Irrespective of musical direction, sales figures or personnel changes, The Flamin’ Groovies have always had greatness attached to their name.
It was during the 1960s that Quincy Jones became a world renowned Jazz musician and composer of film soundtracks, but it was not until about the middle of the decade that success of this nature began to come his way, soon after he had composed the score for Oscar nominated The Pawnbroker. Indeed, during the first few years of the 1960s he lived as a working musician, bandleader and the musical director of Barclay Records - the French imprint of Mercury - but could barely earn enough to pay the bills. This however, did not prevent Quincy from continuing to perform and release music of a quite superlative nature.
Definitive, career-spanning five-CD box set from influential Geordie post-punk band who still play shows to this day.
The names of Johann Sebastian Bach, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff do not necessarily conjure images and sounds of jazz in one's mind, that is until one has listened to recordings by the Classical Jazz Quartet. Although these musicians utilize the same instruments as the Modern Jazz Quartet, they are in no way clones or copycats of that groundbreaking group. They have very much their own sound and style. This is not surprising given the huge talent of the musicians involved; all four are virtuosos on their respective instruments. The themes, although composed in a different time and place, become excellent vehicles for complex, sometimes, bluesy, often swinging and always fresh improvisations in the hands of these musicians.
Three CD set. First-ever complete anthology by the 'Beach Baby' harmony pop hitmakers. Featuring both First Class LPs, all singles, pseudonymous releases and numerous previously unreleased tracks including advertising jingles and songs from an aborted 1974 musical. Arguably the ultimate Beach Boys tribute, 'Beach Baby' introduced a new name, The First Class - actually veteran pop hitmaker and songwriter John Carter with the aid of Chas Mills and lead singer Tony Burrows. While other singers and musicians adopted the name to front their music in public, the Carter/Burrows/Mills combination continued to record new First Class material, including a self-titled LP that is quite possibly the finest, most ambitious British harmony pop album of the 70s.
The title of this boxed set is quite misleading, because Hawkins was a member of Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra for ten years from 1924, and recorded extensively with that outfit. At a conservative estimate, there are some 80 recordings which should have qualified for inclusion, yet not one appears (although his recordings with Fletcher's brother Horace do). Ignoring for a moment the disparity between the title of this boxed set and its contents, let me now praise what is included. ~ Amazon
Limited five CD set. First-ever complete anthology of splinter group from the original Procol Harum line-up. Includes all five of the band's albums plus singles, out-takes and alternative versions. Just as 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' was establishing itself as the definitive summer-of-1967 hit, new kids on the block Procol Harum acrimoniously parted company with guitarist Ray Royer and drummer Bobby Harrison.
An extensive 6CD box set devoted to one of the key innovators of the '60s psychedelic sound featuring their entire output, rarities and demos. Featuring the first CD issue of the mono mix of the 'Mass In F Minor', the collection also compiles the original dedicated mono 45 mixes, plus rare cuts, early demos, and extended takes, as well as the legendary live recording of the band captured in Stockholm during their European tour in late 1967, all lovingly remastered by Alec Palao. To complement these unique psychedelic sounds the box set includes a comprehensive history of the group by Gray Newell, featuring in-depth recollections from original vocalist James Lowe, and from key member of the later incarnation of the band, Richard Whetstone, making this the definitive Electric Prunes' collection.