Il Balletto di Bronzo formed in Naples in the late sixties with a line-up consisting of Lino Ajello (guitar), Giancarlo Stinga (drums), Marco Cecioni (guitar/vocals) and Michele Cupaiuolo (bass) using initially the name Battitori Selvaggi. Despite avoiding the fate of many other Italian progressive bands of releasing one album and splitting up (they managed two) they still suffered from a lack of interest, the reason cited by some that they were too advanced for the time, which ultimately led to a split in 1973.
In 2013 Lino Ajello and Marco Cecioni reformed the band but the name "Balletto di Bronzo" continues to belong to the prog trio of Gianni Leone who however, participated in the recording of "CUMA 2016 DC"…
If Wilson Pickett could cover the Archies and Al Green could interpret the Bee Gees, why shouldn't Charles Bradley put his spin on Black Sabbath? Bradley's deep, soulful reading of Black Sabbath's "Changes" (from 1972's Vol. 4) became something of a viral sensation when it first surfaced on a Record Store Day single in 2013. Now it's become the title track and cornerstone of Bradley's third album, and in this context it doesn't sound like a novelty, but like the striking, deeply felt performance it truly is. As on his two previous albums, Bradley is one of the most authentic-sounding artists in the 2010s retro-soul sweepstakes on Changes. The production by Thomas Brenneck is straightforward but naturalistically effective, and puts Bradley's rough but passionate vocals in engaging relief with the accompanists. (Most of the album features the Menahan Street Band backing Bradley, though the Budos Band does the honors on two cuts.) Most of the songs on Changes are new, but they sound like they could have been prize Atlantic or Stax rarities from the mid-'60s, and the performances honor the sound and the emotional power of classic soul.
The Elektra Years 1978–1987 is a boxed set containing the six albums released by the new wave rock band The Cars during that time period. Each album was newly remastered by Ted Jensen, under the supervision of Ric Ocasek. It was released in 2016 on Elektra Records on CD, digital and vinyl formats.
The day after what would have been George Harrison's 73rd birthday, February 26, 2016, Hot Records Ltd. and Vagrant Records are proud to present George Fest: A Night To Celebrate The Music Of George Harrison. Recorded and filmed on September 28th, 2014 at the The Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. This wonderful live tribute will be available in 4 configurations including 2xCD/DVD, 2xCD/Blu-Ray, 3xLP (180 gram) and digital download.
Relive the flower power era with Ultimate… 60s a 4CD collection containing 80 classic hits from the 60s, includes tracks by Elvis, The Ronnettes, Simon & Garfunkel and many more!
Complex re-release of the most remarkable and worldwide sought afterSeries The Dark Side Of The Moog by German electronic pioneers Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook (aka Peter Kuhlmann) in three slip lid boxsets, each with 5 CDs, incl. bonus material and new linernotes. The second box contains Vol. 5 to Vol. 8 and the Bonus CD. Their relationship between Klaus and Pete and the exchange of ideas was unorthodox from the beginning of their co-operation, in that they rarely met personally. The most remarkable contacts they had were outside of their studios, for instance their concert of April 1999 at the Jazz Festival in Hamburg , which was released as an edited version on 'Dark Side Of The Moog, Vol.8' (will be released in the second Boxset) - the interplay and chemistry between them is clearly evident, and it becomes even clearer on the un-edited version of the concert (which will be released as bonus CS on the third boxset).
Norway's Circus Maximus integrate the new millennium's first wave of progressive heavy metal. Formed in 2000, Circus Maximus consist of experienced musicians Michael Eriksen (vocals, guitar), Mats Haugen (guitar), Espen Storø (keyboards), Glen Cato Møllen (bass), and Truls Haugen (drums), and the group's 2005 debut album, The 1st Chapter, drew comparisons to Dream Theater and Symphony X for its melodic and song-oriented material. it anything, the band actually walked a tightrope between prog metal and power metal… In January of 2016, Circus Maximus released the single "The Weight" to the internet. It was followed in March by Havoc, their fourth album.