Steve Richmond

Groundbreaking new music from Mason Bates and the Richmond Symphony! Reference Recordings is proud to present a World Première recording of MASON BATES: Children of Adam, songs of creation Commissioned by the Richmond Symphony; coupled with RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Dona nobis pacem. These pieces both draw inspiration from Walt Whitman s poetry and this release celebrates his bicentennial (born 1819). Children of Adam is a collection of exuberant celebrations of creation, from American poets to sacred and Native American texts.

Groundbreaking new music from Mason Bates and the Richmond Symphony! Reference Recordings is proud to present a World Première recording of MASON BATES: Children of Adam, songs of creation– Commissioned by the Richmond Symphony; coupled with RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Dona nobis pacem. These pieces both draw inspiration from Walt Whitman’s poetry and this release celebrates his bicentennial (born 1819).

"Old Sock" is Eric Clapton's first album since 2010. The work is a collection of Clapton's favorite songs from childhood to present day. It showcases his deep appreciation of music and celebrates those who inspired him including George Gershwin, Gary Moore and Taj Mahal. Clapton has always possessed an unmatched gift for interpreting classics. Old Sock features music luminaries including Steve Gadd, Willie Weeks, Chris Stainton and Paul McCartney. Standouts include "Still Got The Blues," "All Of Me" and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". Absolutely essential.

"Big City Suite & KPM 1000 Series Compilation (1972-78)" is a compilation album released in 2010, featuring a selection of tracks from the renowned KPM library, known for its rich catalog of production music. This album showcases various composers and styles, capturing the essence of the 1970s musical landscape. The "Big City Suite" aspect emphasizes themes of urban life and sophistication, while the KPM 1000 Series is recognized for its high-quality instrumental tracks used in film, television, and advertising. This compilation highlights a blend of jazz, funk, and orchestral pieces, appealing to fans of vintage soundtracks and music producers alike.

Anne Hills and Cindy Mangsen have made perfectly fine albums on their own, but together they tend to magnify their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. When they united for this effort in the mid-'90s the result was rather special. Part of this album's appeal lies in the songs they selected, which include such whimsically humorous fare as "Bill Morgan and His Gal" and "The Housewife's Lament," sweetly melancholy songs like the Civil War lament "Richmond on the James" and "Master Kilby," and a sprinkling of old-fashioned devotional songs thrown in for good measure ("Where We'll Never Grow Old," "Evening Shade").

With 21 slabs of pure, joyous funk complete with huge drums, blistering horn charts, pulsing basslines, stacks of wah-wah fuzz guitars, and enough energy and rhythm to rearrange the stratosphere, this delightful set of rare and independent California funk releases from the late '60s and early '70s is as much a nonstop dance party as it is an affirming revelation. It never stops grooving – from the opener, Water Color’s “All Bundled into One,” a release so rare only one copy is known to exist, to the closer, a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” by Mr. Clean & the Soul Inc., this is one powerful document. None of these sides was a national hit, and most didn’t even crack the local airwaves, but it’s not because they lack quality. There is so much to marvel at here, including the above-mentioned tracks as well as Arthur Monday’s thundering and slightly spooky “What Goes Around Comes Around” and the charging horns and percolating guitar of J.G.D. & the New Breed’s “North Richmond Breakaway.” It’s joyous funk as deep as the ocean is blue. You can’t go wrong with this one. – Steve Leggett