Wayne Krantz

Wayne Krantz - Good Piranha / Bad Piranha - 2014 - Abstract Logix

Wayne Krantz, the muscular, funky New York guitarist, might be approximately parcelled into a John Scofield category – except that this exciting artist goes further than Scofield, and loves nothing more than hell-for-leather jams with mates. Krantz’s trio, with bassist Nate Wood and drummer Keith Carlock, display a relish for ferociously loose covers of leftfield pop. Along with long-time bassist Tim Lefebvre and the ethereal, contrasting background singer, Gabriela Anders, they rocket through four themes – including Thom Yorke’s Black Swan and MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This – and then play them all again, totally differently. Anders’s fragile lilt prefaces the splintering chordwork and pounding funk on Black Swan, and Comprachicos swerves and skids on Krantz’s taut, whippy phrasing. U Can’t Touch This, meanwhile, has a vivacious, bouncing groove, fresh and long-lined guitar phrasing, and wacky, Ed Wood flying saucer-like whirrs. It’s all uncompromisingly raw, and maybe something of a guitar buff’s set, but it never stops rocking. © John Fordham Thursday 6 November 2014 20.00 GMT © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/06/wayne-krantz-good-piranha-bad-piranha-review

Since the late 1980's, guitarist Wayne Krantz has been regarded as one of the world’s great musicians. He has worked with artists that include the exalted Steely Dan (both as a band member and on solo albums by Donald Fagen), the legendary jazz saxophonists Michael Brecker, Chris Potter and David Binney, composer Carla Bley and the incomparable drummer Billy Cobham. As well as Wayne's incredible inventive studio albums, he has released several influential recordings of his amazing live trio performances, mostly recorded at the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village, New York. Wayne has also played major global concert events attracting many lovers of powerful, innovative and amazingly skilled improvised music. It has been said that Wayne Krantz "has invented a guitar genre of his own". G. T. Gusdorf reviewing this album on amazon.com said that, "I like jazz fusion, and this album is great. It makes me realize that the question "is jazz dead?" debate is for people who don't like jazz, and don't know how to say it". This album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out Wayne's "Howie 61" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 99.9 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Black Swan - Thom Yorke 6:04
2. My Skin Is My Sin - Ice Cube 5:05
3. Comprachicos - Gareth McGrillen 7:42
4. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer 4:22
5. Black Swan - Thom Yorke 6:56
6. My Skin Is My Sin - Ice Cube 3:47
7. Comprachicos - Gareth McGrillen 2:43
8. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer 4:54

MUSICIANS

Wayne Krantz - Guitar
Tim Lefebvre - Bass
Nate Wood - Bass, Drums
Keith Carlock - Drums
Gabriela Anders - Occasional Vocals

ABOUT WAYNE KRANTZ

Born 26th July 26 1956, WAYNE KRANTZ was raised in Corvalis, Oregon, Krantz. He discovered the Beatles at 14, and soon after started playing guitar. Having previously been subjected to piano tuition and hated it, KRANTZ found with the guitar he enjoyed not being told to practice. Early musical development included playing in rock and country groups. Shortly before leaving high school he discovered jazz in his father's record collection, in particular guitarist BARNEY KESSEL: this music became his main interest. To quote from KRANTZ's own web biography: "My first musically important job was with a band in Boston, the D SHARP GROUP - which also had guitarist BILL FRISELL. Afterwards I went on the road with CARL BLEY and that's where I really learned how to play chord changes. LENI STERN heard me playing at a club with CARLA and started hiring me to play gigs around town and later I went to Europe with LENI for several tours, clubs and festivals. Guitar-wise I guess I have been influenced one way or another by all the guys I respect. In that long list have to be TERRY HAGGERTY (The SONS OF CHAMPLIN), MICK GOODRICK, PAT METHENY, MIKE STERN, BILL FRISELL, KEVIN EUBANKS and JOHN SCOFIELD. Way off in the distance, the mountains that inspire all of us are JOHN MCLAUGHLIN and GEORGE BENSON; those are the guys that have taken their own the farthest. The immediate goal for me is to fulfill the promise of making my own music". In 1991 WAYNE KRANTZ released his first solo album, 'Signals', which included a number of well known session jazz musicians. He then formed his own trio with LINCOLN GOINES (bass) and ZACH DANZIGER (drums), recording 'Long To Be Loose' (1993), and the first of several live albums the excellent '2 Drink Minimum', (1995). During this period through to the mid noughties, WAYNE KRANTZ gained the reputation of being a New York guitar-fusionist, playing periodically at the 55 Bar jazz club in New York City. In 1996, KRANTZ released an acoustic album with LENI STERN, 'Separate Cages' (1996). WAYNE KRANTZ formed a new trio in 1997, which further demonstrated his outstanding guitar abilities complimented with a huge bag of jazz and rock riffs, allowing attractive improv to be played live night after night. In fact to use the term 'riffs' is far from precise when KRANTZ has outlined in his book, 'An Improviser's Operating System', his approach to improvisation, which relies not on licks or memorised fretboard patterns but an awareness of 'musical formulae' using the guitar. In doing so KRANTZ was producing new sounds that have changed his musical style drastically. His electric bass-player and drummer, respectively TIM LEFEBVRE and KEITH CARLOCK, contributed well the immediate inspiration and fluidity so that such live improv to be generated in many of KRANTZ's later albums well illustrate this type of jazz fusion. (It should be noted that TIM LEFEBVRE and ZACH DANZIGER, formed the innovative jazz drum'n'bass group BOOMISH as a side project in the late 90's - their second album 'Clearance Sale' includes contributions from KRANTZ and FRISELL. With some growing disillusionment and impatience with the mainstream record industry, KRANTZ's next three albums were produced and sold independently: 'Greenwich Mean' (1999), 'Your Basic Live' (2003), and 'Your Basic Live '06' (2007), being only available for sale at gigs or mail order via KRANTZ's website. During this time WAYNE KRANTZ cemented a well earned reputation worldwide, through tours (for instance appearing several times at Wales' Brecon Jazz Festival. In addition he has been in demand as a touring sidesman and session guitarist, working with STEELY DAN, MICHAEL BRECKER, DONALD FAGEN ('Morph The Cat', released 2006), CHRIS POTTER ('Underground', also in 2006), TAL WILKENFELD ('Tranformation' 2007) with perhaps the earliest session appearance on JASPER VAN'T HOF's 'Blue Corner'(1993). In June, 2007, KRANTZ played his last regular gig at the 55 Bar (at least for the time being), announcing ?he had a desire to move towards a louder thing requiring bigger rooms, with stages and sound systems to pull it off.?? However, the most recent announcement tells us of a August 2009 release 'Krantz, Lefevbre, Carlock', the first studio album recording in 13 years. (Biography compiled from various sources, quotes from Wayne Krantz). © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4613

Al Joseph

 Al Joseph - Out In the Open - 2013 - JTC Records

JTC Records proudly presents the debut album from the incredible Al Joseph. 9 heavy rock tracks full of drive, emotion, charisma, riffs to die for and licks that will get stuck in your head for weeks on end. This is the way to launch your record career... © 2013 JamTrackCentral Ltd https://jamtrackcentral.com/store/series/out-in-the-open-album-backings/

A very good blend of classic rock/blues, metal, and progressive compositions with a classical and modern touch. Great melodic lines throughout. Al is influenced by artists like John Petrucci and Marco Sfogli. Al has said that, "Out In The Open" is a theme built on the unknowns of life. I believe we've been given all we need to face the pirates, whirlwinds, emptiness, and rejections of life. A lot of time and heart went into this project from everyone involved. I had always dreamed the emerging of my career in so many different ways, but I'm so thankful it was through JTC. I hope OITO is an inspiration to all of you who show your support! Thank you...AJ. - Buy this album and support good modern rock. Read more @ http://network.online.berklee.edu/public_profile/Albert_Joseph and https://www.facebook.com/aljosephguitar
[All tracks @ 160 Kbps: File size = 62.4 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Return
2. Desperate Times
3. Sun Devils
4. Exile
5. The Missing You
6. Out in the Open
7. The Tribal Decks
8. Desperate Measures
9. The Father Land

All tracks composed by Al Joseph

BAND

Al Joseph (guitars), Juan Luqui (guitars)
Manny Tiegnon, Mauricio Morales (bass)
Abidan Perry (percussion)

ABOUT AL JOSEPH

Al Joseph has proven to be one of the worlds most exciting new virtuosos to hit the scene to date. Now a proud Alumni of Berklee College Of Music, Al presses on to an already promising career as both a guitar player and songwriter. Expect to see more exciting things over the coming years. You can expect to hear quite a bit of Joe Satriani's lyrical texture, John Petrucci's technical power, Vinnie Moore's stinging licks, and Andy Timmons' sense of feel and dynamic presence in Al's playing . As far as songwriting goes Al has a never-ending list of band influences in his arsenal. From Creed, Rage Against The Machine, P.O.D, to Pillar, Pantera, Sevendust, and many more. If you can dig on any or all of these artists get ready to add another new player to your list. "Out In The Open" is Al's debut solo instrumental record which was released through JTC Records in October 2013. It's a story of emotion, new beginnings, unknowns, and all the new challenges Al has faced throughout his life. Let's not forget about an hour of world class shredding as well. If you enjoy the workings of guitar legends Joe Satriani and Andy Timmons, look no further. This record has it all wrapped up in a nice basket for you with a kick of fusion as well. Out In the Open is a wild ride for sure! Check out Al's music on Jamtrackcentral.com, iTunes, Spotify, and ReverbNation. Here's what JTC Records has to say about it: There is no question of Al's ability on the guitar. Still a young player he brings some great classic ideas and makes them extremely accessible, whilst surrounding them with well produced tracks. Expect to see a lot more from Al over the coming years....he has an exciting career ahead of him. Jonny Carpenter, Jam Track Central Records © 2014 Al Joseph Official Guitar Page http://www.aljosephofficial.com/#!al-joseph-bio-page/c9nv

Keith Thompson And Strange Brew

Keith Thompson And Strange Brew - Keith Thompson And Strange Brew - 2000 - Brambus

"Keith Thompson's Strange Brew" are a classic British Blues/Rock band - In the style of blues heros such as Gary Moore, Eric Clapton and Rory Gallagher.Keith Thompson, is a professional musician with many years performing experience. He has worked in several bands, and as a solo artist. He has travelled extensively in the UK. and in European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Holland and Norway. Recently Keith also did a promotional tour in USA. When not touring or playing "live", Keith has been in demand as a session musician in the studio. His guitar work has cropped up on several albums and on television "incidental" music. A sample of Keith's guitar work can also be heard as the soundtrack for the best selling computer game, "Grand-Prix 2". Keith combines his experience as a guitarist with his skills as a successful songwriter to come up with a blend of UK Blues/Rock that really cooks! - Album Notes © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/strangebrewuk

Worcester, England born Keith Thompson is a professional musician with many years of performing experience. He has worked in several bands and as a solo artist and is an in demand session guitarist. With his band he consistently travels extensively and performs in mainland Europe and the UK in clubs and has played prestigious festivals including Postonja Blues Festival, Slovenia, Umag Festival, Croatia, Suwalki, Poland, Colne R&B festival and Gloucester Blues Festival UK. On This album Keith demonstrates how British blues rock is alive and thriving. This self titled album received a lot of critical acclaim. 14 solid studio and live tracks played in a style reminiscent of greats like Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher, and Eric Clapton. The raunchy horn/brass section by The Little Big Horns and the thundering bass lines and solid drums of Lee Hunter and Alleyn Menzies respectively make this a great album. Keith Thompson is a very accomplished but underrated musician and this album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Try and listen to Keith Thompson And Strange Brew's even better "Independence" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 145 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Cat Scratch Crazy (3:53)
2. You Don't Know Me (2:52)
3. I'm Tore Down (4:11)
4. Reduce Me To Tears (6:42)
5. Little Boy (5:34)
6. Road To Recovery (3:26)
7. I'm Not Your Victim (4:43)
8. Heart and Soul (3:48)
9. Got My Mind Made Up (4:17)
10. Count On You (2:57)
11. Blues Don't Love You (3:37)
12. Be Good To Yourself (3:36)
13. Crossroads (3:45)
14. Higher Ground (4:33)

All tracks composed by Keith Thompson except Track 3 by Sonny Thompson, Track 12 by A.Fraser, & Track 13 by Robert Johnson

MUSICIANS

Keith Thompson - Guitars, Keyboards, Blues Harp, Lead & Backing Vocals
Lee Hunter - Bass Guitar
John Broomhall - Piano, Hammond on Track 14
Alleyn Menzies - Drums
Patsy Gamble - Tenor Saxophone
Frank Abrams - Tenor Sax on Tracks - 6,14
Steve Trigg - Trumpet
Andy Gilliams - Trombone
Mark Cole - Accordion on Track 8
Nick John, Gary Hunt - Backing Vocals

Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck - You Had It Coming - 2001 - Epic

Sure, they've got lightning moves and thundering power, but guitar gods live by the same laws that govern lesser mortals: Only the most adaptable shall prevail. So now that old masters like Clapton and Santana are enjoying pop-propelled career rebirths, it's fair to ask, what about Jeff Beck? You Had It Coming, Beck's second solo album in two years, makes this the busiest stretch for the one-time Yardbird since his memorable mid-1970s run of Blow by Blow and Wired. Working in the comfortable techno-funk rock vein he's been tinkering with for the last few years, Beck is as agile and muscular a craftsman as he's ever been — firing off ragged buckshot-blast chords on the rotgut-blues classic "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (aided by Imogen Heap's soulful vocal) and unwinding long, curvaceous notes that give the surprising raga-flavored "Nadia" exceptional charm. Beck remains enthralled, in a slightly anachronistic sort of way, by the multiple voices he can squeeze from the throat of his Stratocaster, delivering screams, wails and growls as he traverses this record. What's missing is the modern edge that would give Beck's fiery playing a better context. Too often, the techno-funk rhythm driving the action here sounds stiffly electronic, like a Chemical Brothers castoff from the Nineties. It's not that it's bad, it's just that Beck deserves so much more. © DAVID THIGPEN | January 23, 2001 © 2014 Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/you-had-it-coming-20010123

Jeff Beck returns two years after the ten-years-in-the-making Who Else?, and You Had It Coming isn't surprising just for its rapidity, but for its music. From the moment the electronicized, post-rave beats of "Earthquake" kick off the record, it's clear that Beck isn't content to stay in place -- he's trying to adapt to the modern world. To a certain extent, this isn't an entirely new phenomenon, since each of his records is clearly, inextricably of its time, from the crunching metal of Truth through the breezy jazz fusion of Blow By Blow to the modernized album rock of Guitar Shop. This is just another side of that, as Beck works with electronic music, both noisy and new age introspective. It's a bit clever, actually, since Beck's playing has always been otherworldly, dipping, bending, and sounding like anything other than a normal guitar. The problem is, when he's surrounded by lockstep, processed beats and gurgling synths, his guitar doesn't leap to the forefront and capture attention the way it does on his best recordings. Still, there's something to be said for the effort, because even if it doesn't sound like a Beck record, it isn't a bad record, and it's certainly a helluva lot more successful than Clapton's similar forays into these waters. Besides, knowing that he knocked this out so quickly makes it a little endearing. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved

Guitar legend and musical chameleon Jeff Beck met the 21st century head on with a new sound to match the new millennium: part techno grunge, part industrial electronica, but without ever sacrificing the patented lyricism of his distinctive guitar style. The album is only 36 minutes long, but packs a lot into its all-too brief length. Most of it is instrumental, ranging from the aptly titled opening salvo "Earthquake" (having lived through a few during my childhood in Northern California, I can vouch for the song's unsettling sense of power) to the lush ambient chillout of the album closer, "Suspension". In between is the aggressive Harley-Davidson hip-hop of "Roy's Toy"; some gorgeous East Indian motifs (in "Nadia"); and lots of raw, effects-heavy soloing (I'm thinking in particular of the rocket-fueled instrumental "Loose Cannon", a personal favorite). And before you accuse Beck of completely abandoning his musical roots, lend an ear to the more traditional blues of "Rollin' and Tumblin'". The song dates back to the days of Hambone Willie Newbern, and has since been covered by (I'm sure among many others) Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and The Grateful Dead. But here it's updated with enough testosterone to fuel a small sports car, and graced by the appropriately soulful vocals of Imogen Heap (recorded in a single take, I'm told). Fans of the guitarist's older blues and fusion recordings might not be ready to appreciate his latest change in direction. But the album (and his self-titled 2003 follow-up) should appeal to the same forward-thinking listeners who applauded the V-drum improvisations of the more recent KING CRIMSON. Personally speaking, here's one old dog ready to roll over for music like this any day. - from ****/5 "Who says an old dog can't be taught new tricks?" Review by & © Neu!mann © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=15053

“You Had It Coming” is the eighth studio album by legendary guitarist Jeff Beck. The album reached No. 17 and 110 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums and Billboard 200 charts respectively, as well as No. 96 and 123 on the German and French albums chart. "Dirty Mind", went on to win the award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 2002 Grammys; this being Jeff’s third such award, after the albums Flash (1985) and Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989). Singer Imogen Heap is featured on "Dirty Mind" and "Rollin' and Tumblin'", and would later tour with Jeff in 2004. Mostly an instrumental album, and a wonderful example of why Jeff Beck is so highly regarded in the rock world. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 74.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Earthquake - Jennifer Batten 3:17
2 Roy's Toy - Aiden Love, Andy Wright, Jeff Beck 3:35
3 Dirty Mind - Aiden Love, Andy Wright, Jeff Beck 3:50
4 Rollin' And Tumblin - M. Morganfield (Muddy Waters) 3:10
5 Nadia - Nitin Sawhney 3:51
6 Loose Cannon - Andy Wright, Jeff Beck, Jennifer Batten 5:17
7 Rosebud - Andy Wright, Jeff Beck, Randy Hope-Taylor 3:44
8 Left Hook - Andy Wright, Jeff Beck, Steve Alexander 4:20
9 Blackbird - Jeff Beck 1:27
10 Suspension - Andy Wright, Jeff Beck 3:21

MUSICIANS

Jeff Beck - Guitar
Jennifer Batten - Guitar
Randy Hope-Taylor - Bass
Steve Alexander - Drums
Aiden Love - Programming
Imogen Heap - Vocals on Tracks 3, 4

JEFF BECK BIO

While he was as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck never achieved the same commercial success as any of his contemporaries, primarily because of the haphazard way he approached his career. After Rod Stewart left the Jeff Beck Group in 1971, Beck never worked with a charismatic lead singer who could have helped sell his music to a wide audience. Furthermore, he was simply too idiosyncratic, moving from heavy metal to jazz fusion within a blink of an eye. As his career progressed, he became more fascinated by automobiles than guitars, releasing only one album during the course of the '90s. All the while, Beck retained the respect of fellow guitarists, who found his reclusiveness all the more alluring. Beck began his musical career following a short stint at London's Wimbledon Art College. He earned a reputation by supporting Lord Sutch, which helped him land the job as the Yardbirds' lead guitarist following the departure of Eric Clapton. Beck stayed with the Yardbirds for nearly two years, leaving in late in 1966 with the pretense that he was retiring from music. He returned several months later with "Love Is Blue," a single he played poorly because he detested the song. Later in 1967, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who was quickly replaced by Mickey Waller; keyboardist Nicky Hopkins joined in early 1968. With their crushingly loud reworkings of blues songs and vocal and guitar interplay, the Jeff Beck Group established the template for heavy metal. Neither of the band's records, Truth (1968) or Beck-Ola (a 1969 album that was recorded with new drummer Tony Newman), was particularly successful, and the band tended to fight regularly, especially on their frequent tours of the U.S. In 1970, Stewart and Wood left to join the Faces, and Beck broke up the group. Beck had intended to form a power trio with Vanilla Fudge members Carmine Appice (drums) and Tim Bogert (bass), but those plans were derailed when he suffered a serious car crash in 1970. By the time he recuperated in 1971, Bogart and Appice were playing in Cactus, so the guitarist formed a new version of the Jeff Beck Group. Featuring keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Clive Chaman, and vocalist Bobby Tench, the new band recorded Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972). Neither album attracted much attention. Cactus dissolved in late 1972, and Beck, Bogert, and Appice formed a power trio the following year. The group's lone studio album -- a live record was released in Japan but never in the U.K. or U.S. -- was widely panned due to its plodding arrangements and weak vocals, and the group disbanded the following year. For about 18 months, Beck remained quiet, re-emerging in 1975 with Blow by Blow. Produced by George Martin, Blow by Blow was an all-instrumental jazz fusion album that received strong reviews. Beck collaborated with Jan Hammer, a former keyboardist for Mahavishnu Orchestra, for 1976's Wired, and supported the album with a co-headlining tour with Hammer's band. The tour was documented on the 1977 album Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group -- Live. After the Hammer tour, Beck retired to his estate outside of London and remained quiet for three years. He returned in 1980 with There and Back, which featured contributions from Hammer. Following the tour for There and Back, Beck retired again, returning five years later with the slick, Nile Rodgers-produced Flash. A pop/rock album recorded with a variety of vocalists, Flash featured Beck's only hit single, the Stewart-sung "People Get Ready," and also boasted "Escape," which won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. During 1987, he played lead guitar on Mick Jagger's second solo album, Primitive Cool. There was another long wait between Flash and 1989's Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas. Though the album sold only moderately well, Guitar Shop received uniformly strong reviews and won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. Beck supported the album with a tour, this time co-headlining with guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Again, Beck entered semi-retirement upon the completion of the tour. In 1992, Beck played lead guitar on Roger Waters' comeback album, Amused to Death. A year later, he released Crazy Legs, a tribute to Gene Vincent and his lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup, which was recorded with Big Town Playboys. Beck remained quiet after the album's release prior to resurfacing in 1999 with Who Else! You Had It Coming followed in 2001 and his 14th release, Jeff, was issued on Epic two years later. An excellent live set, Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, was released in 2008 by Eagle Records. Emotion & Commotion, Beck's first new studio album in seven years, appeared in the spring of 2010. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-beck-p3650/biography

The Henry McCullough Band

The Henry McCullough Band - [FBI Live] - 2007 - Mundell

You may or may not have heard of Henry McCullough - although it s more likely you will have - but it s almost certain you ll have heard him play. After cutting his teeth with various bands in his native Ireland, McCullough headed for the bright lights of London just as the British blues boom exploded. A meeting with a young Sheffield singer led to a stint in Joe Cocker s Grease Band, which included their legendary Woodstock performance. After leaving the Grease Band, McCullough joined a little known outfit called Wings, headed by a certain ex-Beatle and his wife. Musical differences between McCullough and McCartney saw a parting of the ways and he - McCullough not Macca - went on to play with a veritable musical who s who, including Donovan, Marianne Faithful, Spooky Tooth, Eric Burdon and Roy Harper. An accident with a knife on a trip home in the 1980s saw a career re-evaluation and that path led all the way to The Famous Bein Inn, Glenfarg and the latest in the FBI (Famous Bein Inn) Live series. Whilst wildest Perthshire may not have the status of some of the Wings gigs, what is certain is that McCullough is where he wants to be and where he undoubtedly belongs, on stage, any stage. When I read the track listing and saw that after a seven-minute opening of Same Damned Thing, there was House Of The Rising Sun weighing in at over ten minutes. Henry McCullough is not a guitarist to do things by half and both are a glorious throwback to a time when songs were fully explored and McCullough shows himself to be a master of his craft. As good as it is on CD, live it must have been a magical experience. A true genius holds you in the palm of his hand wherever you may be and Henry McCullough is as close to genius as you ll get. He teases and caresses a classic until it too falls under his spell. But in a way, even House Of The Rising Sun is eclipsed by what follows, Locked In, Can t Get Out may not be as well known, but it fits Henry McCullough like a second skin. This real, honest-to-goodness British blues, which is raw and earthy, celebrates its blemishes and imperfections but never loses its sense of joy. The pull of Henry McCullough s folk roots is obviously still strong and he immerses himself in the simple beauty of Belfast To Boston. Until a final flourish there are no guitar pyrotechnics to break the hold, just a man playing from his heart and you really need nothing more, its nine minutes pass in a heartbeat. McCullough s comfort with the music is obvious but comfort doesn t breed contempt in this case, he grooves his way through Mess With The Blues before launching in to the title track of his album Failed Christian. Perhaps for the first time on the night McCullough bares his teeth. FBI is quite simply the complete performance as Henry McCullough leads the Bein Inn audience gently by the hand through a blues wonderland. © Michael Mee. © 2014 Mundell Music Shop http://shop.mundellmusic.com/the-henry-mccullough-band-fbi-live/

Legendary Irish Blues Guitarist Henry McCullough makes history by appearing on the first album recorded by Perthshires own Famous Bein Inn. Recorded at Henry's GIG at the Glenfarg Venue in 2006 it has been captured on the new disc, which boasts six epic tracks clocking in at a complete running time of one hour. The former lead guitarist from Joe Cockers Band and Paul McCartneys Wings is nothing if not experienced and the benefits of a lifetime conected to music pay dividends here. Sounding every inch the grizzeled rocker he looks, McCullough's rasping vocals overlay a compelling R 'n' B sound that hinges on his own mind blowing six string virtuosity and sound. With backing from Roe Butcher (Bass), Percy Robinson(Guitar/Pedal Steel), Stephen Quinn(Drums), and Shaun McCarron (Sax) the big H generates a sound so clear and strong it could have been laid down in the most expensive of Caribbean Studios. Standout tracks in an engrossing set include 'Same damn thing' a poignant 10 minute version of 'House of the rising sun', the McCullough penned 'Failed Christian', and his signature piece, 'I cant remember, I was drunk at the time.' The sheer audio quality of the fare on offer here is a huge testament to the ability of the Bein Inn's concert room to bring out the best in visiting Artists. Recorded up close and personal infront of just 60 fans, the set must surely rank among the highlights of McCullough's lenghty and diverse carrer- one that has taken in the Woodstock Festival, an appearence on Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon' and stints with the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Frankie Miller. At Times laid back at others edgy, the veteran's astonishing performance proves that age is no barrier and bodes well for future releases on the new 'Mundell Music' Record Label. - Posted by & © mundellmusic at 12:23 http://rockingatthestables.blogspot.ie/2009/06/henry-mccullough-fbi-live.html

At the beginning of the 1970’s after the Beatles split, Paul McCartney could have had any guitar player in the world and yet he chose the legendary Irish blues guitarist Henry McCullough to be lead guitarist for Wings. This album is a great live performance at Perthshire's Famous Bein Inn in 2006 by a very tight band led by the late Henry McCullough one of Ireland’s most successful and quietly revered musicians. [Tracks @ 201-224 Kbps: File Size = 78.2 Mb] Check out Henry McCulloughs “Blue Sunset” album

TRACKS

1 Same Damned Thing 7:11
2 House Of The Rising Sun 10:07
3 Locked In Can't Get Out 6:11
4 Belfast To Boston 9:22
5 Mess With The Blues 8:53
6 Failed Christian 9:17
7 I Can't Remember, I Was Drunk At The Time 0:24

MUSICIANS

Henry McCullough - Guitar, Vocals
Percy Robinson - Guitar/Pedal Steel
Roe Butcher - Bass
Stephen Quinn- Drums
Shaun McCarron – Saxophone

BIO (WIKI)

Henry Campbell Liken McCullough (born 21 July 1943, Portstewart) is a Northern Irish guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who has played guitar in such bands as Sweeney's Men, Spooky Tooth, Paul McCartney & Wings, andThe Grease Band. He turned up in many different places as sideman or a performer in his own right. In 2008, he recorded Poor Man's Moon, featuring the single, "Too Late to Worry." McCullough first came to prominence in the early 1960s as the teenage lead guitarist with The Skyrockets showband from Enniskillen. In 1964, with three other members of The Skyrockets, he left and formed a new showband fronted by South African born vocalist Gene Chetty, which they named Gene and The Gents. In 1967 McCullough moved to Belfast where he joined Chris Stewart (bass), Ernie Graham (vocals) and Dave Lutton (drums) to form the psychedelic band The People. Later that year the band moved to London and were signed by Chas Chandler's management team, who changed the group’s name to Éire Apparent. Under Chandler's guidance, despite only having one single released, they toured with groups such as Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, The Move and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, as well as Eric Burdon and the Animals. Things went well until, in Vancouver, Canada in mid February 1968, while the band was touring with The Animals, McCullough was busted for possession of marijuana and sent back to The United Kingdom (officially because of 'visa problems'), and Mick Cox flew out to take his place in the band. Back in Ireland McCullough joined what was primarily a folk group called Sweeney's Men, by May 1968. Under his influence, however, they soon began to mix folk and rock, and are often regarded as the innovators of the folk/rock genre. After a year in Ireland, McCullough returned to London to work with Joe Cocker as a member of his backing group, the Grease Band. With Cocker he toured the U.S. and performed at the Woodstock Festival. McCullough played on The Grease Band's eponymous album after splitting with Cocker, and during his time with the band he also appeared as lead guitarist on the original 1970 recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar and on the progressive Spooky Tooth album The Last Puff. In 1971 Paul McCartney asked McCullough to join his new band, Wings, alongside Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell. His guitar solo on "My Love" has been described as one of rock music’s greatest solos. Musical differences with McCartney, however, saw McCullough move on the eve of the Band on the Run sessions. He spent two years in the band, playing lead guitar on "Hi, Hi, Hi", "Live and Let Die" as well as "My Love". McCullough's spoken words "I don't know; I was really drunk at the time" can be heard on the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon, at the end of the song "Money". He was recalling a fight he had the night before with his wife. McCullough landed from his Wings experience into another two year gig alongside his friend Chris Stewart, keyboard player Mick "Wynder K. Frog" Weaver and drummer Stu Perry into the ironically very Joe Cocker sounding Frankie Miller Band. Miller's "Ain't Got No Money" featuring McCullough's guitar work inspired Bob Seger to write and record "The Fire Down Below". (cited Frankie Miller Band, "The Rock", Chrysalis Records 1975), Bob Seger (countless interviews, Capitol Records Publicity Department 1977-1979) In 1975, McCullough released Mind Your Own Business, his only album on George Harrison's Dark Horse label. McCullough then did some session work, and played concerts with Roy Harper, Frankie Miller, Eric Burdon, Marianne Faithfull, Ronnie Lane and Donovan. In 1977 he temporarily joined Dr. Feelgood, following the departure of Wilko Johnson. Recovering from an injury to his hand while visiting his family in 1980, McCullough decided to stay in Ireland. He began to sit in with some old friends, The Fleadh Cowboys, at their Sunday afternoon residency in The Lower Deck in Dublin, and soon decided to move back to Portstewart and put a new band together. He was joined by Percy Robinson on pedal steel guitar, Roe Butcher on bass and Liam Bradley on drums. In 1998 McCullough went to Poland, where he rehearsed with a band of Polish musicians for an upcoming tour. After the tour, they went into a recording studio and recorded a 'live' album which was released as Blue Sunset. This was followed by a further Polish tour. On returning home, McCullough recorded and released "Failed Christian", a song that has since been covered by Nick Lowe on his album, Dig My Mood. McCullough continued to record and perform and released solo material, including Belfast To Boston (2001) and Unfinished Business (2003). The latter contained his 1998 single, "Failed Christian". McCullough performed at concerts in Northern Ireland and Scotland, playing with a backing band (featuring Stephen Quinn on drums and Sean McCarron on saxophone). McCullough contributed guitar on and organized the band for the Alaskan musician, The Rev Neil Down's, 2003 release, When A Wrong Turns Right. The Henry McCullough Band - FBI Live was released in 2007 on Mundell music, from a recording at The Famous Bein Inn in 2006.In 2007, Over the Rhine covered "Failed Christian" on their album, Live from Nowhere, Vol. II. In late 2007, McCullough teamed up with Dave Sharp (ex Alarm) and together they enlisted Zoot Money on keyboards; Gary Fletcher on bass guitar; and Colin Allen on drums. In January 2008 The Hard Travelers performed their debut gig at The Cellars, Portsmouth. In 2008 McCullough recorded Poor Man's Moon at Amberville Studios and it was released in Ireland only on 5 September 2008. It featured new McCullough compositions, and a number of songs co-written with poet Eamon Carr (of Horslips) including the single, "Too Late to Worry". Among the musicians featured on the album were James Delaney on keyboards; Roe Butcher on electric bass guitar; Nicky Scott on double bass and electric bass guitar; Enda Walsh on keyboards; Adie McIlduff on drums; Percy Robinson on dobro and pedal steel guitar and Peter McKinney on drums/sequencing. In 2007/8 Henry teamed up with USA/Ireland Singer Songwriter and friend Jeff Greene of Acashic/Aurora Records to Record Greene's "Dark Nite of the Soul" album and other musical collaborations at Wind-Mill Lane Studios Dublin Metropolis Studios London and The Sound Kitchen Nashville. McCullough attended Paul McCartney's concert at the O2 in Dublin on 20 December 2009. McCartney publicly acknowledged McCullough's contribution to Wings. On 13 March 2010, McCullough played the Fifestock Festival at the Inn at Lathones, Scotland. This festival was the last one undertaken at that venue, and McCullough's band headlined the event. Henry McCullough was active in the European music scene. He played regular live gigs with artists such as Ed Deane, James Delaney, Noel Bridgeman, and John Quearney, among others. In 2011 Henry collaborated with songwriter Paul Doherty and The Vals on the track 'Look to the One'. The song was a success, gaining much airplay worldwide. Henry contributed backing vocals and his signature guitar sound. Henry suffered a heart attack in November 2012 leaving him in a critical condition. His death was mistakenly reported on Ronan Collins's RTÉ Radio 1 show on 7 November. The BBC was forced to apologise after prematurely reporting his death. In an interview with website Something Else Denny Seiwell a former Wings drummer who played with McCullough in the Paul McCartney-led group, says it's doubtful McCullough will make a complete recovery.

Henry McCullough

Henry McCullough - Poor Man's Moon - 2008 - Silverwolf

Our old friend Henry McCullough is at it again with his 2008 album Poor Man's Moon, just released in the U.S. The subtle electric guitar master — best known for being the infamous lead on Paul McCartney & Wing's "My Love" — has released a spectacular 11-song electric blues-based rock album that features perfect playing, subtle intricate songwriting and McCullough's truly inspired guitar playing. The album opens with "Burial Ground," a slow dirge-like song with a double great bass from Nicky Scott, McCullough's snappy vocals and super sad slide and Enda Walsh's perfect piano. As Henry told me about this opener: "I have had people sit in me own house and know of people who sit in their own house and listen to Burial Ground and even before the end of it they were in tears." "Big Old River" follows with some chunky electric guitar and rockabilly-like snare; this one is so fun that it almost sounds like Henry McCullough is laughing at times during the vocal. "I've Got A Secret" has some great tickling piano, with McCullough channeling his inner Keith Richards on the vocals with the full complement of Peter McKinney's drums and Roe Butcher's bass. The slower "Walk With Me" features a great lived-in lyric (I so appreciate guys writing from their experience and age), plus a beautiful Percy Robinson steel. The best of the lot as far as middle-rolling solid electric blues is "Belfast Train" with its biting layback feel featuring the players as best they sound throughout the entire CD. With Aidey McIlduff on drums, James Delaney on piano, Roe Butcher on bass and lyrics from McCullough — "I got a suitcase full of nothing except memories and regrets" — how can you really go wrong? Enjoy some great acoustic picking from McCullough in "All Gone Crazy," a sprite-y swirling almost-instrumental tune. It's the perfect length with a spot-on track placement, followed by the great blues rumbling "Time To Put The Snakes To Bed," which sees a great use of slide guitar on acoustic and Henry's players flipping along nicely behind him. The title track (which appears as track 12 here) is commercially snappy, knocking up against John Fogerty territory even. A great overall album, what I can really appreciate about Poor Man's Moon is that McCullough plays as much lead himself as he sits back and lets his fantastic players. ~ Ralph Greco, Jr. © Copyright 1997, 2014 Vintage Rock http://www.vintagerock.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1323:henry-mccullough-poor-mans-moon-cd-review&catid=8:new-studio-releases&Itemid=38

Henry McCullough is the legendary guitarist who played in the Grease Band with Joe Cocker at Woodstock and picked the stellar solo on "My Love" during his tenure with Paul McCartney's Wings. Henry returned to Ireland after leaving Wings and now plays all over Europe with his band. He is also a songwriter, and wrote the song "Failed Christian" which has been recorded by Nick Lowe among others. Poor Man's Moon shows the gentler side of Henry's music, with an easy rolling JJ Cale feel. There are Celtic and country tinges to the music, but the prevailing atmosphere is soulful and bluesy. On "Fix Me Up Jesus", Henry softens his arguments with the Church on the earlier classic and stinging "Failed Christian". "Sometimes I wonder what I've become, It's not what I thought when I was young, Tear it all down and start again, You say the word and I'll say Amen". There ia a lived in feel to this music that comes with a lifetime of experience. The songs are beautifully crafted little gems that repay repeated listening and improve every time you hear them. I have had this album in my truck for weeks and it just gets better. Henry's guitar is mostly tastefully restrained within the song structures, but when he lets his Gibson 335 off the leash, he still has some devastating chops. But Henry doesn't show off, he's an old master, a Rembrandt glowing deep shades of gold and silver, a treasure to discover. – from ***** “Celtic guitar god & true master musician” By & © Michael C. Stephens on November 12, 2012 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Poor-Mans-Moon-Henry-Mccullough/dp/B007FQUHOG

During the fade - out of Pink Floyd's Money, a voice nonchalantly states, "I don't know; I was really drunk at the time". These words were spoken by the late, great Irish musician, Henry McCullough, one-time member of Paul McCartney's Wings, and session guitarist to artists that include Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Marianne Faithful, Leon Russell and many, many more. “Poor Man's Moon” is a relatively obscure but beautifully constructed album of rock, and blues rock with a nice Celtic touch. Check out Henry’s great “Get In The Hole” album. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 93.5 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Burial Ground 4:42
2 Big Old River 2:36
3 I've Got a Secret 4:22
4 Too Late to Worry 2:18
5 Poor Man's Moon 5:27
6 Walk With Me 3:55
7 Belfast Train 5:25
8 Skin & Bone 3:06
9 Fix Me Up Jesus 4:32
10 All Gone Crazy 1:37
11 Time To Put the Snakes To Bed 3:01
12 Poor Man's Moon (Reprise) 1:53

All tracks composed by Henry McCullough except Track 6

MUSICIANS

Henry McCullough - Guitars, Vocals
Declan Murphy, Paddy Goodwin - Electric Guitar
Percy Robinson - Dobro, Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro
Nicky Scott - Double Bass, Bass (electric)
Roe Butcher - Bass
James Delaney, Enda Walsh - Keyboards
Aidey McIlduff - Drums
Peter McKinney - Drums, Sequencing

BIO (WIKI)

Henry Campbell Liken McCullough (born 21 July 1943, Portstewart) is a Northern Irish guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who has played guitar in such bands as Sweeney's Men, Spooky Tooth, Paul McCartney & Wings, andThe Grease Band. He turned up in many different places as sideman or a performer in his own right. In 2008, he recorded Poor Man's Moon, featuring the single, "Too Late to Worry." McCullough first came to prominence in the early 1960s as the teenage lead guitarist with The Skyrockets showband from Enniskillen. In 1964, with three other members of The Skyrockets, he left and formed a new showband fronted by South African born vocalist Gene Chetty, which they named Gene and The Gents. In 1967 McCullough moved to Belfast where he joined Chris Stewart (bass), Ernie Graham (vocals) and Dave Lutton (drums) to form the psychedelic band The People. Later that year the band moved to London and were signed by Chas Chandler's management team, who changed the group’s name to Éire Apparent. Under Chandler's guidance, despite only having one single released, they toured with groups such as Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, The Move and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, as well as Eric Burdon and the Animals. Things went well until, in Vancouver, Canada in mid February 1968, while the band was touring with The Animals, McCullough was busted for possession of marijuana and sent back to The United Kingdom (officially because of 'visa problems'), and Mick Cox flew out to take his place in the band. Back in Ireland McCullough joined what was primarily a folk group called Sweeney's Men, by May 1968. Under his influence, however, they soon began to mix folk and rock, and are often regarded as the innovators of the folk/rock genre. After a year in Ireland, McCullough returned to London to work with Joe Cocker as a member of his backing group, the Grease Band. With Cocker he toured the U.S. and performed at the Woodstock Festival. McCullough played on The Grease Band's eponymous album after splitting with Cocker, and during his time with the band he also appeared as lead guitarist on the original 1970 recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar and on the progressive Spooky Tooth album The Last Puff. In 1971 Paul McCartney asked McCullough to join his new band, Wings, alongside Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell. His guitar solo on "My Love" has been described as one of rock music’s greatest solos. Musical differences with McCartney, however, saw McCullough move on the eve of the Band on the Run sessions. He spent two years in the band, playing lead guitar on "Hi, Hi, Hi", "Live and Let Die" as well as "My Love". McCullough's spoken words "I don't know; I was really drunk at the time" can be heard on the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon, at the end of the song "Money". He was recalling a fight he had the night before with his wife. McCullough landed from his Wings experience into another two year gig alongside his friend Chris Stewart, keyboard player Mick "Wynder K. Frog" Weaver and drummer Stu Perry into the ironically very Joe Cocker sounding Frankie Miller Band. Miller's "Ain't Got No Money" featuring McCullough's guitar work inspired Bob Seger to write and record "The Fire Down Below". (cited Frankie Miller Band, "The Rock", Chrysalis Records 1975), Bob Seger (countless interviews, Capitol Records Publicity Department 1977-1979) In 1975, McCullough released Mind Your Own Business, his only album on George Harrison's Dark Horse label. McCullough then did some session work, and played concerts with Roy Harper, Frankie Miller, Eric Burdon, Marianne Faithfull, Ronnie Lane and Donovan. In 1977 he temporarily joined Dr. Feelgood, following the departure of Wilko Johnson. Recovering from an injury to his hand while visiting his family in 1980, McCullough decided to stay in Ireland. He began to sit in with some old friends, The Fleadh Cowboys, at their Sunday afternoon residency in The Lower Deck in Dublin, and soon decided to move back to Portstewart and put a new band together. He was joined by Percy Robinson on pedal steel guitar, Roe Butcher on bass and Liam Bradley on drums. In 1998 McCullough went to Poland, where he rehearsed with a band of Polish musicians for an upcoming tour. After the tour, they went into a recording studio and recorded a 'live' album which was released as Blue Sunset. This was followed by a further Polish tour. On returning home, McCullough recorded and released "Failed Christian", a song that has since been covered by Nick Lowe on his album, Dig My Mood. McCullough continued to record and perform and released solo material, including Belfast To Boston (2001) and Unfinished Business (2003). The latter contained his 1998 single, "Failed Christian". McCullough performed at concerts in Northern Ireland and Scotland, playing with a backing band (featuring Stephen Quinn on drums and Sean McCarron on saxophone). McCullough contributed guitar on and organized the band for the Alaskan musician, The Rev Neil Down's, 2003 release, When A Wrong Turns Right. The Henry McCullough Band - FBI Live was released in 2007 on Mundell music, from a recording at The Famous Bein Inn in 2006.In 2007, Over the Rhine covered "Failed Christian" on their album, Live from Nowhere, Vol. II. In late 2007, McCullough teamed up with Dave Sharp (ex Alarm) and together they enlisted Zoot Money on keyboards; Gary Fletcher on bass guitar; and Colin Allen on drums. In January 2008 The Hard Travelers performed their debut gig at The Cellars, Portsmouth. In 2008 McCullough recorded Poor Man's Moon at Amberville Studios and it was released in Ireland only on 5 September 2008. It featured new McCullough compositions, and a number of songs co-written with poet Eamon Carr (of Horslips) including the single, "Too Late to Worry". Among the musicians featured on the album were James Delaney on keyboards; Roe Butcher on electric bass guitar; Nicky Scott on double bass and electric bass guitar; Enda Walsh on keyboards; Adie McIlduff on drums; Percy Robinson on dobro and pedal steel guitar and Peter McKinney on drums/sequencing. In 2007/8 Henry teamed up with USA/Ireland Singer Songwriter and friend Jeff Greene of Acashic/Aurora Records to Record Greene's "Dark Nite of the Soul" album and other musical collaborations at Wind-Mill Lane Studios Dublin Metropolis Studios London and The Sound Kitchen Nashville. McCullough attended Paul McCartney's concert at the O2 in Dublin on 20 December 2009. McCartney publicly acknowledged McCullough's contribution to Wings. On 13 March 2010, McCullough played the Fifestock Festival at the Inn at Lathones, Scotland. This festival was the last one undertaken at that venue, and McCullough's band headlined the event. Henry McCullough was active in the European music scene. He played regular live gigs with artists such as Ed Deane, James Delaney, Noel Bridgeman, and John Quearney, among others. In 2011 Henry collaborated with songwriter Paul Doherty and The Vals on the track 'Look to the One'. The song was a success, gaining much airplay worldwide. Henry contributed backing vocals and his signature guitar sound. Henry suffered a heart attack in November 2012 leaving him in a critical condition. His death was mistakenly reported on Ronan Collins's RTÉ Radio 1 show on 7 November. The BBC was forced to apologise after prematurely reporting his death. In an interview with website Something Else Denny Seiwell a former Wings drummer who played with McCullough in the Paul McCartney-led group, says it's doubtful McCullough will make a complete recovery.

The B-52s

The B-52s - Planet Claire - 1995 - Karussell

I'm a B-52's fan, just so you know from the start. This CD is for the collector, or for the fan who just discovered Love Shack and wants to hear more like it. This CD has some of The B's best early songs, along with some of the wacky ones. This is a party album(as every B-52 CD is), and it's highly amusing. Let's see, we have Planet Claire (a classic song, but highly simple.) Lava with nifty guitars, and nicely contrasted voices. Downtown, a funky new wavish version of the original. Strobe Light, a song focusing mainly on having a good time, sure to lighten up a dull atmosphere. Future Generation, a song as interesting as it is true. I can go on, and list the good qualities this CD has, but I think i'll let you buy it yourself, leaving you with this last message-- This CD is a certified "B's" cd, none of their commercial crap. ****/5 - Yet another CD with a collection of already made songs. By & © Ashley on March 2, 2001 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Claire-B-52s/dp/B000005RZ2

Good 1995 compilation album from The B-52s featuring 14 early hits & key album tracks, including 'Planet Claire', 'Rock Lobster', 'Strobe Light', '52 Girls', 'Dirty Back Road', 'Give Me Back My Man', 'Future Generation' and 'Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland'. Listen to the band’s great “Wild Planet” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 134 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Planet Claire - Wilson, Schneider, Mancini, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 4:35
2 Rock Lobster - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 6:50
3 Lava - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 4:56
4 Downtown - Hatch 3:18
5 6060-842 - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 2:52
6 52 Girls - Wilson, Schneider, Ayers, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 3:35
7 Give Me Back My Man - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson, Waldrop 4:00
8 Strobe Light - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 4:02
9 Dirty Back Road - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson, Waldrop 3:19
10 Loveland - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 5:02
11 Nip It In The Bud - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 3:33
12 Future Generation - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 3:59
13 Wig - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson 4:21
14 Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland - Wilson, Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, Wilson, Waldro 4:22

BIO

The first of many acts to cement the college town of Athens, GA, as a hotbed of alternative music, the B-52's took their name from the Southern slang for the mile-high bouffant wigs sported by singers Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson, a look emblematic of the band's campy, thrift-store aesthetic. The five-piece group, which also included founding members Fred Schneider, guitarist Ricky Wilson (Cindy's older brother), and drummer Keith Strickland, formed in the mid-'70s after a drunken evening at a Chinese restaurant; the band members had little or no previous musical experience, and performed most of their earliest shows with taped guitar and percussion accompaniment. After pressing up a few thousand copies of the single "Rock Lobster," the B-52's traveled to the famed Max's Kansas City club for their first paying gig. Subsequent appearances at CBGB brought the group to the attention of the New York press, and in 1979, they issued their self-titled debut album, a collection of manic, bizarre, and eminently danceable songs which scored an underground club hit with a reworked version of "Rock Lobster." The following year, they issued Wild Planet, which reached the Top 20 on the U.S. album charts; Party Mix!, an EP's worth of reworked material from the band's first two proper outings, appeared in 1981. Released in 1982, the EP Mesopotamia arose out of a series of aborted sessions with producer David Byrne which saw the B-52's largely abandon their trademark sense of humor, a situation rectified by the following year's Whammy!, a move into electronic territory. After a Schneider solo LP, 1984's Fred Schneider & the Shake Society, the group returned to the studio to record 1986's Bouncing Off the Satellites. On October 12, 1985, however, Ricky Wilson died; though originally his death was attributed to natural causes, it was later revealed that he had succumbed to AIDS. In light of Wilson's death, the group found it impossible to promote the new album, and they spent the next several years in seclusion. In 1989, the B-52's finally returned with Cosmic Thing, their most commercially successful effort to date. Marked byStrickland's move from drums to guitar and club-friendly production from Don Was and Nile Rodgers, the album launched several hit singles, including the party smash "Love Shack," "Roam," and "Deadbeat Club." In 1990, Cindy Wilsonretired from active duty, leaving the remaining trio to soldier on for 1992's Good Stuff. A year later, dubbed the BC-52's, they performed the theme song for Steven Spielberg's live-action feature The Flintstones. Wilson returned to the group for a tour supporting the release of 1998's hits collection Time Capsule. Four years later the double-disc Nude on the Moon compilation would dive deeper into their catalog by featuring rare tracks, live recordings, and remixes along with the hits. The year 2008 found the band returning with a new album for the first time in 16 years. Released by Astralwerks, Funplex, was a slick, synthesizer-driven effort produced by Steve Osborne. © Jason Ankeny
© 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved

Hans Platz

Hans Platz - Time Stamps - 2013 - Piazza

Timestamps is what german guitarist Hans Platz offers with his debut under his own name. He has been in bands I have never heard before so this is my first meeting with this guys and his music, he plays the guitar on this album and has guests for the other instruments. Well known guests as well. It is an instrumental rock album that comes in the colour of green, nice artwork and interesting liner notes in the booklet is a nice touch. It is eleven tracks dominated by strong guitar lines, no vocals, strong melodies and an excellent production. The sound is very exciting, it goes in green, like an interesting walk through an exciting jungle where there is a lot more to be seen than what first meets the eye. There are a lot of interesting details to be found here, but it is not overly complicated and the songs are quite short and to the point where all eleven songs plays for just over 35 minutes. I wrote no vocals but in the tenth track This is War there are some spoken words within the music just to add a bit more depth or something. I think this is a quality production and a quality album, not being a big fan of the instrumental rock music I find myself not overly excited about the music but I still enjoy listening to it. I think that the fans of the genre could be a bit blown away by this album as it is very interesting and has a lot to offer. I think Platz shows a lot of competence and he shows here that he knows how to make good music. I have enjoyed this album, even though it works best as background music for me. The album shows a lot of strength but it is best on the first half of the album, especially the second track. That track is my favourite of the album, excellent track and very amusing to listen to. You could say that the album starts out well but looses a bit towards the end, not that it ends poorly but it is noticeably less good in the end than in the start. Do you like instrumental rock music? if the answer to that question is yes, then I think you will do yourself a favour to pick it up. © Daniel Kallmalm(4/7) © http://www.hallowed.se/english/music/reviews/2014/hans_platz-timestamps.htm

The Erlanger guitarist Hans Place gathered on his album 'timestamps' world class musicians such as Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani, Aristocrats), Wolfgang Haffner (Passport, Metro, Till Bronner), TM Stevens (James Brown, Joe Cocker, Steve Vai, Billy Joel, John McLaughlin) or Pete Griffin (Zappa plays Zappa) around, and conjures up out of nowhere a virtuoso instrumental album on the table that does not need to shy away from the international comparison. Mixed by Fabio Trentini (produced including the Guano Apes) the songs are presented in a glorious sound garment that expresses and still lets air to breathe. As a purely instrumental album of traditional song structures free, creativity knows no bounds, and the guitar can occupy the space that is denied in her classic bands. Especially because the musicians it is not an album become only for guitarists, bassists, drummers or just people who are interested in unusual rock music will love this album. © Hans Place © http://hansplatz.de/hp/

Excellent guitar playing from Hans Platz aided by musicians that include Mattias IA Eklundh, Marco Minnemann, and Pete Griffin. This is a good example of modern progressive metal rock with symphonic and classical leanings. Hans has created a very different sound with some very original guitar lines and good compositions. Its a very short album but full of quality. Watch out for more from this guy. Read more reviews @ http://hansplatz.de/hp/ and more about Hans @ https://www.facebook.com/hansplatzofficial?fref=photo [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 80.5 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Birdrange - Hans Platz, Wolfgang Haffner, Fabio Trentini
2. Spanish Race On A Devil's Highway - Hans Platz, Marco Minnemann, Fabio Trentini
3. Pull It Out - Hans Platz, Marco Minnemann, Pete Griffin
4. Father - Hans Platz, Wolfgang Haffner, Fabio Trentini
5. Red Room Nine - Hans Platz, Wolfram Kellner, Pete Griffin
6. Axetasy - Hans Platz, Wolfram Kellner, Fabio Trentini
7. Freak Sauna - Hans Platz, TM Stevens, Wolfram Kellner
8. Deadman - Hans Platz, Simon Michael, Fabio Trentini, Mattias IA Eklundh
9. Timestamps - Hans Platz, Marco Minnemann, Pete Griffin
10. This Is War - Hans Platz, Marco Minnemann, Fabio Trentini
11. Alive - Hans Platz, Wolfgang Haffner, Pete Griffin

MUSICIANS

Hans Platz - Guitars
Mattias IA Eklundh - Guest Guitar Solo on Track 8
Fabio Trentini, Pete Griffin, TM Stevens - Bass
Marco Minnemann, Wolfgang Haffner, Wolfram Kellner, Simon Michael - Drums

James Armstrong

James Armstrong - Got It Goin' On - 2000 - Hightone

California-based blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer James Armstrong may be small in physical stature, but his guitar playing, original lyrical themes, and singing will leave the most hardened of blues fans convinced of his brilliance. It's fair to say that Armstrong has the music in his blood: he is the son of a jazz guitar-playing father and blues singing mother. Raised in the Los Angeles area, he founded his first group in junior high school. He cites Jimi Hendrix, Robert Cray, Albert Collins, Albert King, and Eric Clapton as inspirational in his development. Highlights from his years in the Los Angeles area -- before moving north to the San Francisco Bay area -- include shows backing Collins, Big Joe Turner and Los Angeles veteran Smokey Wilson. After releasing the critically acclaimed Sleeping with a Stranger in 1995 for the San Francisco-based Hightone label, Armstrong's promising touring career was interrupted by tragedy. One night in April 1997, a robber broke into his home and nearly stabbed Armstrong to death. After weeks in the hospital and months of rehabilitation, Armstrong picked himself up, dusted himself off, and started all over again. In the late '90s and into the new century, Armstrong has hit the blues festival circuit with a passion, and put in a particularly impressive performance at the Pocono Blues Festival in Pennsylvania. By the spring of 2000, Armstrong again entered the studio to record Got It Goin' On an album that showcases Armstrong's delicate guitar stylings and soulful singing backed by Joe Louis Walker's rhythm section and a guest appearance on two tracks by keyboardist Jimmy Pugh of the Robert Cray Band. After his tragic stabbing, Armstrong found he couldn't run his fingers up and down the guitar neck as fast he once was able. He realized that faster isn't necessarily better, and recognized that good blues is more about feeling anyway, citing the slow, powerful, methodic stylings of one of his influences, the late Albert King. While Got It Goin' On showcases Armstrong's evolution as a songwriter since his debut release in 1995, both albums are recommended for blues fans who are tired of the same old themes. "2 Sides," a selection from Got It Goin' On was included in the movie Speechless starring Michael Keaton, but there are plenty of other originals on the release that demonstrate why Armstrong is to be taken seriously as a songwriter who continues to sail into heretofore uncharted lyrical waters. In 1999, Hightone released Dark Night, with Joe Louis Walker and Doug MacLeod taking lead guitar turns on two tracks. © Richard Skelly © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-armstrong-mn0000783716

Got It Goin' On is an apt title for this third release from California bluesman James Armstrong. While his previous release, Dark Night, was steeped in a soul/blues vein, this album is a solid, stripped-down blues session. Armstrong's guitar chops (especially on slide guitar) and impassioned vocals continue to gain strength following the horrendous attack on his life in 1997. Making an encore appearance is guitarist Michael Ross, who blends in with the dominant role Armstrong assumes, while the keyboard work is provided by Jimmy Pugh of the Robert Cray Band. The majority of cuts were written or co-written by Armstrong, including the heartfelt ballad "Another Dream," the funky rocker "2 Sides," included in the movie Speechless, and the New Orleans-influenced "Mr. B's." © Al Campbell © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:gD8-ou3dlgsJ:www.allmusic.com/album/got-it-goin-on-mw0000619357+&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie

Not a groundbreaking album but a hugely enjoyable album,and even though the songs' arrangements usually stick to familiar blues structures, they leave James plenty of room for some stinging solos. James’ “Blues at the Border” abum can be found on this blog. Check out his “Dark Night” album, and his "Sleeping with a Stranger" album is well worth buying. Support great blues rock [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 118 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Got It Goin' On - D. Mac Leod, D.Amy, F.Brown 4:24
2 Pennies and Picks - R. Lily, James Armstrong, M.Heaney 4:23
3 Another Dream - D. Amy, James Armstrong, J. Brown 5:23
4 2 Sides - James Armstrong 3:48
5 Mr. B's - James Armstrong, J.Hahn 3:30
6 Love Can Make You Do Wrong - D.Steen 4:28
7 Beat Up By Love - D. Mac Leod, R. Lily, James Armstrong, F.Brown 4:33
8 Shut My Eyes - D. Amy, James Armstrong, D. Wilson 3:57
9 Likes Her Lovin' - R.Lily, K.Besbeck, James Armstrong 3:19
10 Lucky Guy - D. Amy, James Armstrong, K.Besbeck 4:17
11 I'll Learn Sometime - S. Brown, R.Lily 3:34

MUSICIANS

James Armstrong - Guitar (Lead, Slide & Rhythm), Vocals
Michael Ross - Rhythm Guitar solo on "Likes Her Lovin'"
Robert Watson - Bass
Endre Tarczy - Bass on "2 Sides", "Mr.B.s", & "Love Can Make You Do Wrong"
Mike Emerson - Piano & Organ
Jimmy Pugh - Piano on "Beat Up By Love", & Organ on "Pennies And Picks"
Stanley Hale - Drums
David Tucker - Drums on "2 Sides", "Mr.B.s", & "Love Can Make You Do Wrong"

BIO (WIKI)

James Armstrong (born April 22, 1957, Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.He released three albums on HighTone Records and is signed with Catfood Records. His songs have been used in the soundtracks of three films;Speechless, Hear No Evil, and The Florentine. Armstrong's father was a jazz guitarist and his mother a blues singer. Having learned the guitar at a young age, Armstrong formed his first band at school, and was touring the United States in his late teens. Inspired by Albert King and Robert Cray, his musical education included backing musicians such as Albert Collins, Big Joe Turner and Smokey Wilson. Armstrong relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and, in 1995, released his debut album, Sleeping with a Stranger, on HighTone. However, in April 1997, Armstrong was almost stabbed to death by an intruder at his home. The shoulder injury necessitated months of rehabilitation, which still left Armstrong with limited guitar playing ability in his left hand. He adjusted his playing style, hired a lead guitar player, and realised that playing slide guitar helped to slowly recover his dexterity. His second, introspective, album, Dark Night, was issued in 1998. It incorporated Joe Louis Walker and Doug Macleod playing lead guitar on a couple of the songs.The album track, "Bank of Love", was used in the films Hear No Evil and The Florentine. Armstrong recommenced live performances on the blues festival circuit, with a noteworthy appearance at the 1999 Pocono Blues Festival in Pennsylvania. In early 2000, Armstrong returned to the recording studio to work on his next album, Got It Goin' On. He was aided in the project by utilising Walker's rhythm section, plus a guest appearance from the keyboardist Jim Pugh. In 2001, Armstrong's song "Pennies and Picks" from Got It Goin' On, earned him a W.C. Handy Award nomination for 'Song of the Year'. Armstrong himself was nominated for 'Contemporary Male Blues Guitarist of the Year'. "2 Sides," another song from Got It Goin' On was included in the film soundtrack for Speechless. Armstrong has worked with Albert Collins, Keb' Mo', Coco Montoya, Roy Brown, Chaka Khan, Ricky Lee Jones, Jan and Dean,Mitch Mitchell and Tommy Castro. Armstrong's 2011 release on Catfood Records, Blues At The Border, was his first recording in 11 years.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

Living Blues: "... With a skintight band and a well-balanced combination of fire, technical proficiency, and taste, Armstrong continues on his way to the upper echelon of contemporary blues artists."

CBC Radio: “…full of haunting and subtle nuances that point to a life rich with experience, this musician has definitely paid his dues. James plays for and with his audience, extending the reach of the blues to include highly-charged sensuality, yearning, healing and good lowdown fun!”

JazzTimes: "...Demonstrates the kind of flexibility that allows him easily and convincingly shift gears from slow blues... to urban funk... to N’awlins grooves to rousing roadhouse shuffles..."

Tony Russell: "If you define 'blues' by the rigid categories of structure rather than the flexible language of feeling allusion, Robert Cray... Larry Garner, Joe Louis Walker and James Armstrong are a new and uncategorizable breed, their music blues-like rather than blues, each of them blending ideas and devices from a variety of sources – soul, rock, jazz, gospel – with a sophisication beyond the reach of their forerunners".

Terry Silverlight

Terry Silverlight - Wild - 2004 - www.terrysilverlight.com

The versatile studio session drummer Terry Silverlight, a pioneer from fusion's heyday, returns to his fusion roots while also embracing shuffles, funk grooves and bebop on Wild!! (TerrySilverlight.com). Joining him is an all-star cast of New York ringers including guitarists Hiram Bullock and Chuck Loeb, bassist Will Lee, keyboardists Paul Shaffer and Charles Blenzig, tenor saxophonist David Mann and special guest Edgar Winter, who contributes nasty vocals and alto sax on the funky "Brown 'N Serve." They groove in party-time mode on the shuffle blues opener "Sparkey J's," sparked by Bullock's stinging guitar solo, while "Yo" is a surging, uptempo swinger paced by Silverlight's brisk ride cymbal work and highlighted by Lew Soloff's bristling high note trumpet solo. "Insane" is classic, hard-hitting old school fusion-full of challenging heads, stop-time unison lines, daredevil trading of eights and lots of thunderous double bass drum thumping in the tradition of Billy Cobham's early '70s work. Loeb's sizzling, distortion-laced guitar solo on this throbbing drum-heavy number is far more aggressive and dissonant than fans of his recent smooth jazz offerings may be accustomed to, though Will Lee ups the sickness factor here with his own ugly fuzz-bass solo. The title track shifts nimbly back and forth from intense fusion to relaxed swing, as Silverlight adeptly straddles those two worlds. But for all-out drumming bravura, nothing tops "Phantom of Bebopera," which is basically one long drum solo surrounded by orchestral punctuation. Silverlight traverses the kit in muscular fashion on this one, with double bass drum pedal flailing away madly. By © & Bill Milkowski © 1999–2014 JazzTimes, Inc. All rights reserved. http://jazztimes.com/articles/15134-wild-terry-silverlightl

Great fusion with terrific compositions and uptempo grooves by the very underrated composer and drummer Terry Silverlight. Outstanding musicianship on this album from artists including Edgar Winter, Hiram Bullock, Chuck Loeb, Lew Soloff and more. HR by A.O.O.F.C Check out Terry’s “Diamond in the Riff” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 133 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Sparkey J's 5:51
2 Pugnacious 5:04
3 Brown 'n Serve 6:46
4 Windsurfing 7:04
5 Wild 6:20
6 Phantom of Bebopera 4:47
7 Yo 6:23
8 WTC 6:16
9 Insane 6:25
10 Closing 4:38

All tracks composed by Terry Silverlight

MUSICIANS

Edgar Winter - Alto Saxophone, Vocals
Paul Shaffer - Organ
Hiram Bullock, Chuck Loeb - Guitar
Will Lee - Bass
Terry Silverlight - Keyboards, Drums, Percussion
Charles Blenzig, Mike Ricchiuti - Keyboards
David Mann - Tenor & Soprano Saxophone
Lew Soloff - Trumpet
John Clark - French Horn

BIO (WIKI)

Terry Silverlight is a jazz, pop, rock and R&B drummer, composer, producer, arranger and author.Silverlight was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey. He made his debut as a drummer on Barry Miles' White Heat album, recorded in 1971 when Silverlight was fourteen years old.That early jazz/fusion album featured Barry Miles's compositions along with performances by guitarists Pat Martino, John Abercrombie (guitarist), and saxophonist/flutistLew Tabackin. Silverlight drummed on several more Barry Miles recordings throughout the 1970s performing alongside Al Di Meola, Vic Juris, Eric Kloss, andRichard Davis. After attending Princeton University, Silverlight moved to Manhattan and embarked upon a studio session career, playing drums on recordings for artists including Billy Ocean, George Benson, Laura Nyro, Stephanie Mills, Freddie Jackson, Anne Murray, Natalie Merchant, Jonathan Butler, Stephen Stills, Mel Tormé, Phil Woods, Tom Jones, Change, Odyssey, jingles, and film scores including You've Got Mail, One Fine Day, My Blue Heaven, Titus, What Planet Are You From? and Frida. Silverlight has authored three drum books; The Featured Drummer, The Stick Bag of Jazz, Funk, Fusion and Gig Bag Series for Drummers: Rhythm & Percussion. All are published by Music Sales Corporation. He has been an educator appearing at clinics including PASIC (Percussive Arts Society), Sam Ash, and Brooklyn College. He taught drums at the Drummers Collective (DCI) in Manhattan from 1981-1985. Silverlight toured worldwide as a member of Roberta Flack's band from 1986–1988, and has toured Japan yearly as a member of David Matthews's Manhattan Jazz Orchestra (MJO) since 1996, having recorded several albums with that group. Simultaneous to his drumming career, Silverlight has written songs, composed, produced, and arranged music for network TV shows including One Life to Live, The Young and the Restless, The Sopranos, All My Children, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Strong Medicine, The District, Las Vegas, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, 7th Heaven, The Shield, Burn Notice, South Beach, jingle products Reebok, Nicorette, Pantene, Crisco, the films Invincible with Mark Wahlberg, Head over Heels with Monica Potter/Freddie Prinze, Jr., Marci X with Lisa Kudrow,Sunshine Cleaning with Alan Arkin/Emily Blunt/Amy Adams, Mad About Mambo with Keri Russell, and songs recorded byNancy Wilson, Les McCann, Carl Anderson, Phillip Ingram (Switch V), Louise Redknapp and Judy Torres. Silverlight has seven solo artist recordings featuring his drumming and original compositions.Four are in the jazz genre:Terry Silverlight,Wild!!,Diamond in the Riff,and Live!, showcasing performances by Barry Miles, Will Lee, Paul Shaffer,Edgar Winter, Hiram Bullock, Chuck Loeb, Lew Soloff, and Bill Evans, among others. Three of the albums are in the pop genre featuring Silverlight's work as a songwriter, producer and arranger: Songwriter Producer: Volumes I & II, Collaborations: Volumes I & II, and Music To Picture.

Maestros Of Cool (Steely Dan Related)

Maestros Of Cool - A Tribute To Steely Dan - 2006 - Esc

There have been many covers of Steely Dan songs, and very few have managed to capture the essence of The Dan’s complex jazz rock sound. Check this blog for some good examples of a few exceptions to this. “Maestros Of Cool” has received a lot of criticism for it’s interpretations of Steely Dan/Donald Fagen songs. One article described it as “a half-hearted” attempt”. I have feen following Steely Dan since 1972 and have heard many cover versions of their songs. “Maestros Of Cool” is in fact, an excellent compilation of Dan tunes. Many of the tunes are available on other albums and the musicianship is outstanding. There are many very different interpretations of the Dan’s songs by artists that include greats like Nathan Haines, David Garfield, Carl Orr, Chuck Loeb, The HR Big Band, the late Cornelius Bumpus who was a brilliant sideman for Steely Dan, and Justin Morell. There is no rubbish here with every artist making a very valid and important effort to cover some of the best jazz rock songs ever written. Three of the tracks are not Steely Dan tracks but are compositions played in a Steely Dan style and are very worthwhile. HR by A.O.O.F.C. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Part 1 (Disc 1) = 135 Mb, & Part 2 (Disc 2) = 161 Mb]

DISC ONE

1. Nathan Haines - Fm (4:38)
2. Stereo - Remember (5:01)
3. Debbie Deane - Any World (4:07)
4. Raw Stylus - 37 Hours (5:23)
5. Nash Kato - Dirty Work (3:36)
6. Pam Bricker - Home At Last (4:55)
7. Tony Gallo - Black Cow (5:38)
8. Groove Thing - The Fez (5:29)
9. David Garfield - Josie (5:38)
10. Carl Orr - Tomorrow's Girls (4:19)
11. Liquid Blue - Rikki Don't Lose That Number (4:43)
12. Jango - Joyful Caravan (4:32)

DISC 2

1. David Garfield - Babylon Sisters (6:22)
2. Chuck Loeb - Maxine (5:25)
3. Don Braden - Kid Charlemagne (6:36)
4. HR Big Band - Pretzel Logic (5:25)
5. Justin Morell - My Rival (4:47)
6. Abebi Stafford - Green Earrings (4:08)
7. Gustavo Assis-Brasil - Aja (7:00)
8. Stolen Van - Caves of Altamira (5:38)
9. Alex Gunia & Philipp Van Endert - Third World Man (6:43)
10. Cornelius Bumpus - Chain Lightning (5:05)
11. Ben Lacy - Hey Nineteen (3:15)
12. Trinity - Steal It Again Dan (10:02)

All tracks composed by Walter Becker & Donald Fagen except "Remember" by John Beasley & Tim Mullane, "Tomorrow's Girls" and "Maxine" by Donald Fagen, "Joyful Caravan" by Steve Le Gassick & Michael Price, and "Steal It Again Dan" by Matthias Krauss, Franz Holtmann, & Stephan "Gudze" Hinz

MUSICIANS

Chuck Loeb, Michael Landau, Carl Orr, Nash Kato, George Wadenius, Justin Morell, Gustavo Assis-Brasil, Alex Gunia, Philipp Van Endert, Ben Lacy, Franz Holtmann - Guitar
John Patitucci, Lee Sklar, Gudze - Bass
David Garfield, Matthias Krauss, Rob Aries - Keyboards
John Beasley - Keyboards, Vocals
Wayne Wilentz - Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Debbie Deane - Piano, Vocals
Sean Wayland - Piano
Bill Ware - Fender Rhodes, Vibes
Abebi Stafford - Fender Rhodes
Cornelius Bumpus - Saxophone
Nathan Haines, Don Braden - Tenor Saxophone
Steve Nieves - Saxophone, Vocals
Marco Minnemann,Dave Weckl, Mauricio Zottarelli, Jim West - Drums
Klaudia Salkovic, Damon Albarn, Jules Brookes, Pam Bricker, Tony Gallo, Alex Ligertwood - Vocals

Paul Gilbert & Jimi Kidd

Paul Gilbert & Jimi Kidd - Raw Blues Power - 2002 - Blues Bureau International

In the album notes, Paul Gilbert writes: "My uncle Jimi was a legend of my youth. He lived in Chicago and played fantastic guitar in a variety of rock and blues bands. I lived in a farm house in rural Pennsylvania, so a visit from Jimi was a rare and wonderful thing. When I was 10 years old, he showed me how to mute the strings with my right hand, and how to play the riff in 'Whole Lotta Love'. He also showed me how to use a fuzz-tone and how to control feedback. But most importantly, I got to see him play. I was taking guitar lessons at the time and Jimi was about a million times better than my teacher. Jimi had great vibrato, killer tone and a deep musical sense that came out in every note. Seeing and hearing him play close up was enormously inspiring. Jamming with my uncle is now an incredible experience. We have similarities in our approach to guitar that can only be explained by genetics! At the same time we have pursued different styles for the last 20 years. Jimi has a huge and natural vocabulary of blues and slide guitar, while I followed my teenage passion for heavy metal. On Raw Blues Power we wanted to write and play songs that allowed our styles to meet. Not a compromise, but a trip to a new place that neither of us have gone before! After four days of wild string bending, screaming into microphones and losing a few more decibels of our hearing, I think we got there. So crank up the volume and let Jimi and me take you to our musical family reunion in Las Vegas in the summertime. Kick out the jams brothers and sisters (and nephews and uncles)!" © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raw-Blues-Power-Paul-Gilbert/dp/B00005UOH4

There was almost certainly a lot of lip-pooching going on at the sessions for Raw Blues Power, which teams shred virtuoso Paul Gilbert with his uncle and childhood hero, Jimi Kidd, for a disc of blues-rock. The results certainly sound nothing like anything resembling traditional blues, instead gravitating more toward the late 20th century bastardization of the genre as a platform for fast playing. Accepting that as a genre of its own, Raw Blues Power contains some fine dual playing from Gilbert and Kidd. The songs are mostly interchangeable and veer toward power pop at times (such as the anthemic "Freedom"). For Gilbert, late of Mr. Big, the project is surely a step in an interesting -- or at least new -- direction. The record doesn't necessarily push in bold new directions, but it's well played, well produced, and the musicians are clearly having a good time at the gig. © Jesse Jarnow © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/raw-blues-power-mw0000214649

What happens when you pair Racer X/Mr. Big shed master Paul Gilbert with a classic rock/blues guitarist like Jimi Kidd, well you get "Raw Blues Power", with the emphasis on "Power". There are no subtleties here, no shyness, little restraint and no delta blues or otherwise. What you get is gigawatts of testosterone elevating solos by two extremely talented guitarists. These guys are not from the school of minimalists. If it doesn't contain 120 notes per second, it's not worth playing. This is not Eric Clapton and B.B. King or Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King. This is Godzilla meets Rodan. Call it what you might, just don't call it "blues". Sit down, strap a seatbelt on, crank it up and blast off. – from ****/5 Pure Rock! By & © deepbluereview on August 30, 2002 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Blues-Power-Paul-Gilbert/dp/B000060O1S

Raw Blues Power is a collaborative Blues rock album by guitarist Paul Gilbert and his uncle Jimi Kidd. Paul Gilbert has sold over three million records in the United States from from his fantastic work with Racer X, Mr. Big and as a solo artist. On "Raw Blues Power", Paul exhibits his diverse playing and writing styles with his uncle and Chicago blues legend Jimi Kidd. Paul returns to his blues rock roots in this great dual guitar showdown which is reminiscent of the days of 70's blues rockers Robin Trower, Johnny Winter and ZZ Top. A great blues rock free for all with some amazing jamming by two guitar greats. Listen to Paul Gilbert’s “King of Clubs” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 105 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Girls Watching - Paul Gilbert, Jimi Kidd 3:46
2. A 180 - Jimi Kidd 3:41
3. Pacific Coast Highway - Paul Gilbert 3:00
4. Good Foot - Kidd 6:29
5. 12 Days of the Blues - Gilbert, Kidd 3:50
6. Freedom - Kidd 3:54
7. Stranded - Gilbert 3:30
8. Play Guitar - Kidd 2:50
9. Sookie Sookie - Don Covay 3:09
10. Blues Power - Kidd 9:27

MUSICIANS

Paul Gilbert, Jimi Kidd - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Szuter - Bass guitar, Vocals
Johnny Fedevich - Drums, Vocals
Jeff Martin - Bongos, Vocals

ABOUT PAUL GILBERT

Metal guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert was born November 6, 1966 in Carbondale, IL and raised primarily in Greenburg, PA; he began playing music at age five, and by age 15 was not only touring local clubs with his band Tau Zero but was even spotlighted in Guitar Player magazine alongside fellow up-and-comer Yngwie Malmsteen. In 1984 Gilbert relocated to Los Angeles to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology, becoming an instructor there the following year; concurrently he formed the band Electric Fence, which by 1986 evolved into Racer X. Their debut album Street Lethal appeared later that year, but in the wake of the follow-up, 1987's Second Heat, Gilbert exited to join Mr. Big, which in 1992 topped the pop charts with the ballad "To Be with You." Mr. Big disbanded in 1996, and a year later Gilbert made his solo debut with King of Clubs; Flying Dog followed in 1998, trailed by Beehive Live in 1999 and Alligator Farm in fall 2000. © Jason Ankeny © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-gilbert-mn0000747761/biography

Lou Reed

Lou Reed - NYC Man The Collection (2 CD) - 2003 - BMG

To one man, everything Lou Reed has ever released is absolutely perfect. And if his interviews are any indication, that one man is Reed himself. His vaunted intellectualism has always afforded him a final, unbreachable line of defense when one of his albums is subjected to criticism-- I mean, who are we to detract from Lou Reed's epic vision? We, the insipid, the shortsighted, could never truly grasp the depth of artistry that goes into even the most seemingly hackneyed tracks from Ecstasy (particularly that of "Like a Possum"), to say nothing of the deep harmonic layering in Metal Machine Music. "If you had a small mind, you'd miss it." You said it, Lou. "I've been rewriting the same song for a long time. Except my bullshit is worth other people's diamonds. And diamonds are a girl's best friend." See, only Lou Reed can criticize Lou Reed; fortunately, he has only the kindest things to say about himself. He's been maligned for not understanding what he does best, and inadvertently playing directly into his weaknesses as a result, but I'm more inclined to think that he just doesn't care what other people believe his perceived strengths to be. It almost makes me wonder why he bothered at all to hand-select and remaster the 31 tunes included on NYC Man, especially when such effort has been made to include material from even (to my "small mind") the worst of his later work. Here, studio versions of numerous mega-classics are replaced with live renditions, often denying listeners even that small pleasure of listening to these tracks with some small degree of studio clarity rather than stripped-down, emotionally dead reprises. About the only unpleasantry he's spared us is sixteen minutes (and one second) of grating feedback-- er, I mean, deeply embedded classical melodies-- to represent Metal Machine Music. Still, like any of the greatest Roman emperors and European monarchs knew, the wrath of the mob is something to be avoided, and so the King of NYC condescends to include basically all the songs that will send still send him to the front of the line when rock's judgment day arrives-- most of which appear as live versions. "Sweet Jane"'s gloriously faded core progression is one of the single most ripped-off blasts in rock and roll; the harrowing epic "Street Hassle" still sets a standard in orchestral rock augmentation that few bands can even dream of approaching. The transcendent helplessness of "Caroline Says", the sultry decadence of "Walk on the Wild Side", the sweet fuck-all of "White Light/White Heat"-- all the songs that have been included on every other Lou Reed compilation are here, too. In some sense, the decision to include live takes of many of these songs would be preferable to offering yet another studio copy of "Heroin", if only Reed's lackluster, "I'd rather be anywhere else" live performances didn't so consistently wither in comparison.To give the man some deserved credit, though, it's hard to produce a "bad" version of a song as genuinely perfect as "I'll Be Your Mirror"; it may be diminished here, but fundamentally, it remains one of the brightest jewels in rock's crown. And so it is for all of Reed's most brilliant moments. The bad news is, there's more here than just his most memorable work. Now, to state that many of Lou's later albums are awful is certainly subjective on some level, but I sincerely doubt there's a person alive (well, aside from Lou) who'd be pleased with any collection that attempted to sum up his career by including any songs at all-- even just one, as this compilation does-- from rock-bottom tragedies like Mistrial, Ecstasy, and The Raven. Unfortunately, after the necessary inclusions, that's about all he can do. So, rather than excise "Rock Minuet", the studio-alternate of "Who Am I", or any of the other relatively uninspired works of his later albums, and focus instead on his equally incredible, but more commonly overlooked 80s work-- or shit, just limited this thing to one disc-- he wildly over-reaches. All possible opportunities for cohesion have been denied here at the expense of the implicit notion that all Reed's work is created equal. It ain't. But you know what? Lou really was a genius (maybe still is). Even if his decisions make much of NYC Man a baffling ordeal, as albums go, the canonical rock and roll might contained in some of his greatest triumphs, even in second-rate form, save this album from the guillotine. Such is the scope of his songwriting skill. This is Lou's career, all of it-- from The Velvets to The Raven-- as it could only make sense to him, 3\xBD decades crammed into less than 3\xBD hours. Take away any sort of chronology and then attempt to find representation from every release he ever crapped out, and all that's left is a strung-out, confusing mess that could have turned out a hell of a lot better than it did. A hell of a lot like Lou, actually. © Eric Carr; June 5, 2003 © 2014 Pitchfork Media Inc. All rights reserved http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/6734-nyc-man-the-collection/

Lou Reed has been the subject of so many idiosyncratic, bewildering compilations that the release of yet another idiosyncratic, bewildering compilation can either inspire amusement or frustration. In the case of 2003's double-disc, 31-track NYC Man: The Collection, it's nearly apoplectic frustration because this is yet another thoroughly botched attempt at a thorough overview that doesn't even function as a representative sampler or introduction -- something that is desperately needed in a discography as lengthy and uneven as his. Perhaps part of the problem is indeed that his discography is inconsistent, and thereby any collection that attempts to take it all in will be uneven, but this is especially wobbly, particularly because it tries to cover everything from the Velvet Underground to 2003's The Raven, all with no chronological sense, flipping from decade to decade without sense for either historical or musical logic. Then, there's the song selection itself: It opens up with an unreleased alternate take of "Who Am I" from The Raven, then often substitutes studio cuts with live performances, including a healthy selection from Live in Italy and Perfect Night: Live in London (only one cut from Rock 'n' Roll Animal, strangely enough). It does contain many big songs -- "Walk on the Wild Side," "Satellite of Love," "Dirty Blvd.," "Coney Island Baby," "Perfect Day," "Street Hassle," "Vicious," plus a host of Velvet Underground songs, both in VU and solo versions -- but the songs that surround these tunes are all over the map. Sometimes they're excellent album track selections, but more of the time, they're not as good as songs that have been left behind, which include such cuts as "I Love You Suzanne," "Sad Song," "I Can't Stand It," "New Sensations," "No Money Down," "Romeo Had Juliette," "Egg Cream," "Doin' the Things That We Want To," "Legendary Hearts," and "What's Good," among others. Perhaps these aren't Reed's best -- and, yes, his "best" will always be a subjective matter -- but they are popular, representative songs that would have fit a solo career overview better than much of what is here. Without them, and with the songs that are here, NYC Man is a muddled mess, containing some of Reed's best, but not enough to justify this as the "ultimate" Lou Reed collection. Yet another bungled Lou collection, then. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/nyc-man-the-collection-mr0003030707

Whoever made the selection for this 2-disc set deserves a medal. Reed’s much maligned albums like Sally Can’t Dance, Rock ‘n Roll Heart and Growing Up In Public are well represented by heir best tracks such as Kill Your Songs (albeit a live version), Temporary Thing and The Last Shot. I am pleased that for once someone ignored the critics and just got a lot of the good songs together. The tracks are not arranged chronologically but that just makes the listening experience all the more interesting. Highlights on Disc One are Street Hassle, I’ll Be Your Mirror and Ecstacy. On Disc Two, the music leads up to a climax with The Bells right in the middle and my other favourites here include the live Heroin, the beautiful and moving Satellite Of Love, Dirty Boulevard, Rock Minuet and of course, the poetic Pale Blue Eyes. It’s great hearing these masterpieces out of the context of their original albums, it certainly makes them stand out more as individual songs. I strongly recommend this album to those who would like to investigate Reed’s wok as well as to the long-time fans. - ***** WISE SELECTION by & © Pieter Uys © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.co.uk/NYC-Man-The-Ultimate-Collection/dp/B00008Y4IU

As Lou Reed proclaimed in the title song of his 1976 classic Coney Island Baby, "different people have peculiar tastes," and it sums him up -- in the course of his career, Lou Reed has been lots of different people, and they've all had peculiar tastes. NYC Man, thirty-one tracks selected by the man himself, shows the many strange faces of Lou Reed: the decadent Chelsea-boy punk poet of the Velvet Underground ("I'm Waiting for the Man," "Heroin"), the Seventies glam-rock ho ("Walk on the Wild Side"), the reluctantly wise gutter sage ("Street Hassle," "The Blue Mask") and the guy who took a ton of drugs ("Berlin"). "Ecstasy," from 2000, proves that Reed's creative powers remain fierce -- even if his recent rock opera about Edgar Allan Poe is a lot to forgive. © ROB SHEFFIELD (Posted: Jun 6, 2003) © 2009 Rolling Stone http://web.archive.org/web/20090217130648/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/loureed/albums/album/292115/review/5945559/nyc_man_the_collection

NYC Man is a 2-CD anthology of the late legendary Lou Reed's work. Lou covers everything from the Velvet Underground to 2003's The Raven.This collection is not going to please all Lou Reed's fans as inevitably many fan favourites are omitted. However in the main the 2 CD set contains many excellent album track selections. All the songs in this collection were selected, sequenced and remastered by Lou Reed himself, and it's worth taking note of that. Please see album notes and read http://www.discogs.com/Lou-Reed-NYC-Man-The-Ultimate-Collection-1967-2003/release/1422065 for further details. HR by A.O.O.F.C Listen to Lou Reed's "Coney Island Baby" and The Velvet Underground's "White Light / White Heat" album and read more about the great man @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Reed [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: CD 1 Pt 1 = 193 Mb, & CD 2 Pt2 = 175 Mb]

CD 1

1 Who Am I? (Tripitina's Song) 5:33
2 Sweet Jane 3:01 *
3 Rock 'N' Roll 4:40 *
4 I'm Waiting For The Man 4:36 *
5 White Light/White Heat 5:00 *
6 Street Hassle 11:00
7 Berlin 3:23
8 Caroline Says II 4:12
9 The Kids 7:49
10 Walk On The Wild Side 4:11
11 Kill Your Sons 4:08
12 Vicious 2:57
13 The Blue Mask 5:02
14 I'll Be Your Mirror 2:46 <>
15 Magic And Loss - The Summation 6:35
16 Ecstasy 4:30

CD 2

1 I Wanna Be Black 6:29
2 Temporary Thing 5:14
3 Shooting Star 3:12
4 Legendary Hearts 3:05
5 Heroin 8:22 *
6 Coney Island Baby 6:36
7 The Last Shot 3:20
8 The Bells 9:20
9 Perfect Day 3:43
10 Sally Can't Dance 2:55
11 Satellite Of Love 3:37
12 NYC Man 4:55
13 Dirty Blvd. 3:30
14 Rock Minuet 6:56
15 Pale Blue Eyes 5:38 *

N.B: * Lou Reed with The Velvet Underground, & <> Lou Reed with The Velvet Underground (w/ Nico)

All tracks composed by Lou Reed except "Magic And Loss - The Summation" composed by Lou Reed & Mike Rathke, & "The Bells" composed by Lou Reed & Marty Fogel