Chuck Mangione

For the last 20 years London-based author and party organiser Tim Lawrence has dedicated himself to excavating the history of New York City party culture and bringing some of the most powerful aspects of that culture to London’s dance scene, from where it has ricocheted around the world.

Hommage Symphonique is an album of progressive rock covers recorded by master keyboardist Erik Norlander along with the virtuoso band of Gregg Bissonette, Don Schiff and Mark McCrite with Kelly Keeling handling all of the vocal duties. Erik also employed a small ensemble of acoustic instruments featuring Jon Pappenbrook (trumpets flugelhorn), Eric Jorgensen (trombones), Mike Alvarez (cello) and David Schiff (woodwinds). David is the brother of Don Schiff, and in addition to Don's NS/Stick work on the album, he also fills out the acoustic string ensemble with the new Bowed Guitar instrument. Erik's choice of covers reflects his own broad musical taste, performing songs originally recorded by ELP, ELO, Yes, Rick Wakeman, King Crimson, Procol Harum and Jethro Tull and Chuck Mangione…

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Buttercorn Lady (1966) {EmArcy 822 471-2 rel 1986} (ft. Keith Jarrett)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 248 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 96 Mb
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© 1966, 1986 EmArcy / Polygram | 822 471-2
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop

Few jazz followers would think of trumpeter Chuck Mangione and pianist Keith Jarrett as former members of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but in 1966, they both worked in the drummer's classic hard bop unit and the stint gave them needed exposure and helped the pair to develop their own individual voices. With tenor saxophonist Frank Mitchell and bassist Reggie Workman completing the quintet, this particular version of The Jazz Messengers only had the opportunity to record this one excellent live LP (which is currently out of print) but proved to be a worthy successor to their more acclaimed predecessors.

The NOW That's What I Call Music folks have come up with the perfect soundtrack to listen to while you're out cruising on your boat this summer: a collection of Yacht Rock classics.

Do you ever feel like those standard hits-of-the-70s compilations don’t quite capture the 1970s that you remember? Do you feel like many of your personal favorites, even when they were big hits, are rarely if ever included? That’s why we created Hard To Find 45s On CD, Volume 18: 70s Essentials – to bring back all those seldom-heard classics that other collections seem to have forgotten. And we make them sound better than ever!

Grant Geissman really stepped up his game with the release of his previous CD Say That, and this excellent recording where his finely honed jazz sensibilities come fully to the forefront. There's nary a speck of commercial filler, as every track sports an authenticity and originality that belie the derivative music he had made a living on for years. This is a fine effort with little reason to spoil with wasted critique, as Geissman himself is on top of his game, and whether he's playing with his peer group or select all-stars, the music is at a high level from start to finish. While bop does prevail, contemporary and progressive neo-bop are heard without the predictable trappings, and Geissman changes up the band per track to keep things ever interesting in the best sense of the term.