Ten Years After Universal

Ten Years After was a British blues-rock quartet consisting of Alvin Lee (born December 19, 1944, died March 6, 2013), guitar and vocals; Chick Churchill (born January 2, 1949), keyboards; Leo Lyons (born November 30, 1944) bass; and Ric Lee (born October 20, 1945), drums. The group was formed in 1967 and signed to Decca in England…

"I'm Going Home" from Ten Years After's previous release put them on the charts, at least in the U.K. (the band's U.S. breakthrough was at Woodstock a year after its release), but the four-piece was already experimenting with ways to expand their basic boogie rock template. Stonedhenge was the result, as producer Mike Vernon helped steer the band into a more jazz- and blues-oriented direction. That's especially evident in the swinging "Woman Trouble," but this set is generally more prone to broadening the sound without losing TYA's basic concept. It doesn't always gel – the four short pieces that feature each musician alone on their instrument is an interesting idea that ends up as a distraction – yet the album boasts some terrific performances by a group that was hitting its peak. Canned Heat, who TYA supported in America and who were also trying to push their own boogie envelope, were a big influence, born out by the very Heat-sounding "Hear Me Calling." Alvin Lee keeps his fleet fingers in check, preferring to work his style into a more organic fusion.

After five years of promises, Ten Years After finally release their first live DVD with the new line up, "Live At Fiesta City". Recorded at the Fiesta City Festival in Verviers, Belgium on August 30th 2008, in front of a 5000 capacity crowd, it is a great showcase of the band's talents in a live environment. What you see is exactly what happened that night: no technical doctoring, no overdubs, just TYA at their finest. Included on the DVD as added bonuses are interviews with each band member, biographies, plus a photo montage synchronized to "I Think It's Gonna Rain All Night".

This superbly recorded double disc (the original engineer was Eddie Kramer, best-known for his work with Hendrix) captured over a weekend worth of dates in February 1970 at the venerable New York City venue catches the Brit boogie quartet at the peak of their powers. These shows were sandwiched between their triumphant Woodstock set and the release of Cricklewood Green, generally considered the band's best work. They find the group primed through years of roadwork, as well as obviously excited to be playing in front of an appreciative N.Y.C. crowd…

Recorded live in a small London club, Undead contains the original "I'm Going Home," the song that brought Ten Years After its first blush of popularity following the Woodstock festival and film in which it was featured…

Universal will issue a seven-CD Fairport Convention box set in July that features ‘key album tracks’, non-album singles, radio sessions and previously unreleased live recordings from all of the classic line-ups. This collection celebrates Fairport’s first 10 years, beginning with their eponymous debut for Polydor in 1968, through all of their albums for Island Records and finishing with tracks from their two albums for Vertigo, The Bonny Bunch of Roses and Tippers Tales.

Chet Baker - In Paris: The Complete 1955-1956 Barclay Sessions (2007) {Barclay–Universal 983839-7 , 8CD, Rare photos}
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© 1955-56, 2007 Barclay Disques / Universal Music Jazz France | 983839-7
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

2007 eight CD box set from the Jazz legend. Chet baker lived and worked in Paris in 1955 and 1956 and in this short time span, he left a great legacy of extraordinary recordings for the Barclay label. For the first time, these recordings are gathered together complete and in chronological order for this astounding box set. Chet In Paris includes 15 previously unreleased recordings (eight of them being full-takes), a new remastered mix and beautiful packaging: a 12 x 12 box containing four double digipaks, an 84 page booklet with rare covers, concert programs, pictures and extensive liner notes, interviews and discographies.

Iannis Xenakis - Alpha & Omega (2011) {4CD Set Accord–Universal Music France, ACCORD 4804904}
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© 2011 Universal Music France / Accord / Decca | ACCORD 4804904
Classical / Avant-Garde / Modern Classical / Experimental

Universal Music pays tribute to the composer with this keenly priced 4 CD set. Most of the recordings found here are making a comeback to the catalogue, some are first time onto CD. Ten years after his death, the innovativeness of his music has lost none of its force and clearly marks him out as an essential composer of our time. “this is an extraordinary collection of pieces; several of which are among the most ear-stretchingly dissonant, exciting and uncompromising you’ll ever hear…And however hard it is to pin down exactly why, Xenakis’s wildest outbursts always sound controlled, cunningly organised…None of this music is easy listening, but it’s impossible not to be impressed by such craggy, exhilarating physicality.”