be Bop

The first French jazzman to embrace bebop with true enthusiasm was without a doubt alto saxophonist Hubert Fol (1925-1995). He took to the new style when he was barely 20 years old, the moment he heard Charlie Parker on record, and he immediately began practicing. His prowess grew rapidly, and soon he had an opportunity to prove himself.

This 18-track set from Be Bop Deluxe's short but productive four-year, six-album career captures a handful of highlights from each release, and adds both sides of a rare 1973 single, which see their first CD appearance…

This 16-track set from Be Bop Deluxe's short but productive four-year, six-album career captures a handful of highlights from each release, and adds both sides of a rare 1973 single, which see their first CD appearance. Oddly those two songs close the disc, which otherwise is in strict chronological order as it traces the band's evolution from its vaguely glam roots to a more progressive-minded entity that could also churn out snappy near-hits. The specter of David Bowie is never far from the spotlight, especially given that singer/songwriter/frontman Bill Nelson (who also pens witty and reflective liner notes) sounds a lot like Ziggy Stardust. The music also approximates various aspects in Bowie's career, although the synths and general production seem not to have fared quite as well…

Having done a remaster with panache on Sunburst Finish from 1976 (and reviewed so eloquently by Ian Canty here) Cherry Red (or Cheery Red as my computer often prompts) are back on the Be Bop Deluxe trail with Be Bop Deluxe’s legendary 1975 album released on the (legendary, naturally) Harvest label. Legendary maybe because we tend to look back with a rose-tinted glow at a set recorded with the legendary Roy Thomas Baker at the legendary Rockfield Studios by Bill Nelson and his troops…

Deluxe four CD + NTSC/Region 0 DVD edition features an additional 55 bonus tracks drawn from a stunning new 5. 1 surround sound and stereo mixes from the original multi-track tapes by award winning engineer Stephen W. Tayler, previously unreleased out-takes from the album sessions, a BBC Radio In Concert performance from October 1976, along with a bonus CD of a previously unreleased official bootleg of a performance at The Riviera Theater in Chicago in March 1976 recorded for FM Radio on Be Bop Deluxe's first US tour which features a rare jam entitled Bill's Blues…

In addition to penning several early rock & roll standards (most notably "Blue Suede Shoes," later popularized by Elvis Presley), Carl Perkins was one heck of a guitarist, known for switching gears between country rock and rock & roll…