Dave Mckendry

It's hard to argue with this two-fer issued by the fine Beat Goes On label from Great Britain, as it pairs two of former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason's finest records on a single disc. Alone Together featured the hit "Only You Know and I Know," as well as "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave," and "Look at You, Look at Me." Headkeeper contains "Pearly Queen," his solo version of "Headkeeper," "Feelin' Alright?," and "World in Changes." What these discs most reveal is just how deep Mason's roots went into R&B, soul, and into country as well. If anything, Mason would have been right at home on a Delaney & Bonnie record as his sensibilities were closely allied with theirs. Mason was always underrated and, in America at least, under-noticed. These records are as fine as anything Eric Clapton ever issued solo. The comparison is fair because they were both digging into the same territory at the time, only Mason's delivery and understated guitar playing come off as far more emotionally honest.

This is the third and final guest appearance by clarinetist Bill Smith in the place of Paul Desmond with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Like the earlier record dates, this 1961 session focuses exclusively on Smith's compositions, resulting in a very different sound for the band than its normal mix of the leader's songs and standards. Smith was a member of Brubeck's adventurous octet of the late '40s and, like the pianist, also studied with French composer Darius Milhaud. So the clarinetist is willing to take chances, utilizing a mute on his instrument in "Pan's Pipes," and having drummer Joe Morello use his timpani sticks on the piano strings in the swinging "The Unihorn." Smith proves himself very much in Desmond's league with his witty solos and equally amusing, pun-filled liner notes…

Information is a 1983 album by Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds. The album was his second release for Arista Records (in the UK) and Columbia Records (in the US). Information marked the first time in Edmunds' solo career that he collaborated with an outside producer. Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne produced two songs on the album: the title track, and the Lynne-penned "Slipping Away". The latter would become Edmunds' first American top-40 hit in 13 years (and his last top-40 hit to date), reaching #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself reached #51 on the Billboard 200 and #92 in the UK. Other notable cover versions on the album include NRBQ's "I Want You Bad" and The J. Geils Band's "Wait".

Dave Valentin at the perfect point in his career – coming off some great initial work on the New York Latin scene, and some key time in the studios – really finding his voice as a leader, with all the best elements of his previous work firmly intact! Dave mixes Latin elements with the soulful fusion sound of the GRP label right in their great early, pre-commercial years – and he gets help here form labelmates Dave Grusin and Bobby Broom, plus Marcus Miller – who all join Dave's combo with a sound that's way hipper than the GRP groove of the smooth fusion years. There's some female chorus vocals at a few points, but also loads of great solo work on flute from Dave – and arrangements are by Valentin, Dave Grusin, and Oscar Hernandez. Titles include "Pied Piper", "Los Altos", "Shamballa", "Dragon Fly", "This Time", and "Seven Stars". CD features bonus 7" mixes of "Pied Piper" and "Shamballa".

This duet set by pianist Dave Burrell and David Murray (heard on tenor and bass clarinet) is mostly quite relaxed, surprisingly melodic in spots, and explorative but in subtle ways. Burrell's style both looks backward toward stride (and on "New Orleans Blues" to Jelly Roll Morton) and toward the future in its freedom…