Friday 10 July 2015

Fish - Live In Krakow: Acoustic + Electric (1995) [2xDVD5 NTSC] {2010 Choc Frog}


Fish - Live In Krakow: Acoustic + Electric (1995) [2xDVD5 NTSC] {2010 Choc Frog}
2xDVD5 -> 3.52 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch | ~ 115m | ISO Images
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 48 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2010 Choc Frog / Voiceprint | VPDVD10 / VPDVD11
Rock / Neo-Prog / Art Rock / Prog-Rock


Recorded live at the Bucklein Theatre, Krakow, Poland, October 14th 1995 and at the Hall of TV in Krakow, Poland, 11th October 1995. On the 25th of April 1958 there's a great singer born in Edinburgh: Derek William Dick (FISH). Because he finds it very nice to lie in the bath for hours, with his rubber duck, he gets this nickname from his friends: FISH. Later Derek shall use this name as his artists name. Derek grows up in the little village Dalkeith, where his parents have a garage. He's in school there, where he has a easy time, and has good results. Derek too is a fan of THE BEATLES in that period, and he wants to learn to play an instrument. But he never gets beyond playing a tennis racket in front of the mirror. The first single he buys is "Lola" of THE KINKS.

Yannick Nezet Seguin, Lisa Batiashvili, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra - Tchaikovsky Pathetique (2014) {Deutsche Grammophon}


Yannick Nezet Seguin, Lisa Batiashvili, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra - Tchaikovsky Pathetique (2014) {Deutsche Grammophon}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 231 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 154 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 45 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013, 2014 Deutsche Grammophon | 0289 479 0835 7
Classical / Symphony


Yannick Nézet-Séguin's first symphonic recording with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra on Deutsche Grammophon is of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, "Pathétique," which the conductor has known intimately throughout his career. Due to his familiarity with the music, this is a solid reading that holds its own against the large number of recordings of this symphony, so listeners who need a first-rate version can be assured of the interpretation and the performance. Yet because this is one of the most frequently recorded classical pieces of all time, one may wonder what Nézet-Séguin brings to it that makes his rendition necessary.

Frank Zappa - Dance Me This (2015) {Zappa Records}


Frank Zappa - Dance Me This (2015) {Zappa Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 246 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 115 Mb
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© 2015 Zappa Records / ZFT | ZR 20018
Rock / Experimental Rock / Avant-Garde / Jazz Rock / Synclavier


Official Release #100. The LAST album by Frank Zappa. The last album that guitarist Frank Zappa worked on prior to his death in December 1993 will finally be released this June. Titled Dance Me This, the LP is considered the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's 100th and final official release, ending a legacy that began with the Mothers of Invention's landmark 1966 album Freak Out! In talking to Guitar Magazine prior to his death at the age of 52, Zappa described his final LP as "a Synclavier album called Dance Me This, which is designed to be used by modern dance groups. It's probably not going to come out until next year," the Guardian reports. The album was ultimately shelved indefinitely, and while a steady stream of posthumous releases and reissues have satisfied Zappa fans in the following decades, Dance Me This was all but forgotten until Zappa's widow Gail Zappa began hinting at the final album's eventual arrival in 2011.

John Zorn - Naked City - The Complete Studio Recordings (2005) [5CD Box Set] {Tzadik}


John Zorn - Naked City - The Complete Studio Recordings (2005) [5CD Box Set] {Tzadik}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.06 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 783 Mb
Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 43 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2005 Tzadik | TZ 7344-5 | Tzadik Archival Series
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Experimental / Modern Composition / Structured Improvisation


Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings is a five disc box set that contains all of the studio albums released by Naked City during their five-year history. Probably Zorn's most popular and most controversial musical project, the music of Naked City has been debated, analyzed, adored and reviled by fans, critics and academics alike, but nothing can replace the experience of hearing it in all its frightening glory. Most people know this music from the single domestic release on Nonesuch, but the major portion of their studio recordings were issued from 1989 - 1993 on the hard to find Japanese labels Avant and Toy's Factory.

Thursday 9 July 2015

Weather Report - Live In Tokyo (1972) [2CD] {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}


Weather Report - Live In Tokyo (1972) [2CD] {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 525 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 212 Mb
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© 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4229~30
Jazz / Fusion


Reissue with DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. A Japanese-only album from Weather Report – recorded early in the group's career, and with some of the same sort of freedoms that Miles Davis was getting on his own double-length dates from Japan! The tracks here are quite stretched out, and often adventurous – showing a marked ability to jam heavily at one moment, get contemplative the next, and continually explore sounds on the frontiers of fusion in the 70s. The group's the "second chapter" Weather Report – with Wayne Shorter on reeds, Joe Zawinul on keyboards, Miroslav Vitous on bass, Eric Gravatt on drums, and Dom Um Romao on percussion – and titles include "Orange Lady", "Vertical Invader/Seventh Arrow/TH", "Surucucu/Lost/Early Minor/Direction", and "Tears/Umbrellas".

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (1954-58) [3CD] {2004 Mosaic Records 24-bit Remaster by Ron McMaster}


Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (1954-58) [3CD] {2004 Mosaic Records 24-bit Remaster by Ron McMaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 960 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 484 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster by Ron McMaster
© 2004 Pacific Jazz / Mosaic Records / EMI Records | MS-010
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Flute / Saxophone


This excellent 3-CD set collects two 10" albums by Shank and 4 12" albums co-led by Shank and Cooper, all for the Pacific Jazz/World Pacific labels between 1954-58. The West Coast cool school was at its height at this time, and both Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were in the thick of it. The first disc gets off to a rousing start with the marvelously swinging VALVE IN HEAD from 1954, with Bud playing fluid alto sax. He's joined by three valve trombone players (Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and the ringer Maynard Ferguson) on this tune and for the first half of the disc, an interesting concept. The second half finds him with Coop at Cal Tech in 1959. Count Basie's THE KING gets a rousing airing, and there's a nicely done ballad medley.

Dr. Lonnie Smith - Boogaloo To Beck (2003) {Scufflin' Records}


Dr. Lonnie Smith - Boogaloo To Beck (2003) {Scufflin' Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 490 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 187 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 304 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 2003 Scufflin' Records | CD-8481
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Post Bop / Organ


On this tribute, the songs of Beck serve as a starting point from which Dr. Lonnie Smith and his ensemble launch soulful interpretations. The groove runs deep, and Smith’s animated motions can have you boogaloo-ing at your seat in minutes. The organist’s spontaneous tirades turn loose the reins for a wild ride.

Harold Land - Take Aim (1960) {2012 Japanese BNLT Series Remaster}


Harold Land - Take Aim (1960) {2012 Japanese BNLT Series Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 238 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Blue Note / EMI Music Japan | TOCJ-50293 | 24bit remaster
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone


Originally recorded in 1960 for Blue Note but not released until 1980, Take Aim, like Harold Land himself, has undeservedly fallen through the cracks. Most famous for his association with the Clifford Brown/Max Roach quintet of the '50s, Land is another unheralded West Coast giant who made a name for himself out here in California, but was under the radar of the jazz elitists. Take Aim, featuring an obscure group of musicians, is a pleasant surprise, and should be a welcome refresher for anyone looking for music similar to the tenorist's earlier and more famous exploits.

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Grant Green - Retrospective 1961-66 (2002) [4CD BoxSet] {Blue Note}


Grant Green - Retrospective 1961-66 (2002) [4CD BoxSet] {Blue Note}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.91 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 713 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 39 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2002 Blue Note / Capitol | 7243 5 40851 2 3 | 24-bit remaster
Jazz / Hard Bop / Jazz-Funk / Soul Jazz / Guitar


Simply put, this is a very decent four-disc collection of the work of guitarist Grant Green. It features tracks from his many albums as a leader and some as a sideman with others, such as Lee Morgan, John Patton, Baby Face Willette, and Sonny Clark. His early-'60s sides are here along with most of his defining cuts from the '60s, from hard bop to soul-jazz to ballads to gospel -- everything most fans would ever want is here, including his late blues sides recorded in the bars of Detroit in 1970. While Green's own albums can never be replaced, this is a solid portrait of one of the most influential jazz guitarists in history.

Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982) [CD+DVD] {2008 25th Anniversary Deluxe Casebook Edition}


Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982) [CD+DVD] {2008 25th Anniversary Deluxe Casebook Edition}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 502 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 160 Mb
DVD5 -> 3.53 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | PCM Stereo 2 ch | ~ 55m | ISO Image
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 189 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 Epic / Legacy / MJJ | 88697220962
Pop / Soul / R'n'B / Dance Pop / Quiet Storm


The Biggest Album Ever just got bigger. The 25th Anniversary Edition of Thriller celebrates this ground-breaking album with 7 bonus tracks, six of which are previously unreleased. The new tracks include exclusive remixes from Kanye West, Fergie, will.i.am and Akon along with a previously unreleased track from the Thriller sessions, "For All Time," newly mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson. Also included is a BONUS DVD with new, digitally restored versions of the three videos from the album as well as the Michael Jackson's groundbreaking performance of "Billie Jean" on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" television special (first broadcast on NBC May 16, 1983).

The Salsoul Orchestra - The Salsoul Orchestra (1975) {2012 Big Break Records Remaster}


The Salsoul Orchestra - The Salsoul Orchestra (1975) {2012 Big Break Records Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 386 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 134 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 55 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Big Break Records / Cherry Red / Verse Music | CDBBR 0101
R'n'B / Funk / Disco / Philly Soul


THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA - as well as being the legendary backing band for many of the Salsoul Records artists - were a highly successful act in their own right. Throughout their career they consisted of up to 50 members (many of whom were also standing members of MFSB – Philadelphia Internationals house band). They released eleven successful albums on Salsoul Records over a seven year period.

Hypercolor - Hypercolor (2015) {Tzadik TZ 7811}


Hypercolor - Hypercolor (2015) {Tzadik TZ 7811}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 353 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 119 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 140 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Tzadik | TZ 7811 | Tzadik Spotlight Series
Jazz / Jazz Rock / Avant-Pop / Experimental


A crazy collaborative jazz-rock unit out of the new generation of Downtown improvisers, Hypercolor is a bizarre trio that blends Beef- heart, Sonny Sharrock and ’80s punk with contemporary classical orchestral textures, spastic world music rhythms and noise improvisation. Sonic madness featuring the twisted guitar of Eyal Maoz, the deep toned bass of James Ilgenfritz and the grooving drums of African music aficionado Lukas Ligeti.

Monday 6 July 2015

Remi Geniet - J.S.Bach - Partita No.4, Caprice, Suite Anglaise No.1, Toccata en do mineur (2015) {Mirare


Remi Geniet - J.S.Bach - Partita No.4, Caprice, Suite Anglaise No.1, Toccata en do mineur (2015) {Mirare}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 300 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 188 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 64 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014, 2015 Mirare / MIR 268
Classical / Baroque / Piano Solo


Only 21 years-old when this recording was made, Rémi Geniet offers us a fascinating portrait of Bach on the piano. From the virtuosity of the early works like the Toccata to the supreme mastery of the dance suites (Partita and English Suite), the drama and brio of Bach's keyboard music can vie with that of operas or concertos. Rémi Geniet was one of the last students of the great pianist Brigitte Engerer and is now under the guidance of Prof. Evgeni Koroliov in Hamburg. At the age of 20, he was awarded the second prize of the Queen Elisabeth 2013 International Piano Competition in Belgium. This debut recording has already been distinguished by a Diapason d'Or by the french classical music magazine Diapason.

Masabumi Kikuchi - East Wind (1974) {2015 DSD Japan East Wind Masters Collection 1000}


Masabumi Kikuchi - East Wind (1974) {2015 DSD Japan East Wind Masters Collection 1000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 305 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 105 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 148 Mb | 5% repair rar | DSD Mastering
© 2015 East Wind Music / Universal Japan | UCCJ-9131
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano


A brilliant set from Japanese pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – two long, leaping, loping tracks that almost feel like some of McCoy Tyner's best work! Kikuchi plays acoustic piano, and the group's a quartet with Terumasu Hino on trumpet, Koshuke Mine on tenor, Eric Gravatt on drums, and Juni Booth playing some really wonderful bass. Booth's bass leads the tracks with a soulful quality that you don't always hear on Kikuchi's other work – really giving the record a strongly-rooted vibe, while the musicians are still free to really open up and explore. The album's tracks, "East Wind" and "Green Dance", are both excellent examples of the soulful freedoms allowed in the Japanese scene of the 70s – side-long numbers that are different both from contemporary performances on both the US and European scenes of the period.

Caratini Jazz Ensemble - Body & Soul (2014) {Caramusic}


Caratini Jazz Ensemble - Body & Soul (2014) {Caramusic}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 333 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 127 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 88 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Caramusic | PC130728
Jazz / Modern Jazz / Modern Ensemble


La musique de « Body & Soul » est née d’une demande du Paris Jazz Festival d’illustrer les images du long métrage muet de Oscar Micheaux sorti à l'automne 1925. Ce film aura donné à Paul Robeson son premier rôle à l'écran avant de s'imposer comme le tout premier chef d'oeuvre du cinéma noir. Le compositeur et chef d'orchestre Patrice Caratini signe ici une partition originale de toute beauté. Grâce à ce projet, c'est la première fois qu'une B.O. jazz est composée pour la scène en l'honneur d'un film muet afro-américain. Loin des stéréotypes racistes proposés par Hollywood, les personnages de Micheaux n'étaient ni des esclaves, ni des domestiques, encore moins des Oncles Tom, mais des citoyens américains fiers de leurs racines africaines, porteurs de forces et de faiblesses. Un excellent disque d’un compositeur français qui mérite les honneurs.

Andrew Hill - Andrew!!! (1964) {2015 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}


Andrew Hill - Andrew!!! (1964) {2015 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 328 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 122 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 174 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit 192 kHz remaster
© 2015 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | UCCQ-5115
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano


Quite possibly our favorite album ever from pianist Andrew Hill – a really unique outing that features the vibes of Bobby Hutcherson and a rare non-Sun Ra appearance by tenorist John Gilmore! The presence of Hutcherson brings a real "new thing" energy to the album – a feel that's similar to Bobby's classic Dialogue album, of which Hill was such an important part. But the searching tenor of Gilmore also brings a striking new level to the session as well – and his solos open up with a raw, earthy quality that really shades in the album with a great deal of feeling. Gilmore's role here is a bit like that of Joe Henderson on his freer Blue Note material – but his sound still undeniably unique, at a level that really makes us wish he'd recorded more albums like this at the time. The tracks are all originals by Hill, and include the titles "Duplicity", "Black Monday", "The Griots", and "Le Serpent Qui Danse". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes too!

Clifford Thornton New Art Ensemble - Freedom & Unity (1967) {2001 Atavistic Unheard Music Series}


Clifford Thornton New Art Ensemble - Freedom & Unity (1967) {2001 Atavistic Unheard Music Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 495 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 180 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 68 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2001 Third World / Atavistic | Unheard Music Series | UMS / ALP225CD
Jazz / Modern Creative / Free Jazz / Trombone


For those who don't know better, the free jazz movement is considered a sharp break with the past heritage of the music. That really wasn't the case. As Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp hearkened back to field hollers and very basic folk forms, musicians like Clifford Thornton went in the opposite direction, building on the music of the sophisticates and expanding the possibilities for jazz. Listening to music with this much space in it, it might be hard for some listeners to hear the Mingus. But it's there. And because that's there, Ellington is here in heaping handfuls as well. Sure this stuff is rough in spots.

Gigi Gryce Orch-tete - Reminiscin' (1960) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster}


Gigi Gryce Orch-tete - Reminiscin' (1960) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 173 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 79 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 132 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 2013 Mercury / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9963
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone


A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia".

Wilco - Alpha Mike Foxtrot: Rare Tracks 1994-2014 (2014) [4CD Box Set] {Nonesuch Records}


Wilco - Alpha Mike Foxtrot: Rare Tracks 1994-2014 (2014) [4CD Box Set] {Nonesuch Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.78 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 672 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 692 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Nonesuch Records | 7559-79543-9
Rock / Adult Alternative / Indie Rock / Alternative Country Rock / Experimental Rock


Alpha Mike Foxtrot, is a 4-CD box-set of rare studio and live recordings collected from Wilco's extensive archives spanning the acclaimed Chicago band's 20-year career. Rolling Stone calls Alpha Mike Foxtrot "a comprehensive document of a great band with endless secrets to reveal" and the Austin Chronicle dubs it "a rousing release for fans." Produced by Grammy-nominated producer Cheryl Pawelski, co-founder of Omnivore Recordings, whose credits include Big Star's Keep an Eye on the Sky, The Band's A Musical History and Townes Van Zandt's Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions and Demos 1971 1972, Alpha Mike Foxtrot features 64 pages of liner notes that include track-by-track recollections from Wilco founder Jeff Tweedy, notes by band members Nels Cline and John Stirratt, and reflections from members of Wilco's extended professional family. The booklet also showcases dozens of archival and never-before-seen photos from a wide array of photographers chronicling all phases of the band's career.

Sunday 5 July 2015

Frank Zappa - Have I Offended Someone? (1997) {Rykodisc Remaster Complete Series}


Frank Zappa - Have I Offended Someone? (1997) {Rykodisc Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 451 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 152 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 54 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1997 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10577
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock


Official Release #67. As the title suggests, Have I Offended Someone? contains all of Zappa's notoriously tasteless parodies and satires, from "Bobby Brown Goes Down," "Catholic Girls," and "Jewish Princess" to "He's So Gay," "Titties 'n Beer," and "Dinah-Moe Humm." Nearly all of the tracks are presented in new remixed versions, and two songs, "Dumb All Over" and "Tinsel Town Rebellion," have never been released before.

The Jazztet - At Birdhouse (1961) {Argo-Verve 2002 Mini LP 24-bit Remaster}


The Jazztet - At Birdhouse (1961) {Argo-Verve 2002 Mini LP 24-bit Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 296 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 96 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 12 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2002 Argo / Verve | 589 762-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Trumpet / Saxophone


The Jazztet were only in existence for a brief time (1959-1962, not counting the later reunions), but with a flurry of recording activity they left a valuable legacy. By the time of they made their fourth album, co-leaders Art Farmer and Benny Golson were the only remaining original members, but the presence of underrated trombonist Tom McIntosh (who is appreciated more for his compositions than his playing ability, since he stopped performing in 1969), Cedar Walton, bassist Thomas Williams, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath are a welcome presence. These live performances are from a 1961 engagement at the Birdhouse in Chicago.

Monday 29 June 2015

George Wallington - Knight Music (1957) {Atlantic-Koch Jazz}


George Wallington - Knight Music (1957) {Atlantic-Koch Jazz}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 208 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 13 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2000 Atlantic / Koch Jazz | KOC CD-8543
Jazz / Bop / Piano


The fine bop pianist George Wallington hasn't received the recognition he deserved, possibly because of a two-dozen year gap from 1960-1984 when he was entirely out of the music business. This first-rate trio date for Atlantic has finally come out on CD and should help gain him some posthumous attention. One of his two greatest compositions, "Godchild" (which appears on the classic Miles Davis release The Birth of the Cool), opens the disc with a flourish, but there are many strong originals present. The lively stair-stepping "Serendipity" and the furious "Up Jumped the Devil" are worthy of comparison to Bud Powell. Wallington also covers several standards such as "Will You Still Be Mine?" and "It's All Right With Me" with finesse and imagination.

Rene Jacobs - J.S. Bach - Matthaus-Passion (2013) [2CD+DVD] {Harmonia Mundi Deluxe Edition}


Rene Jacobs - J.S. Bach - Matthaus-Passion (2013) [2CD+DVD] {Harmonia Mundi Deluxe Edition}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 822 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 406 Mb
DVD5 -> 1.60 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 16:9 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch | ~ 46 min | ISO Image | Subs: English, Deutsch, Francais
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 646 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 Harmonia Mundi | HMC 802156.58
Classical / Baroque / Choral


HYBRID SACDs + DVD ('Rediscovering the Saint Matthew Passion' - A Film by Sarah Blum). It has haunted René Jacobs since childhood: first as a boy soprano in Ghent, then as a countertenor, he has constantly frequented the supreme masterpiece that is the 'St Matthew Passion'. Jacobs uses the layout of the Good Friday Vesper service from Bach's time, with choirs front and back, rather than side-by-side. He also gives us extra soloists to complete the bi-choral effect. For Bach, the two halves were 28 metres apart. At that distance, coordination difficulties begin to appear between the speed of light, and the speed of sound, and we cannot determine how Bach dealt with this problem. However the wonders of SACD multichannel surround sound can at last give an impression of what Bach intended for St Thomas’ Church in Leipzig.

Sunday 28 June 2015

Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.3 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}


Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.3 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 245 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 187 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 RCA / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3968
Jazz / Hard Bop


Grand Prix Du Disque De L'académie Charles Cros 1959. Recorded at the celebrated Club Saint Germain, the formation presented here marks the third incarnation of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, with trumpeter Lee Morgan (then only 20 years old), tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, pianist Bobby Timmons and bassist Jymie Merrit. For the last two tunes, bop drum pioneer Kenny Clarke (who was living in Paris) substitutes Blakey. Besides the individual gifts of each member, the group forms a compact unit with a cohesive sound. “We play modern jazz”, explained Blakey during a 1958 interview, “and to understand it you mus listen. We study, we rehearse. The Jazz Messengers are very serious about getting the music across to you. If you don’t want to listen, maybe the person sitting next to you does.”

Boduf Songs - Burnt Up on Re-Entry (2013) {Southern Records}


Boduf Songs - Burnt Up on Re-Entry (2013) {Southern Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 315 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 130 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 35 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012, 2013 Southern Records | 28166-2
Rock / Alternative / Indie Rock / Post-Rock / Indie Electronic / Psychedelic Rock


The dead air surrounding the shreds of melody and Mat Sweet's voice on Boduf Songs' early albums felt like it contained the weight of the world. However, on Burnt Up on Re-Entry, he's concerned with a different kind of space. As on his brilliant 2010 album This Alone Above All Else in Spite of Everything, Sweet adds more accompaniment to his compelling whispers, incorporating searing guitars and chittering electronics that suggest he's singing from a spacecraft, far from any other living beings. Burnt Up on Re-Entry begins with its boldest departure: "Fiery the Angels Fell" swells into thrash-worthy riffs as it pulses along to a brisk beat that feels twice as fast as any of Boduf Songs' previous tracks.

Curtis Fuller - Soul Trombone (1961) {2015 Japan Impulse! Classics 50 Series}


Curtis Fuller - Soul Trombone (1961) {2015 Japan Impulse! Classics 50 Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 250 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 92 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 173 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Impulse! / Verve / Universal Music Japan | UCCI-9254
Jazz / Hard Bop / Trombone


One of the best non-Blue Note albums from the early years of trombone giant Curtis Fuller – a definite cooker that more than lives up to its title! At his best, Fully often played his instrument with a style that was more like a trumpet than trombone – isolated notes, sharp sense of rhythm, and an ability to match energy of all his top-shelf contemporaries – which is a key thing here, as the lineup includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, and Cedar Walton on drums – almost like a Jazz Messengers album from the time that Fuller was in the group, but without Art Blakey. The whole album's wonderful – and titles include "The Clan", "Newdles", and "Ladies Night" – plus a hard hitting rendition of "Dear Old Stockholm" which runs for 9 minutes.

Saturday 27 June 2015

Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.2 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}


Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.2 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 270 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 102 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 185 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 RCA / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3967
Jazz / Hard Bop


Grand Prix Du Disque De L'académie Charles Cros 1959. Recorded at the celebrated Club Saint Germain, the formation presented here marks the third incarnation of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, with trumpeter Lee Morgan (then only 20 years old), tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, pianist Bobby Timmons and bassist Jymie Merrit. For the last two tunes, bop drum pioneer Kenny Clarke (who was living in Paris) substitutes Blakey. Besides the individual gifts of each member, the group forms a compact unit with a cohesive sound. “We play modern jazz”, explained Blakey during a 1958 interview, “and to understand it you mus listen. We study, we rehearse. The Jazz Messengers are very serious about getting the music across to you. If you don’t want to listen, maybe the person sitting next to you does.”

Michael Jackson - Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection (2009) [3CD] {Japan Mini LP SHM-CD}


Michael Jackson - Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection (2009) [3CD] {Japan Mini LP SHM-CD}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.52 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 554 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 320 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2009 Motown Records / Universal Japan | UICY-94300~94302
Pop / Soul / Pop Soul


The Japan cardboard sleeve reissue features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD players) and the 2009 latest remastering. Announced for pre-sale on June 12, 2009 and lovingly compiled and completed well before MJ’s shocking death on June 25, Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection is a lavish 3-CD set that features every Michael Jackson solo recording released from 1971 to 1975, plus the Motown-era songs that were released after he left the company. Hello World now pays tribute to the first solo recordings of one of pop music’s greatest entertainers.

Rigmor Gustafsson - When You Make Me Smile (2014) {ACT Music}


Rigmor Gustafsson - When You Make Me Smile (2014) {ACT Music}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 298 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 113 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 45 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 ACT Music | 9728-2
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Post Bop / Contemporary Jazz


Rigmor Gustafsson has always known that her personality comes out best when singing melodious jazz. To do that realisation justice, she seeks out special music-making constellations and fascinating combinations. On When You Make me Smile , she now takes this to the next level: In addition to her working band , with the trusted companions Jonas Östholm on the piano, Martin Höper on bass and Jonas Holgersson on the drums, she not only gathers an illustrious team of guests around her, like the woodwind and flute player Magnus Lindgren, trombonist Karin Hammar and guitarist Max Schultz, but also an almost 30-strong orchestra. Together with the Dalasinfoniettan, one of the leading orchestras in Sweden, with a wealth of experience in many different styles, the music shines in symphonic splendour and is lent a colourful expressiveness. This represents the fulfilment of a heartfelt dream that Gustafsson has had for a long time.

Frank Zappa - Lather (1996) [3CD] {Rykodisc Remaster Complete Series}


Frank Zappa - Lather (1996) [3CD] {Rykodisc Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.08 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 414 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 537 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1996 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10574/75/76
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock


Official Release #65. The full saga of Läther (pronounced leather) is tangled enough to give a migraine to all but committed Zappaphiles. Basically, what you need to know is that this project was originally conceived of as a four-record box set. When record company politics prevented its release in that format, much of the material was spread over the albums Live in New York, Sleep Dirt, Studio Tan, and Orchestral Favorites. This three-CD set presents the album as it was originally conceived, with the addition of four bonus tracks at the end. It mixes previously available material, alternate mixes, and edits, and previously unissued stuff, though only the most serious Zappa fans will have a good grip on exactly what has appeared where (the liner notes are surprisingly unexact in this regard).

Friday 26 June 2015

Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.1 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}


Art Blakey & Les Jazz-Messengers - Au Club Saint-Germain Vol.1 (1959) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 293 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 107 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 188 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3966
Jazz / Hard Bop


Grand Prix Du Disque De L'académie Charles Cros 1959. Recorded at the celebrated Club Saint Germain, the formation presented here marks the third incarnation of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, with trumpeter Lee Morgan (then only 20 years old), tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, pianist Bobby Timmons and bassist Jymie Merrit. For the last two tunes, bop drum pioneer Kenny Clarke (who was living in Paris) substitutes Blakey. Besides the individual gifts of each member, the group forms a compact unit with a cohesive sound. “We play modern jazz”, explained Blakey during a 1958 interview, “and to understand it you mus listen. We study, we rehearse. The Jazz Messengers are very serious about getting the music across to you. If you don’t want to listen, maybe the person sitting next to you does.”

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Live: Architecture & Morality & More (2008) [CD+DVD] {Eagle Records}


Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Live: Architecture & Morality & More (2008) [CD+DVD] {Eagle Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 483 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
DVD9 -> 6.86 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 16:9 | Dolby Digital 2.0 / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1 | ~ 136 min | ISO Image
Subs: English, Deutsch, Espanol, Francais, Italiano, Nederlands,Portugues
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 Eagle Records | EAGCD366 / EREDV664
Pop / Electronic / Synth Pop / New Wave


When Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey reunited as Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark to appear on German TV in June 2005, they hadn't performed together for 16 years. Yet it went so well that they soon made plans for a full return to the live arena involving their former bandmates Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, the other two members of the line-up that made the epochal Architecture & Morality album in 1981. Indeed, in May 2007, they embarked on a European tour which included two dates at London's Hammersmith Apollo and saw them perform Architecture & Morality in toto complete with its trio of Top 5 hits Souvenir, Joan Of Arc and Maid Of Orleans followed by a dozen of their synth-pop hits, from Electricity, their wonderful 1979 debut for Factory Records, to the rousing Walking On The Milky Way from 1996, via the yearning If You Leave, their 1986 US breakthrough from the soundtrack to Pretty In Pink.

Three Days Grace - Human (2015) {RCA}


Three Days Grace - Human (2015) {RCA}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 288 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 94 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 RCA Records / Sony Music | 88843-09808-2
Rock / Alternative Metal / Heavy Metal


With lead singer Adam Gontier leaving the band in 2013, Human is Three Days Grace's first album with a new vocalist, bass player Brad Walst's brother, Matt Walst (My Darkest Days), who had done some co-writing on previous releases. A darker, loss-inspired work, Human was also informed by struggles around them with personal issues and substance abuse. Written largely on the road and produced by Gavin Brown, who also produced their self-titled debut, the album yielded two number one singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, "Painkiller" and "I Am Machine," before its release.

Robert Reed - Sanctuary (2014) [CD+DVD A/V] {Tigermoth Productions}


Robert Reed - Sanctuary (2014) [CD+DVD A/V] {Tigermoth Productions}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 223 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 93 Mb
DVD A/V-> 4.35 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 16:9 | ~ 51 min | ISO Image
24/96 5.1 Surround Mix / DTS 5.1 Surround Mix / 24/96 Stereo Mix / Dolby AC3, 2 ch (video)
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© 2014 Tigermoth Productions | TMRCD0714
Rock / Progressive Rock / Folk Rock


Multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Robert Reed, announces the release of a unique new album, Sanctuary on Tigermoth Records. Sanctuary is produced, mixed and engineered by Robert Reed, who is joined by legendary Tubular Bells producers Tom Newman (as co-producer) and Simon Heyworth, who mastered the album. Robert Reed was inspired to become a musician and composer at the age of seven after discovering Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. So inspired was he by the album, that he learned to play not just one, but all the instruments featured on the album. Sanctuary is the fruition of a decision that Robert made in January 2013 to utilise his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and create an album in the style of Tubular Bells; he recalls: "I wanted to play all the instruments, and for all of them to be real; no synthesised or sampled instruments, just the real thing.Everything is played by hand by myself, except for guest vocalists, Synergy Vocals."

Miles Davis - Bags' Groove (1954) {2008 Prestige RVG Remasters Series}


Miles Davis - Bags' Groove (1954) {2008 Prestige RVG Remasters Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 241 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 110 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 168 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 Concord / Prestige | 0888072306455 | Prestige RVG Remasters Series | 24-bit remaster
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Trumpet


There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session -- featuring Thelonious Monk -- which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed.

Thursday 25 June 2015

Koch - Schutz - Studer - Demierre - Marti - Wittwer - CHOCKSHUT (1991) {Intakt}


Koch - Schutz - Studer - Demierre - Marti - Wittwer - CHOCKSHUT (1991) {Intakt}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 274 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 135 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 7 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1992 Intakt Records | CD 031
Jazz / Modern Creative / Free Improvisation


Chockshut is the evidence that the Koch-Schütz-Studer trio have expanded their lineup, and consequently, their ability to wreak havoc on musical structures everywhere. Adding a guitarist like Stephan Wittwer, for whom heavy metal and free jazz are synonymous terms, or trombonist Andreas Marti, with his penchant for lower-register sheets of sound, or a pianist such as Jacques Demierre, who writes music and plays in the theater, creates a sextet of uncommon possibility. True to form, the ten selections on Chockshut are full of sharp cuts and quick maneuvers to break the music out of any recognizable compositional form.

Andy Sheppard Quartet - Surrounded by Sea (2015) {ECM 2432}


Andy Sheppard Quartet - Surrounded by Sea (2015) {ECM 2432}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 261 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 127 Mb
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© 2015 ECM Records | ECM 2432
Jazz / Modern Creative / Modern Jazz / Saxophone


Extending the range of his widely-praised Trio Libero project with Michel Benita and Seb Rochford, Andy Sheppard adds Eivind Aarset (who made significant contributions to 2008’s Movements In Colour) to the band. With Aarset’s ambient drones and electronic textures as a backdrop, Sheppard and co seem to have even more space to explore. The music embraced includes new compositions, open improvisations, an Elvis Costello tune, and the Gaelic traditional ballad “Aoidh, Na Dean Cadal Idir” which appears in three variations, a thematic thread through the album.

Wednesday 24 June 2015

The Lucky Peterson Band featuring Tamara Peterson - Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin (2012) [2CD+3DVD PAL] {Blackbird Music}


The Lucky Peterson Band featuring Tamara Peterson - Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin (2012) [2CD+3DVD PAL] {Blackbird Music}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.01 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 379 Mb
3DVD -> 13.1 Gb | All Regions | PAL 16:9 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch / LPCM, 2 ch | ~ 215 min | ISO Images
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 619 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2012 Blackbird Music | BR201210
Blues / Modern Electric Chicago Blues / Soul Blues / Funky Blues


Lucky Peterson is definitely a student of the blues. Since Willie Dixon took him under his wing at a very young age, Peterson has been immersed in blues. He has studied and lived it. With the release of Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin, Peterson and company are at the top of their game. For fans, this release is a treat. For the uninitiated, this is gonna rock your world! This release is packaged as 3 DVDs and 2 CDs. DVD1 is the 1st set performance, DVD2 is the 2nd set performance, and the third DVD is “extras.” The two CDs match the music performed on the DVDs. The packaging itself is first class too; no corners cut here. An included booklet contains great photos, profiles of the band members, and a forward by Andreas Hommelsheim, who opened 55 Arts Club Berlin where this concert was filmed. The whole package is first class all the way.

Shorty Rogers And His Giants - The Swinging Mr. Rogers (1955) {2012 Japan 24-bit Remaster} [Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series]


Shorty Rogers And His Giants - The Swinging Mr. Rogers (1955) {2012 Japan 24-bit Remaster} [Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series]
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 282 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 108 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 156 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 2012 Atlantic / Warner Japan / Rhino | WPCR-27077 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet


Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. A standout set from Shorty – tightly arranged numbers performed by a quartet that includes Jimmy Giuffre, Pete Jolly, Curtis Counce, and Shelly Manne – all working with Shorty in perfect west coast form! Despite the length of the tunes, the overall feel is similar to Rogers' excellent Wherever The Five Winds Blow album for RCA – and makes the record a great set, done without any gimmicks or tricks – and enough of the modern touch still left from Rogers' first few years on record. Titles include "Martians Go Home", "Trickleydidlier", "Not Really The Blues", and "Michele's Meditation".

The Rolling Stones - More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) (1972) [2CD] {2006 Japan MiniLP, UICY-93033~34}


The Rolling Stones - More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) (1972) [2CD] {2006 Japan MiniLP, UICY-93033~34}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 493 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 215 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 24 Mb | 5% repair rar | DSD | Mastering by Bob Ludwig
© 2006 ABKCO Records / Universal Music Japan | UICY-93033~34
Rock / Classic Rock / Blues Rock


Hot Rocks covers most of the monster hits from the Stones' first decade that remained in radio rotation for decades to come. More Hot Rocks goes for the somewhat smaller hits, some of the better album tracks, and a whole LP side's worth of rarities that hadn't yet been available in the United States when this compilation was released in 1972. The material isn't as famous as what's on Hot Rocks, but the music is almost as excellent, including such vital cuts as "Not Fade Away," "It's All Over Now," "The Last Time," "Lady Jane," the psychedelic "Dandelion," "She's a Rainbow," "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing in the Shadow?," "Out of Time," "Tell Me," and "We Love You." The eight rarities are pretty good as well, including their 1963 debut single "Come On," early R&B covers of "Fortune Teller" and "Bye Bye Johnnie," great slide guitar on Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied," and the soulful 1966 U.K. B-side "Long Long While."

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Bizjak Piano Duo - Martinu, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Stravinsky (2015) {Onix}


Bizjak Piano Duo - Martinu, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Stravinsky (2015) {Onix}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 212 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 152 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 68 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Bizjak / Onix / PM Classics | ONIX 4118
Classical / Concerto / Piano Duo


The Serbian sisters Lidija and Sanja Bizjak have achieved worldwide praise for their performances alike (‘brilliant sound, precise fingerwork and excellent listening skills’ – The Independent). For their debut recording on Onyx, they have created a superb programme consisting of two concertos for two pianos and orchestra by Poulenc & Martinu° to frame two works for two pianos alone – Stravinsky’s Sonata and Shostakovich’s rarely heard Concertino.

Lonnie Smith - Drives (1970) {2009 Japan 24-bit Remaster New Note Classics Series TOCJ-6756}


Lonnie Smith - Drives (1970) {2009 Japan 24-bit Remaster New Note Classics Series TOCJ-6756}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 234 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 87 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 219 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 2009 EMI Music Japan / Blue Note | TOCJ-6756
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Funk / Organ


Lonnie Smith had the raw skills, imagination, and versatility to play burning originals, bluesy covers of R&B and pop, or skillful adaptations of conventional jazz pieces and show tunes. Why he never established himself as a consistent performer remains a mystery, but this 1970 reissue shows why he excited so many people during his rise. Smith's solos on "Spinning Wheel" and his own composition, "Psychedelic PI," are fleet and furious, boosting the songs from interesting to arresting. He's also impressive on "Seven Steps to Heaven," while the array of phrases, rhythms, and voicings on "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" demonstrate a mastery of the organ's pedals and keys rivaling that of the instrument's king, Jimmy Smith.

Jon Hassell featuring Brian Eno - Fourth World Volume 2: Dream Theory In Malaya (1981) {EG Records EEGCD 13}


Jon Hassell featuring Brian Eno - Fourth World Volume 2: Dream Theory In Malaya (1981) {EG Records EEGCD 13}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 173 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 87 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 12 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1999 EG Records / Caroline | EEGCD 13
New Age / Avant-Garde / Electronic / Ambient / Ethnic Fusion / Experimental


Overwhelmingly interesting and extremely variant, Jon Hassell's Dream Theory in Malaya is rescued from the stereotypical new age recipe, thanks to its ever-changing instrumental structure and the use of numerous eccentric instruments that emerge as the album progresses. The album's concept is taken from an anthropologist's 1935 study of a tribe of Malaysian aborigines who made it part of their daily routine to discuss the dreams they had the night before. To this story line, Hassell has created a novel and extraordinary set of instrumental meanderings that even includes a refurbished and re-fragmented set of rhythms that was believed to be created by the Semelai tribe.

Chvrches - The Bones Of What You Believe (2013) {Universal Music}



Chvrches - The Bones Of What You Believe (2013) {Universal Music}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 348 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 115 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 Vertigo / Capitol / Universal Music | 375 121-2
Rock / Indie Pop / Synth-pop


Arriving after a year's worth of anticipation that included plenty of blogger appreciation, several EPs, and inclusion in the BBC's Sound of 2013 shortlist, Chvrches' debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, surpassed the significant hype surrounding it. Many of these songs already appeared on those buzz-building EPs, most notably "The Mother We Share," "Gun," and "Recover," all of which exemplify the Glasgow trio's way with frosty synths and poignant melodies. Taken as an album, though, they reveal a band not nearly as arty or aloof as seemingly like-minded contemporaries such as Grimes or Purity Ring; with their ready hooks and fondness for grand gestures, Chvrches are more likely to tour with Paramore than Factory Floor.

Sam Cooke - 8 Classic Albums Plus Bonus Singles (2013) [4CD Box Set] {Real Gone Music}


Sam Cooke - 8 Classic Albums Plus Bonus Singles (2013) [4CD Box Set] {Real Gone Music}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.27 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 611 Mb
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© 2013 Real Gone Music | RGRNBCD001
Jazz / Soul / Rhythm & Blues / Gospel / Funk / Blues


Collecting the albums the soul singer made as he transitioned from gospel to the world of secular music, Eight Classic Albums gathers up a massive collection of both albums and singles of the great Sam Cooke. Featuring his work between 1957 and 1960, this four-disc set contains Sam Cooke, Encore, Tribute to the Lady, Hit Kit, I Thank God, Cooke's Tour, Hits of the Fifties, and Swing Low. The compilation doesn't contain much in the way of liner notes or supplemental material, so while it makes for a great Sam Cooke starter kit, it doesn't provide much in the way of extra information.

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Roots & Herbs (1961) [FLAC] {2014 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}


Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Roots & Herbs (1961) [FLAC] {2014 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 473 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 149 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 252 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit 192 kHz remaster
© 2014 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | TYCJ-81094
Jazz / Hard Bop


A blinding session by Blakey! Truly one of his all-time great ones, and a record we've been putting on the turntable for 20 years, still always with new delight! The session was recorded in 1961 – when Blakey was working with Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan, and Wayne Shorter (who's especially fantastic here!) For some incredibly odd reason, the session was not issued at the time – and only came out briefly at the end of the 60s. It's amazing, though – and features 6 stunning tracks that will forever restore your faith in jazz, even at your darkest moments. Includes "Ping Pong", "Roots & Herbs", "Master Mind", "Look At the Birdie", and "United".

Monday 22 June 2015

Alireza Ghorbani - Éperdument… Chants d’Amour Persans (2015) {Accords Croisés}


Alireza Ghorbani - Éperdument… Chants d’Amour Persans (2015) {Accords Croisés}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 353 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 142 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 175 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Accords Croisés / Harmonia Mundi | AC 160
World Music / Ethnic Music / Persian / Vocal


In recent years Alireza Ghorbani has established himself as on of the new generation's masters of Persian song. This recognition has come about as much by the range of his repertoire, accuracy and naturalness of voice as it has by his impeccable taste and uncompromising approach. With him, the musical tradition has been revitalised, renewed, transcended. Firstly by his real musical creativity in interpreting new compositions inspired by contemporary poets. Then in the technical and stylistic contribution he brings in to play on the evolution of the musical tradition. Virtuosity, ornamentation, invention, the ability to improvise on the poetic texts may be qualities common to several current Iranian artists, but what remains remarkable about Ghorbani is the conjunction of all these perfections in a single singer.

Sunday 21 June 2015

Ornette Coleman - Skies Of America (1972) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}


Ornette Coleman - Skies Of America (1972) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 234 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 216 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4042
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Saxophone


Reissue with DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. A brilliant large ensemble work from Ornette Coleman – ambitious material recorded with full orchestra, in a haunting sound that's light years from any of his smaller group recordings of the 60s and 70s! There's an incredible feel to the strings used here – played by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Measham – all tied up and dark, with swirling sounds that run up beautifully from the bottom, then take off to the skies promised in the title – opening the door for Ornette to come in and solo freely over the top – in a magical mix that easily makes the record a standout in his long and mighty career!