a cd that compiles singles, b-sides, demos outtakes and other rarities.