Russel Band

This two-CD set is an unusually successful sampler. Although there are a few hits among the 40 selections, many obscurities are also included, and not all of the big bands represented are major names, such as Tiny Bradshaw, Noble Sissle, Spud Murphy, Teddy Powell and Jan Savitt. The emphasis is very much on jazz, and this worthy reissue is overflowing with forgotten classics. The music is programmed in chronological order, so one can experience the evolution of big bands from Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and Luis Russell to postwar recordings from Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman.

Whether called Dixieland, traditional jazz or New Orleans jazz, it is the happiest music in the world, a music that exudes joy and found its perfect symbol and world ambassador in Louis Armstrong. Originating out of the south (particularly New Orleans), the style in its various forms was a major force in the 1920s. While overshadowed by swing in the 1930s, Dixieland made a comeback in the early 1940s with Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band being one of the first revival bands. Whether played by veterans such as Bunk Johnson and Kid Ory or newcomers of the time such as Pete Fountain and the Dukes of Dixieland, the music has been a permanent part of the jazz landscape ever since.

Buddy Rich - Take It Away (1968) {Capitol–BGO BGOCD210 rel 1993}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 292 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1968, 1993 Capitol Records / BGO Records | BGOCD210
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Swing / Mainstream Jazz / Drums

Despite its title, this was actually the third album by Buddy Rich's still-new big band. The recording is taken from two different periods that, although only five months apart, find the band undergoing some major turnover; only six of the 15 sidemen are the same. With such players as altoist Ernie Watts, trumpeter Chuck Findley, and usually Jay Corre on tenor, this was a strong outfit. Most of the material (other than "Chicago" and "I Can't Get Started") was new; among the high points are "The Rotten Kid," "New Blues," and the complex "Diabolus."

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Rotterdam 1969 (2016) {Storyville Records 101 8440}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 489 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 187 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 8 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2016 Storyville Records | 101 8440
Jazz / Big Band / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz

Duke Ellington’s status as a legend is well-merited. This new release presents the star and his whole orchestra in full vigor at a 1969 Rotterdam concert. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra toured Europe in November 1969, a time when Duke was still at the top of his powers. It is a pleasure to be able to issue the whole of an excellent concert recorded in De Doelen Concert Hall in Rotterdam—a venue famous for its splendid acoustics. The ambience is remarkable on this live recording: The audience is audibly enthusiastic and these high spirits influence the band: Duke Ellington and the orchestra gave two concerts on November 7th, and even though this is the second one, the musicians sound nothing but lively and fresh.

Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra featuring Paul Gonsalves (1962) {Fantasy OJCCD-623-2 rel 1991}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 196 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 8 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1962, 1991 Fantasy Records | OJCCD-623-2 / 00025218662321
Jazz / Big Band / Bop / Piano / Tenor Saxophone

Tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves will be remembered by many for his riotous 27 choruses on the Newport recording of "Diminuendo in Blue and Crescendo in Blue." As with other prime Ellington soloists like Johnny Hodges and Harry Carney, Gonsalves was given ample room to display his wares live and in the studio. Duke's faith in Gonsalves was certainly made clear at Newport and is proven again on this very enjoyable showcase. Unbeknownst to Gonsalves, though, Ellington planned the session as a vehicle for his soloist's considerable skills.

Danish-American Psychobilly heroes NEKROMANTIX celebrate their 30th Anniversary by storming thru a 19-song live set at the Observatory Theater in Santa Ana, California. Captured in all its glory by famed director Vicente Cordero (3TEETH, ROOM 37: The Mysterious Death of Johnny Thunders), the once-in-a-lifetime concert features band founder/bassist/vocalist Kim Nekroman, guitarist Franciso Mesa and recently-crowned drummer Rene De La Muerte ripping thru the band's glorious nine-album catalog, much to the delight of their enduring, adoring fans!…

"Our inconsistency is our consistency/our insincerity is our sincerity," Russel Mael sings at one point on A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. It's a sentiment that could pass for Sparks' manifesto: Over the years, fans have come to expect dizzyingly witty lyrics and dazzling, ever-changing sonics from the Mael brothers. Their 24th album offers plenty of both, as well as a more pointed outlook and a slightly more down-to-earth sound than the duo's last outing, 2017's Hippopotamus. Ron and Russel Mael give these songs about misfits, outliers, and disasters a driving urgency, whether on "Sainthood Is Not in Your Future"'s sprightly tale of betrayal or the darkly cosmic "Nothing Travels Faster Than the Speed of Light," which provides a great showcase for Ron Mael's formidable keyboard skills.