Music Connection July 2020

The ultimate exploration into Elton John’s extensive back catalogue, ‘Jewel Box’ encompasses a selection of deep cuts chosen by Elton himself; rarities from the earliest stage of his and Bernie Taupin’s musical journey; B-sides spanning 30 years, and songs discussed in Elton’s best-selling, critically acclaimed 2019 memoir, ‘Me’. The eight discs come in a beautiful hardcover book, enclosed in an outer slipcase. Each section contains extensive notes and, for ‘Deep Cuts’, there is track-by-track commentary by Elton. The set contains an unprecedented number of previously unheard, unreleased tracks from 1965-1971, the years that cemented the foundations of the iconic John-Taupin partnership: ‘Jewel Box’ truly is a treasure trove for Elton John fans.

One of the towering figures of 20th century's music, Alabama-born pianist and organist Herman "Sun Ra" Blount (1914) became the cosmic musician par excellence. Despite dressing in extraterrestrial costumes (but inspired by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt) and despite living inside a self-crafted sci-fi mythology (he always maintained that he was from Saturn, and no biographer conclusively proved his birth date) and despite littering his music with lyrics inspired to a self-penned spiritual philosophy (he never engaged in sexual relationships apparently because he considered himself an angel), Sun Ra created one of the most original styles of music thanks to a chronic disrespect for both established dogmas and trendy movements.

Japan-only compilation to coincide with the proposed but cancelled April 2020 Bob Dylan tour of Japan.
In “fat-boy” jewel case with clear trays and obi. A sticker with fifteen tour dates is attached to the front shrinkwrap.
A thirty six-page colour booklet includes reproductions of all thirty one single covers. A sixty-eight page black and white booklet includes two sets of liner notes in Japanese and lyrics to all tracks in English and Japanese. A promotional postcard was given with purchase at some outlets.

Harry Chapin’s brother Steve and his drummer Howard Fields remember: “On April 11th 1977, Harry Chapin and his band, near the end of their first tour overseas, performed a concert broadcast over German radio at a small auditorium in the city of Bremen in front of 400 people."