Pianist Freddie Redd has not recorded all that much during his 45-year career, but most of his records have been special events. This particular set has eight of Redd's tightly arranged compositions being performed by a fine sextet that also features tenor-saxophonist Teddy Edwards, altoist Curtis Peagler and trombonist Phil Ranelin.
Among the benefits of picking up the new Tears for Fears album–the band's first since 1989–maybe the least obvious is looking cool in front of friends. Flick it on over cocktails, say, and brows will furrow: Few would think to match the heaving, synth-heavy boys who lit up the '80s with "Head Over Heels" to this new material. Which is mostly a good thing…
Don't Cry Now is Linda Ronstadt's Gold-certified fourth solo LP and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records in 1974…
Joe Louis Walker is one of the most interesting guitarists on the contemporary blues scene, not to mention one of the most prolific; 2015's Everybody Wants a Piece is Walker's 25th album since he made his debut with 1986's Cold Is the Night, and it hardly sounds like the work of someone padding his résumé. Walker is a player who keeps his music lively by mixing up the formula, folding plenty of rock, R&B, and Latin influences into his work instead of laying out the typical 12-bar figures all over again, and Everybody Wants a Piece finds him shaking it up with impressive results, especially on the wah-wah-fortified and rocked-up cover of "Witchcraft," a slinky interpretation of "Wade in the Water" that mixes up gospel and funk influences, the rollicking boogie-woogie of "Buzz on You," and the slide guitar shuffle of "35 Years Old"…
Limited Edition 7CD box set featuring rare live performances of GP with the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers. Also features Gram's songs performed by Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Jerry Garcia. Plus a disc of influences/original version…
Ella Fitzgerald and guitarist Joe Pass teamed up in a set of duets for this album. Because the emphasis is on ballads and not all of the songs are that well suited to Fitzgerald's musical personality (particularly "Lush Life" and "I Want to Talk About You"), this set is only a mixed success. Much more successful are "Don't Be That Way" and "A Foggy Day" but this is not one of the more essential Ella Fitzgerald records.