Paul M. Vanhoutte Edhf 2002

“Torsten Goods is someone, who is capable of the big groove”, wrote the Süddeutsche Zeitung about the guitarist, singer and composer. His style is often compared to George Benson’s. This is no coincidence, considering that he was already interested in both pop/rock and jazz as a youngster.

Singer/songwriters often try to do it all. They write, sing, and play their own guitar. While some manage to do all three things at once without falling flat on their faces, others hit the pavement from time to time. Peter Mulvey avoids this dilemma on Ten Thousand Mornings by choosing to interpret a handful of songs from names like Dylan and Costello, and concentrating on his vocals and acoustic guitar work. It only takes versions of Paul Simon's "Stranded in a Limousine" and Marvin Gaye/James Jr. Nyx's "Inner City Blues" to realize that this is a smart choice. Mulvey's unusual covers and smart interpretations deliver fresh, non-pretentious takes on these tunes.

This 70-track, three-CD set contains a lot of seldom and never-before-released Ducal selections, from the mid-'60s to the early '70s. The 1965 Tanglewood recordings with the famed conductor Arthur Fiedler feature some rousing, jazz-and-strings renditions of "Caravan" and "The Mooch," along with a long-lost recording of a Duke radio interview. For those who love Ellington's beautiful but underrated piano playing, there are some spicy tracks from a keyboard jam session with Earl "Fatha" Hines. Some behind-the-scenes sides from a Newport Jazz Festival party are included, and 26 tracks from a previously unreleased Reader's Digest recording with organist Wild Bill Davis are unveiled. Ellington's last major concert from the United Kingdom in 1973, one year before his death, reveals his high level of musicianship till the end. Of course, stars like alto and tenor Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonsalves solo sweetly, and Duke Ellington shows us, once again, why we loved him madly. –Eugene Holley Jr.

Be Not Nobody is the 2002 debut album by American singer Vanessa Carlton. This is the Japanese pressing released by A&M featuring two bonus tracks.

From his '86 multiplatinum debut Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. through '01s South Of Heaven, West Of Hell, this expansive 4-CD boxed set culls material from Yoakam's entire Warner Bros. career. Presents 87 tracks circa 1981-2002, encompassing singles, album, cuts, previously unissued material, rarities, and soundtrack selections. Contains 3 brand new recordings (exclusively available to this set): "Sittin' Pretty," "Louisville," and "Mercury Blues." Includes a full disc comprised of nothing but previously unreleased material, including rare early demos from 1981, and live gems from various venues spanning nearly a decade, including renditions of "Truckin'," and "Mystery Train."

Traces Of Love is a sampler CD found in the February 2002 issue of Jazziz. It was released to coincide with Valentine's Day but is perfect for any romantic time of the year.

From his '86 multiplatinum debut Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. through '01s South Of Heaven, West Of Hell, this expansive 4-CD boxed set culls material from Yoakam's entire Warner Bros. career. Presents 87 tracks circa 1981-2002, encompassing singles, album, cuts, previously unissued material, rarities, and soundtrack selections. Contains 3 brand new recordings (exclusively available to this set): "Sittin' Pretty," "Louisville," and "Mercury Blues." Includes a full disc comprised of nothing but previously unreleased material, including rare early demos from 1981, and live gems from various venues spanning nearly a decade, including renditions of "Truckin'," and "Mystery Train."

Eddie's Archive is a box set by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 16 November 2002. The box, an embossed metal casket featuring the face of mascot Eddie, contains three double CDs, the Iron Maiden family tree and a shot glass. The family tree is an updated version of the family tree that originally came with A Real Dead One in 1993. Eddie's Archive was originally released as a limited edition, with the family tree numbered. However, due to demand, it was later re-released with a different colour inlay (changed from blue to red) and with the family tree unnumbered, in order to preserve the value of the original issue. Speaking about the box set, bassist and band founder Steve Harris commented, "Eddie's Archive was released for the real collector. We always try hard to keep the quality there for people. We would make a hell of a lot more money if we didn't package a release looking like that, but we do it because we're proud of the Iron Maiden legacy and want to treat the fans with respect."

A wonderful compilation that explains itself in the title: Specialty, Hifijazz, Nocturne-Original Jazz Classics Sampler. It's a number of labels once owned by the same company, partly known for their jazz catalogs, compiled in one place in a nice compact manner. This was released by Specialty via Original Jazz Classics.