English listeners went mad for Katie Melua with the release of her debut album in late 2003. Issued domestically in June 2004, Call Off the Search posits the lovely Melua pristinely in between pop, adult contemporary, and traditional American musical forms, with savvy marketing handling the finishing touches. (Think Norah Jones.) It's a comfortable, lightly melodic affair that drinks red wine safely in the middle of the road. Raised in Soviet Georgia and the United Kingdom, Melua has a beguiling accent that colors the ends of her phrases, adding character to her velvety, if occasionally only satisfactory singing voice.
As his first album of all-original material (performed with a quintet or less) since his 1988 release Thick in the South: Soul Gestures in Southern Blue, Vol. 1, and his first album for Blue Note Records, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis' The Magic Hour is a disappointing return to progressive, small-group jazz. This is not to say that there aren't some excellent things here, but taken as an album, The Magic Hour seems logy and inconsequential.
The Blue Jukebox is the twentieth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2004 by his independent record label Jazzee Blue. The cover artwork is inspired by Edward Hopper's Nighthawks painting. Compared to the Dancing Down the Stony Road (2002) has a smoother and jazzier take on the blues. It is Rea's fourth studio album released since the founding of his independent record label Jazzee Blue in 2002 and release of Dancing Down the Stony Road, with which changed his music style from rock to blues oriented after his life-saving medic operation in the early 2000s. It was released with cardboard packaging, matt paper, reproduction of illustrations, and 20-page booklet.
The Dark Side is Gregorian's sixth album, released between Masters of Chant Chapter IV and Masters of Chant Chapter V. The 'Special Rock Edition' featured ten tracks. The notable differences from the standard edition are the omission of three tracks (Where the Wild Roses Grow, Uninvited and The End), the ordering of the tracks, as well as the length of the existing tracks; some are shorter. This edition also includes an extended version of Nothing Else Matters, from Gregorian's first Masters of Chant album.
One of the most successful pop/classical fusion projects, Gregorian mixes well-known pop and rock songs with Gregorian chants. Overseen by producer Frank Peterson, co-founder of Michael Cretu's Enigma outfit, Gregorian's first album, Masters of Chant, released in 1999…
Bassist Hugh Hopper, of Soft Machine fame creates a diversity of rhythm loops over which he layers bass, guitar and the occasional synthesizer, providing a backdrop for a variety of guest artists to contribute, including ex-Soft Machine band mate Robert Wyatt on cornet and vocal loops, and ex-Gong woodwind multi-instrumentalist Didier Malherbe. Ranging from the direct funk of "Some Complications at Work" to the more hypnotically propulsive and aboriginally-textured "Craig's Distended Train Ride," Hopper builds twelve pieces that coexist with Howarth's art, telling the story of technology worker Craig's encounters and frustrations with the change in DST before heading to the Outback to escape the confines of time…
Synth pop's first international superstars, the Human League were among the earliest and most innovative bands to break into the pop mainstream on a wave of synthesizers and electronic rhythms, their marriage of infectious melodies and state-of-the-art technology proving enormously influential on countless acts following in their wake. The group was formed in Sheffield, England, in 1977 by synth players Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh, who'd previously teamed as the duo Dead Daughters; following a brief tenure as the Future, they rechristened themselves the Human League after enlisting vocalist Philip Oakey. The trio soon recorded a demo, and played their first live dates; they soon tapped Adrian Wright as their "Director of Visuals," and his slide shows quickly became a key component of their performances.
In the summer of 1971, BANG, a trio from the Philadelphia area, decided to take a road trip to Florida to try their fortune. While buying some rolling papers in the Sunshine State, they learned about a Small Faces and Deep Purple concert nearby in Orlando. They showed up at the venue and brazenly declared they were ready to go on stage. The concert organizer asked them to set up and play for him. After a couple songs, he told them they were opening for Rod Stewart and Faces. Before they knew it, BANG was playing with Bachman Turner Overdrive, Deep Purple, Three Dog Night, Fleetwood Mac, Ike and Tina Turner, The Doobie Brothers, and even Black Sabbath. Capitol Records signed them, and three LPs were released. This CD was put out by the band and has the albums Bang and Mother/Bow To The King both on the same cd. This was self released and not on any label.
The Shadows have gotten a magnificent sendoff with this concert DVD from their final tour, undertaken in 2004 and featuring Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, and Brian Bennett, supported by Mark Griffiths on bass and Cliff Hall on keyboards…