MY Soil

Californian Soil the long awaited new studio album from London Grammar. Featuring the new singles Baby It’s You and Californian Soil. The album is another leap forward in sound, production and songcraft. It blends electronica, pop and symphonic sounds with Hannah Reid's once in a generation voice.

Soil Festivities dates from 1984, before Vangelis was working with orchestras. Some would say that it was before he "sold out" or when he was a "real musician," but those opinions are totally subjective. It is certain that this is a different kind of work. The album features five movements, each a self-contained soundscape. Vangelis surrounds a subtle drone with heavy sequences and dense atmospheres. He uses a symphonic synth to create pastoral textures. This is a very accessible album. It will appeal to fans of Constance Demby, Wendy Carlos, Victor Cerullo, and Yanni.

New Soil wasn't the first session Jackie McLean recorded for Blue Note, but it was the first one released, and as the title suggests, the first glimmerings of McLean's desire to push beyond the limits of bop are already apparent. They're subtle, of course, and nowhere near as pronounced as they would be in just a few years' time, but – as with the 1959 material later issued on Jackie's Bag – hints of Ornette Coleman's stream-of-consciousness melodic freedom are beginning to find their way into McLean's improvisations. His playing is just a touch more angular than the ear expects, especially given the very bluesy nature of pieces like McLean's 11-minute vamp "Hip Strut," and pianist Walter Davis, Jr.'s infectious boogie-woogie "Greasy."

While some of the new recordings for JVC's high-resolution mastering process, XRCD2, focus on sonic decoration rather than musical honesty, this disc is both high fidelity and high integrity. Okoshi's fine trumpet playing is matched with a great group of players, including Kenny Barron on piano and Hank Roberts on cello. The result is an outstanding recording of great jazz. From the original title track, with its subtle shadings, to the percolating interpretation of "Night in Tunisia" that closes the album, the music is alive with passion and imagination.

New Soil wasn't the first session Jackie McLean recorded for Blue Note, but it was the first one released, and as the title suggests, the first glimmerings of McLean's desire to push beyond the limits of bop are already apparent. They're subtle, of course, and nowhere near as pronounced as they would be in just a few years' time, but - as with the 1959 material later issued on Jackie's Bag - hints of Ornette Coleman's stream-of-consciousness melodic freedom are beginning to find their way into McLean's improvisations. His playing is just a touch more angular than the ear expects, especially given the very bluesy nature of pieces like McLean's 11-minute vamp "Hip Strut," and pianist Walter Davis, Jr.'s infectious boogie-woogie "Greasy"…

Three original Atlantic LPs by the biggest Bossa Nova star of the '60s - 34 tracks of Latin jazz-pop crammed into one 2-CD set! Pele is Mendes' accompanying music to the documentary about the soccer star; the other two LPs bring you live performances of Black Orpheus Medley; Samba De Jose; Noa Noa , and more and studio versions of I Say a Little Prayer; May Favorite Things; Comin' Home Baby, and more!