Durable Copy

Tom Jones - The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection (2020) {17CD Box Set, Universal 00602537041800 rec 1965-1975}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 4.44 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.71 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 64 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1965-75, 2020 Decca / Universal Music | 00602537041800
Pop / Pop Soul / Pop Rock / Contemporary Pop / Blue-Eyed Soul / Country-Pop / Vocal Pop

Limited 17CD box set. 2020 sees Sir Tom Jones celebrating his 80th birthday and 55 years since his first UK #1 hit single 'It's Not Unusual'. For the very time ever, all fifteen of Tom Jones' Decca studio albums, along with a special expanded two CD physical package of single-only tracks, rare B-sides, and first time on CD recordings from the archives Hide & Seek (The Lost Collection) are being released together as a 17CD box set. The albums, spanning ten years (1965-1975), tell the story of the first and much celebrated period of Jones's career. In a career spanning six decades, 'Jones the Voice' never sells a song short and never short-changes his fans - the longevity of his career speaks to a talent of a very special kind.

Vinicius de Moraes was the lyricist for many of Antonio Carlos Jobim's most durable melodies, and his death in 1980 understandably dealt the great Brazilian composer a devastating blow. That he greatly missed de Moraes is quite obvious in this lovingly performed, posthumously released concert, recorded (upon the tenth anniversary of de Moraes' death) at Rio's Centro Cultural do Brasil with just a chamber-sized selection of players from Jobim's band of family and friends. A few well-known pieces are included - there is a very touching rendition of "Insensatez" that makes this often-played tune seem freshly minted - but most of the selections are among the less familiar fruits of the collaboration, along with a few songs that de Moraes wrote with Carlos Lyra and Toquinho…

Boy Meets Girl's George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam wrote Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," so they understand how important a foundation is to adult contemporary pop – without something to pull the listener along, the songs become just flash and keyboard flutter, platitudes about love and loss. And while Reel Life suffers a little bit from the over-synthesized instrumentation of its era, Boy Meets Girl more often than not pushed the right melodic buttons on this, their biggest album. "Bring Down the Moon" and "Stay Forever" are particularly strong, while the hit single, "Waiting for a Star to Fall," is just a classic.

Merle Haggard - The Land Of Many Churches (1971) {BGO Records BGOCD1015 rel 2011}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 422 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 165 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 31 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1971, 2011 Capitol Records / BGO Records | BGOCD1015
Country Gospel / Country / Religious / Gospel / Traditional Country

Released in 1971, The Land of Many Churches is similar to other Merle Haggard tribute albums released in the same era, including Same Train, Different Time and I Love Dixie Blues. To his credit, Haggard had a greater need to shine light on the music that influenced him, more so than the need to release material that guaranteed a surefire hit. These 24 tracks include gospel chestnuts "Precious Memories," "Turn Your Radio On," "Amazing Grace," and a great version of the Hank Williams composition "I Saw the Light." Recorded live at the Nashville Union Rescue Mission and several rural churches across the country, Haggard is joined by guests Bonnie Owens and the Carter Family. Highly recommended to traditional country fans.

Sonny Rollins - Road Shows, Volume 3 (2014) {Doxy Records 88843049982}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 517 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 172 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 233 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Doxy Records / OKeh / Sony Music | 0602527749723
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

Over the span of his storied and still-unfolding 65-year career, Sonny Rollins has established himself as one of the giants of jazz — a towering influence, a trailblazer, a powerfully creative force in the music. From his earliest masterpieces, such as Saxophone Colossus and Freedom Suite, to his Road Shows archival series of live performances for his Doxy label in the 2000s, Rollins has presented his peerless music without compromise — and to consistent international acclaim. The new CD contains six tracks recorded between 2001 and 2012 in Saitama, Japan; Toulouse, Marseille, and Marciac, France; and St. Louis. “Patanjali,” a striking new Rollins composition, is given its debut recording.

The durable Bachman-Turner Overdrive is one of those bands with more greatest-hits collections than actual studio albums. Greatest Hits digs a bit deeper than the definitive Best of B.T.O. (So Far), which was released at the height of the band's fame but passes over stompers such as "Give Me Your Money Please" and "Blue Collar" for faceless late-era (sans Randy Bachman) tunes like "Can We All Come Together."…

Larry Goldings & Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart - Toy Tunes (2017) {Pirouet PIT3100}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 248 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 108 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 12 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2017 Pirouet Records | PIT3100
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Cool / Hammond Organ / Guitar / Drums

Just look at the cover art—the swirl of colors, the bodies drawn to the eye as misshapen designs, the beauteous blotches, the sturdy rhythms of angularity. In some ways it's almost inconceivable to imagine all of that acting as one, yet these images form a perfectly perceivable whole—a picture that feels like home yet sits in its own space, artfully different yet accessible and inviting. It's a perfect parallel for the work of these three master musicians, collectively viewed as the most creatively durable organ trio in jazz.

This 1977 effort continues their hitmaking streak of one of fusion and R&B's durable and respected units. While this album's predecessor, Back to Back, was credited to the Brecker Brothers Band and featured members including David Sanborn and Steve Khan, it came off as underdone and facile. Don't Stop the Music does present their gifts in a more cogent fashion, but not without a few odd detours.

A spin-off of Procol Harum, Freedom was formed by guitarist Ray Royer and drummer Bobby Harrison. Both of them were in Procol Harum's lineup at the outset for their debut "A Whiter Shade of Pale" single, but were ousted almost immediately when Procol singer, Gary Brooker, enlisted his former bandmates from the Paramounts, Robin Trower and Barry Wilson, as replacements.
Freedom's final outing in 1972, Is More Than a Word, is a study in contrasts. It still rocks hard as all get out, á la Humble Pie, but it also points in an interesting direction in places: toward more textured and acoustic-flavored material that echoes country music, thanks to an electric violin - uncredited - on the opening track "Together." Elsewhere, there is scathing blues-rock in the funky, raucous, rave-up vein on cuts…