The Complete Blue Note/UA/Roulette Recordings of Thad Jones is a wonderful limited-edition three-disc box set, containing everything the trumpeter recorded for the labels in the late '50s. Jones was a fantastic hard bop trumpeter, and the set captures him in all of his glory, making it of interest to serious hard bop connoisseurs.
Singles – The UA Years is a terrific double-album set that chronicles all of Dr. Feelgood's major singles, from 1976's "Roxette" to 1986's "See You Later Alligator." Although the hits-only approach leaves out some major Feelgood songs, Singles remains a first-rate retrospective, and for many years, it was the best Dr. Feelgood collection available. The 1997 double-disc Twenty Five Years of Dr. Feelgood later replaced Singles as the definitive retrospective, yet there are enough songs on this collection to make it worthwhile for serious fans who don't want to spring for either the box set Lookin' Back or the entire catalog.
The only side of the continually frustrating Cleopatra label that makes any sense at all, the reissue subsidiary Purple Pyramid continues its commitment to quality archival Krautrock with The Best of Amon Düül II 1969-1974, a collection that charts the best moments from the best period of one of the most fascinating (and often bewildering) German groups of the '70s. Included are tracks from several of Amon Düül II's best LPs: from Yeti comes "Soap Shop Rock" and "Pale Gallery," from Tanz der Lemminge comes "A Short Stop at the Transylvanian Brain-Surgery" and "Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight," and from Wolf City there's "Surrounded by the Stars," "Deutsch Nepal," and the title track. Though Amon Düül II's albums of the period are necessary for fans of the group, this makes not only a perfect introduction for new listeners but also a handy summation of what made the band great.
"Utopia" is a studio project by Olaf Kübler and Lothar Meid. Because it featured several regular members of AMON DÜÜL II (including Chris Karrer and John Weinzierl), it has usually been regarded as part of the DÜÜL discography, and, indeed, the CD reissue credits the album to AMON DÜÜL II…
Rousing and intricate rhythms from log drums and shark-skin drums, as well as romantic ukulele melodies from the beautiful islands of Tahiti. Extensive information about the group, Tahitian dances and each of the pieces plus many colourful photos in the booklet.
The Argentinian ensemble MIA (an abbreviation of Musicos Independientes Asociados) was a project based around composer and keyboardist Lito Vitale, which had its main activity between 1974 and 1980. Friends and acquaintances came and went in the different versions of this ongoing project until it fell apart in 1980, although new material was made under that moniker for a few more years. "Archivos MIA (1974-1985) chronicles the musical history and heritage of this project on two discs, containing quite a lot of material is previously unreleased…