Kula Shaker Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts (1999, Columbia # Col 493142 2)

Branford Marsalis Trio - The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born (1991) {Columbia COL 468896 2}
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© 1991 Columbia / Sony Music | COL 468896 2
Jazz / Post Bop / Neo-Bop / Saxophone

This set is one of Branford Marsalis' strongest of the 1990s. Marsalis really stretches out on eight numbers including six of his originals (the other two songs are by bassist Bob Hurst). There is one guest appearance apiece from brother-trumpeter Wynton and tenor saxophonist Courtney Pine but otherwise Branford is accompanied only by Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. His playing is often reminiscent in style (but not really sound) of John Coltrane, he is more concise and disciplined than in some of his early-'90s concert appearances and Marsalis is at his most explorative on this inventive blowing session.

John Cale - Vintage Violence (1970) {Columbia COL 467067 2 rel 1993}
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© 1970, 1993 Columbia / Sony Music | COL 467067 2
Rock / Art Rock / Experimental Rock

This is possibly one of the most ironically titled albums in the history of rock. I can remember contemplating buying Vintage Violence long ago. I knew Cale had spent a couple years with the rough and cynical Velvet Underground, he was producing equally cutting-edge urban artists such as Nico and Iggy Pop, and he had a reputation for noisy avant-garde experiments. Surely this album of his was harsh, jaded, dissonant and possibly somewhat painful; …wrong! Quite the opposite, instead John gives us beautiful relaxed pastoral tunes with sentimental personal lyrics framed in folksy instruments such as acoustic guitar and piano, as well as plaintive pedal steel guitar and orchestral strings.

Stan Getz - Captain Marvel (1972) {Columbia COL 468412 2 rel 1997}
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© 1972, 1997 Columbia / Sony Music | 468412 2
Jazz / Post Bip / Fusion / Saxophone

One of the more remarkable aspects of Stan Getz's 1972 masterpiece is just how organic he was able to keep the sound. The band surrounding Getz on this Columbia date was led by Chick Corea with his Return to Forever (electric) bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Tony Williams, and Brazilian master percussionist Airto. With the exception of Clarke, all the rest had played with Miles Davis in his then-experimental electric bands. Corea's Return to Forever was just getting itself off the fusion ground, while Williams had been with John McLaughlin and Larry Young in Lifetime on top of his experience with Davis.

By reviving the swirling, guitar-heavy sounds of late-'60s psychedelia and infusing it with George Harrison's Indian mysticism and spirituality, Kula Shaker became one of the most popular British bands of the immediate post-Brit-pop era. More musically adept and experimental than Cast, Kula Shaker nevertheless worked the same vaguely spiritual lyrical territory, but musically they brought the overpowering rush of Oasis to psychedelia, a genre that the Mancunians had previously avoided.

Pilgrims Progress is the fourth studio album by Kula Shaker and was released on 28 June 2010. Kula Shaker are best known for the 1996 multi-platinum 'K', which became one of the fastest selling UK debuts ever. The band soon followed up with their second album ‘Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts’ and after a six-year absence Kula returned with the brilliant album 'Strangefolk' in 2007. Deluxe edition box set limited to 1000 copies. Includes bonus CD "Lost & Proud".

Pilgrim's Progress is the fourth studio album by Kula Shaker and was released on 28 June 2010. Kula Shaker are best known for the 1996 multi-platinum 'K', which became one of the fastest selling UK debuts ever. The band soon followed up with their second album ‘Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts’ and after a six-year absence Kula returned with the brilliant album 'Strangefolk' in 2007.