Hubert Laws (born November 10, 1939) is an American flutist and saxophonist with a career spanning over 50 years in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Considering the artistry of the late Eric Dolphy and the popularity of the late Herbie Mann, Laws is notably in the company of the most recognized and respected jazz flutists in the history of jazz, (also the most imitated). Laws is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop, and rhythm-and-blues genres, moving effortlessly from one repertory to another…
Hank Crawford always puts a lot of passion into each note he plays. On this set of blues and soulful ballads, Crawford caresses each melody as usual but the lack of tempo variations and the generally so-so material keep this from being one of his more essential recordings…
Band of Gypsys was the only live recording authorized by Jimi Hendrix before his death. It was recorded and released in order to get Hendrix out from under a contractual obligation that had been hanging over his head for a couple years. Helping him out were longtime friends Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on the drums because the Experience had broken up in June of 1969, following a show in Denver…
MINOTAURUS were an obscure 70's band from Germany, who recorded 2 albums with only one ever being released "Fly Away". Inspired by the story of the Mintaurus living in King Minos' Labyrinth on Crete this 6 piece band deliver an album full of organ roaring progressive rock. This album although essentially a symphonic mindmelt does also blend in psych and space dimensions into their sound…
Kim Wilde's sixth album is the first since the commercially viable but artistically weak artistic makeover that began with 1984's Teases and Dares to approach the quality of her first three albums. For the first time in three albums, Wilde sounds as if she's comfortable with the music she's making; that this music is clearly inspired by the chart success of the Stock-Aitken-Waterman production team, then having enormous hits with Bananarama, Kylie Minogue and others, might seems a little calculated, but it must be said: Stock, Aitken & Waterman had huge hits because they made unapologetically catchy, uncomplicated pop singles, and that's never a bad thing…
It's kinda hard to be into Progressive Rock and not be aware of Premiata Forneria Marconi. This classic Italian band was formed more than 40 years ago and it is still running the long run!…
Obscured by Clouds is the soundtrack to the Barbet Schroeder film La VallĂ©e, and it plays that way. Of course, it's possible to make the argument that Pink Floyd's music of the early '70s usually played as mood music, similar to film music, but it had structure and a progression…
This fourth album from Manhattan Transfer was the first for Cheryl Bentyne, who replaced Laurel Masse after the original singer's auto accident and subsequent decision to leave the group. Though replacing Masse was difficult, Bentyne's energy and style proved to be the perfect complement to the group's already dynamic performance…
At this point, the band was best-known as a British blues unit. Slowly but surely the band was becoming more acclimated with a production style that was reminiscent of the California pop sound. With the majority of the blues and psychedelic behind them, Mystery to Me finds Fleetwood Mac in a more ruminative vein. American guitarist Bob Welch established that path. Despite the all-encompassing ethos, Welch's songwriting skills made him walk a fine line between the mystical and the silly…