Jimmy McIntosh And…’ is a thoughtful and well played album that combines blues, fusion, funk, rock and even moments of free form playing, on a dozen tracks with variety, a coherently flow and Jimmy’s unique musical imprint. In short, ‘Jimmy McIntosh And…’ is an album that celebrates the joy of collaborative playing and crossover genres by a guitarist who balances feel with taste and original arrangements well suited to his guests.
The Australian Haydn Ensemble stands at the forefront of Australia’s historically informed orchestras. Comprised of world-class musicians on period instruments, AHE is deeply dedicated to historical research and authentic interpretation, preserving the legacy of Classical masters while captivating audiences with their artistry and passion. Here they turn their brilliance to the music of Mozart: his beloved Piano Concerto in C Major (known as the ‘Elvira Madigan’ after it was immortalised on the 1967 movie), his sparkling Third Violin Concerto, and the magnificent ‘Prague’ Symphony.
Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed a-ha in the early '80s. Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. "Take on Me" took three times to become a hit in the U.K., eventually hitting number two in November 1985…
Average White Band are widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands. Although probably best known for their global hit, the US #1 single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, this extensive anthology delves back into their musical history, from the early sessions in 1971, right up to the most recent studio album released this millennium. ‘All The Pieces…’ features the band’s entire catalogue of recorded material on a 19CD box set, which includes all of the original studio albums (and ‘spoilers’ ‘Put It Where You Want It’ and ‘Volume VIII’) in mini-vinyl replica wallets, alternate versions and selected mixes, in this 172-track collection…
The Jazztet were only in existence for a brief time (1959-1962, not counting the later reunions), but with a flurry of recording activity they left a valuable legacy. By the time of they made their fourth album, co-leaders Art Farmer and Benny Golson were the only remaining original members, but the presence of underrated trombonist Tom McIntosh (who is appreciated more for his compositions than his playing ability, since he stopped performing in 1969), Cedar Walton, bassist Thomas Williams, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath are a welcome presence. These live performances are from a 1961 engagement at the Birdhouse in Chicago.
In the informative liner notes that he wrote for Rhino's early-'90s reissue of Cut the Cake, writer A. Scott Galloway explains that this excellent album was recorded under less-than-ideal circumstances. The Average White Band's original drummer, Robbie McIntosh, died of a heroin overdose in 1974, and the surviving members were still in mourning when they started working on their third album, Cut the Cake (which originally came out on LP in 1975). Steve Ferrone, a black drummer from London, England, was hired as a replacement - ironically, he became the first black member of a Scottish soul/funk band that had a very African-American sound and a largely African-American following…