The Queen

There were a lot of terrible album debacles in the wake of Jimi Hendrix's death in 1970, but there were a handful of keepers. The Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge were both excellent, but now the material from both albums has been officially released as part of First Rays of the New Rising Sun or on another compilation…

Respectfully known as the "king of light music,"Eric Coates was one of England's greatest composers. A prolific writer, Coates wrote pieces for orchestras, chamber groups, and solo pianists. In addition to penning more than 160 ballads, he composed numerous instrumental settings for the poetry of William Shakespeare and other British poets. His many radio themes included the theme of the popular BBC radio show Calling All Workers, which aired four times a day, five days a week. Coates made his orchestral debut in 1911 when his composition "Miniature Suite" was performed by the Queen's Hall Light Orchestra under the direction of Sir Henry Wood. Coates played viola with the orchestra during the premiere. Although he wrote his most enduring tune, "Stonecracker John," in 1909, Coates enjoyed a revival of his popularity in the late '20s when his songs "Birdsongs at Eventide" and "Homeward to You" became major hits. He remained active until shortly before his death in 1957, composing "The Dam Busters March" and "High Flight" for popular early-'50s films.

With the much anticipated upcoming Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle scheduled for the 19th May, this album is the perfect soundtrack for a celebration. A timeless collection of classical music to accompany the celebrations of a nation. Get in the celebratory mood with this perfect wedding soundtrack. The album features well-known classics such as Pachebel’s Canon, Lakmé’s The Flower Duet, and Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. This is the perfect album for street parties. It’s estimated that 2 billion people watched the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in 2011.

Hailing from a trio of Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) sessions, Django (1955) contains some of the earliest sides that Milt Jackson (vibraphone), John Lewis (piano), Percy Heath (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums) recorded for Prestige Records. Initially, the combo was part of Dizzy Gillespie's influential backing band and after a change in drummers (to Connie Kay), they continued as one of the more sophisticated aggregates of the post-bop era. The album commences with Lewis' sublime and serene title track "Django," dedicated to the memory of guitarist extraordinaire Django Reinhardt. This musical paean aptly recaptures the essence of Reinhardt's enigmatic gypsy-like nature, especially evident within Jackson's leads, which emerge from the thoughtful opening dirge with a refined, warm tone throughout.

There's magic in these musical hills, as conductor Arnold Östman leads an exemplary performance of Die Zauberflöte on original instruments.Sumi Jo's breathtaking Queen of the Night is the queen of intonation, while Barbara Bonny's Pamina is a phrasing angel, from her pianissimo B flats to her gentle, yet heartfelt, "Ach ich fühl's." Singing as comfortably as a folk singer, Kurt Streit's lyrical, yet dramatic, Tamino is manly and heroic. Gilles Cachemaille is an appropriately charming Papageno, and all supporting performances are stellar. This crystal-clear interpretation must be as close to perfection as Mozart probably dreamed. A true treasure.

Former ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog's That's Me: Greatest Hits compiles highlights and rarities from the second phase of her solo career, which lasted from ABBA's breakup in 1982 to the late ‘80s, and comprised three albums, Wrap Your Arms Around Me (1983), Eyes of a Woman (1985), and I Stand Alone (1987). Three tracks each have been selected from these albums, songs that were released as singles in various territories and enjoyed some commercial success. For example, "The Heat Is On" (not to be confused with the Glenn Frey song of the same title that came a couple of years later) was released as the first single from Wrap Your Arms Around Me in the U.K. and made the Top 40, while in the U.S., "Can't Shake Loose" was chosen instead and made the Top 30.

Having long ago established herself among the royalty of modern blues, Queen Etta seems rather content to sit back on her throne and her laurels and coast through a collection of classic and contemporary compositions. Unfortunately, her descendant band appears equally happy to sit back with her instead of working to shoot up the standards with another round of youthful vitality. The album opens with a rendition of Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" which serves more as a sleepy suggestion than a blues-injected imperative. While Al Green's "Rhymes" sounds very much like the Reverend, Etta's version of "Try a Little Tenderness" does phrase the slow dance in some subtly new directions.

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - The Ellington Suites (1959, 1972) {OJC Remasters Complete Series rel 2013, item 29of33}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 363 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 139 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 203 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1959, 1971-72, 2013 Pablo / Concord | 40th Anniversary of Pablo Records | OJC-34614-02
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz

Concord Music Group will release five new titles in its Original Jazz Classics Remasters series on September 17, 2013. Enhanced by 24-bit remastering by Joe Tarantino, bonus tracks (some previously unreleased), and new liner notes to provide historical context to the originally released material, the series celebrates the 40th anniversary of Pablo Records, the prolific Beverly Hills-based label that showcased some of the most influential jazz artists and recordings of the 1970s and '80s.