Bill Akpinar

Two of the stars of cool jazz, Bud Shank and Bill Perkins, are featured to various degrees throughout this session. Shank in the 1950s was practically the epitome of West Coast jazz. His cool tones on alto and his fluid flute were utilized on many dates; the main set here also finds him switching in spots to tenor and baritone. Perkins, always a versatile reed soloist, is best known for his tenor playing but during that date he also plays alto, and (on two versions of "Fluted Columns") there are some rare examples of his flute. Shank and Perkins team up quite effectively with pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Mel Lewis for the May 2, 1955 session, which includes a trio feature for Hawes ("I Hear Music")…

Even many serious Rolling Stones fans aren't aware that Bill Wyman issued a solo album in the early '90s, as Stuff initially came out only in Japan and Argentina. Like some other Stones projects of the time, it wasn't recorded in a concentrated dose, but pieced together from sessions dating back as far as September 1988. Even had it benefited from a worldwide release, however, it's hard to see how many fans – of the Rolling Stones or otherwise – would have taken to the record, for these are largely basic, repetitious funk-disco-dance-based tunes with a dated 1980s synthetic production. Wyman's thin, hoarse vocals don't help, and while it's possible these are intended more as satires of a trendy style or '80s stars like Prince than serious artistic statements, the wit is so mild that any jokes are wont to pass largely unnoticed.

When it comes to good time R&B played by top class musicians, you can’t beat the sound of Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings. After Bill quit the Rolling Stones in 1993, the bass player set about forming his own all-star band. As well as touring the world, the Rhythm Kings released a succession of fine albums, beginning with ‘Struttin’ Our Stuff’ in 1998. We have selected the hottest tracks from this debut album, as well as songs from subsequent albums ‘Anyway The Wind Blows’, ‘Double Bill’, ‘Groovin’ and ‘Just For A Thrill’.

As an aside to the musical works realised by Church of the Cosmic Skull, the works to be sent forth from this new platform will be myriad and multiform, varied in genre but of high standard and rich with heart.

New York improvising guitarist Bill Frisell recording with Dutch/Belgian chanteuse Chantal Acda (Sleepingdog) at the 2017 Jazz Middelheim Fest, in Antwerp, Belgium, which they agreed to do based on mutual satisfaction of their collaboration on Acda's studio album "Bounce Back" that year, resulting in a wonderfully compatible concert of rich and beautiful music.

On this double CD release we find Shakatak's Bill Sharpe teaming up with Don Grusin, Alex Acuna and Paulinho da Costa et al for a Latin Jazz album from 1999, which also features Jeffrey Osborne on vocals on Light On My Life. Coupled with a solo piano album from 2006 of Bill’s favourite Shakatak tracks from the band’s first 25 years.

Although Chess didn't bother to anthologize these sides into album form until the early '60s, this marvelous collection actually dates from 1953. Broonzy and Sam are both in great form here, sharing the vocals throughout and recalling their earlier days as Bluebird label and session mates. The sound is fleshed out by the addition of guitarist Lee Cooper (who at times almost sounds a bit too modern for the genre being explored here, throwing in what can only be described as Chuck Berry licks) and Big Crawford on upright bass.