Scott Minerd

Gil Scott-Heron's third album is split down the middle, the first side being a purely musical experience with a full band (including flutist Hubert Laws and drummer Pretty Purdie), the second functioning more as a live rap session with collaborator Brian Jackson on flute and a few friends on percussion. For side one, although he's overly tentative on the ballad "The Middle of Your Day," Scott-Heron excels on the title track and the third song, "The Get Out of the Ghetto Blues," one of his best, best-known performances. The second side is more of an impromptu performance, with Scott-Heron often explaining his tracks by way of introduction ("No Knock" referred to a new police policy whereby knocking was no longer required before entering a house, "And Then He Wrote Meditations" being Scott-Heron's tribute to John Coltrane)…

E.C. Scott is a superior blues and soul singer who is in prime form throughout this set. She is also a talented and witty lyricist, as can be heard on her tribute to "Money" (which should become a standard), "He Ate the Apple," and a song called "This Ain't Yo Daddy's Kind of Blues." Scott's band, Smoke, supports her perfectly, with Bill Ireton contributing some blazing guitar solos. Little Milton makes guest appearances on "Just One of Those Days" and "If I Can Borrow Some of Your Love," but E.C. Scott is certainly strong enough to carry this set by herself. The Other Side of Me is one of her finest and most stirring recordings to date.

E.C. Scott is a superior blues and soul singer who is in prime form throughout this set. She is also a talented and witty lyricist, as can be heard on her tribute to "Money" (which should become a standard), "He Ate the Apple," and a song called "This Ain't Yo Daddy's Kind of Blues." Scott's band, Smoke, supports her perfectly, with Bill Ireton contributing some blazing guitar solos. Little Milton makes guest appearances on "Just One of Those Days" and "If I Can Borrow Some of Your Love," but E.C. Scott is certainly strong enough to carry this set by herself. The Other Side of Me is one of her finest and most stirring recordings to date.

4CD set. Collects six original albums including "Ronnie Scott & Tony Crombie at The Royal Festival Hall", "Tubby Hayes & The Jazz Couriers", "Presenting The Ronnie Scott Sextet", "Jazz Couriers In Concert", "Couriers Of Jazz" and "The Last Word", plus rare BONUS cuts.

Tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton is in typically fine form on his third album as a leader for Concord. While Hamilton is equally skillful on ballads and hot stomps, cornetist Warren Vache sometimes takes a few too many chances on the uptempo material although one admires his brave attempts; he fares best on "Darn That Dream." Singer Sue Melikian sounds fine on two short vocals, but it is the instrumentals by the sextet (which includes guitarist Chris Flory and pianist Norman Simmons) that are most memorable.

Of the major works of Sergei Prokofiev, none (apart perhaps from Peter and the Wolf) have become so well loved by a wide audience as the ballets Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. From the stage productions, to the orchestral suites, to the piano versions, many of these pieces are universally recognised.