Extremely limited box set containing the expanded two CD edition of the Layla… album, the remastered double disc edition of Derek And The Dominos: In Concert, an audio-only DVD featuring DTS 5.1 and Dolby Surround 5.1 versions of Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, mixed by legendary engineer Elliot Scheiner, a double 180gm vinyl reproduction of the original album, a hardcover book, artfully designed with rare and never-seen photographs, and featuring four meticulously researched essays and facsimiles of Derek And The Dominos concert tickets and various promotional items, including the famous "Derek is Eric" button. Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of this ground-breaking 1970 album. Derek & The Dominos were the almost fictional group recruited by Eric Clapton which came together during the sessions for George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album in 1970.

Tisaris, which means the bridge to quintessence is a progressive rock quintet (vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass and drums) from Brazil. Superb Progressive productions in the spirit of the Seventies, alterning long suites structured in several parts ("What's Beyond"), instrumental tracks and some short pieces in concept albums taken from an opera. Expressive vocals, inventive guitar and keyboards solos and rich and cast spelling compositions compose these excellent releases. CD "The Power of Myth", inspired on the book by Joseph Campbell, finishes the trilogy of concept albums. "An inevitable reference in the international progressive rock scene " (Harmonie Magazine - France), "… inspiration superbly materialized" (SRM - Germany), "… elegant, ambitious, daring." (Paperlate - Italy) are just a few reviews from the specialized press!

Released in 1964, the aptly titled Softly, the Brazilian Sound was Joanie Sommers' seventh long-player for Warner Bros. in under five years. She had been marketed as a torch balladeer to popular jazz and Great American Songbook enthusiasts, as well as a teenybopper to a considerably younger audience. Sommers joins forces with Laurindo Almeida (guitarist/arranger) in a move that predates Frank Sinatra's collaborative efforts with Antonio Carlos Jobim by several years. In actuality, the so-called "bossa nova" movement was one of the only trends to have any effect on the American pop scene during the mid-'60s - particularly when going up against British Invasion bands. And it's little wonder that Jobim's name crops up throughout the effort, as he co-penned a couple of tunes - including the sultry opener, "Meditation" (Meditacao)…

The seeds of Euro-dance sown on Claro Que Si reached fruition on Yello's next record, naturally titled You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess. There are fewer novelty synth tracks than before, those being replaced by a series of sleazy, deep-throated vocals on "I Love You," "Lost Again," "Heavy Whispers," and the title track. There are also a few exercises in worldbeat synth pop, with heavy percussion on the title track as well as the closing number, "Salut Mayoumba." Though Blank's production doesn't sound as consistently innovative as on the first two Yello records, that's probably due more to other synth pop groups catching up than any comedown on his part.

"The Heidelberg Haydn is a paragon of dynamism, freshness, wildness, humor and a wealth of surprises. I am delighted that the journey continues and the cycle is complete. My musical encounters with the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra have always been journeys to happiness. Idealism, love of music and technical perfection are combined here with the will to create something very special, and it all fits perfectly into the symphonic world of Joseph Haydn. I look to the future with great anticipation!" writes conductor Johannes Klumpp. He has taken over the great task of recording all 107 symphonies by Joseph Haydn from his predecessor Thomas Frey with great respect.

Though Status Quo is best known for fast and undistinguished boogie rock, they were quite capable of subtlety when it suited them. Despite the name, most of the music on Piledriver is varied and subtle enough to be interesting. The power boogie is indeed there, as represented by crowd-pleasers like "Don't Waste My Time" and "Paper Plane," but so also are quieter, softer pieces with acoustic textures and progressive structures. The melancholy "A Year" is a standout track, a stark, melancholy song about carrying on after a loved one has died.

Without the drumming of Phil Collins, who does appear on some of Brand X's albums, Masques still maintains a snug, jazzy-prog milieu and comes off clean and tight. Each song has a different beat, speed, and tempo with a satisfying assortment of keyboards and percussion instruments to keep the entire album afloat. Resounding xylophone and chimes outline the music on the seven tracks, with "Earth Dance" and "The Poke" coming up a little bit stronger than the rest. Most notably is the superb musical interplay of all the instruments used, and the way in which they enhance and benefit one another.

Esoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of an official limited edition super deluxe boxed set celebrating fifty years of the legendary Procol Harum; Still There’ll Be More. This eight disc set comprises five CDs and three DVDs, of which the first three discs draw upon the key tracks from Procol Harum’s illustrious career. Disc four features the band’s legendary concert at the Hollywood Bowl on 21 September 1973 (with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Roger Wagner Chorale), whilst disc five features a previously unreleased concert at the Bournemouth Winter Gardens on 17 March 1976.
This lavish re-mastered set also features a sixty-eight page hard backed book with an essay by Patrick Humphries and a lengthy in depth commentary on the performances featured by respected Procol Harum authority Roland Clare…

In the mid- '60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of "Hound Dog" in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records' founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session. Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums)…