Specialty Records

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music
THE BEST OF THE BEST… "Cinema Show" reach the quintessence near the end.

Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection
Everything here has declinegd a bit in terms of performance and inspiration. Fortunately, it is still very good. No doubt, it sounds like "Power Windows", but Geddy Lee took it easy on the bass, focusing more on the keyboards.

Excellent addition to any prog-rock music collection
ELP returned from an extended hiatus in 1977, sweetly oblivious to the fact that progressive rock was on the decline.

John Mellencamp - 1978-2012 (2013) {19 Disc Box Set Mercury Records B0019508-02}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 6.88 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 2.85 Gb
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© 1978-2012, 2013 Mercury Records / Universal Music | B0019508-02
Rock / Southern Rock / Folk Rock / Blues Rock / Heartland Rock / Roots Rock

This is effectively the entire studio catalogue, and includes all the American singer-songwriter’s albums recorded as John Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp and John Mellencamp for various record labels. The set contains a total of 223 tracks and spans 35 years. Twelve of the albums have bonus tracks, sourced from the 2005 re-mastered versions of Mellencamp’s Mercury releases.

Roy Haynes - Hip Ensemble (1971) {Boplicity Records CDBOPM028 rel 2014}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 228 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 83 Mb
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© 1971, 2014 Mainstream / Boplicity Records | CDBOPM 028
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Spiritual Jazz / Post Bop / Drums

Returning to the leader's chair after a seven-year absence, drummer Roy Haynes signed with Boplicity and released Hip Ensemble in 1971. Named after the group Haynes led at the time – a group that featured George Adams on saxophone and flute, Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Mervin Bronson on bass, and Carl Schroeder on keys – the title Hip Ensemble somewhat gives away the game: this is now music, perched halfway between the out futurism that was Haynes' specialty while playing with Archie Shepp, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, and Jack DeJohnette and the fusion that was creeping into the most adventurous aspects of '70s jazz.

Brother Joe May was the male counterpart to Mahalia Jackson, a full-voiced tenor of amazing range and power. Although he recorded prolifically for the Nashboro label for the bulk of his career, this 27-track collection brings together his earliest recordings for the Specialty label. Although many of these tracks feature him working with the Sallie Martin Singers, Sister Wynona Carr, the Pilgrim Travelers, and his daughter Annette May, the real star of the show is Brother Joe, whose voice simply soars no matter what the surroundings.

This is the reissue of original 1971 release (according to discogs), an excellent sound edition. I invite you to compare with other issues (This reissue is quite scarce.)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music.
Close to perfection
I know it's all been said before, but this really is the pinnacle. The title track in particular is pure prog perfection.