Blu Spec CD

Recorded while the band was evolving slowly into the Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Trying to Burn the Sun is the third and final release from Elf, the band that finally earned Ronnie James Dio the attention he had been seeking since the late '50s. After writing and recording a few singles for Blackmore, Dio and Elf were solidly moving in a heavier musical direction, no doubt influenced by Deep Purple and the British supergroup's lead guitarist. Standout cuts include "Wonderworld" and "Streetwalker," two cuts that were somehow placed at the tail end of the record, despite their strong melodies and musicianship. Because the Rainbow debut was released during the same year, this record was slightly overlooked, even though the band had established a small amount of momentum in Europe and Japan especially. Trying to Burn the Sun is a great listen for fans of '70s rock, not just Dio/Rainbow fans.

Urbie Green - The Fox (1976) {2013 Japan Blu-spec CD CTI Supreme Collection KICJ-2339}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 219 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 173 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1976, 2013 CTI Records / King Records Japan | KICJ-2339
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Soul Jazz / Trombone

Reissue features the high-fidelity Blu-spec CD format (compatible with standard CD players) and the latest remastering. Smooth and silky jazz funk from trombonist Urbie Green – a record that's much more in a mainstream R&B fusion mode than his earlier work – yet also arranged by David Matthews in a soulful style that still keeps things pretty real on the best cuts! The group's a good one for the mellow groove of the material – and includes Mike Mainieri on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Jeremy Steig on flute, and Toots Thielemans laying down a bit of harmonica – all kicking back in classic 70s CTI styles. Titles include the nice modal groover "Mertensia", plus "Manteca", "Foxglove Suite", "Another Star", and "Goodbye".

Slaves and Masters is the thirteenth studio album by the British rock band Deep Purple, and was released on 5 October 1990. This is the only Deep Purple album to feature former Rainbow lead vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, who had joined the previous year after the firing of Ian Gillan. Following its release, Slaves and Masters peaked at No. 87 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album dramatically sold below expectations, as compared to Deep Purple's previous album, The House of Blue Light with Gillan, which charted at No. 34 in the US. A song from the Slaves and Masters recording sessions was rearranged for the soundtrack of the 1990 movie Fire, Ice and Dynamite. Despite underwhelming album sales, Deep Purple had a relatively successful tour in support of Slaves and Masters in 1991, especially for the band's European leg.

In some ways UK represented both the last hurrah of progressive music's golden age, and the standard by which all other supergroups that followed would be judged. The impeccable technical precision, complex yet modern arrangements, and dynamic live performances made them an overnight legend whose reputation has far outlasted their brief existence. No other supergroup, progressive or otherwise, has had such an immediate and lasting impact. Recorded live September 11, 1978 at Paradise Theatre in Boston, this recording is finally available after long been only found as a bootleg. Two tracks with the original UK line-up, rather than the more familiar 2nd (Danger Money and later) UK line-up.

The original idea was for Art Garfunkel to record an album of songs written by Jimmy Webb. But when the leadoff single, "Crying in My Sleep," failed to make the charts, Columbia Records withdrew the album and induced Garfunkel to put together a cover of Sam Cooke's "(What A) Wonderful World" with Paul Simon and James Taylor harmonizing. The single and a revised version of the album then made the Top 40. But Watermark is still a Garfunkel-Sings-Webb album, except for one song. And the initial idea was a good one: Garfunkel handles Webb's wistful pop songs well, and he has made good choices from Webb's songbook, dating back to the '60s, though avoiding his big bits.

Fleetwood Mac - English Rose (1968) {2009 Sony Music Japan Blu-Spec CD Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 257 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 95 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 218 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Sony Music Japan / Epic | EICP-20031
Rock / Blues Rock / Psychedelic Rock

Reissue in the high-fidelity Blu-spec CD format (fully compatible with standard CD players.) For reasons that no one seems to recall in detail – but for which we can be grateful – when it was time to release a second Fleetwood Mac LP in America, producer Mike Vernon and the band didn't just send the existing Mr. Wonderful album across the Atlantic – a little fine-tuning and retooling was in order. The band had just expanded by one member, to a quintet – with the addition of guitarist Danny Kirwan – by the end of 1968, whereas Mr. Wonderful represented them as a four-piece outfit. Additionally, the group had just toured the U.S. for the first time, as a quintet, playing to very enthusiastic audiences, and so there was some point to sending U.S. licensee Epic Records something extra, representing who they were at the start of 1969.

Bill Evans - Montreux II (1970) {2013 Japan Blu-spec CD CTI Supreme Collection}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 249 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 95 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 175 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 CTI Records / King Records Japan | KICJ-2328
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano

Reissue features the high-fidelity Blu-spec CD format (compatible with standard CD players) and the latest remastering. A brilliant return to Montreux from Bill Evans – working here with a trio that includes some killer bass work by Eddie Gomez! The set's an acoustic one – despite its appearance on electric powerhouse CTI – but Evans' work on the piano has an electricity that's all its own, magically crafting waves and shapes of sound and tone. And despite the CTI setting, there's a nicely spacious sound to the way the album was recorded – one that's got a bit less of the "perfection" than on some of Bill's other 70s live dates – a sense of humanity that comes through wonderfully, and which makes this one a very special record! Titles include "Very Early", "34 Skidoo", "Israel", and "Peri's Scope".