Jim Hogan Taekwondo

James Joseph Croc was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pay bills while he continued to write, record, and perform concerts. After he formed a partnership with songwriter and guitarist Maury Muehleisen, his fortunes turned in the early 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1972; his third album, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, produced three charting singles, including "Time in a Bottle", which reached No. 1 after his death. The follow-up album, Life and Times, included the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", which was the only No. 1 hit he had during his lifetime.

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of Open Your Heart – The Island Recordings 1972 – 1976, a new re-mastered four-disc clamshell boxed set (comprising 3 CDs and a DVD) by the legendary JIM CAPALDI.

One of a pair of recordings made during a tour of Japan for Paddlewheel (a subsidiary of King), the Jim Hall Trio, with bassist Don Thompson and drummer Terry Clarke, is in top form during this 1976 concert. The opener, Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce," is an introspective interpretation, though played with plenty of fire, while "Twister," a duo performance credited to both Hall and Clarke, may very well be an improvisation. A quiet piece like the excerpt from Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjeuz" is tailor-made for Hall's often subtle, rather understated approach to his instrument. First-rate versions of "Chelsea Bridge" and "St. Thomas" round out this highly recommended live set.

Featuring a collection of 18 recordings and storied collaborations with some of his favorite female musicians, the new album stands as a testament to the generation and genre-spanning brilliance that has defined Kweskin's illustrious career for the past six decades. Throughout the album, recorded almost completely in one or two takes, Kweskin showcases the captivating, boundless essence of his artistry alongside guests such as Maria Muldaur, who first worked with Kweskin in the 1960s as part of Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band. Other special appearances include Samoa Wilson and Meredith Axelrod, who have released LPs with Kweskin throughout the years, while Rose Guerin and Juli Crockett have been frequent performers at his concerts on both the East and West coasts. Fiona Kweskin, his granddaughter, also lends her vocals to several tracks such as the album’s latest single and music video, “You’re Just In Love.”