Michael "mikey" Houser

A rarity LP with a cult following. In talking about the LP, Houser states, “In the late 1960's I was playing trumpet in a Latin Jazz band let by Julio Miranda and directed, musically, by Maria Rodriguez. We played local clubs, dances, embassy parties, and gave concerts. Twice we recorded albums in New York. These albums were never released. I decided I had to produce my own music. I called tenor man Buck Hill, whose last recording was with Charlie Byrd in the mid-1950's. Steve Novosel agreed to play bass. Besides recording and touring with Rashaan Roland Kirk, his playing credits range from Red Norvo to Milt Jackson, Sweets Edison to Charles Toliver. Al Gray & Cedar Walton. He recommended that I contact Andrew White (of Coltrane Legacy fame and independent producer, today, of over 40 recordings)…

Michael Rother, founding member of krautrock groups Neu! and Harmonia, is releasing another new box set. The new collection, Solo II, is out September 4 (via Groenland). Solo II includes three albums from the 1980s (Lust, Süssherz und Tiefenschärfe, and Traumreisen), 1996’s Esperanza, and 2004’s Remember (The Great Adventure), an album of bonus tracks (mostly recorded in the ’90s), and a brand new 2020 album called Dreaming. Speaking about Dreaming, Rother said in a press release, “I had a goldmine of ideas—about seventy-five sketches, and I knew there were some gems in there. I’m delighted by the way the album has turned out.”

The Best of Michael Franks: A Backward Glance is a good 15-track collection that is equally divided between soft rock like "Popsicle Toes" and smooth jazz. Any curious listener looking for a one-stop introduction to Franks would be well served with this collection. Among the highlights are "The Lady Wants to Know," "Antonio's Song," "When the Cookie Jar Is Empty," "Tiger in the Rain," "Baseball," "Your Secret's Safe with Me," "When I Give My Love to You," "The Art of Love," "Soul Mate," and "Hourglass".

A year – nearly to the day – after Epic released the single-disc Number Ones compilation in November 2003, the long-awaited Michael Jackson box set finally saw the light of day. Entitled The Ultimate Collection, the 57-track set spans five discs…