A fantastic compilation of vintage demo and rehearsal recordings that provide an insider's glimpse into the creative process of one of the great American folk artists of our time, Melanie! Witness as Melanie tries out new arrangements and extended versions of songs that were still very new to her repertoire including "Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)," "Together Alone," her gorgeous cover of James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" and much more!

The group's first album with Michael McDonald marked a shift to a more mellow and self-consciously soulful sound for the Doobies, not all that different from what happened to Steely Dan - whence McDonald (and Jeff Baxter) had come - between, say, Can't Buy a Thrill and Pretzel Logic. They showed an ability to expand on the lyricism of Patrick Simmons and Baxter's writing on "Wheels of Fortune," while the title track introduced McDonald's white funk sound cold to their output, successfully. Simmons' "8th Avenue Shuffle" vaguely recalled "Black Water," only with an urban theme and a more self-consciously soul sound (with extraordinarily beautiful choruses and a thick, rippling guitar break). "Rio" and "It Keeps You Runnin'" both manage to sound like Steely Dan tracks - and that's a compliment - while Tiran Porter's hauntingly beautiful "For Someone Special" was a pure soul classic right in the midst of all of these higher-energy pieces…

Flutist Jerome Richardson (who switches to tenor on one of the five selections on this CD reissue) has long been underrated and has had relatively few opportunities to lead his own record dates – only four up to the present time, of which Midnight Oil was the first. The music (three of Richardson's originals, Artie Shaw's "Lyric," and the standard "Caravan") is performed in swinging fashion by Richardson, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland (the unusual flute-trombone blend heard on three of the songs is quite pleasing), pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Joe Benjamin, and drummer Charlie Persip. This set offers cool-toned bop that, although brief in playing time (just over 35 minutes), is enjoyable.

Martial Solal, who passed away recently, leaves behind some superb albums for Erato. Some of them are in the realm of contemporary classical music (his collaborations with his friend Marius Constant come to mind), others jazz, in the purest sense of the term. A few weeks after recording an unforgettable album of duets with harmonica player Toots Thielemans, Martial Solal returned to the studio, alongside the pope of reed instruments Michel Portal (here alternating between saxophone and clarinet). The result is fifteen original tracks composed especially for the occasion, leaving plenty of room for the improvisational skills of the two musicians, who accompany, confront and respond to each other with irresistible verve. A fabulous joust between two artists at the top of their game!

This is a compilation of French guitarist Jean-Pierre Alarcen's first two independently released solo albums. His first album, Jean-Pierre Alarcen (1978), is an unabashed jazz-rock fusion effort reflective of that genre's major players of the mid- to late '70s. The Latin rhythms and fluidity of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the force of Billy Cobham, the intensity of Weather Report, and the eclecticism if Return to Forever are all referenced, but not necessarily mimicked. A fine guitarist, Alarcen also graciously defers to his electric keyboardists for melodic support regularly. A brief album that clocks in at roughly 30 minutes, his debut is complemented nicely by his lengthy follow-up, Tableau No.1 (1979), a moody and more varied piece of work that owes as much to jazz-rock fusion as the impressionist artists of the canvas and the romantic classical composers…

Classical music for listening to alone in silence, 42 tracks / 3 hours 15 minutes.

Mercy is the seventeenth studio album by Welsh musician and composer John Cale. It was released on 20 January 2023 by Double Six Records, making it Cale's first album of new songs in over a decade. It features collaborations with Tony Allen, Laurel Halo, Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Animal Collective's Avey Tare and Panda Bear, Dev Hynes, Sylvan Esso, Actress and Fat White Family. It was inspired by current events such as Donald Trump's presidency, Brexit, COVID-19, climate change, civil rights and right-wing extremism.

The mid-'80s proved to be a prolific and exploratory time for the producer/performer team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who this time out take guitarist Michael Brook under their ambient wing to create an album of considerable beauty and restraint. Taking a "less is more" approach to the project, Brook adapts quite easily as a group member in co-creating these organic pieces (although composer credits go to him alone), and within a few minutes one forgets that he is a guitar player. Hybrid is not an especially dynamic or exciting album, but its depth is nonetheless rewarding. There is substance within the shadows, and the musicians take the necessary time to properly explore them. Highlights include the title cut, "Hybrid," which takes on the tone of a sleepy journey through underwater Morocco, plus "Pond Life," a barely audible meditation…

Outside of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lightnin' Hopkins may be Texas's most distinctive and influential blues export. His easy, fluid fingerpicking and witty, extemporaneous storytelling are always a delight, and his performances on Last Night Blues are no exception. The album is spare and acoustic, with Hopkins's voice and guitar accompanied by minimal percussion and Sonny Terry's harmonica. Terry's contributions really add a lot to these tunes, threading a high, lonesome whine on the downtempo tunes and a chugging, propulsive shuffle on the faster ones. Hopkins is, of course, one of the kings of the blues boogie, but he's equally compelling on the slow blues, and he never missteps throughout this fine set. All told, this dynamite disc represents what the blues should be: stripped-down, soulful, and full of truth.