Tramaine Hawkins

God Bless America is a 2001 charity album composed of American patriotic or spiritual songs, released on October 16 of that year in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It was released specifically to benefit the Twin Towers Fund, directing what the album cover said would be a "substantial portion of the proceeds" towards families of firefighters, police officers, and other responders lost in the rescue response to the September 11 attacks. The artists and recordings featured were largely from Columbia Records.

Contemporary soul-pop artists, including Patti Austin, Tevin Campbell, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jone, Take 6, Howard Hewett, and Dianne Reeves, take a pop-song approach to Handel's classic Christmas oratorio. Handel's wonderful melodies are updated with synthesizers, drum machines, and slick pop production from Quincy Jones and Take 6's Mervyn Warren.

The Blackbyrds were a jazz-funk group with thick R&B streaks running down their backs. Assembled by Donald Byrd in 1974, the group's original members – percussionist Pericles "Perk" Jacobs, Jr., drummer Keith Killgo, keyboardist Kevin Toney, reeds player Allan Barnes, bassist Joe Hall, guitarist Barney Perry – were mined from Howard University's music department, where the doctor and jazz legend was an instructor. (Other key players included guitarist Orville Saunders and saxophonist/flautist Steve Johnson.)

Carlos Santana - Havana Moon (1983) {Columbia 474761 2 rel 2000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 293 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 111 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 19 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1983, 2000 Columbia / Sony Music | 474761 2
Rock / Blues-Rock / Hard Rock / Latin Rock / Rock & Roll

The third Carlos Santana solo album marks a surprising turn toward 1950s rock & roll and Tex-Mex, with covers such as Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love" and Chuck Berry's title song. Produced by veteran R&B producers Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, the album features an eclectic mix of sidemen, including Booker T. Jones of Booker T & the MG's, Willie Nelson, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Havana Moon is a light effort, but it's one of Santana's most enjoyable albums, which may explain why it was also the best-selling Santana album outside the group releases in ten years.