Billy Ray

"West Side Blues is the new release by guitarist/vocalist Vernon Harrington. Primarily a sideman throughout his 30-plus year career, Harrington steps out on his own for the first time with an album that owes its spirit to his West Side roots and guitar-playing here, the late and very great Magic Sam. West Side Blues is a studio album with a live feel. Harrington captured that after-hours, smokey-blues bar atmosphere."–by Beverly-Zeldin Palmer

In Traviata – You deserve a better future, the audience is invited into Violetta’s privacy to have a close look at the fire to which she abandons herself among the guests of this musical and phantasmagorical celebration that blends theatre and opera, voices that speak and sing, and where the phantoms of this Paris in full industrial boom whose future we are living at present, sing and die.

Out of the Cool, released in 1960, was the first recording Gil Evans issued after three straight albums with Miles Davis Sketches of Spain being the final one before this. Evans had learned much from Davis about improvisation, instinct, and space (the trumpeter learned plenty, too, especially about color, texture, and dynamic tension). Evans orchestrates less here, instead concentrating on the rhythm section built around Elvin Jones, Charlie Persip, bassist Ron Carter, and guitarist Ray Crawford. The maestro in the piano chair also assembled a crack horn section for this date, with Ray Beckinstein, Budd Johnson, and Eddie Caine on saxophones, trombonists Jimmy Knepper, Keg Johnson, and bass trombonist Tony Studd, with Johnny Coles and Phil Sunkel on trumpet, Bill Barber on tuba, and Bob Tricarico on flute, bassoon, and piccolo.

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson teams up with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ray Brown and (on six of the eight songs) either Billy Higgins or Frank Severino on drums. Together they play group originals and (on the two drumless pieces) a pair of standards. Although the material was largely new, the swinging style is timeless and Milt Jackson typically sounds in top form; has he ever made an indifferent recording?

Legendary on the live music circuit, Chicago-based Umphrey’s McGee has perfected the art of progressive improvisation. With swirling guitar textures, multi-faceted arrangements and their signature blend of power and finesse, the sextet brings jamming to a new level. This special live performance, recorded in High-Definition and mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound for the PBS concert series Soundstage, showcases the band’s spontaneity and dazzling musicianship…