Atlantic 2014

Soul siren Bettye Swann had been making records for labels big (Capitol Records) and small (Money Records) since 1965 when she connected with Atlantic Records, arguably America's most prestigious soul label, via a production deal with Rick Hall and his Fame Studio in 1972. Over the next four years, Atlantic issued seven singles by Swann with little commercial success, despite collaborating with a variety of fine producers and songwriters, but this collection makes it clear that quality was not the issue that kept Swann from hitting the upper reaches of the charts.

The Atlantic Family - Live at Montreux (1977) {Atlantic–Wounded Bird WOU 3000 rel 2014} (featuring Don Ellis)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 548 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 188 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 67 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1977, 2014 Atlantic / Wounded Bird Records | WOU 3000
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Soul Jazz / R&B / Funk

This is a great collection of players taking off on some funky soul jazz. Most solos are pretty inspired and the horn arrangements are tight throughout. Now it’s time to get down to it - the last 5 minutes of this CD are worth the price of admission. During a 20 minute-plus, all out jam on the Average White Band classic Pick Up the Pieces, Michael Brecker takes things to a different level with one of the most goose bump inducing solos of his way too short career. If you are a fan of his or just appreciate those moments in life music where something special is captured, buy this CD.

Professor Longhair - The Last Mardi Gras (1978) {2CD Set Atlantic–Real Gone Music RGM-0222 rel 2014}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 519 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 207 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 22 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1978, 2014 Atlantic / Real Gone Music | RGM-0222
Blues / R&B / Jazz / Rock & Roll / Piano

As the originator of the rhum-boogie, that amalgam of rhumba and boogie-woogie peculiar to New Orleans, Henry Roeland Roy Byrd a.k.a. Professor Longhair was a seminal influence on several generations of Crescent City stars, everybody from Fats Domino to Huey Smith to Allen Toussaint to Dr. John. But, as album producer (and controversial biographer of Elvis, John Lennon and Lenny Bruce) Albert Goldman writes in his liner notes to The Last Mardi Gras, the Professor was was wasting away in comparative obscurity while the record companies either refused to cut him or sat upon the records he had already made. So Goldman, who at the time was music critic for Esquire, campaigned in the magazine s pages for proper recognition of the New Orleans legend, and, lo and behold, Atlantic Records stepped forward with a 16-track mobile recording unit to get the job done.