Bill Wither 'bout Love

On his fourth outing for Blind Pig Records, Bill Perry takes his own brand of modern electric blues and turbocharges it. Perry's songwriting has been developing consistently from the 1990s during his tenure with Virgin's Point Blank label. And while it's true most blues fans only care about that fiery guitar playing of his, the real depth of his writing was revealed on the Blind Pig releases Crazy Kind of Life and Raw Deal. Here, combining tight, tough hooks on tunes like "My Baby Loves to Dance," and the National Steel-driven "I Don't Know Nothin' Bout Love" and "Waitin' for My Luck to Change," actually fall in line with a lyric sensibility that's clever and humorous.

Bill Withers: The Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums celebrates the timeless artistry of an American master. The set includes the nine albums that Bill released between 1971 through 1985…

Like each of the entries in the Classic blues catalog, The Essential Bill Gaither summarizes the artist's contribution to musical history by tapping into his complete works as reissued by Document in five volumes a few years prior to this collection's appearance in 2001. Gaither, whose recording career began in 1935 and was interrupted then ultimately terminated by the Second World War, operated under the combined influences of Leroy Carr, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, Jazz Gillum, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Big Maceo Merriweather. Most but not all of his records were made with Indianapolis pianist Honey Hill, and the producers of this collection were thoughtful enough to include Hill's only known piano solos, "Boogie Woogie" and "Set ‘Em"…

Please Send Me Someone to Love features 11 tracks by vocalist Bill Henderson recorded during his short tenure with Vee Jay Records in the early '60s. Most of these compositions are standards, including "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," "I Go for That," "Skylark," and "Never Will I Marry," along with a soulful rendition of Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love."

The veteran vocalist wraps his suave, bottomless pipes around a well-chosen cross-section of covers, from Duke Henderson's jump blues "Get Your Kicks" and Johnny "Guitar" Watson's "I Love to Love You" to tougher straightforward blues originally cut by Freddy King, Guitar Slim, Jimmy Rogers, and Little Walter. A cadre of local session aces provides fine support, especially guitarist Steve Freund (who receives a couple of instrumental showcases).

This is no ordinary jazz album. It’s not just that San Francisco vocalist Bill Kwan delves deeply into the songbook of one of the 20th century’s most popular female singers. Slated for release on April 16, 2021 No Ordinary Love: The Music of Sade captures an artist boldly redefining himself. Collaborating closely with a brilliant cast of New York players, he brings a confidently sensuous male sensibility to material defined by the Nigerian-born superstar, whose cool, understated style and regal persona has largely kept other artists from interpreting her songs.