Ming City Rockers

Experimenting with their already mosaic sound, City Boy's second album, Dinner at the Ritz, relies heavily on guitars and harmonies, giving their songs a Yes or Queen quality. Their three-part "State Secrets - A Thriller" works quite well with the rest of the album's progressive, rock feel.
Formed by Max Thomas in 1974. A Birmingham (UK) based folk turned "artrock" band in the vein of 10 CC and Charlie. Put out a rather poppy single "Hap-ki-do" in 1976, followed by their first album: "City Boy" 1976. Some might dismis them as pure pop, but they have much more to them than that. There are plenty of stuff for both proggers and rockers to sink their teeth into, both musically and lyricwise. City Boy managed to pull it off in many a music style and that with elegance, brilliance & sheer enthuiasm.

The "original Brandenburg concertos" subtitle of this release means less than it seems to suggest; the works have nothing to do with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, which didn't even have that name until many years after the fact. The connection is that Torelli's concertos here were dedicated, in 1698, to Sophie Charlotte, Electress of Brandenburg-Ansbach and eventually the leader honored by the Charlottenburg castle in Berlin. Bach's concertos were dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg, member of another branch of the Prussian ruling line. The big news here is not the Brandenburg connection but the entirely fresh performances of Torelli's Op. 6 concertos.

The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers originated back in January 2007 when musician brothers Luther & Cody Dickinson sat down for a guitar jam with ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus along with Blues Greats Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart and the late Memphis pianist, producer and all around musical stylist Jim Dickinson gathered for a recording under the group name of the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers.