UK pressing of this live album from the jam band supergroup consisting of Matt Abs (Govt Mule), Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers), Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead), Slick Aguilar (Jefferson Starship) and Johnny Need (Govt Mule, Allman Brothers, Lonny Mack). Beatlejam are a sort of spin off from the successful US jam band Blue Floyd only this time its Beatles songs rather than the Pink Floyd, given the unique jam spin.
Live at the Webster Theater, Hartford, Ct, 2002
Chingon is a Mexican rock band based in Austin, Texas. Their sound is heavily influenced by mariachi, ranchera, and Texan rock ‘n roll music.
Chingon was formed by film director Robert Rodriguez to record songs for his 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico. They contributed on Mexico and Mariachis, a compilation album to Rodriguez’ Mariachi Trilogy, and released their debut album, Mexican Spaghetti Western, in 2004. The band’s name comes from a Mexican slang term, chingon, loosely but closely enough meaning “badass” and/or “awesome”.
Chingon also contributed the song “Malaguena Salerosa” to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 2 — which Rodriguez scored — and a live performance by the band was included on the film’s DVD release. They also contributed to the soundtrack for his next film, a collaboration with Tarantino, Grindhouse, doing a cover of the film’s opening theme, re-titling it “Cherry’s Dance of Death”. Rodriguez plays guitar in the band.
You never forget your first love, and if you’re a musician, you hope the public never forgets your first recordings. It’s been years since Harvey Mandel’s initial titles as a frontman –1968’s Christo Redentor and ’69’s Righteous and Games Guitars Play–were available, though they’re treasured by guitar devotees. Now, they’re back, thanks to this revelatory two-disc. The trio of titles, which originally came out on the Philips label, are ambitious, mostly instrumental projects that match the future Canned Heat member and Rolling Stone session man with strings, brass, and an eclectic assortment of songs and sidemen.
These are the first offerings from the Isley Brothers’ T-Neck record label, and many consider special because Jimi Hendrix played lead guitar on them. However, these tracks bombed as singles. “Testify” is noisy and congested, too much is going on. Hendrix’s guitar is prominent, and identifies him as conclusively as a DNA sample. The Isleys imitate popular singers Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and James Brown on “Testify,” but the imitations are weak and sound like clones of each other. “Move Over and Let Me Dance” has some of “Testify”‘s problems but works a little better, it has a danceable groove and a much better hook. The only soft selection is “The Last Girl,” which has an airy sound, and features a rare laid-back vocal from Ron Isley during this phase of his career. Hendrix fans will love this, but fans of the Isleys’ later stuff will not be impressed.
In 1969, Boz Scaggs debut release on Atlantic Records was a stunning classic recording that has earned its place in the history of rock, blues and popular music. Celebrating its four decade birthday, Friday Music has located the original session tapes, which havent been available since the early seventies, and have spared no expense with the mastering process to deliver what we feel is the definitive audiophile reissue of the year! The nine songs that make this incredible album such a winner has a lot to do with the musicianship, writing skills, and the great voice of Boz Scaggs . Fans remember exciting blues oriented tracks like Im Easy and I’ll Be Long Gone as some of the most important songs of this much loved platter. With the famous Muscle Shoals studio sound, along with some of the finest musicians in the business, Boz and company delivered nine tracks of whack, that have stood the test of time, including one of his most famous works Loan Me A Dime, which hands down opened the doors for a lot of the cross over blues music that is being recorded today. This much emulated and loved work as well as the other great songs from the album feature the sorely missed guitar styling of the late Duane Allman. For the first edition run of this masterwork, Friday Music is including a textured gatefold cover, along with the original graphics, poly lined protective album sleeve, and poly vinyl cover for the album cover.
This is genuine mind-expanding music that doesn’t quit, and even better yet, it expands the perceptions and the range of thought in several dimensions at once — something nearly unthinkable to consider when listening to any ’60s or early-’70s music in the 21st century. And the whole context is totally unexpected. Who would ever imagine that, when Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies formed Blues Incorporated in 1962, someday the group would spawn a virtuoso prog rock band like Colosseum, whose work owed so much to those blues roots? That’s the first thought likely to flash through your head when listening to the first of a brace of Dick Heckstall-Smith saxophone solos, or the equivalent moments by James Litherland or Dave Clempson on guitar, on An Introduction to Colosseum. The 72-minute compilation carries listeners across the group’s four albums and sounds ranging from soulful, jazz-influenced instrumentals to the funkier pieces on their second and third albums, as well as their magnum opus as a progressive rock outfit, “Valentyne Suite.” You’ll probably be struck instantly by the amazing array of bold (yet not flashy) virtuosity in jazz, soul, blues, hard rock, and elements of classical that are on display, and instantly perceive the link with the early-’60s British blues embodied by Korner, Davies, Heckstall-Smith, et al. Colosseum represented a solution to a problem that a lot of listeners, writers, and music scholars had given up on as hopeless (and not necessarily worth reviving), revealing how blues could make the leap to larger musical contexts. When Chess Records tried it with Rotary Connection or those psychedelic Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf albums, or the Rolling Stones did Their Satanic Majesties Request, it seemed as though blues-rock had run into a dead end in trying to merge with larger musical forms, but the range of material here — very obviously connected to the same source from whence the Stones sprang — proves that there was a way to make that leap without losing the appeal of the original source. The two live cuts at the end of the disc (including Jack Bruce’s “Rope Ladder to the Moon”) from the group’s concert album on the Bronze label also show how good this group could sound on-stage — a little loud at times, but still cohesive and intense. As a single-CD anthology, it’s difficult to imagine too many releases outdoing this one, and as it promises an “introduction” to the group, its reach never exceeds its grasp or its ambitions
Willy DeVille was one of the finest American songwriters of his generation. Drawing influences from Blues, Rock, Cajun, Latin, Country and more he created a rich blend of music that acknowledged its roots but was uniquely DeVille. He was also a consummate live performer with a style, charisma and presence that few could match. This new compilation brings together these two elements to give you “Come A Little Bit Closer – The Best Of Willy DeVille Live”. Tracks are taken from performances ranging from Amsterdam in 1977, through concerts at Nijmegen and Montreux in the 80s and 90s and into the 21st century with concerts from Berlin and back to Amsterdam in 2005.
The heavy, psychedelic acid rock of Iron Butterfly may seem dated to some today, but the group was one of the first hard rock bands to receive extensive radio airplay, and their best-known song, the 17-minute epic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” established that more extended compositions were viable entries in the radio marketplace, paving the way for progressive AOR. The track was written by vocalist, organist, and bandleader Doug Ingle, who formed the first incarnation of Iron Butterfly in 1966 in San Diego with drummer Ron Bushy. After the group moved to Los Angeles and played the club scene, it secured a recording contract and got national exposure through tours with the Doors and Jefferson Airplane. Following the release of their 1968 debut album, Heavy, original members Jerry Penrod (bass), Darryl DeLoach (vocals), and Danny Weis (guitar) left the band and were replaced by guitarist Erik Braunn and bassist Lee Dorman. Weis went on to join Rhinoceros. The new lineup recorded In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida later that year, which sold four million copies and spent over a year in the Top Ten. (The title has been translated as “in the garden of Eden” or “in the garden of life.”) A shortened version of the title track, which contained extended instrumental passages with loud guitars and classical/Eastern-influenced organ, plus a two-and-a-half-minute drum solo, reached number 30 on the singles charts. The follow-up, Ball, showed greater musical variety and went gold, but it also marked the beginning of the band’s decline. Braunn left the group and was replaced by guitarists Mike Pinera and Larry “Rhino” Reinhardt, but the group’s success was largely over. Iron Butterfly broke up in 1971; Braunn and Bushy re-formed the group in the mid-’70s without success.
‘Whatever’s For Us’ was once a difficult album to find, and is probably why alot of people thought that her career began with 1976’s self titled album.
‘Whatever’s For Us’ is simply a stunning album with some beautiful piano playing. Highlights include ‘Alice’ and ‘It Could Have Been Better’. The opening track ‘My Family’ is the perfect choice, and as the inner sleeve notes suggest, very early Elton John sounding.
The repackaged CD allows us all to truly appreciate the beginning of Joan Armatrading, who in my opinion is underrated in many countries. This CD also includes a bonus single which was also previously hard to find.
If you buy this, then the album “Joan Armatrading”, you will really appreciate this fine artist. Two listens of the song “Love and Affection” will cement your thoughts on how great she is.
The Keef Hartley Band’s ”Halfbreed” is arguably the best English blues album ever recorded. Having just been fired from the drum kit in John Mayall’s Bluebreakers — Keef Hartley took with him seemingly the entire horn section of the Bluebreakers who had just recorded the great ”Crusade” album. Joining them was Gary Thain on bass (who would later show up on Uriah Heep’s best efforts like ”Demons & Wizards” and ”Look At Yourself.”), along with Spit James and Miller Anderson on guitars. Two incredably talented guitarists whose work on cuts like ”Born To Die” is as good as any work by better known guitarists, such as Clapton, Beck, Peter Green, etc. These guys were incredible. Miller Anderson also had a voice that was born to sing the blues — it is an incredibly expressive voice that carries so much strength, emotion and tenderness (when needed) that few singers are his equal. To fill it all out, Peter Dines was on piano and the Hammond B3 organ to give that fat sound that only a B3 can bring to the blues. Gorgeous stuff. Brash stuff. Blistering stuff. It’s all here. Their version of ”Leavin’ Trunk” will peel the paint off the walls and the aforementioned ”Born To Die” would easily make any Best 10 Cuts of English Blues albums that were really worth their salt. This album was, for me, in 1969 when it was released, the high-water mark of English Blues. These guys were incredible.
GRANAZI 