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30.12.12

Susan Weinert Band

LINK
Susan Weinert Band - The Bottom Line - 1996 - Intuition

Definitely more straight jazz than jazz fusion on this release. If you like guitarists like Louis Stewart, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale, & Bill Connors, then give this album a listen. This is a "quieter" and mellower album than other Susan Weinert releases, but her phrasing is wonderful, and Rachel Z plays some great keys that perfectly complements Susan and her band's grooves. An album that proves that fusion guitarists do not have to blow out your ear drums in order to impress their fretboard skills on you. This is a very good jazz album that is very technical, but very accessible. If you want to become more interested in fusion or jazz, this is an album that will help you appreciate this often maligned genre. Check out Susan Weinert Band's "Crunch Time" album on this blog and buy the band's "Mysterious Stories" album and support real music. Jazz and/or jazz fusion is not necessarily elitist, aimless, or self indulgent music. Multi-instrumentalist John Zorn composed a song called 'Eat Shit Jazz Snob" to expose his dislike of the many misguided, and hypocritical jazz snobs out there. The "News for Lulu" album featuring John Zorn is well worth hearing. Also, try and listen to the late, great Emily Remly's "Firefly" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 122 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Hombre 6:37
2 Triple X 4:21
3 Tribute to Fitzcarraldo 8:30
4 Don't Smile Too Soon 5:00
5 Masters of the Midiverse 1:19
6 That's for You 4:24
7 Kluski Theory 6:03
8 Dakota Kid 6:13
9 Nothing 3:50
10 Trabucco 5:05
11 Vinnie 7:11

All tracks composed by Susan Weinert

MUSICIANS

Susan Weinert - Guitars
Martin Weinert - Bass
Rachel Z - Piano, Keyboards
Hardy Fischötter - Drums

BIO

Susan Weinert (b.24 June 1965 in Neunkirchen (Saar) is a German Jazz guitarist and composer. In the 1980s, she started her professional career as a jazz musician. Susan took lessons from the jazz musicians Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach and the brilliant John Abercrombie and Mike Stern. She is not only influenced by modern guitarists like Pat Metheny, Scott Henderson, and Allan Holdsworth, but also from traditional jazz musicians like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery and Sonny Rollins. Susan received an invitation to play in the band Steps Ahead by Mike Mainieri and was also asked to play with Chick Corea, bassist Jimmy Earl and Chaka Khan keyboardist Michael Ruff. In 1985 she founded the Susan Weinert Band with her husband Martin Weinert as bassist and the Cologne drummer Hardy Fischötter. The band, in it's early stages played mostly covers, but by 1990 Susan was writing and playing original material. Her first CD Mysterious Stories released in 1992 contains all Susan Weinert compositions and is strongly influenced by the use of an electric guitar synthesizer. Susan plays jazz, fusion, rock and funk and her compositions leave room for improvisation by her band members. Her guitar playing displays catchy melodies over complex harmonies backed by powerful, rhythmic lines. In Germany her work has been critically acclaimed. The popular WDR radio station chose Mysterious Stories as Jazz Production of the Year. Her second CD Crunch Time in 1994 is strongly reinforced by keyboardist Oliver Heuss and the album is more hard rock orientated than her first album. In contrast, the sound of Susan's third album, The Bottom Line (1996) is much calmer and warmer, mainly due to the piano playing of Rachel Z. Her 1999 CD Point Of View from 1999 is slightly jazzier and more experimental than previous albums and places a greater emphasis on using acoustic instruments. Susan wanted to experiment with a larger ensemble on this album, and make greater use of horn work. Originally the album was going to make extensive use of saxophone and trumpet. However, after meeting vocalist, Michael Schiefel the trumpet parts were replaced by his vocals. Pierre Bertrand played tenor saxophone and Jean Yves Jung played some beautiful rich and warm piano. However, throughout all her albums Susan's great guitar playing remains the dominant force. In 2002, Susan released the live acoustic duo album, Synergy with her husband Martin Weinert. The Susan Weinert Band is currently active recording and continually tour Europe. The band has also played in the U.S, Africa and Asia. The Weinert's are also engaged in managing workshops for young musicians - (Translated from Wiki)

29.12.12

Oz Noy

LINK
Oz Noy - Fuzzy - 2007 - Magnatude

Israeli-born guitarist Oz Noy is a progressive and iconoclastic artist who incorporates a wide array of styles into his own work, including funk, rock, blues, and jazz. Having performed from a young age, Noy was an in-demand studio musician by his early twenties. A move to New York City in 1996 eventually led to tours and session work with such artists as Chris Botti, Toni Braxton, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and others. Noy released his own album Ha! in 2005, followed by the live album Oz Live a year later. © Matt Collar © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/oz-noy-p700201/biography

The album features terrific heavy instrumental funk fusion/blues with Oz and his rotating band, featuring Jim Beard on keyboards, James Genus on bass, and the one and only Keith Carlock on drums. Other greats playing on the album include bassists Will Lee and Jimmy Johnson and the great Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Oz's "Oz Live" album and support great jazz fusion and real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 150 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Which Way Is Up?! - Oz Noy 8:01
2 Cosmic Background - Oz Noy 6:59
3 Fuzzy - Oz Noy 7:11
4 Three Wishes - Oz Noy 7:37
5 Epistro Funk - Oz Noy 7:22
6 Intensity - Oz Noy 6:35
7 Sometimes It Snows In April - Prince 6:35
8 Yeah, Yeah, Yeah - Oz Noy 4:56
9 In A Simple Way - David Feldman 7:46
10 Evidence - Thelonious Monk 4:36

MUSICIANS

Oz Noy - Guitar on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: Acoustic Guitar on Tracks 7, 9: Electric Sitar on Track 7
James Genus - Bass on Tracks 1, 2, 3: Acoustic Bass on Track 9
Will Lee - Bass on Tracks 1, 4, 6, 8
Jimmy Johnson - Bass on Tracks 5, 7, 10
Jim Beard - Rhodes on Tracks 1, 2: Synth. on Track 1: Organ on Tracks 3, 5, 6
Shai Bachar - Synth on Track 2: Wurlitzer on Track 4
George Whitty - Organ on Track 3: Wurlitzer on Track 8
Keith Carlock - Drums on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 9
Anton Fig - Drums on Tracks 1, 4, 6, 8
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums on Tracks 5, 7, 10
Matt Houser - Sound Design on Track 5

SHORT BIO

Born in Israel, Oz Noy started his professional career at the age of 13 playing jazz, blues, pop and rock music. By age 16, he was playing with top Israeli musicians and artists. By age 24, he was one of the most established studio guitar players in the country. Oz was also a member of the house band on Israel's top-rated television show for more than two years. Oz has performed, toured and recorded with Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Gavin DeGraw, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper, Clay Aiken, Akiko Yano, Wonder Girls, Toni Braxton, Phoebe Snow, Nile Rogers, Mike Clark, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, Dave Weckl, Mike Manieri, The East Village Opera Company, Roger Glover, Bill Evans, Warren Hayes, Gov't Mule, Allen Toussaint, Eric Johnson and others. © 2012 Joodayoh Inc http://pioneersforacure.org/artist/oz-noy/

27.12.12

Micky Moody

LINK
Micky Moody - Electric Journeyman - 2009 - Armadillo Music

Guitarist Mick Moody is best known as a member of the inaugural lineup of Whitesnake, though he actually began his career years earlier as a member of Juicy Lucy. After exiting Juicy Lucy, Moody played with Snafu for a few years, as well as on several session gigs, before joining Whitesnake in 1978. When bandleader David Coverdale began tinkering with Whitesnake's lineup in the mid-'80s, Moody resumed his prior career as a session guitarist; he also formed a blues-rock outfit called the Moody & Marsden Band with Whitesnake cohort Bernie Marsden, which released an album titled Never Turn Our Back on the Blues in 1994. Moody and Marsden reunited again in the Whitesnake-affiliated supergroup Company of Snakes in 2000, and Moody released his first solo album, the bluesy I Eat Them for Breakfast, in 2001. © Steve Huey © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/Micky%20Moody-MN0000403626

On "Electric Journeyman" the ex-Whitesnake guitarist travels far beyond his pentatonic roots. This is good eclectic melodic instrumental rock that blends "smooth" jazz, jazz-rock fusion, 60's Hank Marvin style guitar dynamics, cinematic themes, as well as the duelling rock guitar sound of bands like Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash. Micky's hard rock and blues rock influences permeate the entire album. There are no exceptional tracks here but all in all a pleasant instrumental rock album with high calibre musicianship. This is an album that should have been expanded and developed more. Check out Micky Moody & Paul Williams' "Smokestacks, Broomsters and Hoochie Coochie Men" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 100 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Marcia Rockola (3:54)
2. Dia Hermoso (4:34)
3. Chunk O' Funk (4:30)
4. The Man With The Blue Guitar (4:08)
5. Galasphere 347 (4:31)
6. Through The Wormhole (0:24)
7. Day Of Reckoning (4:20)
8. Hookerized (2:17)
9. Dirty Pig Two-Step (6:26)
10. When Love Sneaks Up On You (2:47)
11. The Slithero Kid (3:25)
12. Pax Columba (1:10)

All tracks composed by Micky Moody except "Chunk O' Funk" by Micky Moody, Micky Moody Jr. & Neil Snozwell

MUSICIANS

Micky Moody - Electric, Acoustic, Slide, & Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Voices
Neil Snozwell - Bass Guitar, Groove Guitars on "Chunk O' Funk"
Neil Murray - Bass
Ollie Parfitt - Keyboards
Micky Moody Jr. - Drums, Percussion

25.12.12

Michael McDonald

LINK
Michael McDonald- Soul Speak - 2008 - Universal

What's left for Michael McDonald after two albums of Motown covers? Plenty of soul standards that weren't recorded for Motown, plus several other songs that are "soulful" but not strictly soul, and that's just what he offers on Soul Speak, his 2008 sequel to his Motown sequel, 2004's Motown Two. Soul Speak shares the same basic sound and feel as the two Motown records -- it's all sleek, glassy grooves powered by pros -- and if it lacks the hint of looseness that made Two a superior record to its big brother, that's because Soul Speak isn't designed to be a party record like the Motown albums. As the covers of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" suggest, Soul Speak is a bit moodier and more contemplative than either of its Motown cousins, but that's a relative term: there are still plenty of sprightly, classy pop-soul grooves here, nice versions of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" and Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" and "For Once In My Life" that keep Soul Speak moving. But where these brightly elegant grooves dominated on the Motown albums, they're used for coloring here, shading the covers of Cohen, Marley, and Van Morrison ("Into the Mystic") and three solid new originals from McDonald ("Only God Can Help Me Now," "Enemy Within," "Still Not Over You (Getting Over Me)"). Despite the soul in the title, this album recalls the warm soft rock that was his specialty in the early '80s as much as it does his recent soul, particularly because it does rely a little bit more on soft ballads (such as the excellent closer of the standard "You Don't Know Me"), and that is not a bad thing at all. Indeed, it could be argued that of his albums of the new millennium, Soul Speak comes the closest to capturing the sound and feel of Michael McDonald at his peak, all without ever sounding like a conscious re-creation of that time. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-speak-mw0000503861

Beautiful blue eyed soul from one of the greatest soul vocalists on the planet, and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Mike's "If That's What It Takes" album [All tracks @ 256 Kbps: File size = 110 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Dennis W. Morgan, Simon Crispin Climie 4:03
2 Living For The City - Stevie Wonder 4:59
3 Love T.K.O. - Cecil Womack, Gip Noble Jr., Linda Womack 4:59
4 Walk On By - Burt Bacharach, Hal David 2:47
5 Still Not Over You (Getting Over Me) - Dennis Morgan, Michael McDonald, Simon Climie 3:57
6 For Once In My Life - Orlando Murden, Ronald Norman Miller 3:40
7 Into The Mystic - Van Morrison 4:11
8 Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen 4:59
9 Enemy Within - Michael McDonald, Simon Climie 4:05
10 (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher - Carl William Smith, Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner 3:02
11 Only God Can Help Me Now - Michael McDonald 5:00
12 Baby Can I Change My Mind - Barry Despenza, Carl Wolfolk 3:43
13 Redemption Song - Bob Marley 3:56
14 You Don't Know Me - Cindy Walker, Eddy Arnold 3:11

MUSICIANS

Michael McDonald - Keyboards on Tracks 4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,14, Piano on Tracks 1,8, Guitar on Track 7, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals on Tracks 3,4
Michael Thompson - Guitar on Tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14, Sitar on Track 5
Doyle Bramhall II - Guitar on Tracks 1,7,8,9,10,12
Nathan East - Bass Guitar
Toby Baker - Keyboards on Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,10,11,12,13,14, Synthesizer on Track 3, Synth. Programming on Track 4
Tim Carmen - Organ, Piano on Track 10
Abe Laboriel Jr. - Drums on Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,8,10,12,13,14, Nicky Shaw on Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14, Vinnie Colaiuta on Tracks 7,9
Nicky Shaw - Percussion on Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14
The Kick Horns - Brass on Tracks 6, 7, 10
Tim Lauer - Accordion on Track 7
Stevie Wonder - Harmonica on Track 6
Nick Ingman - String Arrangements on Tracks 3,6
Isobel Griffiths - Orchestra Contractor
Backing Vocals – Audrey Martells on Tracks: 4,5,11, Calvin Nowell on Tracks 3,6, Debi Selby on Track 3, Denise Allen on Tracks 3,6, Drea Rhenee on Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,10,13), Michelle John on Tracks 1,2,5,6,10,12,13, Out For Souls Choir on Tracks 1,2,5,10, Rachel Oteh on Tracks 1,2,10,13, Rian Peters on Track 6, Sharon White on Tracks 1,2,5,6,10,12,13

BIO

With his husky, soulful baritone, Michael McDonald became one of the most distinctive and popular vocalists to emerge from the laid-back California pop/rock scene of the late '70s. McDonald found the middle ground between blue-eyed soul and smooth soft rock, a sound that made him a star. He initially essayed his signature style with the Doobie Brothers, ushering in the group's most popular period with hits like "What a Fool Believes" and "Taking It to the Streets." McDonald disbanded the group in 1982 to pursue a solo career, which was initially quite successful, but by the end of the decade his popularity had faded away, since he was reluctant to work regularly and hesitant to update his sound to suit shifting popular tastes. After singing backup on several Steely Dan albums in the mid-'70s, Michael McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers in 1977. He was largely responsible for moving the group away from boogie rock and toward polished, jazzy blue-eyed soul. Prior to the Doobies' farewell tour in 1982, he sang harmony on several hit singles, including tracks by Donna Summer, Toto, Kenny Loggins, and Christopher Cross. As it turned out, McDonald's solo work was a cross between the Doobie Brothers' white-bread soul and Cross' adult contemporary ballads. McDonald released his solo debut, If That's What It Takes, in 1982. The record climbed to number six on the strength of the number four single "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)," which also crossed over into the R&B Top Ten. In 1983, he had another Top 20 pop hit (and a Top Ten R&B hit) with his duet with James Ingram, "Yah Mo B There." McDonald didn't deliver his second solo album, No Lookin' Back, until 1985. The record wasn't as successful as its predecessor, producing only one moderate hit in its title track. He bounced back the following year, when his duet with Patti LaBelle, "On My Own," shot to number one and "Sweet Freedom," his theme for the Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines comedy Running Scared, climbed into the Top Ten. Instead of capitalizing on his revitalized success, McDonald didn't release another album until 1990. The resulting Take It to Heart was a bomb, peaking at number 110. Two years later, his fortunes were revived somewhat when he sang on Aretha Franklin's minor hit "Ever Changing Times" and toured with Donald Fagen's New York Rock and Soul Revue. The following year, he released Blink of an Eye, which was ignored. In 1994, "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" was sampled heavily in Warren G's smash hit "Regulate." By 1996, McDonald had returned to the Doobie Brothers, touring the oldies circuit with the reunited group. The following year, McDonald released Blue Obsession, his first album of new material in three years. He released a Christmas album (In the Spirit: A Christmas Album) in 2001, and began a series of recordings devoted to the Motown catalog with 2003's Motown. Motown Two and Soul Speak followed in 2004 and 2008 respectively. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-mcdonald-mn0000459616

24.12.12

Chris Cain

LINK
Chris Cain - Unscheduled Flight - 1997 - Blue Rock'It Records

"Unscheduled Flight" is an album that renews your faith in the blues. Chris Cain is a terrific vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. Not many artists can lay claim to having these three qualities. Fourteen tracks on the album are Cain originals. Chris has been highly praised by blues giants like BB king, Albert King, and Robben Ford. Dan Forte of CD Universe remarked that "Chris is 100% the real deal and is one of those who keep the blues idiom alive and well". Living Blues says "Guitarist Chris Cain has some stories to tell on his Unscheduled Flight, and each song is a masterful combination of vocal and instrumental elements. Most of Cain's tales deal with agony of being born under a bad sign.... Cain describes the situations with poetic empathy.... Cain's lyrics avoid trite emotions and situations; in "Do You Call That a Buddy," a slow blues about a friend who repays the singer's generosity by stealing his woman, Cain focuses on the disintegration of the male friendship rather than the tired-and-true themes of love triangles or wrong-doing women.... He can also play lyrical lines, as emphasized in the funky "Bad Situation," while other songs find him bending notes or making them squeal.... Unscheduled Flight proves that Chris Cain can do it all--write, arrange, play, and sing--with all the sincerity and power that the blues demands". "Unscheduled Flight" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Chris' "Cain Does King" album and support great blues rock. Check out his great "Late Night City Blues" on this blog. Support real music and artists like Chris Cain who do not always get the recognition they deserve for their talent and artistry [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 132 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Drinking Straight Tequila 2:51
2 Helping Hand 2:37
3 Good Old Days 3:08
4 Do You Call That A Buddy 5:30
5 Blues For Curtis J 2:40
6 Good News 3:59
7 Change My Luck 5:05
8 I Still Want To Believe 3:45
9 Living On A Fault Line 3:26
10 Something's Got To Give 4:13
11 Bad Situation 4:08
12 The Day Your Good Luck Goes Away 4:12
13 You Give Me The Strength 4:02
14 Three Nights Without My Baby 4:58
15 Unscheduled Flight 2:31

All songs composed by Chris Cain except "Do You Call That A Buddy" by Wesley Wilson & Don Raye

MUSICIANS

Chris Cain - Guitar, Vocals, Piano
Garth Webber - Guitar
Ron Johnson, Myron Dove, Dewayne Pate - Bass
Tony "Macaroni" Lufrano, John R. Burr, David Matthew - Keyboards
Randy Hayes, Ron E. Beck, Patrick Ford, Gabriel Ford - Drums

BIO

Chris Cain's jazz-tinged, blues soaked guitar and deep, warm vocals have the maturity and authenticity of bluesmen many years his senior. His expressive style is the result of a lifetime of study and the relentless pursuit of music mastery. His passion and intensity are a blend of his mother's Greek ancestry and his father's soulful black heritage. Cain was raised on stories of his father's childhood upbringing on Memphis' Historic Beale Street and attended his first B.B King concert at the tender age of three. Blues music played continuously on the home stereo and family outings were often trips to concerts. Cain recalls, "I remember when I was a kid, my Dad would be mowing the lawn with the stereo blasting Muddy Waters. When I look back, that was pretty cool! There was always music playing at our house, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, all the greats." At the age of eight, Cain taught himself to play guitar and began playing professionally before he was eighteen. Chris studied music at San Jose City College, and was soon teaching jazz improvisation on campus. Over the next twenty years, Cain would also master piano, bass guitar, clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone. The combination of his blues upbringing and his jazz studies melded to form the searing guitar style that sets Chris Cain apart and has moved him to the top ranks of the blues music scene. Cain's debut recording, Late Night City Blues (Blue Rock'it Records-1987) garnered four W.C. Handy Blues Award nominations, including Guitarist of the Year." Dan Forte of Guitar Player wrote, "An impressive debut album by a top notch guitarist." Cain's next two releases; "Cuttin Loose" (Blind Pig Records-1990) and "Can't Buy a Break" (Blind Pig Records-1992) collected a long list of awards and accolades. In August of 1995 Blind Pig released "Somewhere Along the Way" his 4th compilation of his unique brand of original music sophisticated blues, funk, jazz and gospel. In 2003 Patrick Ford produced Chris's latest CD, "Hall Of Shame" (Blue Rock'it Records-2003). "...this is now the sixth Chris Cain solo release I have produced, not to mention his work with me on projects like the Ford Blues Bands' "In Memory Of Michael Bloomfield" CD, and I continue to be in awe of his incredible talent. As a guitarist/singer, Chris has been praised by mentors like Albert King and peers like Robben Ford." Larry Nager (syndicated Scripts-Howard music critic) writes, "Nowadays most young blues players are Strat-wielding Stevie Ray Vaughan-a-bes. Not Chris Cain. With a voice that recalls B.B. King and a thick toned Gibson guitar sound reminiscent of Albert King, Cain is forging a unique style. With his own highly personalized songwriting, "Hall Of Shame" is a giant step in the development of one of the most compelling young bluesmen on today's scene." Through his guitar mastery and remarkable songwriting ability, Chris Cain has established himself as a musical force to be reckoned with. And as San Jose Mercury News music reviewer John Orr writes, "more than anyone else, anywhere, Chris Cain represents the future of the blues." © http://www.chriscainmusic.com/Cain_history.html

Pink Floyd

LINK
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon [Experience Edition] CD2: Live At The Empire Pool, Wembley, London 1974 - 2011 - EMI

If you're not familiar with Pink Floyd's historic DSOTM then you have been on the DSOTM since 1973. This is CD 2 of a remastered 2 CD set "Experience" edition released by EMI in 2011. Pink Floyd played four gigs at The Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England on 14th, 15th, 16th, & 17th November 1974 as part of the band's Winter Tour. The tracks here are taken from those live gigs. On the studio album, all the tracks merge into each other, but due to the transfer here, all track endings end abruptly [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 132 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Speak to Me [#][Live] - Nick Mason 2:45
2 Breathe (In the Air) [#][Live] - David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Roger Waters 2:50
3 On the Run [#][Live] - David Gilmour, Roger Waters 5:08
4 Time [#][Live] - David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright, Roger Waters 6:31
5 The Great Gig in the Sky [#][Live] - Richard Wright (Vocal Composition by Clare Torry) 6:50
6 Money [#][Live] - Roger Waters 8:40
7 Us and Them [#][Live] - Richard Wright, Roger Waters 8:09
8 Any Colour You Like [#][Live] - David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright 8:10
9 Brain Damage [#][Live] - Roger Waters 3:43
10 Eclipse [#][Live] - Roger Waters 2:19

MUSICIANS

David Gilmour - Guitar, Synthesizer [Vcs3], Vocals
Roger Waters - Bass Guitar, Tape Effects, Vocals
Richard Wright - Keyboards, Synthesizer [Vcs3], Vocals
Nick Mason - Percussion, Tape Effects
Dick Parry - Saxophone on Tracks 6 & 7
Carlena Williams, Venetta Fields - Backing Vocals

23.12.12

Pat Martino

LINK
Pat Martino - Joyous Lake - 1976 - Warner Bros. Records

The utterly brilliant guitarist, Pat Martino has recorded some of the best jazz guitar albums you will ever need to hear. He has covered soul jazz, avant-garde jazz, rock, pop, and world music played in a unique hard bop style. The guy is a one-off. "Joyous Lake" is an example of how jazz fusion can be enjoyable and easily accessible. Listen to Pat's superb "Live at Yoshi's" album, and read Jesse Gress' engrossing "10 Things You Gotta Do to Play Like Pat Martino" article @ http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/10-Things-You-Gotta-Do-to-Play-Like-Pat-Martino/241 [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 91.6 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Line Games - Pat Martino 3:55
A2 Pyramidal Vision - Delmar Brown 7:34
A3 Mardi Gras - Delmar Brown 9:07

B1 M'wandishi - Kenwood Dennard 5:27
B2 Song Bird - Pat Martino 7:52
B3 Joyous Lake - Pat Martino 7:25

MUSICIANS

Pat Martino - Guitar, Synthesizer [Eml 101], Percussion
Mark Leonard - Electric Bass
Delmar Brown - Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Eml 500, Oberheim Polyphonic]
Kenwood Dennard - Drums, Percussion

BIO

One of the most original of the jazz-based guitarists to emerge in the 1960s, Pat Martino made a remarkable comeback after brain surgery in 1980 to correct an aneurysm caused him to lose his memory and completely forget how to play. It took years, but he regained his ability, partly by listening to his older records. Martino began playing professionally when he was 15. He worked early on with groups led by Willis Jackson, Red Holloway, and a series of organists, including Don Patterson, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Jimmy McGriff. After playing with John Handy (1966), he started leading his own bands and heading sessions for Prestige, Muse, and Warner Bros. that found him welcoming the influences of avant-garde jazz, rock, pop, and world music into his advanced hard bop style. After the operation, Martino did not resume playing until 1984, making his recording comeback with 1987's The Return. Although not as active as earlier, Pat Martino has regained his earlier form, recording again for Muse and Evidence; he later signed with Blue Note, issuing All Sides Now in 1996, followed two years later by Stone Blue and in 1998 by Fire Dance. In 2001 Martino released a live album recorded at Yoshi's in California. Two years later he teamed with saxophonist Joe Lovano for Think Tank. Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery appeared on Blue Note in 2006. © Scott Yanow © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pat-martino-mn0000792583

22.12.12

Ryan McGarvey

LINK
Ryan McGarvey - Forward In Reverse - 2007 - Audio & Video Labs, Inc. / Forward in Reverse

:: 2008 Best Musician:::: 2008 NM Music Award Nominee (Blues Song Of The Year):::: 2008 Blues Act Of The Year :::: 2007 Blues Act Of The Year :::: 2007 NM Music Award Winner (Blues Song Of The Year) :::: 2007 NM Music Award Nominee (Mainstream Rock Song Of The Year):::: 2006 Guitarmaggeddon Champion Of NM ::--------------At age 22, Albuquerque, New Mexico native Ryan McGarvey has in a relatively short amount of time not only gained a national, and international fan base, but admiration from his personal idols as well. In the past few years of Ryan's career he has had the honor, and the pleasure of sharing the bill with such top name act's as Blue Oyster Cult, Shemekia Copeland, Shannon Curfman, Chris Duarte, Ian Moore, John Hammond Jr. , Joe Bonamassa, Back Door Slam, Gov't Mule, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many more. His debut CD release "Forward In Reverse" recently reached the top 20 (out of over 200,000 Artist's Cd's) on the best sellers list on CDBaby (The worlds largest online independent distributor). With rave reviews complimenting everything from his fiery guitar chops, which range from everything from delta slide to heavy rock, his unique vocals, or mature songwriting skills, Ryan McGarvey's live shows will leave you breathless and wanting more. Absorbing influences from everything from early delta blues, to classic hard rock, to more contemporary blues/rock artist's of today. In 2006 Ryan was named Guitar Center 's "Guitarmaggeddon: Next King Of The Blues" champion of New Mexico . In 2007 & 2008 he was named "Blues Act Of The Year", and was runner up for "Singer/Songwriter Of The Year" in The Weekly Alibi's Annual Readers Poll. In 2007 Ryan took home the New Mexico Music Award for "Blues Song Of The Year" for his song "Cryin' Over You", and was nominated for "Mainstream Rock Song Of The Year" for his song "The One That Got Away". In 2008 Ryan was once again nominated for "Blues Song Of The Year" for his blues ballad "Blue Eyed Angel Blues". Most recently Ryan was featured by the editors of Guitar Player Magazine twice during the Summer of 2008 in their magazine. And was named "Best Musician" from Albuquerque The Magazine's Annual "Best Of The City" Readers Poll. With a solid rhythm section backing him, Ryan McGarvey and his band are embarking on bigger and better things... Don't miss your chance to catch them in a town near you! -------------- "Ryan's playing has the passion and exuberance of youth, but its further lifted by a deep dedication to his craft. His technique is awe-inspiring, but its the dawning subtleties and emotional range that hints of the greatest possibilities--" - Ian Moore --------------"Look for this young lion in the future because he's looking for his own sound and what I've heard so far; I like it." - Chris Duarte - © 1996 - 2012 CD Universe; Portions copyright 1948 - 2012 Muze Inc.
For personal non-commercial use only. All rights reserved

This very impressive and critically acclaimed debut album from Ryan McGarvey made many musicians and music critics in the world of blues rock sit up and take notice. Ryan has quickly gained notoriety as one of the most exciting and talented young guitarists around. He has shared the bill with the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Gov’t Mule, Blue Oyster Cult, and more. This guy has huge potential and "Forward In Reverse" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out Ryan's "Redefined" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb]


TRACKS

1 Right in All the Wrong Ways 5:21
2 Joyride 5:56
3 The One That Got Away 4:17
4 Watch Yourself 4:25
5 Texas Special 2:57
6 Someone Like You 3:38
7 Second Time Around 4:58
8 Cryin' Over You 5:26
9 Mystic Dream 7:06
10 Blue Eyed Angel Blues 5:32

All songs composed by Ryan McGarvey

MUSICIANS

Ryan McGarvey - Guitars, Harmonica, Tambourine, Vocals
Peter Panagakos - Bass
K.C.White - Drums
Leah Black, John Wall - Background Vocals on "Joyride"

Robben Ford & The Blue Line

LINK
Robben Ford & The Blue Line - In San Francisco - 1995 - Jazz Door

Robben Ford has been one of the premier blues/jazz-fusion guitarists for nearly forty years now. Robben emerged from the Bay Area scene in the early 70's, and went on to record and tour with acts like the Yellowjackets, Tom Scott & the LA Express, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Greg Allman, and his own band The Blue Line. Those familiar with Robben's playing will be aware of his great vocals, searing tone, and stellar chops all of which are showcased on this album. Robben and bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tom Brechtlein tear through great blues rockers like "You Cut Me to the Bone", "Talk To Your Daughter", "Worried Life Blues" and "Tell Me I'm Your Man". "The Brother" and "Step On It" are terrific Ford instrumentals full of Robben's distinctive stinging guitar solos. A great live album and HR by A.O.O.F.C. N.B: The album here is entitled "Robben Ford & The Blue Line In San Francisco" and is a legit release, but the tracks sound very similar to tracks recorded on April 7, 1993 for the German TV program Ohne Filter, available on DVD. Can anybody clarify this? [Tracks @ 192-320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Brother - R.Ford 4:36
2. You Cut Me To The Bone - R.Ford 4:56
3. Start It Up - R.Ford 3:57
4. Step On It - R.Ford 6:18
5. Prison Of Love - R.Ford 4:09
6. Worried Life Blues - Major Merriweather 8:06
7. Tell I'm Your Man - R.Ford 7:33
8. Talk To Your Daughter - J.B.Lenoir 8:30
9. Help The Poor - Charlie Singleton 9:33

MUSICIANS

Robben Ford - Guitar, Vocals
Roscoe Beck - Bass
Tom Brechtlein - Drums

20.12.12

Average White Band

LINK
Average White Band- Aftershock - 1988 - Track Record Company

The Average White Band were down to a trio consisting of singer/bassist Alan Gorrie, guitarist/singer Onnie McIntyre, and saxophonist Roger Ball on Aftershock, the band's first new album in six years. The threesome brought in a lot of session players, however, starting with Alex Ligertwood, who sang on three songs, and Elliot Lewis, who handled keyboards and programming, and including such friends as Chaka Khan and the Ohio Players. Producer John Robie, known for his mechanistic dance tracks, emphasized Average White Band's traditional funk sound without finding an effective way to update it, resulting in an album that was faithful to the band's heyday but did not address its career decline. © William Ruhlmann © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/aftershock-mw0000203457

There are no tracks on this album to equal the quality of "Atlantic Avenue", "You Got It", or "Pick Up The Pieces". Many AWB fans would agree that the last truly good album from the band was "Warmer Communications" in 1978. The AWB's early stuff with the late, great drummer Robbie McIntosh who died in 1974 and also much of the band's music with guitarist Hamish Stuart who left in 1982 was funkier and had more R&B and soul than the band's later stuff which mellowed, became more commercial, and lost a lot of that "blue eyed soul" grit. The band split in 1982 but in 1988 Gorrie, Ball, and Mclntyre re-formed the Average White Band and released "Aftershock" which is an underrated album and contains a lot of the essence of the mid-seventies band sound. Musicians included former Santana vocalist Alex Ligertwood and new keyboardist Elliot Lewis. Comparisons could be made to Little Feat who many people said could never be the same without Lowell George, but are still going strong and producing some great music. Likewise with the AWB who still play concerts. Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, the AWB has featured many different lineups as well as some of the founding members. This great band's music can never be discounted. Listen to AWB's "Warmer Communications" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 81.1 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 The Spirit Of Love - Alan Gorrie, Eliot Lewis 4:05
2 Sticky Situation - Alan Gorrie, Kevin Calhoun, Matt Noble 4:29
3 Aftershock - Alan Gorrie, Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde 4:07
4 Love At First Sight - Ohio Players 4:47
5 I'll Get Over You - Alan Gorrie, Kevin Calhoun, Matt Noble 4:32
6 Later We'll Be Greater - Elliot Lewis, John Robie, Roger Ball 3:52
7 Let's Go All The Way - Alan Gorrie, Eliot Lewis 5:53
8 We're In Too Deep - Alan Gorrie, Eliot Lewis 3:54
9 Stocky Sachoo-A-Shun - Alan Gorrie, Kevin Calhoun, Matt Noble 1:38

MUSICIANS

Alex Ligertwood - Vocals (Track 4), Backing Vocals (Tracks 2,5), Dennis Lambert - Backing Vocals (Track 3), Franne Golde - Backing Vocals (Track 3), Jean McLain - Backing Vocals (Track 3)
Alan Gorrie - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Eliot Lewis - Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Onnie McIntyre - Guitar, Vocals
Roger Ball - Keyboards, Alto Saxophone
Billy Beck - Keyboards - (Track 4)
Ronnie Laws - Soprano Saxophone (Track 1)
Chaka Khan - Vocals (Tracks 1,7)
Ohio Players - Backing Vocals

BIO

Their self-effacing name to the contrary, Average White Band was anything but -- one of the few white groups to cross the color line and achieve success and credibility playing funk, with their tight, fiery sound also belying their Scottish heritage, evoking American R&B hotbeds like Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia instead. Singer/bassist Alan Gorrie, guitarists Hamish Stuart and Onnie McIntyre, tenor saxophonist Malcolm Duncan, keyboardist/saxophonist Roger Ball, and drummer Robbie McIntosh comprised the original Average White Band lineup. Veterans of numerous Scottish soul and jazz groups, they made their debut in 1973 as the opening act at Eric Clapton's Rainbow Theatre comeback gig, soon issuing their debut LP, Show Your Hand, to little notice. After adopting the abbreviated moniker AWB, a year later the band issued their self-titled sophomore effort, topping the American pop charts with the Arif Mardin-produced instrumental "Pick Up the Pieces." The record's mammoth success was nevertheless tempered by the September 23, 1974 death of McIntosh, who died at a Hollywood party after overdosing on heroin. Ex-Bloodstone drummer Steve Ferrone replaced McIntosh for AWB's third album, 1975's Cut the Cake, which scored a Top Ten hit with its title track as well as two other chart entries, "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" and "School Boy Crush." (Put It Where You Want It, issued later that same year, was simply a retitled and repackaged Show Your Hand.) With 1976's Soul Searching, the group reclaimed the full Average White Band name, scoring their final Top 40 hit with "Queen of My Soul." Following the live Person to Person, they issued Benny & Us, a collaboration with soul legend Ben E. King. However, after subsequent outings, including 1978's Warmer Communications, 1979's Feel No Fret, and 1980's Shine, failed to recapture the energy of AWB's peak, the group dissolved in 1982, with Ferrone later joining Duran Duran and Stuart recording with Paul McCartney. Gorrie, Ball, and McIntyre reformed Average White Band in 1989, tapping vocalist Alex Ligertwood for their comeback effort Aftershock. Oft-sampled by hip-hop producers throughout the 1990s, the group continued touring prior to releasing Soul Tattoo in 1996. The live album, Face to Face, followed three years later. Jason Ankeny © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-average-white-band-mn0000064454

19.12.12

Nathan Morgan

LINK
Nathan Morgan - Burning Road - 2010 - Nathan Morgan

Nathan grew up in Rex, Georgia among a family of devoted music fans. It was through his parents that he experienced the music of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd for the first time. Picking up guitar at the age of 11, Nathan rapidly began his quest for his own style, playing in every group from gospel and country, to rock and punk music. It was at the age of 16, however, that Nathan found his true passion in the music of the blues. Already accustomed to the music of Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Nathan began searching for inspiration in the music of Freddie King, B.B. King and Johnny Winter. Drawing upon these inspirations, Nathan has further developed his own blues style, emphasizing the passion and feeling of the music, rather than speed and flash. His original work with the Nathan Morgan Trio has truly brought a new sound to Atlanta, earning Nathan a well deserved role among the blues scene here in the Atlanta area. Nathan has played with the likes of John Mcknight of Delta Moon, Andrew Black, Mike Martin of Fozzy, Barry Richman of the Barry Richman Band, Nathan Nelson, and Yonrico Scott and Todd Smalley of the Derek Trucks Band. Nathan plays both Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars mixed with amplifiers from both Fender and Vox. Mark Wilson grew up in Stockbridge, Georgia and first began playing bass at age 13. His first band, Hourglass, was a collaboration with his brother Brian Wilson. After high school, Mark played in the band Steel Horses for about four years. During this time, he opened up for the likes of Confederate Railroad, Trace Adkins and Mark Wills. Playing with the band Peachtree Station, Mark had the opportunity to open for the Zac Brown Band as well. Recently, Mark has played with the likes of Andrew Black and Barry Richman. Along with his primary role in the Nathan Morgan Trio, he has also worked with up and coming country singer Barry Michael, opening for John Michael Montgomery and Joe Diffie in the process. Mark’s preferences for equipment are Fender basses played loudly through Ampeg amplifiers. His influences include Allen Woody of Gov’t Mule, Sting, Barry Oakley of the Allman Brothers Band, Stu Hamm, Donald “Duck” Dunn, John Entwhistle of the Who, and Marcus Miller, just to name a few. Lee Tyler began performing in the band 5th Wheel, performing throughout the Southeast in venues like Anderson Music Hall in Hiwassee, Georgia. Working with the Children’s Miracle Network, Lee also opened up for acts like John Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Kathy Mattea and many others. Lee has also in recent years toured with his own band, the Lee Tyler Band, and has opened up for the Zac Brown Band at the Georgia Theatre. Also, Lee has become a committed drum teacher through his business Drum Star Studios in which he teaches students of all ages how to play and read music. Lee exerts an intense and energetic stage presence, which is on display throughout the show and especially during his amazing solos. Lee’s influences include Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. © 2007-2012 Jango http://www.jango.com/music/Nathan+Morgan+trio?l=0

Influenced by artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nathan Morgan's "Burning Road" is a good, earthy album with soul, jazz, blues ,and Southern rock influences, and a refreshing change to the commercial crap out there at the moment masquerading as music. In 2008, after Nathan and his band had finished playing a gig at Blind Willie's, Atlanta, "Big Bill" Morganfield came up to Nathan and said, “You know kid you have a lot of talent. I've seen a lot of white kids play the blues, but you really got something.” Nathan later said that, “His words really influenced me, coming from someone who plays the national circuit and notices something about me and my music.”
Buy this album and support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 78.9 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Song To Remember 4:33
2. Its About Time 4:28
3. When the Blues Come Knockin 6:14
4. Fiction 4:12
5. Gotta Catch My Plane 4:17
6. Handyman Blues 3:41
7. Things Goin Wrong 3:18
8. Man On the Corner 3:25

All songs composed by Nathan Morgan

BAND

Nathan Morgan (Guitar, Vocals)
Mark Wilson (Bass, Vocals)
Lee Tyler (Drums, Percussion, Vocals)

18.12.12

Tony Spinner

LINK
Tony Spinner - Live In Europe - 2007 - Grooveyard Records

A Grade A blues / hard rock album from a guy with an amazing voice and an incredible guitar technique. Tony's early influences include Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, and Muddy Waters, but you can also hear definite SRV and Rory Gallagher influences here as well. Tony has played with Toto, and has toured as guitarist and background vocalist with the great Pat Travers Band. He has released several albums of his own on the Blues Bureau International Label. His other work includes a brilliant cover of "Up From the Skies" on the 2003 "Voodoo Crossing" Jimi Hendrix tribute CD, and has also recorded for tribute albums to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King. Tony has said that "My goal as a musician is to make good music with lots of improvisation. The tunes I play include rock, blues, funk and groove influenced jams. I never have liked set lists so I don't use one. You never know what you'll get but it is always honest, inspired and real "from the heart music." That’s what it's all about to me!". "Live In Europe" is a terrific album, and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out his "Saturn Blues" album on this blog and buy his great "Crosstown Sessions" album. Give this great artist the credit he richly deserves [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 165 Mb]

TRACKS

1. IRS BLUES
2. TURN IT UP
3. POLITICS MAN
4. LOVE SICK
5. CALEDONIA
6. FREEDOM
7. IN-HUMAN NATURE
8. SPANISH CASTLE MAGIC
9. BOURBON AND A FAST CAR
10. HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN
11. THUNDERBIRD

N.B: Tracks 1-5 were recorded at "Live Alive Radio Show", Holland on 30/1/07, and tracks 6-11 were recorded at "Blues Garage", Germany on 8/4/06

All songs composed by Tony Spinner except Track 8 by Jimi Hendrix, Track 10 by Billy Myles, and Track 11 by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, & Frank Beard

BAND

TONY SPINNER - GUITAR, VOCALS
MICHEL MULDER - BASS
HAN NEIJENHUIS - DRUMS

BIO

"Don't try to impress with fancy guitar licks, but always play from the heart!" - Tony Spinner, musician, guitarist and vocalist is not only a blues player through and through who lives and breaths blues music, he is also blessed with an incredible voice as well as an amazing guitar technique. That's what makes him such an exciting performer to see live! Let's dig into the career of this unbelievable talented guitarist to find out what Tony is all about! Tony was born in Cape Girardeau, MO on June 9, 1963. His family wasn't musical as far as playing instruments, but they listened to music a lot especially Marty Robbins, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and a wide variety of others. Tony always got excited when a tv show would have a musical guest. He loved to watch shows like Sonny and Cher, Dean Martin and Glen Campbell. Tony always liked music as far back as he can remember: "I started off liking '50's rock-n-roll celebrities such as Little Richard and Chuck Berry who I still like today and I also remember liking songs that told stories like "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Groce and "Uneasy Rider" by the Charlie Daniels Band." At the age of 8 he took guitar and piano lessons for a short time but he really wanted to play the saxophone, because it always was the lead solo instrument in most of the '50's music that he listened to at the time. At age 14 Tony really got serious with guitar after watching the movie "Woodstock" and seeing Alvin Lee with 10 Years After and Jimi Hendrix. Tony tried out for a jazz band but it only lasted a day and a half on guitar: "On the second day of rehearsal the band leader figured out that I couldn't read music and sent me on my way. He said I couldn't play in the jazz band without learning to read music. I still can't read and I still don't play jazz!" During his highschool period Tony and his buddies always had a band. They changed the name of the band almost every week, because they couldn't agree on a name! They played hard rock like Van Halen, Ted Nugent and Queen. The musician that influenced him most was Chuck Berry: "His music still gets me excited when I listen to it. He really wrote some great lyrics. Jimi Hendrix was very influential because he was so expressive with his music. Stevie Ray Vaughan got me out of hard rock and back into the blues and boogie that was my first love and of course Rory Gallagher was a big influence, because he taught me to play from the heart and not to think too much with your head. Don't worry about trying to impress people with fancy guitar licks...but play from your heart!" © 2004 - 2008 Tony Spinner, www.tonyspinner.com/biography-mark-fender.php

17.12.12

Passport & Brian Auger, Johnny Griffin, Alexis Korner, Volker Kriegel, Pete York

LINK
Passport & Brian Auger, Johnny Griffin, Alexis Korner, Volker Kriegel, Pete York ‎- Doldinger Jubilee Concert - 1974 - Atlantic

Passport, often called Klaus Doldinger's Passport have often been labelled as the European version of the legendary American fusion band Weather Report. Passport was formed in 1971 by the great German saxophonist, jazz musician and composer, Klaus Doldinger. These tracks were recorded live on October 16th, 1973, at Rheinhalle, Dьsseldorf, Germany. The music is a fusion of pop, soul, and R & B with bebop-oriented improvisation. Guests include the late "Founding Father of British Blues" Alexis Korner and the legendary jazz and rock keyboardist Brian Auger. Listen to Passport's brilliant "Looking Thru" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 97.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Handmade - Klaus Doldinger 5:42
A2 Freedom Jazz Dance - Eddie Harris 6:00
A3 Schirokko - Klaus Doldinger 9:30
B1 Rockport - Klaus Doldinger 9:15
B2 Rock Me Baby - Trad. (Arranged by Alexis Korner) 4:40
B3 Lemuria's Dance - Klaus Doldinger 6:55

MUSICIANS

Volker Kriegel - Guitar on A1, A3, B1, B2, B3
Alexis Korner - Guitar on B1, B2, B3: Vocals on B2
Wolfgang Schmid - Bass
Kristian Schultze - Piano, Moog Synthesizer on A1: Electric Piano on A3, B1, B3: Mellotron on B1
Brian Auger - Organ on A1, A2, B1, B2, B3
Pete York - Drums on A2, A3, B1, B2: Percussion on A1, A2, B3
Curt Cress - Drums on A1, A2, A3, B1, B3: Percussion on B2
Klaus Doldinger - Soprano Sax, Tenor & Soprano Sax: Tenor Sax Solo on A3
Johnny Griffin - Tenor Sax Solo on A1, A3: Tenor Sax on B1, B3

SHORT BIO

Passport is the creation of saxophonist Klaus Doldinger, who has stated that Passport is not so much a set group but a label and a name for his many projects. Doldinger, who had started out playing Dixieland back in the 1950s, by the following decade was a modern tenor-saxophonist who also worked in the studios. His mind has always remained quite open and in 1970 he formed Passport so as to explore the combination of advanced jazz improvising with rockish rhythms. Passport matches Doldinger's reeds (tenor, soprano, flute and occasional keyboards) with an electric rhythm section. The group's first recording (1970's Passport) also included Olaf Kubler on second tenor and flute, organist Jimmy Jackson, electric bassist Lother Maid and drummer Udo Lindenberg. Soon the group went through the first of several complete turnovers. The mid-1970's version usually teamed Doldinger with keyboardist Kristian Schultze, electric bassist Wolfgang Schmid and drummer Curt Cress and by 1978 it had changed drastically again. However, no matter who was in the rhythm section, Klaus Doldinger's lead voice and his band's musical direction remained consistent through the years. Passport has made numerous recordings, particularly for Atlantic. © Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

MORE

The master of the German jazz and fusion/funk scene, Klaus Erich Dieter Doldinger was born on the 12th of may in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. He was from an early age interested in music and started, by the age of eleven, to play the piano and to take piano lessons. He began studying music at Robert Schuman Conservatoire in Dusseldorf, and at the age of 16 he traded the piano for the clarinet. The step from the clarinet to the saxophone was not very far, and soon the sax became his first and also most creative instrument. Doldinger's biggest influences during this period was jazz and in perticular jazz musicians as Sidney Bechet and tenorsaxophone player, 'Lucky' Thompson. His great interest in jazz soon drove him into Germany's absolute Dixieland circuits, and during the 1950s he came to perform and play with the famous German Dixieland band, Dusseldorf Feet farmers among others.Doldinger was however looking for something more and deeper within his music. He wanted a more direct and a more personal contact with the music and with his audience and that was something that either the Dixieland, nor the traditional jazz, was able to offer him. He therefore gave his influences from slick, cool and intellectual saxophone players as Lee Konitz and Stan Getz free space within his playing. He also got more involved in blues, be-bop and hard bop. He soon started playing with artists like Kenny Clarke, Ron Ellis, Roland Kovac Quintet and Werner Giertz Combo. In the beginning of the 60s Doldinger had developed his sax skills, and he was now recognized as a very gifted and talented saxophone player, which resulted in several performances with legendary musicians as organ player Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey and trumpet player Donald Byrd among others.In 1962 he formed his own group, the Klaus Doldinger Quartet. After playing many years with Ingfried Hofmann, Doldinger had developed such a "black" sound in his saxophone that he among American jazz critics was known as "the black tenor from the Southside of Chicago", without any of the journalists knowing his German background. In 1964 Doldinger went on his first tour abroad. In 1970 he took another big step in his own musical career and formed his now legendary fusion group Passport, and by doing so, he wrote international jazz history. His intentions with Passport was to explore the combination of more rock-like-rhythms with advanced jazz improvisation. © http://hem.passagen.se/daveo/klaus_english.htm

16.12.12

Bunny Brunel, Mike Stern, Billy Childs, Vinnie Colaiuta

LINK
Bunny Brunel, Mike Stern, Billy Childs, Vinnie Colaiuta - Dedication - 1992 - Musidisc

Bunny Brunel is best-known as a virtuosic electric bassist who is featured in high-quality fusion settings. This particular recording is quite a bit different for Brunel is heard exclusively on acoustic bass, performing advanced jazz standards including pieces by Wayne Shorter, Steve Swallow, and Herbie Hancock along with two of the bassist's originals, "Stella by Starlight," Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," and "Someday My Prince Will Come." Guitarist Mike Stern has plenty of solos, pianist Billy Childs gets in his spots, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta is fine in support, but Brunel clearly controls the music. On the concluding "Twelve Bars for Leberstraum," Chick Corea guests on piano. Overall, this is one of Brunel's best jazz dates, and a bit of a surprise. © Scott Yanow © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/dedication-mw0000044344

This classic jazz album has some of the best fusion you will ever hear. The best in the business play on this album. Bunny Brunel plays bass along with Mike Stern on guitar, Billy Childs and Chick Corea on piano, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Cab's (Bunny Brunel, Virgil Donati, Tony Mcalpine, David Hirschfelder) "Live at the Baked Potato" album and support Grade A jazz fusion [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 153 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Fall (Shorter)
2 Falling Grace (Swallow)
3 Dolphin Dance (Hancock)
4 Pinocchio (Shorter)
5 Song For Bill & Eddie (Brunel)
6 Stella By Starlight (Young/Washington)
7 Pebble Beach (Brunel)
8 Relaxin' At Camarillo (Parker)
9 Someday My Prince Will Come (Churchill/Morey)
10 Twelve Bars For Lieberstraum (Corea)

MUSICIANS

Mike Stern - Guitar
Bunny Brunel - Bass, Upright Bass
Billy Childs - Piano
Chick Corea - Piano on Track 10
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums

Stanley Jordan

LINK
Stanley Jordan - Magic Touch - 1985 - Blue Note

Calculated to take the world by storm, this set includes Jordan tackling jazz standards (Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight," Miles Davis' "Freddie Freeloader"), pop tunes (The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby") and Jordan originals. About half the tracks are Jordan unaccompanied, while the rest are mostly drums and bass. His interpretations are consistently interesting: "Round Midnight" is played in 3/4, and "Eleanor Rigby" is gritty and charged after its atmospheric opening. His playing on Jimi Hendrix's ballad "Angel" is lovely, the best cover of a Hendrix tune I've ever heard (and I've heard many). His originals are catchy but lack depth ("All The Children") - the most experimental touch is the African rhythms on "Return Expedition." And "The Lady In My Life" lacks verve; it's uninteresting pop/fusion. (© DBW) http://www.warr.org/jordan.html#MagicTouch

This debut record from Stanley Jordan features the guitarist's extraordinarily idiosyncratic tapping technique on a variety of material. Jordan's revolutionary approach to the instrument, consisting of striking the fretboard with both hands to sound notes, allows him access to musical possibilities that are simply out of the reach of other guitar players. It is in his hands that the guitar attains a level of self-accompaniment formerly held only by the piano. Fortunately, Jordan puts his prodigious chops to good use making good music. One area in particular in which he is terrifically talented is in the reinterpretation of modern pop material. His version of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," accompanied only by the subtle percussion of Sammy Figueroa, dismisses the British melancholy of the original for a light-as-air interpretation that brings out the playfulness in the melody. Also impressive is Jordan's cover of Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life," which the guitarist gives a smooth, sultry reading. On the flip side, Jordan also proves that he is not out of touch with the history of jazz, with delightful versions of "Freddie Freeloader," "'Round Midnight," and "A Child Is Born." The guitarist's sidemen, who include drummers Omar Hakim and Peter Erskine, are all seasoned professionals, and they play well, but no matter how good the group performances on Magic Touch are, they are no match for the shocking polyphony of Jordan's solo material. It is there that the record really comes alive. Jordan's later albums were not to capitalize on the promise shown on his debut, but in Magic Touch the guitarist had something truly special. An instant classic, and one of the definitive moments of modern jazz guitar. © Daniel Gioffre © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/magic-touch-mw0000649595

Warning: do not be deceived. Despite what your ears might tell you, there is only one guitarist on "Magic Touch". And there are no guitar overdubs whatsoever. This may be somewhat difficult to grasp upon first hearing since there are clearly separate and independent guitar lines on the ten cuts herein. Bill Milkowski writes, "While some guitarists (Eddie Van Halen, Adrian Belew, Frank Marino) have already toyed with two-handed hammer-on effects as a means of embellishing pyrotechnic guitar solos, no one has pursued the potential of this revolutionary approach with as much purpose and dedication as Stanley Jordan. Rather than relying on the tapping technique for mere ornamentation, he has evolved a fully-realized theory that has become the basis for his unique voice. Jordan proves on this auspicious debut that he is indeed a sensitive artist and a bold pioneer." © 1996-2012 Guitar Nine All Rights Reserved http://www.guitar9.com/magictouch.html

Outstanding pop fusion/"smooth" jazz album from the low profile but brilliant Chicago born guitarist, Stanley Jordan. Daniel Gioffre of AllMusic said that "In Magic Touch the guitarist had something truly special. An instant classic, and one of the definitive moments of modern jazz guitar." Wikipedia says that "After Jordan's unique technique and obvious musicianship thrust him into the spotlight, he became frustrated with market constraints and demands placed on him and his music. Several music factions wanted to claim the Jordan sound as its own and encouraged him to follow in the track of other artists. In the early 1990s, Jordan was upset with the rigid adherence to previously-entrenched musical categories and the limitations usually placed on artists by major labels. Stanley Jordan abandoned his management team and went into deep study of music therapy and is now a member and spokesperson for the American Music Therapy Association". Try and listen to Stanley's 1982 "Touch Sensitive" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 100 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Eleanor Rigby - Lennon & McCartney 7:00
2 Freddie Freeloader - Miles Davis 6:03
3 Round Midnight - Thelonious Monk 5:03
4 All The Children - Stanley Jordan 5:00
5 The Lady In My Life - Rod Temperton 6:25
6 Angel - Jimi Hendrix 4:11
7 Fundance - Stanley Jordan 2:33
8 New Love - Stanley Jordan * 5:35
9 Return Expedition - Stanley Jordan 8:00
10 A Child Is Born - Thad Jones 3:33

N.B: Not included on original vinyl release

MUSICIANS

Stanley Jordan - Guitar
Wayne Brathwaite - Electric Bass
Charnett Moffett - Acoustic Bass
Onaje Allan Gumbs - Keyboards
Peter Erskine, Omar Hakim - Drums
Sammy Figueroa, Bugsy Moore - Percussion
Al di Meola - Cymbals

SHORT BIO

Stanley Jordan's discovery in the early '80s rightfully earned a lot of headlines in the jazz world as he came up with a new way of playing guitar. Although he was not the first to use tapping, Jordan's extensive expertise gave him the ability to play two completely independent lines on the guitar (as if it were a keyboard) or, when he wanted, two guitars at a time. He had originally studied piano, although he switched to guitar when he was 11. After graduating from Princeton in 1981, Jordan played for a time on the streets of New York. Soon he was discovered, had the opportunity to play with Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie and, after recording a solo album for his own Tangent label, signed with Blue Note. Since then, his career has been surprisingly aimless. Stanley Jordan can play amazing jazz, but he often wastes his talent on lesser material, so one has to be picky in deciding which of his recordings to acquire. Among his many albums are 1985's Magic Touch, 1986's Standards, Vol. 1, 1990's Stolen Moments, 1994's Bolero, 2003's Dreams of Peace, and 2008's State of Nature. In 2011, Jordan was joined by an all-star lineup featuring saxophonist Kenny Garrett, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Kenwood Dennard for the album Friends. © Scott Yanow © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stanley-jordan-mn0000011910

15.12.12

Stevie Nimmo

LINK
Stevie Nimmo - The Wynds of Life - 2010 - Armadillo Music Ltd

Don’t miss the chance to witness one of ‘Scotland’s finest singer songwriters’ up close and personal as he passes through the UK & Europe throughout 2013 – David Knowles, Maverick magazine

A bit more country and western than you probably expected. Pedal-steel guitars weep, accordions wheeze, lovesick dreamers endure lonely nights in Georgia... and it all hangs together pretty well ...- Henry Yates, Classic Rock, #151 Nov 10

Great album from one of Scotland’s finest singer/songwriters. - Dave Knowles, Maverick Magazine

Stevie’s wide embracing charm also extends out from the southern blues as some country blues rears via the instrumental ‘Winter’ plus, when it comes to soul it is delivered in fabulous fashion by way of ‘It’s a Hard Life’. Like with the majority of outstanding songs it was also written by Nimmo and is right up there with ‘Lonely Night In Georgia’ and the all-fired up ‘Good Day For The Blues’ only his I feel comes over a little better! Fresher and sharper in feel and production as Stevie reaches out to the listener. - Maurice Hope, Medicine Show

It is a magnificent compilation, which showcases Stevie’s sensitive side, particularly in respect of his vocal delivery and his songwriting skill. It is an absolute must ... - Lionel Ross, bluesinthenorthwest

A great brew of earthy and passionate Americana and blues with elements of gospel, soul, roots, country, and Louisiana style swamp rock by the great Glaswegian bluesman Stevie Nimmo (of the Nimmo Brothers), one of the hottest blues duos in the world. Check out The Nimmo Brothers' "New Moon Over Memphis" and King King Featuring Alan Nimmo's "Take My Hand" albums on this blog. Buy The Nimmo Brothers' "Live Cottiers Theatre" album and support real music. Check out any of James McMurtrys albums sometime for outstanding music in a similar genre. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 144 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 You'd Be On It - Boyd Tonner 4:58
2 Lonely Night In Georgia - Dave Barnes / Marc Broussard / Martin Sexton 5:11
3 Morning Sun, Midnight Rain - Stevie Nimmo 4:46
4 Dreams - Stevie Nimmo 4:16
5 Eye Of The Storm - Stevie Nimmo 5:53
6 Good Day For The Blues - David Grissom 4:28
7 Make It Up To You - Boyd Tonner 3:51
8 Long Road To Heaven - Stevie Nimmo 4:13
9 Coming Home To You - Stevie Nimmo 4:10
10 In Your Arms At Night - Stevie Nimmo 4:10
11 Winter - Stevie Nimmo 2:52
12 Sometimes - Stevie Nimmo 4:05
13 It's A Hard Life - Stevie Nimmo 4:51
14 Everything Is Gonna Be Alright - Stevie Nimmo 4:50

MUSICIANS

Stevie Nimmo - Acoustic, Slide, & Electric Guitar, Vocals, Backing Vocals
Lloyd Maines - Pedal Steel, Dobro, Slide Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo
David Lee Holt - Lead Guitar on Track 2: Guitar with Stevie Nimmo on Track 6
George Reiff - Bass Guitar, Bass Piano, Percussion
Michael Ramos - Hammond B3, Wurlitzer, Piano, Accordion
Pat Manske - Drums, Percussion
Stevie Nimmo & The Hill Country Graveyard Choir - Backing Vocals

ABOUT THE NIMMO BROTHERS

Over the past decade and a half, Stevie and Alan Nimmo, as The Nimmo Brothers, from Glasgow, Scotland have proved themselves to be one of the most respected exponents of modern blues the UK has seen since the blues boom of the 1960’s. Firstly in the guise of The Blackwater Blues Band with their debut album ‘Breaking out the Blues’ showcasing an incredible energy and talent in ones so young; Alan was just 19 at the time! 1998 saw the first Nimmo Brothers album ‘Moving On’ with a more varied collection of songs than their previous offering, giving an insight into the strength and power of the Nimmo Brothers arrangements yet to come. Come they did in 2001 with ‘Coming Your Way’, marking the beginning of a hugely successful relationship with Armadillo Music. This album not only captured the true spirit and energy of the Nimmo Brothers but also showed a level of song writing maturity. It was with this batch of songs that the Nimmo Brothers found themselves catapulted to the forefront of the British and European blues scenes – winning best UK blues album and best UK blues band at the 2002 British Blues Connection Awards - as well as headlining festivals and leaving sold out signs in the windows of clubs throughout the UK and Europe. 2003 was time for a change of pace and the brothers achieved this with their acoustic album ‘New Moon over Memphis’; a beautiful and highly emotional recording which focused on the vocal and song writing talents of The Nimmo Brothers. When they first showcased this new material at the Low County Blues Bash in Charleston, South Carolina they were given two consecutive standing ovations by the audience, who were genuinely moved by the power and honesty of the songs they heard. One observer was the US blues artist Debbie Davis who immediately invited the guys to join her on stage that night at her own show. In 2006, after a period where the brothers had concentrated on various solo projects, Armadillo released their ‘Live’ album; recorded in 2003, at The Cottiers Theatre, in their home town of Glasgow. The Nimmo Brothers were back with a bombardment of new killer songs, touring the ‘Live’ album with dates in the UK, Ireland and Europe. In 2009 The Nimmo’s dusted down their amps and hauled out their treasured Les Pauls and Strat’s to promote ‘Picking up the Pieces’ and once again become THE BAND to be reckoned with on the blues scene. Musically stunning, they never fail to impress audience after audience with their show. The Nimmo Brothers have recently been in Austin, Texas, recording a new CD for release in Spring 2012. Sounding stronger and more powerful than ever, The Nimmo’s played and recorded with three top Austin musicians, Bill Whitbeck, bass player with Robert Earl Keen; Jimmy Pettit, bass with Joe Ely, The Flatlanders etc; also joining them on drums, the long time Eric Clapton collaborator and band member, Jamie Oldaker. © Armadillo Music Ltd 2007 http://www.bluearmadillo.com/artistpage.php?artist=16#

14.12.12

Guthrie Govan

LINK
Guthrie Govan - Erotic Cakes - 2006 - Cornford Records

A brilliant album from one of the greatest guitarists in jazz rock music today. Great guitarists like Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert have praised Guthrie's masterful skills. Paul Gilbert said "Guthrie Govan gives shred a good name. It’s absolutely heartwarming to hear someone play super fast and have musical depth to match. What a breath of fresh air." Joe Satriani said "What sets Guthrie apart, is that no matter what he’s doing—picking, tapping, slapping, playing legato, whatever—he mixes everything up gracefully and absolutely nails each approach. And all the while the music sounds natural." "Erotic Cakes" is an exceptional album of metal edged jazz rock/fusion infused with hard rock and blues and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Try and listen to the lesser known Guthrie Govan & The Fellowship's "The Basement Club Band" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 128 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Waves 5:08
2 Erotic Cakes 3:50
3 Wonderful Slippery Thing 3:20
4 Ner Ner 8:04
5 Fives 4:35
6 Uncle Skunk 5:28
7 Sevens 5:56
8 Eric 5:05
9 Slidey Boy 4:34
10 Rhode Island Shred 2:17
11 Hangover 6:31

All tracks composed by Guthrie Govan

MUSICIANS

Guthrie Govan - Guitars
Richie Kotzen - Guitar Solo on "Ner Ner"
Bumblefoot (Ron Thal) - Guitar Solo on "Rhode Island Shred"
Seth Govan - Bass
Pete Riley - Drums

BIO (WIKI)

Guthrie Govan (born 27 December 1971 in Chelmsford, Essex, England) is an English guitarist known for his work with the bands The Aristocrats, Asia (2001–2006), GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes (a vehicle for his own music). He is a noted guitar teacher through his work with the UK magazine Guitar Techniques, Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music and currently the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. He is the 1993 winner of Guitarist magazine's "Guitarist of the Year" competition. Govan began playing guitar aged three, encouraged by his father but initially learning mainly by ear. At the age of nine he and his brother Seth Govan played guitar on a Thames Television programme called Ace Reports. At secondary school he was exposed, via older classmates, to "shred" guitarists of the time. After leaving school, Govan read English at the University of Oxford, though he left after a year to pursue a career in music. Around this time (by Govan’s own estimation, 1991 he sent demos of his work to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney was impressed and offered him a record deal; ultimately however, Govan declined. Regarding his reasons he has explained: "it was as though all I really wanted to know was that I was good enough […] I found I was getting a bit wary of the shred movement." In 1993 he won Guitarist magazine’s "Guitarist of the Year" competition with his instrumental piece Wonderful Slippery Thing (a version of which would eventually appear on his debut solo album); the demo of the track earned him a place amongst several other entrants in the live final, which he then won. Subsequently, he submitted a sample transcription (of a Shawn Lane piece) to Guitar Techniques magazine; this earned him a job as a contributor to the magazine, ending a spell working in fast food. Govan has since worked with Guitar Techniques, including an article providing a transcription of his track Wonderful Slippery Thing. Since the late 1990s, Govan has taught at the Guitar Institute in Acton, Thames Valley University, and the Academy of Contemporary Music; he currently teaches at Brighton Institute of Modern Music. In this context, he is known for his ability to teach a wide range of styles. Govan has published two books on guitar playing: Creative Guitar Volume 1: Cutting Edge Techniques and Creative Guitar Volume 2: Advanced Techniques. Govan began his involvement with Asia playing on the album Aura. With his work on the album complete, Govan was added to the Asia line-up for the tour to support the new album. Bad Asteroid, an instrumental in the live shows, was a Govan original composition; it dates back to his early 1990s demo. He went on to play on the band’s 2004 album Silent Nation. In 2006, Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes left to reform an earlier Asia line-up; Govan and the other two band members, John Payne and Jay Schellen, along with and Erik Norlander continued as Asia featuring John Payne. Govan left in mid-2009 and was replaced by Mitch Perry. Payne, Govan and Schellen also formed GPS (named after the members' initials) and after the addition of Ryo Okumoto on keyboards the band released the album Window to the Soul (2006). Govan performs on a number of tracks on Your Music Is Killing Me, the debut album of UK electronic dance music act The Young Punx and is part of their live act. He also appears in the music video for their track Rockall. Govan has played live guitar for Dizzee Rascal, including a performance on Later With Jools Holland. In December 2010, Govan performed on all tracks on Docker's Guild album The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance, due for release in 2012 on Lion Music. The project also features some other Asia artists, notably John Payne on vocals and Simon Hanhart, who mixed the album. Other special guests include Gregg Bissonette (drums), Tony Franklin (bass), Jeff Watson (guitars), Douglas R. Docker (keyboards), Goran Edman, Tony Mills and Amanda Somerville (vocals). Govan’s debut solo album, Erotic Cakes, was released through Cornford Records in August 2006. In the album's sleeve notes, Govan states the album is a Simpsons reference; he also explains that when playing live, the band is billed as Erotic Cakes rather than simply Guthrie Govan. In addition to bass by Govan’s brother Seth and drumming by Pete Riley, the album features guitar solos by Richie Kotzen (whose Los Angeles studio was used to record the guitar tracks on the album) on Ner Ner and Bumblefoot on Rhode Island Shred respectively. Seth Govan and Pete Riley also complete the Erotic Cakes live band. Previous versions of Waves and Rhode Island Shred appeared on the compilation Guitar on the Edge, Vol 1. no.4 (Legato Records, 1993). A version of his Guitarist of the Year winning piece, Wonderful Slippery Thing appears on the album. While this is his first album, Govan had been collaborating with drummer Pete Riley on the music since the mid-1990s. The Erotic Cakes band line up, with the addition of saxophonist Zak Barrett, also forms jazz-fusion band The Fellowship. The band plays at the Bassment club in Chelmsford, Essex, every Thursday night and has done so for several years. In late 2011, Govan announced a new tour with new band The Aristocrats, featuring Bryan Beller on bass and Marco Minnemann on the drums. Their self-titled album was released worldwide in September 2011. In 2012, TBS began running a TV ad for the popular show "House of Payne" that features part of his solo from his jam track "Les is More." In June 2012, Govan was featured with a guest solo on the song, "Have a Blast" on progressive metal band Periphery's, second album Periphery II: This Time It's Personal. In September 2012, it was announced that Govan will be playing guitar on Steven Wilson's upcoming third solo album. Govan’s earliest influences were Jimi Hendrix and Cream-era Eric Clapton; as such he describes himself as coming from a "blues rock background". While he is "wary" of 1980s technique driven guitar music ("shred") he cites the imagination of Steve Vai (as well as Frank Zappa, with whom Vai played) and the passion of Yngwie Malmsteen as influences. Jazz and fusion elements are an important part of his style: he cites Joe Pass as a pivotal influence in this respect. Govan is known for his virtuoso command of the electric guitar, due to both his technical ability and proficiency in various styles. Govan’s MySpace profile lists quotes from various guitarists to this effect; elsewhere, fellow virtuosos Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert have praised Govan's playing. Satriani said "What sets Guthrie apart, is that no matter what he’s doing—picking, tapping, slapping, playing legato, whatever—he mixes everything up gracefully and absolutely nails each approach. And all the while the music sounds natural." Gilbert said "Guthrie Govan gives shred a good name. It’s absolutely heartwarming to hear someone play super fast and have musical depth to match. What a breath of fresh air." He uses various Suhr guitars: three different Guthrie Govan Signature Model guitars, three custom Standards, a Modern 24-fret model, a Classic and Classic T. He plays Vigier fretless guitar. Govan also has used Cornford amps: the sleeve notes of Erotic Cakes state he has used an RK100, MK50 and Hellcat. In the last European tour of 2010 and 2011 he played Brunetti amplifiers (CustomWork Mercury 50) like his friend Dave Kilminster, and he recorded live his last CD/DVD during the Lapsus (Torino, Italy) show on the December 8th 2011. With "The Aristocrats" he is using Suhr Badger 30 amps live as well as a CAA PT-100 and the Badger 30 on the Album. On December 17, 2011 Guthrie and the Erotic Cakes band had their gear stolen after a show in Rome. Among the equipment stolen were Brunetti Mercury heads, a 1989 Warwick Streamer bass, yet-to-be-edited footage from the show played at Lapsus, Torino IT and more. In October 2012 Guthrie was seen using Charvel guitars on tour, however it was confirmed to be a prototype and will used be throughout The Aristocrats' current tour. Govan recently stated that he and Suhr parted ways, and that Suhr would no longer carry his signature guitar, however, he also mentioned that he did not have an endorsement deal with any brand.

12.12.12

Jethro Tull


Jethro Tull - All The Best - 2012 - EMI

A forty track compilation from the legendary British progressive rock band, Jethro Tull. There are countless Tull compilation albums in circulation. This album contains mostly new stereo mixes and digital remasters of many of the band's best songs from the 1968-1999 period. As usual, there are tracks omitted which could be included here, but this argument about a band's best songs will always apply to compilation albums. If you are a diehard Tull fan, this album may not interest you greatly. If you are unfamiliar with Jethro Tull, this is a very good introductory album to this monumental band's music. Listen to Tull's classic "Songs from the Wood", "Aqualung", and "Thick as a Brick" albums, Ian Anderson's "Walk into Light" and "Divinities: Twelve Dances with God" albums, and Martin Barre's "A Trick of Memory" album [All tracks @ 160 Kbps: The 2 rar files = 197.6 Mb]

DISC ONE

1. A New Day Yesterday (2001 Digital Remaster) 4:08
2. Sweet Dream (2001 Digital Remaster) 4:04
3. Witches Promise (2001 - Remaster) 3:53
4. Teacher (Original UK Mix) (2001 Digital Remaster) 4:07
5. A Song For Jeffrey (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:18
6. Bouree (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:45
7. Fat Man (2001 Digital Remaster) 2:51
8. My Sunday Feeling (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:39
9. Dharma For One (2008 Digital Remaster - Mono) 4:12
10. Nothing Is Easy (2001 Digital Remaster) 4:22
11. With You There To Help Me (2001 Digital Remaster) 6:20
12. To Cry You A Song (2001 Digital Remaster) 6:16
13. Aqualung (2001 Digital Remaster) 6:35
14. Cross-Eyed Mary (New Stereo Mix) 4:07
15. Wond'ring Aloud (New Stereo Mix) 1:52
16. Hymn 43 (New Stereo Mix) 3:15
17. Thick As A Brick (Edit No 1) (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:00
18. Living In The (Slightly More Recent) Past (Live) 3:21
19. Life Is A Long Song (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:17
20. Nursie (2004 Digital Remaster) 1:35

DISC TWO

1. Locomotive Breath (New Stereo Mix) 4:38
2. Bungle In The Jungle (2002 Digital Remaster) 3:33
3. Skating Away (On The Thin Ice Of The New Day) (2002 Digital Remaster) 4:08
4. Minstrel In The Gallery (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:50
5. Salamander (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:49
6. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:55
7. Songs From The Wood (2003 Digital Remaster) 4:52
8. The Whistler (2003 Digital Remaster) 3:30
9. Heavy Horses (2001 Digital Remaster) 3:20
10. Dun Ringill (2004 Digital Remaster) 2:38
11. Crossfire (2004 Digital Remaster) 3:51
12. Broadsword (2005 Digital Remaster) 5:02
13. Pussy Willow (2005 Digital Remaster) 3:52
14. Under Wraps #2 (2005 Digital Remaster) 2:12
15. Jump Start (2005 Digital Remaster) 4:52
16. She Said She Was A Dancer (2005 Digital Remaster) 3:39
17. Kissing Willie (2006 Digital Remaster) 3:33
18. This Is Not Love (2006 Digital Remaster) 3:59
19. Roots To Branches (2006 Digital Remaster) 5:12
20. Bends Like A Willow 4:54

All tracks composed by Ian Anderson except "Bouree" by Johann Sebastian Bach & Ian Anderson, "Dharma For One" by Ian Anderson & Clive Bunker, & "Aqualung" by Ian and Jennie Anderson

BIO

Jethro Tull was a unique phenomenon in popular music history. Their mix of hard rock; folk melodies; blues licks; surreal, impossibly dense lyrics; and overall profundity defied easy analysis, but that didn't dissuade fans from giving them 11 gold and five platinum albums. At the same time, critics rarely took them seriously, and they were off the cutting edge of popular music since the end of the 1970s. But no record store in the country would want to be without multiple copies of each of their most popular albums (Benefit, Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Living in the Past), or their various best-of compilations, and few would knowingly ignore their newest releases. Of their contemporaries, only Yes could claim a similar degree of success, and Yes endured several major shifts in sound and membership in reaching the 1990s, while Tull remained remarkably stable over the same period. As co-founded and led by wildman-flautist-guitarist-singer-songwriter Ian Anderson, the group carved a place all its own in popular music. Tull had its roots in the British blues boom of the late '60s. Anderson (b. Aug. 10, 1947, Edinburgh, Scotland) had moved to Blackpool when he was 12. His first band was called the Blades, named after James Bond's club, with Michael Stephens on guitar, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond (b. July 30, 1946) on bass and John Evans (b. Mar. 28, 1948) on drums, playing a mix of jazzy blues and soulful dance music on the northern club circuit. In 1965, they changed their name to the John Evan Band (Evan having dropped the "s" in his name at Hammond's suggestion) and later the John Evan Smash. By the end of 1967, Glenn Cornick (b. Apr. 24, 1947, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England) had replaced Hammond-Hammond on bass. The group moved to Luton in order to be closer to London, the center of the British blues boom, and the band began to fall apart, when Anderson and Cornick met guitarist/singer Mick Abrahams (b. Apr. 7, 1943, Luton, Bedfordshire, England) and drummer Clive Bunker (b. Dec. 12, 1946), who had previously played together in the Toggery Five and were now members of a local blues band called McGregor's Engine. In December of 1967, the four of them agreed to form a new group. They began playing two shows a week, trying out different names, including Navy Blue and Bag of Blues. One of the names that they used, Jethro Tull, borrowed from an 18th-century farmer/inventor, proved popular and memorable, and it stuck. In January of 1968, they cut a rather derivative pop-folk single called "Sunshine Day," released by MGM Records (under the misprinted name Jethro Toe) the following month. The single went nowhere, but the group managed to land a residency at the Marquee Club in London, where they became very popular. Early on, they had to face a problem of image and configuration, however. In the late spring of 1968, managers Terry Ellis and Chris Wright (who later founded Chrysalis Records) first broached the idea that Anderson give up playing the flute, and to allow Mick Abrahams to take center stage. At the time, a lot of blues enthusiasts didn't accept wind instruments at all, especially the flute, as seminal to the sound they were looking for, and as a group struggling for success and recognition, Jethro Tull was just a little too strange in that regard. Abrahams was a hardcore blues enthusiast who idolized British blues godfather Alexis Korner, and he was pushing for a more traditional band configuration, which would've put him and his guitar out front. As it turned out, they were both right. Abrahams' blues sensibilities were impeccable, but the audience for British blues by itself couldn't elevate Jethro Tull any higher than being a top club act. Anderson's antics on-stage, jumping around in a ragged overcoat and standing on one leg while playing the flute, and his use of folk sources as well as blues and jazz, gave the band the potential to grab a bigger audience and some much-needed press attention. They opened for Pink Floyd on June 29, 1968, at the first free rock festival in London's Hyde Park, and in August they were the hit of the Sunbury Jazz & Blues Festival in Sunbury-on-Thames. By the end of the summer, they had a recording contract with Island Records. The resulting album, This Was, was issued in November. By this time, Anderson was the dominant member of the group on-stage, and at the end of the month Abrahams exited the band. The group went through two hastily recruited and rejected replacements, future Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (who was in Tull for a week, just long enough to show up in their appearance on the Rolling Stones' Rock 'N Roll Circus extravaganza), and Davy O'List, the former guitarist with the Nice. Finally, Martin Barre (b. Nov. 17, 1946), a former architecture student, was the choice for a permanent replacement. It wasn't until April of 1969 that This Was got a U.S. release. Ironically, the first small wave of American Jethro Tull fans were admiring a group whose sound had already changed radically; in May of 1969, Barre's first recording with the group, "Living in the Past," reached the British number three spot and the group made its debut on Top of the Pops performing the song. The group played a number of festivals that summer, including the Newport Jazz Festival. Their next album, Stand Up, with all of its material (except "Bouree," which was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach) written by Ian Anderson, reached the number one spot in England the next month. Stand Up also contained the first orchestrated track by Tull, "Reasons for Waiting," which featured strings arranged by David Palmer, a Royal Academy of Music graduate and theatrical conductor who had arranged horns on one track from This Was. Palmer would play an increasingly large role in subsequent albums, and finally join the group officially in 1977. Meanwhile, "Sweet Dream," issued in November, rose to number seven in England, and was the group's first release on Wright and Ellis' newly formed Chrysalis label. Their next single, "The Witch's Promise," got to number four in England in January of 1970. The group's next album, Benefit, marked their last look back at the blues, and also the presence of Anderson's longtime friend and former bandmate John Evan — who had long since given up the drums in favor of keyboards — on piano and organ. Benefit reached the number three spot in England, but, much more important, it ascended to number 11 in America, and its songs, including "Teacher" and "Sossity, You're A Woman," formed a key part of Tull's stage repertory. In early July of 1970, the group shared a bill with Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, and Johnny Winter at the Atlanta Pop Festival in Byron, GA, before 200,000 people. By the following December, after another U.S. tour, Cornick had decided to leave the group, and was replaced on bass by Anderson's childhood friend Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond. Early the following year, they began working on what would prove to be, for many fans, the group's magnum opus, Aqualung. Anderson's writing had been moving in a more serious direction since the group's second album, but it was with Aqualung that he found the lyrical voice he'd been seeking. Suddenly, he was singing about the relationship between man and God, and the manner in which — in his view — organized religion separated them. The blues influences were muted almost to non-existence, but the hard rock passages were searing and the folk influences provided a refreshing contrast. That the album was a unified whole impressed the more serious critics, while the kids were content to play air guitar to Martin Barre's high-speed breaks. And everybody, college prog rock mavens and high-school time-servers alike, seemed to identify with the theme of alienation that lay behind the music. Aqualung reached number seven in America and number four in England, and was accompanied by a hugely successful American tour. Bunker quit the band to get married, and was replaced by Anderson's old John Evan Smash bandmate Barriemore Barlow (b. Sept. 10, 1949). Late in 1971, they began work on their next album, Thick as a Brick. Structurally more ambitious than Aqualung, and supported by an elaborately designed jacket in the form of a newspaper, this record was essentially one long song steeped in surreal imagery, social commentary, and Anderson's newly solidified image as a wildman-sage. Released in England during April of 1972, Thick as a Brick got as high as the number five spot, but when it came out in America a month later, it hit the number one spot, making it the first Jethro Tull album to achieve greater popularity in American than in England. In June of 1972, in response to steadily rising demand for the group's work, Chrysalis Records released Living in the Past, a collection of tracks from their various singles and British EPs, early albums, and a Carnegie Hall show, packaged like an old-style 78 rpm album in a book that opened up. At this point, it seemed as though Jethro Tull could do no wrong, and for the fans that was true. For the critics, however, the group's string ran out in July of 1973 with the release of A Passion Play. The piece was another extended song, running the length of the album, this time steeped in fantasy and religious imagery far denser than Aqualung; it was divided at the end of one side of the album and the beginning of the other by an A.A. Milne-style story called "The Hare That Lost His Spectacles." This time, the critics were hostile toward Anderson and the group, attacking the album for its obscure lyrical references and excessive length. Despite these criticisms, the album reached number one in America (yielding a number eight single edited from the extended piece) and number 13 in England. The real venom, however, didn't start to flow until the group went on tour that summer. By this time, their sets ran to two-and-a-half hours, and included not only the new album done in its entirety ("The Hare That Lost His Spectacles" being a film presentation in the middle of the show), but Thick As a Brick and the most popular of the group's songs off of Aqualung and their earlier albums. Anderson was apparently unprepared for the searing reviews that started appearing, and also took the American rock press too seriously. In the midst of a sell-out U.S. tour, he threatened to cancel all upcoming concerts and return to England. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, especially once he recognized that the shows were completely sold out and audiences were ecstatic, and the tour continued without interruption. It was 16 months until the group's next album, War Child — conceived as part of a film project that never materialized — was released, in November of 1974. The expectations surrounding the album gave it pre-order sales sufficient to get it certified gold upon release, and it was also Tull's last platinum album, reaching number two in America and number 14 in England. The dominant theme of War Child seemed to be violence, though the music's trappings heavily featured Palmer's orchestrations, rivaling Barre's electric guitar breaks for attention. In any case, the public seemed to respond well to the group's return to conventional length songs, with "Bungle in the Jungle" reaching number 11 in America. Tull's successful concert tour behind this album had them augmented by a string quartet. During this period, Anderson became involved with producing an album by Steeleye Span, a folk-rock group that was also signed to Chrysalis, and who had opened for Tull on one of their American tours. Their music slowly begun influencing Anderson's songwriting over the next several years, as the folk influence grew in prominence, a process that was redoubled when he took up a rural residence during the mid-'70s. The next Tull album, Minstrel in the Gallery, showed up ten months later, in September of 1975, reaching number seven in the United States. This time, the dominant theme was Elizabethan minstrelsy, within an electric rock and English folk context. The tracks included a 17-minute suite that recalled the group's earlier album-length epic songs, but the album's success was rather more limited. The Jethro Tull lineup had been remarkably stable ever since Clive Bunker's exit after Aqualung, remaining constant across four albums in as many years. In January of 1976, however, Hammond-Hammond left the band to pursue a career in art. His replacement, John Glascock (b. 1953), joined in time for the recording of Too Old to Rock 'n Roll, Too Young to Die, an album made up partly of songs from an un-produced play proposed by Anderson and Palmer, released in May of 1976. The group later did an ITV special built around the album's songs. The title track, however (on which Steeleye Span's Maddy Prior appeared as a guest backing vocalist), became a subject of controversy in England, as critics took it to be a personal statement on Anderson's part. In late 1976, a Christmas EP entitled Ring Out Solstice Bells got to number 28. This song later turned up on their next album, Songs From the Wood, the group's most artistically unified and successful album in some time (and the first not derived from an unfinished film or play since A Passion Play). This was Tull's folk album, reflecting Anderson's passion for English folk songs. Its release also accompanied the band's first British tour in nearly three years. In May of 1977, David Palmer joined Tull as an official member, playing keyboards on-stage to augment the richness of the group's concert sound. Having lasted into the late '70s, Jethro Tull now found itself competing in a new musical environment, as journalists and, to an increasing degree, fans became fixated on the growing punk rock phenomenon. In October 1977, Repeat (The Best of Jethro Tull, Vol. 2), intended to fill an anticipated 11 month gap between Tull albums, was released on both sides of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, it contained only a single new track and never made the British charts, while barely scraping into the American Top 100 albums. The group's next new album, Heavy Horses, issued in April of 1978, was Anderson's most personal work in several years, the title track expressing his regret over the disappearance of England's huge shire horses as casualties of modernization. In the fall of 1978, the group's first full-length concert album, the double-LP Live-Bursting Out, was released to modest success, accompanied by a tour of the United States and an international television broadcast from Madison Square Garden. 1979 was a pivotal and tragic year for the group. John Glascock died from complications of heart surgery on November 17, five weeks after the release of Stormwatch. Tull was lucky enough to acquire the services of Dave Pegg, the longtime bassist for Fairport Convention, which had announced its formal (though, as it turned out, temporary) breakup. The Stormwatch tour with the new lineup was a success, although the album was the first original release by Jethro Tull since This Was not to reach the U.S. Top 20. Partly thanks to Pegg's involvement with the Tull lineup, future tours by Jethro Tull, especially in America, would provide a basis for performances by re-formed incarnations of Fairport Convention. The lineup change caused by Glascock's death led to Anderson's decision to record a solo album during the summer of 1980, backed by Barre, Pegg, and Mark Craney on drums, with ex-Roxy Music/King Crimson multi-instrumentalist Eddie Jobson on violin. The record, A, was eventually released as a Jethro Tull album in September of 1980, but even the Tull name didn't do much for its success. Barlow, Evan, and Palmer, however, were dropped from the group's lineup with the recording of A, and the new version of Jethro Tull toured in support of the album. Jobson left once the tour was over, and it was with yet another new lineup — including Barre, Pegg, and Fairport Convention alumnus Gerry Conway (drums) and Peter-John Vettesse (keyboards) — that The Broadsword and the Beast was recorded in 1982. Although this album had many songs based on folk melodies, its harder rocking passages also had a heavier, more thumping beat than earlier versions of the band had produced, and the use of the synthesizer was more pronounced than on previous Tull albums. In 1983, Anderson confined his activities to his first official solo album, Walk Into Light, which had a very different, synthesizer-dominated sound. Following its lackluster performance, Anderson revived Jethro Tull for the album Under Wraps, released in September of 1984. At number 76 in the U.S., it became the group's poorest selling album, partly a consequence of Anderson's developing a throat infection that forced the postponement of much of their planned tour. No further Tull albums were to be released until Crest of a Knave in 1987, as a result of Anderson's intermittent throat problems. In the meantime, the group appeared on a German television special in March of 1985, and participated in a presentation of the group's work by the London Symphony Orchestra. To make up for the shortfall of new releases, Chrysalis released another compilation, Original Masters, a collection of highlights of the group's work, in October of 1985. In 1986, A Classic Case: The London Symphony Orchestra Plays the Music of Jethro Tull was released on record; and Crest of a Knave performed surprisingly well when it was issued in September of 1987, reaching number 19 in England and number 32 in America with the support of a world tour. Crest of a Knave was something of a watershed in Tull's later history, though nobody would have guessed it at the time of its release. Although some of its songs displayed the group's usual folk/hard rock mix, the group was playing louder than usual, and tracks like "Steel Monkey," had a harder sound than any previous record by the group. In 1988, Tull toured the United States as part of the celebration of the band's 20th anniversary. In July, Chrysalis issued 20 Years of Jethro Tull, a 65-song boxed-set collection covering the group's history up to that time, containing most of their major songs and augmented with outtakes and radio performances. In February of 1989, the band won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for Crest of a Knave. Suddenly, they were stars again, and being declared as relevant by one of the top music awards in the industry; a fact that kept critics buzzing for months over whether the group deserved it before finally attacking the voting for the Grammy Awards and the membership of its parent organization, the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences. Rock Island, another hard rocking album, reached a very healthy number 18 in England during September of the same year, while peaking only at 56 in America, despite a six-week U.S. tour to support the album. In 1990, the album Catfish Rising did less well, reaching only 27 in England and 88 in America after its release in September. And A Little Light Music, their own "unplugged" release, taped on their summer 1992 European tour, only got to number 34 in England and 150 in the United States. Despite declining numbers, the group continued performing to good-sized houses when they toured, and the group's catalog performed extremely well. In April of 1993, Chrysalis released a four-CD 25th Anniversary Box Set — evidently hoping that most fans had forgotten the 20th anniversary set issued five years earlier — consisting of remixed versions of their hits, live shows from across their history, and a handful of new tracks. Meanwhile, Anderson continued to write and record music separate from the group on occasion, most notably Divinities: Twelve Dances with God, a classically-oriented solo album (and a distinctly non-Tull one) on EMI's classical Angel Records. 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