100 Tracks From The Fabulous

Various Artists - The Ebb Story, Volume 2 (1997) {Ace Records CDCHD 603 rec 1957-1959}
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© 1957-59, 1997 Ebb Records / Ace Records / Fantasy | CDCHD 603
Oldies / Blues / Doo Wop / Early R&B / Rockabilly

Specialty Records president Art Rupe's ex-wife Lee started Ebb Records in Los Angeles in 1957 with the proceeds from their divorce. Between 1957 and 1959, she released about 60 singles, which now stand as an excellent cross-section of 1950s music, ranging from blues to rockabilly to doo wop and teen pop. This compilation focuses on primarily on the blues and R&B singles from that label, along with some unissued surprises. Five tracks from future soul star Ted Taylor find him working in styles ranging from rock & roll ("Everywhere I Go") to pop ballad ("Very Truly Yours") to Bobby Bland-styled blues ("Days Are Dark" and "If I Don't See You Again"), with "Hold On (I've Got the Chills)" not seeing issuance until 1968, when it came out on Ronn.

Slide Hampton - The Fabulous Slide Hampton Quartet (1969) {2010 Japan Jazz Masterpiece Best & More 999 Series TOCJ-50086}
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© 1969, 2010 Pathé / EMI Music Japan | TOCJ-50086
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Trombone

A real treat – one of the few small group sessions ever recorded by Slide Hampton during the 60s! The session was cut in Paris, where Hampton had taken up residence at the end of the decade – and was done with an all-star group that features Joachim Kuhn on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted-Pederson on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The quality of the work is great – with very long tracks that dance with the freedom you'd expect from Kuhn's piano work, yet which also still swing very nicely in Hampton's usual groove. In all, we'd be tempted to rate this one as one of the more free-thinking trombone jazz sides of the 60s – and it's certainly one of Slide's finest records overall!

As part of The Stranglers' celebration of their Ruby Anniversary, the definitive collection of the B-side recordings they made whilst signed to Epic is released for the first time, via their own label. Appropriately, as befits a band marking forty years together, Here & There: The Epic B-sides Collection 1983-1991 gathers 40 tracks across 2 CDs and is also released as a 40 track digital package. The Stranglers released no less than 13 singles in the UK during this period, which saw them produce five albums: four studio and one live. The Stranglers signed to Epic Records in 1982 having been with United Artists / Liberty since 1977. The change of label coincided with changes in marketing policy across the UK industry - often dubbed "the Frankie Goes to Hollywood effect". Previously, The Stranglers' had released only one 12" single - an extended version of Bear Cage in 1980 - but from 2nd Epic single, Midnight Summer Dream until 1990, each release had a 12" version which required extra studio or, increasingly, live tracks to "add value" to the package.

The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes is the twenty-second studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2008 by his own record label, Jazzee Blue. It comprises three CDs and double 10" Vinyl records in an 80-page hardback book. It is the second album of his project, the Hofner Blue Notes (2003). The project narrates the history of The Delmonts, an imaginary guitar instrumental band from the late 1950s, who in early 1960s evolved into blues band The Hofner Bluenotes. It also gives a brief history of the Hofner guitar, and its importance in the development of music in Britain. The music was recorded by Rea (guitars), Colin Hodgkinson (bass) and Martin Ditcham (drums), who feature in the book, together with Niel Drinkwater and Robert Ahwai.

Some things refuse to die, they just morph endlessly. While few of the original members of the Fabulous Thunderbirds are present for this effort, two founding members of Roomful of Blues are leading the charge. The results are commendable. Duke Robillard's expert guitar lines ride along on Al Copley's true-blue piano and smoky vocals for a very fine trip. The trademark Texas blues of Jimmie Vaughan is replaced here with some of the swampiest Louisiana R&B you can find. You'll boogie, you'll stroll, you'll pass out in your whiskey, but you'll have a good time.

Excellent series from TIME-LIFE Music with 120 nostalgic songs we loved, at their original versions. Travel back more than 50 years and enjoy all those fabulous singers like Frankie Avalon, Pat Boone, Elvis Presley, Connie Francis, Perry Como, Patti Page and many more. Original remastered recordings, ripped in lossless. Memories are made of this.

Fleetwood Mac was at the top of its game in August 1977 when the band returned to its adopted home in Southern California to play three shows at The Forum in Los Angeles. Rumours had only been out a few weeks when the band left in February to tour the world, returning six months later to play three shows at The Forum for nearly 50,000 fans.