43 tracks on 2 CDs recorded between 1945 and 1950 by the Legendary Blind Boys of Mississippi. This is the most comprehensive overview of the group ever released. The lead vocals are performed by the incomparable Archie Brownlee, whose vocal prowess was an inspiration to scores of R&B and Soul singers who grew up listening to him. These titles were recorded for America's premier Gospel labels Peacock Records, and some of the earlier tracks were recorded for the Coleman label owned by the Coleman Brothers, who also have a release on Acrobat this month. This series has been greeted with great acclaim by both Radio and Press around the world, and we are confident that this package will be no exception. It comes with comprehensive liner notes from expert, Opal Louis Nations and many rare and unseen illustrations.
The main idea behind this recording was to focus on the presentation of pieces composed by Hungarian and Polish artists in one particular year: 1948. We wanted to show here compositions of two major artists from each of those countries. Both Hungarian pieces featured on the album naturally continue the 'Hungarian sound,' characteristic of the interwar period, shaped by the output of Zoltán Kodály. Cast in four movements, the Serenade for String Orchestra by Endre Szervánszky (1911-1977) is an example of one of the outstanding compositions symptomatic of the generation of the master's successors. Let us quote the words of an excellent music critic, Marianne Pándi: 'This work combines all the qualities of the Hungarian music of that period: it is melodic, understandable, Hungarian in style, and rhythmic. It is a source of first-class entertainment.'
The heart of this man had warmed ten thousand, thousand nights for all the world - that's what Jelly Roll Morton said of "Big Eye" Louis. This CD features the clarinetist joined by Charlie Love, Johnny St. Cyr, Austin Young, Ernest Rogers, "Wooden Joe" Nichols, Albert Jiles and others.
They called her Lady Patachou and, in fifties’ Montmartre, her cabaret was a “must” where she used to gather all the great names whose songs she sang, from Georges Brassens and Guy Beart to Charles Aznavour and Leo Ferre. This anthology compiled by Dany Lallemand brings to light a selection of recordings made by Patachou as an icon of Parisian music-halls, a major figure combining the popular accents of Paris with the elegance of Montmartre. Claude COLOMBINI FReMEAUX
This CD contains the material Hawkins recorded for Al Benson's Parrot label in Chicago. Discographical details about these tracks remain incomplete but it seems all items were made in Aug. 1953 - despite various other recording dates found in reference-books and biographies. He was playing a residency at the "Toast of the Town" club in Aug. 1953 when Benson seized the opportunity to record for his new label. Only 4 tracks were actually issued on 45/78s - incidentally one with a romantic typo: "I'll Follow My Secret Heart" appeared as "I'll Follow My Sacred Heart!" Benson obviously tried to experiment, yet neither the vocal choir nor the organist helped Hawkins a lot. It seems that a 10" or 12" LP was originally planned but Benson never issued it. Tracks: I'll See You Later - What a Difference a Day Made - I'll Follow My Sacred Heart - Blue, Blue Days - Flight Eleven - Modern Fantasy - Confessing' - September Song - You Can't Take That Away from Me - Should I - Last Stop - Lullaby of Birdland - Get Happy - Out of Nowhere - Blue Lou - Stompin' at the Savoy - Just You, Just Me.
Racism and disdain for improvised music in the "motherland of jazz" drove more and more Americans to Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke and Oskar Pettiford, who had already contributed to the development of bebop in the early 1940s, appear here on the occasion of the Jazztage in Essen in 1960, and the saxophonist Coleman Hawkins joined them in the second half of the concert.
This continues the strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat's highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1960. This great value 115-track 4-CD anthology includes, with the exception of certain records which are unavailable for inclusion due to copyright restrictions, just about every record which peaked in the Billboard R&B Top 15 during that year. By this time, the R&B scene had evolved considerably as the rock 'n roll scene had matured and Tin Pan Alley had marketed it's teen-oriented offshoots, and there was an exciting feel to the charts, with substantial crossover of pop artists into the R&B chart and vice versa, with artists like Jackie Wilson, The Drifters, Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. The big chart winner of the year was Brook Benton, with three No. 1s and 23 weeks at the top, fourteen of those with Dinah Washington. With the blurring of the boundaries between the genres, the more traditional blues and R&B artists whose music had helped lay the groundwork for rock found it harder to reach the top positions. However, there was still a solid representation of old school blues artists like B.B. King and Jimmy Reed, and top class R&B singers like Etta James, Bobby Bland and James Brown formed the core of the chart, as well as the first chart incursions from the Motown stable by Barrett Strong and Marv Johnson. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record.
This continues the strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat's highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1961. This great value 113-track 4-CD anthology includes, with the exception of certain records which are unavailable for inclusion due to copyright restrictions, just about every record which peaked in the Billboard R&B Top 15 during that year. By this time, the R&B scene had evolved considerably as the rock 'n roll scene had matured and Tin Pan Alley had marketed it's teen-oriented offshoots, and there was an exciting feel to the charts, with substantial crossover into the pop charts through artists like Ben E. King, Ray Charles, Brook Benton, The Miracles, Aretha Franklin and The Marvelettes. There was also a significant weight of other records from the increasingly powerful Motown, Tamla and other labels producing material which would have a significant influence on emerging talent across the pond in the UK, like The Beatles, who absorbed some of the songs in this anthology into their repertoire, sowing the seeds of the British invasion which was soon to transform the pop landscape once more. With the blurring of the boundaries between the genres, the more traditional blues and R&B artists whose music had helped lay the groundwork for rock found it harder to reach the top positions in the R&B chart, and the foundations of the soul boom of the late '60s and 70s was clearly in evidence in many of the hits included here. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not
Dizzy Gillespie - 1961-1964: The Classic Philips Albums - This four-disc collection features eight of the finest LPs Dizzy Gillespie recorded for Philips in the 1961-1964 period. One of the most recognised and esteemed names in all of jazz music, Dizzy Gillespie's work, his live performances and his multiple recordings are legendary. A truly gifted player on his chosen instrument, the trumpet, Gillespie was famous for the complexity of his improvisation. His work also had a profound effect on the popularity of bebop during the 1940s and 1950s. Dizzy's influence on host of jazz masters who followed in his footsteps, from Miles Davis to Lee Morgan and numerous others, was profound, and he embraced a wide variety of styles and arrangements during his lifetime. Some of his finest work emerged during the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, when he was initially signed to Verve Records, and then, from 1962 onwards, to the legendary Philips label. This four-disc collection, containing over five hours of music in total, features eight of the finest LPs Gillespie recorded for Philips during the 1961-1964 period, and houses some of the best playing to grace jazz records at this time.
2020 release. 1962 features saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Kevin Hays and the returning rhythm section of Joe Martin and Eric Harland. For fans of Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Potter, the Brian Blade Fellowship, and Jazz! Since arriving in 2012, guitarist Ricardo Grilli has been rising through the ranks and making quite an impression in New York's jazz scene. In this short time he has played with world renowned artists such as Chris Potter, Chris Cheek, Mark Turner, Aaron Parks, Joe Martin, Eric Harland, Kendrick Scott, Kevin Hays, Jon Cowherd, Orlando Le Fleming and Taylor Eigsti among others.
Bud Powell was “the foundation out of which stemmed the whole edifice of modern jazz piano" (Herbie Hancock) and
“the greatest be-bop piano player in the world “ (Hampton Hawes).
Though his life was short and troubled (1924 – 1966), Bud found some solace and tranquillity during the years (1959 – 1963) he lived in Europe (mostly in Paris). The recordings that make up this album are from March and August of 1962 from Danish Radio Concert Hall and Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. However battered mentally and physically the man was, here’s the clear evidence of his genius more intact than generally believed.
This continues the strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat's highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1962. This great value 103-track 4-CD anthology includes, with a few exceptions, just about every record which peaked in the Billboard R&B Top 10 during that year. By this time, the R&B scene had evolved considerably as the rock 'n roll scene had matured and Tin Pan Alley had marketed it's teen-oriented offshoots, and there was an exciting feel to the charts, with substantial crossover into the pop charts through artists like Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, The Crystals, The Four Seasons, Booker T & The MGs, and The Marvelettes. There was also a significant weight of other records from the increasingly powerful Motown, Tamla and other labels producing material which would have a significant influence on emerging talent across the pond in the UK, like The Beatles, who absorbed some of the songs in this anthology into their repertoire, sowing the seeds of the British invasion which was soon to transform the pop landscape once more. With the blurring of the boundaries between the genres, the more traditional blues and R&B artists whose music had helped lay the groundwork for rock found it harder to reach the top positions in the R&B chart, and the foundations of the soul boom of the late '60s and 70s was clearly in evidence in many of the hits included here. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record.
