Twelth

Billy J. Kramer's Listen is one of the more important non-Beatles Liverpool albums of its era, and also one of the better ones. Additionally, it's almost as much a tribute to George Martin's skill as a producer as it is to anything that Billy J. Kramer or the Dakotas brought to the sessions. It shows off the mixture of driving beat, heavy guitars, and emotionally expressive, American-style vocals that characterized the sound of the city, along with the lyrical balladry that the Beatles (especially McCartney, in Martin's hands) had added to the formula. Only a tiny handful of the tracks, such as "Sugar Babe," "Great Balls of Fire," and perhaps "Da Doo Ron Ron," really qualify as a classic, thumping Liverpool rockers, shouters with a heavy bass and raw vocals…

Duke Ellington - The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Duke Ellington (1995) {5CD Box Set Mosaic MD5-160 rec 1953-1955}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.84 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 799 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 104 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1953-55, 1995 Capitol Records / Mosaic Records | MD5-160
Jazz / Big Band / Swing

Historians and some Duke Ellington fans look askance at the brief period he spent on Capitol Records (1953-55). This was a hectic period in jazz, with bebop in the near-view, hard bop coming along as well, and the big band was considered by many to be a relic of bygone eras. Yet Ellington persevered, and not without another adversity: the temporary loss of signature alto player Johnny Hodges, who was off leading his own bands. The resulting five CDs worth of material collected here show an Ellington band more aimed at repetition, both of its own repertoire, which had sounded better in the 1940s, and of other bands' material.

They are two of the greatest talents in UK popular music; whether she is singing her beloved jazz, ballads, or setting Shakespearean sonnets to Dankworth’s music; her voice resonates, clear and true. She is always supported by his Fine alto sax work and his sympathetic arrangements. Theirs is one oF the most durable partnerships in music as they began playing together in the mid-50's, before marrying in 1958.