Some artists who evoke the styles of the past seem to have spent every waking moment of their adult lives struggling to sound as if they were born in a different decade. Pokey LaFarge, on the other hand, makes music that suggests he somehow passed through a wrinkle in time from 1929 to 2015, complete with his banjo in hand; LaFarge's music never seems forced, but flows from him naturally with an easy grace, a playful insouciance, and a confidence in his talent that stops well short of arrogance.
Live album recorded January 10th 1972 for broadcast on KMET Los Angeles. In the early 1970s, B.B. King was basking in the glow of crossover success, his brand of soulful blues reaching all audiences, not just African-American ones. On this 75-minute radio broadcast from 1972, his stinging guitar paces a mix of old and new classics, from his mid-‘50s R&B hit “Everyday I Have the Blues” to Leon Russell’s “Hummingbird”. Other highlights include the standard “Rock Me Baby” and his biggest hit, “The Thrill Is Gone”. (Note: There are different releases of these recordings, mentioning different dates for when this radio show was broadcasted. Some say October 1st, 1972, whilst this one says January 10th.)
At last the long awaited official CD anthology containing a unique audio history of Smokie's blistering career spanning the last 40 years. This box is a fitting tribute to a group who have defied all odds to earn their rightful place amongst those few artists who have helped to shape and define an era. CD package 'GOLD' has entered the German album charts at number 36.
As the first compilation covering Eric Clapton's Reprise/Warner work since 2007's Complete Clapton, 2015's Forever Man is the third collection to focus specifically on these recordings from the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, and it's by far the most extensive, weighing in at two CDs in its basic edition and three in its deluxe. The difference between the two is the addition of a disc of "Blues," a nice addition to the "Studio" and "Live" discs of the collection. These themes make sense on paper but they're a little odd in practice, with the Studio selections hopscotching between eras and the live heavy on new millennial selections. Often, the length highlights how light Forever Man is on hits: "Tears in Heaven," "I've Got a Rock N Roll Heart," "Forever Man," "Change the World," "My Father's Eyes," "Pretending," "Bad Love," "It's in the Way That You Use It," and the unplugged "Layla" are all here, but the sequencing suggests how the '70s hits are missing (or present in new live versions)…
Harrison Kennedy is a Black Canadian electric blues, R&B, and soul blues, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for being the lead vocalist on the Chairmen of the Board song, "Chairman of the Board", but has had a varied solo career since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the 2016 "Blues Album of the Year" Juno Award for his release, This Is From Here. It was Kennedy's sixth nomination for that Award. He is also a Blues Music Award, and multiple Maple Blues Award nominee.
Jackie McLean was a hard-bop alto saxophonist with a fiery tight tone, who recorded extensively in the ‘50s and ‘60s mainly with Blue Note Records. Although his forays with an organ was confined to two albums with Jimmy Smith Open House and Plain Talk, Cory Weeds’ decision to use an organ on this session does not stray off the mark. Condition Blue accomplishes the band’s intention, to acknowledge a saxophonist who had an exploratory vision. In a set list of either McLean originals, or compositions associated with him, this tight-knit band delivers the goods in firm, yet flexible style. The key players in this session in addition, to the cooly effective altoist Weeds, are Mike LeDonne, a B-3 player of energetic disposition, and creative guitarist Peter Bernstein. Also along is drummer Joe Farnsworth who is a propulsive player.
Opeth's "Deliverance & Damnation", a double album almost 15 years in the making, will be made available on October 30 via Music For Nations. Originally released separately in 2002 and 2003 respectively, these sessions were written and recorded together and it's time for Music For Nations to present the album as a complete piece. Music For Nations will issue the double album in two beautifully reissued formats that includes new stereo and 5.1 mixes, with artwork redesigned by original designer Travis Smith; liner notes by Mikael Åkerfeldt and Jerry Ewing of Prog in a lavish four-disc bookset.
Those of us who rejoice in the crystalline beauty of Carolyn Sampson’s interpretations of Bach, Handel and Purcell will welcome this bouquet of songs on a floral theme, her debut recital disc. It’s been a long wait, but our patience is repaid handsomely. With pianist Joseph Middleton she savours some choice blooms from, among others, Britten, Chabrier, Schubert, Schumann, Gounod and Strauss, her glorious soprano particularly affecting in Fauré’s Le papillon et la fleur and the wonderfully perfumed Les roses d’Ispahan. Middleton plays with dextrous delicacy throughout and brings real virtuosity to Strauss’s Mädchenblumen. Highly recommended.