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| CLASSICAL |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Veracini Sonatas |
| Label: |
|
ECM
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Francesco Maria Veracini |
| Performer: |
|
John Holloway; Japp ter Linden; Lars Ulrik Mortensen |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309239327 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309239325 |
| UPC: |
|
00028947670551 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDUMG B000423302 |
| Cat.#: |
|
1889 |
| Period: |
|
Baroque |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
When the ECM label takes on classical music of the baroque period, one always approaches the result with a little bit of trepidation. Will the sonic idiosyncrasies of producer and label head Manfred Eicher distract from the music itself? In this case, no. The four sonatas played here by the brilliant violinist John Holloway, cellist Jaap ter Linden and harpsichordist Lars Ulrik Mortensen are played with brio and sweet-toned accuracy and are recorded in a sonically rich but refined acoustic that shows off both the music and the musicians to best advantage. Very highly recommended. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $16.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Title: |
|
Puccini |
| Label: |
|
EMI Classics
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Giacomo Puccini |
| Performer: |
|
Angela Gheorghiu; Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giueseppe Verdi / Anton Coppola |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309170217 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
630917021X |
| UPC: |
|
00724355795502 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDEMIC579550 |
| Cat.#: |
|
57955 |
| Period: |
|
Romantic |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
This rather strange little set is a collection of Puccini arias performed by the very fine Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu. The package is hardbound and includes, in addition to the main disc, essays on the singer and composer, lyrics in translation, and photos from the recording sessions. There is also a second disc, but its content is minimal and its inclusion a puzzle; it's described as a "single," and at only three and a half minutes in length its one track would have fit easily on the main disc. Whatever. The singing itself is wonderful, as is the playing of the orchestra, and one wishes only that Gheorghiu had been miked a little bit more closely. (RA) |
|
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57: Appassionata |
| Label: |
|
Bridge
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Ludwig van Beethoven |
| Performer: |
|
Lambert Orkis |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309288875 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309288873 |
| UPC: |
|
00090404916922 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDBRIDBCD9169 |
| Cat.#: |
|
9169 |
| Period: |
|
Romantic |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
A great idea: perform Beethoven's popular Appassionata sonata on three different instruments: a modern Bosendorfer concert grand, and two different types of fortepiano, one based on an instrument from the period during which the sonata was written, and one based on later Viennese designs of the mid-19th century. The sonic differences are dramatic, of course, but equally interesting are the effects the different instruments have on Orkis' performance style. This disc should be required listening for all serious students of classical piano. (RA) |
|
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Violin Concertos |
| Label: |
|
Pentatone (dist. Naxos)
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
| Performer: |
|
Julia Fischer; Netherlands Chamber Orchestra / Yakov Kreizberg |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309701589 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309701584 |
| UPC: |
|
00827949006463 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDPNAT5186064 |
| Cat.#: |
|
PTC 5186 064 |
| Period: |
|
Classical |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
I know, I know, it's yet another recording of pieces that have been far from neglected in the recent past. But the young Julia Fischer makes a powerful case for listening to these popular concertos with new ears -- her skillful energy and her remarkably mature cadenzas are both technically impressive and musically deeply satisfying. The sound quality on the super audio disc could hardly be improved. Very highly recommended. (RA) |
|
|
 |
| |
| $16.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
La Mer, La Boite a Joujoux, etc. |
| Label: |
|
EMI Classics
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Claude Debussy |
| Performer: |
|
Berliner Philharmoniker / Simon Rattle |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309609847 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
630960984X |
| UPC: |
|
00724355804525 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDEMIC58045 |
| Cat.#: |
|
58045 |
| Period: |
|
Romantic |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
On this recording, Rattle draws you in with the potboiler material but then throws a gentle curveball in the form of a newly orchestrated arrangement of Debussy's Three Preludes for piano, lovingly realized by Calin Matthews. The result may not be enough new material to convince you to add yet another recording of Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun to your overloaded shelves, but it's definitely worth a listen. And the Berlin Philharmonic does a better job with this delicate French impressionism than one might expect. (RA) |
|
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Messa Per Il Santissimo Natale |
| Label: |
|
Stradivarius (dist. Allegro)
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Alessandro Scarlatti |
| Performer: |
|
Ensemble Vocale Festina Lente; I Musici di Santa Pelagia / Michele Gasbarro |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309306555 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309306553 |
| UPC: |
|
08011570336460 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDAGROSTV33646 |
| Cat.#: |
|
STR 33646 |
| Period: |
|
Baroque |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
This is certainly the only currently available recording (and possibly a world premiere, though the liner notes don't say so) of Alessandro Scarlatti's brilliant and deeply moving Christmas mass of 1707, the vocal parts of which were only recently discovered and which is presented here in a complete liturgical version with interpolations by Francesco Foggia and Scarlatti's contemporary Bernardo Pasquini. Sound and performance quality are both excellent, and this disc should be considered an essential purchase for all early music collections (and for most general classical collections as well). |
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|
 |
| |
| $15.99 |
| |
|
| |
|
| Title: |
|
Chansons; Songs; Motets |
| Label: |
|
Eufoda (dist. Premiere Music)
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Jacob Obrecht |
| Performer: |
|
Capilla Flamenca; Piffaro |
| UPC: |
|
9789058262967 |
| Cat.#: |
|
1631 |
| Period: |
|
Medieval |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Piffaro is perhaps the finest medieval and Renaissance wind band performing today, and the four-voice Capilla Flamenca deserves to be better known that it is. On this marvelously textured performance of mostly secular polyphonic works by Jacob Obrecht, both groups shine brightly but quietly, imbuing the lovelorn songs with gentle longing and the handful of liturgical pieces with a sense of hushed but passionate wonder. Highly recommended. (RA) |
|
|
 |
| |
| $17.00 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
La Noche Buena: Christmas Music of Colonial Latin America |
| Label: |
|
World Library Pubns
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Various Composers |
| Performer: |
|
San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble |
| ISBN: |
|
9781584592419 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
1584592419 |
| UPC: |
|
641151023601 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BK0006612578 |
| Cat.#: |
|
WLP 002360 |
| Period: |
|
Renaissance |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
January may seem like a strange time to buy Christmas music, but this isn't like any Christmas album you've ever heard. It consists of Renaissance-era music written mainly by colonial composers in Latin America and West Africa, some of it in Latin, some in Spanish and some in indigenous languages. There are unaccompanied vocal works that wouldn't sound out of place in a Spanish cathedral, along with more spritely songs accompanied by ethnic instruments. None of it will sound particularly "Christmassy" to the American ear, but all of it is lovely and interesting, and SAVAE's performances are excellent and beautifully recorded. (RA) |
|
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
The Complete Sacred Music |
| Label: |
|
Hyperion (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Antonio Vivaldi |
| Performer: |
|
King's Consort; Choir of the King's Consort / Robert King |
| ISBN: |
|
9786304297353 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6304297351 |
| UPC: |
|
00034571141718 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDHMD CDS44171 |
| Cat.#: |
|
CDS 44171/81 |
| Period: |
|
Baroque |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
Boxed Set (11-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
Everything about this boxed set makes it seem as if it were designed with libraries in mind. The midline pricing is nice, and the compact packaging is even better -- the eleven discs are boxed in cardboard slipcases (along with a booklet that includes all sung texts, though sadly not the liner notes from the original albums), so the total package size is a convenient 1.5" x 5" x 5". But of course the real selling point is the quality of the recordings and performances themselves, which will come as no surprise to those who acquired any of the original releases when they were issued singly. Highlights include Vivaldi's popular Stabat Mater and Nisi Dominus settings, as well as a glorious performance of what seems to have been the only oratorio he ever wrote, Juditha Triumphans. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $18.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Alio Modo: Keyboard Transcriptions |
| Label: |
|
Harmonia Mundi USA
|
|
Composer:
|
|
Johann Sebastian Bach |
| Performer: |
|
Fretwork |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309764690 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309764691 |
| UPC: |
|
00752725021425 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDHMD HMU907395 |
| Cat.#: |
|
HMU 907395 |
| Period: |
|
Baroque |
| Genre: |
|
Classical |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Well, really, why not? Why not transcribe some of Bach's beloved keyboard works for a consort of viols? And who better to play the transcriptions than Fretwork, who have long since demonstrated their ability to showcase A-list baroque composers in all their contrapuntal brilliance. The soft, dark tone quality of these gut-strung instruments is such that there will be moments when you forget that you're not listening to an organ, but at the same time, Fretwork's warm and gentle expressiveness will make you hear some of these works with new ears. (RA) |
|
|
| COUNTRY/FOLK |
|
 |
| |
| $17.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Waves: Great American Song Series, Vol. 2 |
| Label: |
|
Appleseed Records
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Eric Andersen |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309617927 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309617923 |
| UPC: |
|
00611587109224 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDAPPL1092 |
| Cat.#: |
|
APR CD 1092 |
| Genre: |
|
Folk Music |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
As part of his Great American Song Series on Appleseed, folk revival stalwart Andersen pays homage to 1960’s-era songwriters like Tim Buckley (“Once I Was”), Fred Neil (“I’ve Got A Secret”), Phil Ochs (“Changes”), Lou Reed (the lovely “Pale Blue Eyes”), and others. Especially noteworthy is his take on Richard Fariña’s “Bold Marauder,” plus a reprise of Andersen’s best known song, “Thirsty Boots,” with background vocals by Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, and Tom Rush. This fine recording leaves no doubt that the 60’s folk revival still resonates. (GH) |
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|
 |
| |
| $16.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
The Real Deal |
| Label: |
|
Compadre
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Billy Joe Shaver |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309607959 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309607952 |
| UPC: |
|
00616892664222 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDEMER9266422 |
| Cat.#: |
|
66422 |
| Genre: |
|
Country & Western |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Billy Joe Shaver's gritty brand of outlaw country music has been a national treasure for decades, and he's continued to make that music as he's passed through some of the most harrowing trials that anyone can imagine. It's a cliche to say so, but his difficult life has imbued his music with uncommon feeling and depth, and heck, maybe even with wisdom. The Real Deal is at least as good as 2001's The Earth Rolls On, and maybe even better, which is saying something. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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|
|
| Title: |
|
Woman Of The House |
| Label: |
|
Rounder
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Cherish The Ladies |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309644015 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309644017 |
| UPC: |
|
00011661706323 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECD116 6170632 |
| Cat.#: |
|
11661-7063-2 |
| Genre: |
|
Celtic |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
On their latest album, the celebrated all-woman Irish band Cherish the Ladies is joined by an impressive roster of guest players and singers including Sharon Shannon, Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson and the always delightful Kate Rusby. CtL have never made a bad record, but this one is especially fine -- the program is nicely split between instrumental dance sets and songs, and the playing is as tastefully spectacular as always. Very highly recommended. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $17.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Speechless: The Instrumental Bruce Cockburn |
| Label: |
|
Rounder
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Bruce Cockburn |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309644046 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309644041 |
| UPC: |
|
00011661325029 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECD116 6132502 |
| Cat.#: |
|
11661-3250-2 |
| Genre: |
|
Folk/Instrumental |
| Release type: |
|
New/Reissue |
| Comments: |
|
Bruce Cockburn’s songwriting skills are so formidable that it’s easy to overlook his impressive talent as a guitarist, despite the fact that he’s tucked numerous instrumentals on his albums. This new outing collects these instrumentals and adds three new recordings and a rare Japanese import to the mix. Cockburn’s playing shines in a number of settings: while most are solo performances, there’s also a duet with vibraphonist Gary Burton, as well as an ensemble selection with bassist Edgar Meyer, mandolinist Mark O’Connor, and the legendary organist Booker T. Jones. (GH) |
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| Title: |
|
Rockabilly Lives |
| Label: |
|
Hightone
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Various Artists |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309725967 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309725963 |
| UPC: |
|
00012928818728 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDHIGT8187 |
| Cat.#: |
|
HCD8187 |
| Genre: |
|
Rockabilly/Country |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
At first glance you might think this was just a quickie compilation of rockabilly tracks from the Hightone catalog -- after all, most of the artists featured here have been part of the Hightone stable at some point. But in fact, these songs are culled from a variety of sources (most notably Rockin' Ronny Weiser's Rollin' Rock label), and the disc includes brilliant rarities from the likes of the Blasters (an early version of "Marie Marie"), Big Sandy, Rosie Flores, and even Gene Vincent. If your patrons like rockabilly and retro country-rock, they'll line up to boogie to this one. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $18.98 |
| |
|
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| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
The Very Best Of Two Time Polka |
| Label: |
|
Toucan/Madacy
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Two Time Polka |
| ISBN: |
|
9786308869754 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6308869759 |
| UPC: |
|
00628261082025 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDMADA50820 |
| Cat.#: |
|
MLG2 50820 |
| Genre: |
|
Cajun/Old Time/Celtic/Folk |
| Release type: |
|
Best of |
| Comments: |
|
Musical fusions sometimes work, and sometimes don't. Too often, they end up being less than the sum of their parts. But Two Time Polka has created a brilliant blend of music traditions that includes Cajun, Texas, country, Celtic and old-timey elements, and the result sounds like the best house party you've ever been to. This disc provides a fine overview of the band's ten-year career. (RA) |
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|
| JAZZ |
|
 |
| |
| $17.98 |
| |
|
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| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Flora's Song |
| Label: |
|
Narada Jazz
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Flora Purim |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309442062 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309442066 |
| UPC: |
|
00724356032125 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDNARA60321 |
| Cat.#: |
|
60321 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Brazilian-born jazz singer Flora Purim is a legend by any standard, and no one would deny her the right to coast a little bit as she settles into her seventh decade. But she's not doing it. Her voice has roughened some, but not in an unpleasant way, and she can still negotiate the rapturous Jaco Pastorius-penned changes on "Las Olas" and croon winningly on Toninho Horta's "Anjo do Amor" in a way that would be the envy of a singer half her age. Sidemen include George Duke, Andy Narell, Mark Egan and Airto Moreira. Recommended. (RA) |
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|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Impulsive! - Revolutionary Jazz Reworked |
| Label: |
|
Impulse!
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Various Artists |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309635129 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309635123 |
| UPC: |
|
00602498831571 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDUMG B000496602 |
| Cat.#: |
|
B0004966-02 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz/Dance |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Having had quite a bit of success with its series of remix collections based on the Verve catalog, it should come as no surprise that the Universal Music Group should go to the Impulse! vaults for a similar project. And it's a winner, with thrillingly funky remixes of classic material from the likes of Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Yusef Lateef and Oliver Nelson. Note in particular Sa-Ra's brilliant deconstruction of George Russell's "A Helluva Town." (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $16.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Controlled Nonchalance at the Regattabar V.2 |
| Label: |
|
Arbors (dist. Allegro)
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Ruby Braff |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309604309 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309604309 |
| UPC: |
|
00780941131123 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDAGROARB19311 |
| Cat.#: |
|
ARCD 19311 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
As if we really needed to be reminded how much sadder a place the world is without the late cornettist Ruby Braff, here's a second helping of Controlled Nonchalance from his sextet's early-90s residency at Boston's legendary Reggatabar. No surprises here whatsoever: just gracious, happy and sweetly inventive takes on traditional jazz standards delivered in Braff's trademark honeyed tone. Brilliant. (RA) |
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|
|
|
| Title: |
|
Pag's Groove |
| Label: |
|
Capri
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Michael Pagán Big Band |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309745842 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309745840 |
| UPC: |
|
00054987407222 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDCPRI74072 |
| Cat.#: |
|
74072-2 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
A really exciting big band album is (in this reviewer's humble opinion) pretty hard to come by these days. The latest from Michael Pagán is both very big (the band numbers 21 people) and very exciting; Pagán's writing is fresh and witty, and his arrangements are startlingly inventive without ever sounding like he's trying to show off. The result is both technically impressive and deeply, satisfyingly musical. Highly recommended to all jazz collections. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $14.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Ancient Pines |
| Label: |
|
Emphasis Entertainment Group
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Tim O'Dell |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309885265 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
630988526X |
| UPC: |
|
00700797011127 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDEEG 0111 |
| Cat.#: |
|
S-SSD 0111 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz Music |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Tim O’Dell (alto and soprano sax )and bassist Tatsu Aoki have been playing and recording together for several years, and with this release they have hit the highest ground. O’Dell’s compositions are beautifully performed, demonstrating the high level of comfort and trust the musicians have for each other. His ideas are carried by the highly creative but not cumbersome playing of both musicians. This is a great CD to add to any jazz collection. (GM) |
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|
 |
| |
| $14.99 |
| |
|
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| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Live At Yoshi's |
| Label: |
|
World City Music
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Steve Heckman Quartet |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309723628 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309723626 |
| UPC: |
|
00782478914224 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDWDCM2050 |
| Cat.#: |
|
WCM-2050 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Though his sharp, vinegary tone still says "Coltrane Disciple" (as does his selection of "Soul Eyes," "Equinox" and "You're a Weaver of Dreams" to open the album), Heckman stretches out a bit from the explicitly 'Trane-based focus of his previous album. His enjoyable "Theosphere" is clearly a Thelonious Monk tribute, and he opens up his tone a bit on the lovely midtempo composition "This Is the Moment." Very nice stuff. (RA) |
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|
 |
| |
| $17.98 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Title: |
|
Goodbye |
| Label: |
|
ECM
|
|
Artist:
|
|
Bobo Stenson |
| ISBN: |
|
9786309626738 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
6309626736 |
| UPC: |
|
00602498251737 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDUMG B000505802 |
| Cat.#: |
|
1904 |
| Genre: |
|
Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Stenson is one of the great European jazz pianists, a quiet, yet utterly engaging master who gives a tune space and time to unfold. Goodbye is his first ECM recording since his excellent 2000 outing for the label, Serenity. Drummer Paul Motian, another master of understated playing, joins his trio for this disc, and the results are elegant and beautiful. ECM’s pristine recording captures every nuance. Highly recommended. (GH) |
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| $24.98 |
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| Title: |
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Essential Sonny Rollins: The RCA Years |
| Label: |
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RCA
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Artist:
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Sonny Rollins |
| ISBN: |
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9786309608154 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309608150 |
| UPC: |
|
00828767177823 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRCA 71778 |
| Cat.#: |
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82876 71778 2 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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Compilation (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
This collection documents saxophonist Rollins’ return to recording in 1962, beginning with selections from his remarkable The Bridge album with guitarist Jim Hall, one of the strongest recordings of this tenor giant’s career. Rollins’ brief stint with RCA was one of experimentation, and included forays into the avant-garde with Don Cherry as well as a modern outing with seminal saxophone giant Coleman Hawkins. Overall, it’s a representative collection of Rollins at this time, but the title is somewhat of a misnomer – the only truly essential material is that from The Bridge. For truly essential work from Rollins, look to his landmark Prestige and Blue Note recordings from the mid-to-late 1950’s. (GH) |
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| ROCK/POP |
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| Title: |
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Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)... |
| Label: |
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RCA
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Artist:
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Eurythmics |
| ISBN: |
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9786309788788 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309788787 |
| UPC: |
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00828765611527 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRCA 56115 |
| Cat.#: |
|
56115 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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Reissue |
| Comments: |
|
It's quite an accomplishment for a band to sound simultaneously this dated and this compelling. This long-overdue reissue of the Eurythmics' breakthrough second album (which yielded a huge hit in the title track) brings remastered clarity to the sound and adds six fun bonus tracks to the program, and it's only one in an almost complete series of similar reissues from the Eurythmics' catalog. (1984: For the Love of Big Brother was, criminally, excluded from the program.) If you want to be selective, then grab this one and the similarly wonderful synth-pop confection Touch (BT Key BECDRCA 56116), but really, all of these albums should be considered essential to any comprehensive pop music collection. (RA) |
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| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Enter The Chicken |
| Label: |
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Serjical Strike
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Artist:
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Buckethead & Friends |
| ISBN: |
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9786309668653 |
| ISBN-10: |
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630966865X |
| UPC: |
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00806403337329 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD33RD3373 |
| Cat.#: |
|
3373 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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A rather endearing weirdo who gets his stage name from the fact that he never appears in public without a white kabuki mask and a KFC chicken bucket on his head, Buckethead is also one of the most technically accomplished and exciting guitarists around. Inexplicably, his recent solo work has been vaguely jazzy, vaguely New Age stuff that borders on the soporific, so this collaboration with System of a Down's Serj Tankian is as refreshing as a glass of ice water in the face. Be prepared for lots of speed-of-light guitar picking and truckloads of heavyweight thrash-funk, not to mention an eclectic cast of guest vocalists. Highly recommened. (RA) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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They Got Lost |
| Label: |
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Zoe
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Artist:
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They Might Be Giants |
| ISBN: |
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9786309697370 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309697374 |
| UPC: |
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00601143106224 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD011 4310622 |
| Cat.#: |
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1062 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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Compilation |
| Comments: |
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There's always good reason to proceed with caution when faced with a collection of "rarities." Songs are generally "rare" or "unreleased" for a perfectly good reason -- usually because they're just not as good as those that were released (or released more widely). But when you're a member of a rabid cult you want every scrap you can get your hands on, and They Might Be Giants' cult is big as well as rabid. Also, TMBG's rarities tend to be better than the industry norm, and that's certainly true in the case of these charmingly eclectic promo tracks, magazine inclusions, online-only songs, soundtrack contributions and other miscellanea. You'll fail to buy this at your peril -- rabid patrons can be dangerous. (RA) |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Twenty |
| Label: |
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Sanctuary
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Artist:
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Robert Cray |
| ISBN: |
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9786309343970 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309343971 |
| UPC: |
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00060768474826 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD607684748 |
| Cat.#: |
|
84748 |
| Genre: |
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Rock/Blues |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Critics may not have received Robert Cray's 14th album with universal rapture, but those who have been enjoying his personal take on soul-inflected blues rock will warm quickly to Twenty, which fits comfortably alongside pretty much everything else he's done. His guitar playing is gritty and tasteful, his singing voice is rich and strong, and he still writes a very fine soul-inflected blues rock song. (RA) |
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| $9.98 |
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| Title: |
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In The Reins [EP] |
| Label: |
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Overcoat Recordings
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Artist:
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Iron & Wine; Calexico |
| ISBN: |
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9786309589255 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309589253 |
| UPC: |
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00036172612826 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDOVCR |
| Cat.#: |
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26128 |
| Genre: |
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Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
This is the kind of thing that looks, at least on paper, like it wouldn't work -- putting Florida singer songwriter Sam Beam, who records under the name Iron & Wine, together with Calexico, the band whose sound embodies the desert southwest. But it does. At a length of 7 songs and around 28 minutes, this amounts to more than an EP, and the music is so rich is feels like an LP. It would tempting ask for more of this collaboration, but it's possible that the balance achieved here is so perfectly realized that we should just be thankful that it happened in the first place. (SA) |
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| Title: |
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Overkill (Deluxe Edition) |
| Label: |
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Sanctuary
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Artist:
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Motorhead |
| ISBN: |
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9786309790170 |
| ISBN-10: |
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630979017X |
| UPC: |
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00060768640726 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSCTR86407 |
| Cat.#: |
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06076-86407-2 |
| Genre: |
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Rawk |
| Release type: |
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Reissue (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
Reissue mania continues, and now it's the Motorhead back catalog that is finally getting its due, with remastered releases in expanded, two-disc format. Overkill finds Lemmy and crew in fine proto-punk-metal form, croaking out such spleen-er-ific fare as "(I Won't) Pay Your Price" and "No Class." The generously-packed bonus disc includes a mind-numbing array of alternate takes and no fewer than ten John Peel sessions and live tracks. If this is your patrons' cup of whiskey-spiked tea, then be sure to pick up the similarly configured BBC Live and In Session (BT Key BECDSCTR86404), Iron Fist (BT Key BECDSCTR86409) and Ace of Spades (BT Key BECDSCTR86408) as well. No home or library should be without at least one Motorhead album. (RA) |
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| $12.98 |
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| Title: |
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Fall Heads Roll |
| Label: |
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Narnack (dist. Caroline)
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Artist:
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The Fall |
| ISBN: |
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9786309640925 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309640925 |
| UPC: |
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00825807703325 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNRNK7033 |
| Cat.#: |
|
NCK7033 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Geez, I didn't think it would ever happen, but on "Ride Away" Mark E. Smith actually sounds old and tired and cranky, rather than young and snide and cranky. But his energy picks up later on, and the band itself sounds tighter and more focused than it has in a while. This is still not pop music (their hilarious cover of the Move's "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" notwithstanding), but somehow it's still fun. How do they do that? (RA) |
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| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Superbeautifulmonster |
| Label: |
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Bodog Music
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Artist:
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Bif Naked |
| ISBN: |
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9786309607003 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309607006 |
| UPC: |
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00600336100025 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDBODG1000 |
| Cat.#: |
|
BM 1000 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Bif Naked is looking more forbiddingly skinny, tattooed and pierced than ever, but her music is still a strangely attractive amalgam of therapeutic navel-gazing and pop-punk hookiness. There aren't any obvious hits on Superbeautifulmonster to rival the sinus-clearing "Moment of Weakness" from I Bificus, but anyone who has gotten a kick from her previous work will find plenty to enjoy here. (RA) |
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| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Push Barman To Open Old Wounds |
| Label: |
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Matador
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Artist:
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Belle & Sebastian |
| ISBN: |
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9786309323927 |
| ISBN-10: |
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630932392X |
| UPC: |
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00744861064923 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDMATR |
| Cat.#: |
|
10649 |
| Genre: |
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Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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Compilation (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
Critics' darlings Belle & Sebastian have always issued lots of EPs in addition to their regular albums, and this two-disc compilation is an easy way to catch up on all of that material. 1996's If You're Feeling Sinister is still the place to start discovering this prolific and accomplished pop group, but the songs collected here are every bit as good as those on the albums. (SA) |
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| WORLD/ETHNIC |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Dimanche a Bamako |
| Label: |
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Nonesuch
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Artist:
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Amadou & Mariam |
| ISBN: |
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9786309501448 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309501445 |
| UPC: |
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00075597991222 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNONEN |
| Cat.#: |
|
79912 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Malian duo Amadou & Mariam were already broadening their sound before this release, but Dimanche a Bamako would appear to represent a bid for crossover success. A collaboration with French/Latin/world music gadabout Manu Chao, the album manages to blend a variety of influences without diluting their appeal. Even listeners who don't think they like 'world' music might enjoy what is sure to be one of 2005's featured releases in this category. (SA) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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TChorba |
| Label: |
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World Village (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
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Artist:
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Les Yeux Noirs |
| ISBN: |
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9786309846389 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309846388 |
| UPC: |
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00713746804626 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDHMD 468046 |
| Cat.#: |
|
468046 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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French-Gypsy-Jewish-electro-jazz-funk-reggae-rock fusion. Do you think there's any chance you'll be able to sit still while you listen? |
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| $11.98 |
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| Title: |
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Introducing Daby Balde |
| Label: |
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World Music Network
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Artist:
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Daby Balde |
| ISBN: |
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9786309672810 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309672819 |
| UPC: |
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00605633510423 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDWMN 335104 |
| Cat.#: |
|
104 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Senegalese singer Daby Balde draws on a variety of influences on this album, including both the indigenous traditional music of his region and the rhythms and textures of the Portuguese music that was brought to Senegal by colonial powers. This isn't a perfect album -- it's marred in places by careless tuned instruments and in others by an almost complete lack of harmonic movement -- but there are some thrilling moments here. Balde will bear watching in the future. (RA) |
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| $12.98 |
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| Title: |
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Achados E Perdidos |
| Label: |
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Quannum Projects
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Artist:
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Curumin |
| ISBN: |
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9786309648792 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309648799 |
| UPC: |
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00681940006323 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDQUPR63 |
| Cat.#: |
|
063 |
| Genre: |
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Latin Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Curumin (a.k.a. Luciano Nakata Albuquerque) is a jaw-droppingly talented singer and songwriter from Brazil, whose almost unlimited willingness to absorb any sound he hears has resulted in a very exciting (if not always completely successful) debut album. You'll hear elements of Latin jazz, funk, rap, reggae, trip hop and rock, and sometimes all at once. You'll only get bored once or twice, and it won't last long. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Yo! |
| Label: |
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American Clave
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Artist:
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Silvana Deluigi |
| ISBN: |
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9786309799173 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309799177 |
| UPC: |
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00692863058023 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDACLA1025 |
| Cat.#: |
|
1025 |
| Genre: |
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Latin/Tango |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Avant-garde tango music? You bet. And it's hard to imagine anyone selling such a strange idea more effectively than the supremely gifted singer Silvana Deluigi, who here illustrates her ambivalence towards tradition by simultaneously embracing it (as she does on the bittersweet "La Cumparsita") and pushing it away (as she does on the more stagey "Tangologie"). Producer Kip Hanrahan is less intrusive here than usual, and the result is a complex and thrilling album. (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Congotronics |
| Label: |
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Crammed (dist. Rykodisc)
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Artist:
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Konono No. 1 |
| ISBN: |
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9786309673046 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309673041 |
| UPC: |
|
00876623000129 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRYKOC230001 |
| Cat.#: |
|
27 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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There's been a steady buzz building behind the nascent Congotronics series, which documents the strangely fascinating music of the suburbs around Kinshasa, Congo. Based on traditional trance music, these songs are built around the sounds of electrically amplified thumb pianos and percussion, and sound unlike anything you've ever heard. Any library with a collecting interest in African music should pick up this and probably all future installments in the series. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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The Very Best Of Mahotella Queens |
| Label: |
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Manteca
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Artist:
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Mahotella Queens |
| ISBN: |
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9786309616982 |
| ISBN-10: |
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6309616986 |
| UPC: |
|
00698458206022 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDMTCA60 |
| Cat.#: |
|
MANTCD060 |
| Genre: |
|
World Music |
| Release type: |
|
Best of |
| Comments: |
|
When Paul Simon released the hugely popular Graceland album in 1986, there were some who accused him of "stealing" the music of South Africans. His best response was this one (paraphrased): "What have I taken that they no longer have?" The answer of course, is absolutely nothing, and one thing that brilliant township groups like Mahotella Queens now do have that they didn't have before is an American audience. This fine overview disc covers most of their career (both with and without the celebrated "groaner" vocalist Simon Mahlathini) and will serve as an excellent introduction for your curious patrons. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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