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July 2007
Look for "Rick's Pick" 
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| CLASSICAL |
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| Title: |
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Complete Symphonies Concertantes |
| Label: |
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CPO
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Composer:
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Johann Christian Bach |
| Performer: |
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Hanover Band; Anthony Halstead |
| ISBN: |
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9786311167205 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00761203729227 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCPO 777292 |
| Cat.#: |
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777 292-2 |
| Period: |
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Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (6-discs) |
| Comments: |
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No collection with an interest in the early classical period can afford to pass up this wonderful boxed set of orchestral works by J.C. Bach, whose tutelage under both his father and his older brother Carl Philipp Emanuel bore fruit in an impressive catalog of compositions in a wide variety of settings and styles. The Hanover Band is in top form on these six discs (all previously issued separately), and the price is right as well. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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| $24.99 |
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| Title: |
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Mozart/Prokofiev |
| Label: |
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Naive
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Composer:
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Sergei Prokofiev |
| Performer: |
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Lise de la Salle |
| ISBN: |
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9786311093498 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00822186050804 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNAIVV5080 |
| Cat.#: |
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V 5080 |
| Period: |
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Romantic/20th Century |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Lise de la Salle is only 19 years old, but her pianistic range is startlingly wide, as evidenced by this, her third recording: pairing three works by Mozart with three by Prokofiev, she demonstrates not only wide-ranging skill but also an unusually sophisticated sense of how to juxtapose widely dissimilar works in a single program. The second disc is a dual-layer CD/DVD, with a documentary film about the pianist on the DVD side. (RA) |
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| $19.99 |
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| Title: |
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Violin Concerto in D, op. 77; Double Concerto in A Minor, op. 102 |
| Label: |
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Pentatone (dist. Naxos)
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Composer:
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Johannes Brahms |
| Performer: |
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Julia Fischer; Daniel Muller-Schott; Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Amsterdam / Yakov Kreizberg |
| ISBN: |
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9786311093580 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00827949006661 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDPNAT5186066 |
| Cat.#: |
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PTC 5186 066 |
| Period: |
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Romantic |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Julia Fischer is a justly celebrated young violin virtuoso who is quickly and stylishly working her way through the standard repertoire and leaving her path strewn with critical plaudits. On this all-Brahms program she is joined (on the Double Concerto) by cellist Daniel Muller-Schott, who is every bit as good as she -- their duo passages are crisp and beautifully in tune, and the orchestra is excellent as well. Highly recommended to all classical collections. (Note: this is a hybrid multichannel Super Audio CD, and will play normally on most conventional CD players, though not necessarily in all computers' CD-ROM drives.) (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Songs by Mahler, Handel and Peter Lieberson |
| Label: |
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Wigmore Hall Live (dist. Koch)
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Composer:
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Various Composers |
| Performer: |
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Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson; Roger Vignoles |
| ISBN: |
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9786311061022 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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05065000924133 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDWGMR0013 |
| Cat.#: |
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WHLive0013 |
| Period: |
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Various |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Blessed with one of the richest and most compelling voices of the 20th century, mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson died tragically young only eight years after this Wigmore Hall recital was recorded (in 1998). The sound quality could be a bit crisper and more intimate, but there is no quarreling with the luminous beauty of her voice or the sensitive accompaniment of Roger Vignoles, and the program itself is nicely varied and shows her at her best. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Colin Tilney Plays Mozart, Vol. 6 |
| Label: |
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Doremi (dist. Allegro)
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Composer:
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
| Performer: |
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Colin Tilney |
| ISBN: |
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9786311145036 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00723721243050 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDAGRODHR71149 |
| Cat.#: |
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DDR-71149 |
| Period: |
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Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Whether or not one prefers it to the sound of the modern piano, it's always interesting to hear a truly gifted performer play the works of Mozart on the fortepiano (the precursor of the modern piano, and the instrument on which Mozart composed). Colin Tilney shows why he's widely considered one of the finest fortepianists of our time on his continuing series of recordings of Mozart's piano works; this disc includes sonatas in G major (K 283), F major (K 332), D major (K 576) and the ever-popular C major sonata (K 545). His playing is effortlessly graceful, and his instrument's slightly vinegary tang lends an unusual flavor to the music. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Music for the Chapel Royal |
| Label: |
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Naxos
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Composer:
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Georg Friedrich Handel |
| Performer: |
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Choir of the Chapel Royal; Musicians Extra-ordinary / Andrew Gant |
| ISBN: |
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9786311087923 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00747313293520 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNAXO8557935 |
| Cat.#: |
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8.557935 |
| Period: |
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Baroque |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This is a lovely collection of five choral anthems, sung by a reconstituted version of the choir for which they were written and sung (probably for the first time since the composer's death) in the chapel where they were intended to be performed. The performances and sound on this recording are both excellent, but the soloists (in particular bass Andrew Ashwin) deserve special mention. Don't assume that your collection already holds all of this material -- these pieces aren't recorded as frequently as the coronation anthems and the oratorios. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Piano Rags 2 |
| Label: |
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Naxos
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Composer:
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Scott Joplin |
| Performer: |
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Benjamin Loeb |
| ISBN: |
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9786311151105 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00636943927724 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNAXO8559277 |
| Cat.#: |
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8.559277 |
| Period: |
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20th Century |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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It's hard to know whether classifying ragtime music as "classical" makes sense. But it fits that category better than it does the next most obvious (jazz), and Joplin's compositions in the genre certainly deserve no less respect than the works of Gottschalk and -- stay with me here -- Ives. Anyway, what matters here is the quality of the pieces and of the performances on this second volume of Joplin rags, and both are top-notch: Loeb does us the favor of going well beyond the most familiar repertoire, and plays with both authority and elegance. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Art of The Recorder |
| Label: |
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Decca
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Composer:
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Various Composers |
| Performer: |
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Michala Petri; George Malcolm; Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields / Iona Brown, Kenneth Sillito |
| ISBN: |
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9786311149607 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00028947584643 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDUMG B000886802 |
| Cat.#: |
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475 8464 |
| Period: |
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Baroque |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (4-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Recorder virtuoso Michala Petri's range extends far beyond the baroque period, but she is best known and loved for her work with that repertoire, so that's the focus of this budget-priced, four-disc retrospective: concertos by Handel and Telemann and Vivaldi; sonatas by Corelli and Sammartini and Bononcini, etc. Her crisp articulation and flawless intonation (not always a given with recorder players) and the sprightly enthusiasm of her playing make this box an endless delight. And its budget-line price makes it an excellent way to fill any holes that may exist in your collection. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Opus Ultimum |
| Label: |
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Harmonia Mundi
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Composer:
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Heinrich Schutz |
| Performer: |
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Collegium Vocale Ghent; Concerto Palatino / Philippe Herreweghe |
| ISBN: |
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9786311246764 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00794881834921 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDHMD HMC901895 |
| Cat.#: |
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HMC 901895.96 |
| Period: |
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Renaissance |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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This two-disc set clocks in at only 89 minutes, and is therefore inexcusably pricey -- but the music itself is exquisite. In the early 1660s Heinrich Schutz knew his life was coming to a close, and wrote thic cycle of eleven motets for double-choir to stand as his epitaph. Schutz's melodic gifts were second only to Monteverdi's, and he is at the peak of his powers on these glorious pieces, all of which are performed with sweet and powerful authority by the Collegium Vocal Ghent under Philippe Herreweghe. An essential purchase, despite its exorbitant price. (RA) |
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| $11.98 |
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| Title: |
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Orchestral Suites BWV 1066-1069 |
| Label: |
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Deutsche Grammophon
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Composer:
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Johann Sebastian Bach |
| Performer: |
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English Concert / Trevor Pinnock |
| ISBN: |
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9786311149744 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00028947763482 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDUMG B000872302 |
| Cat.#: |
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477 6348 |
| Period: |
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Baroque |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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Reissue |
| Comments: |
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When these recordings were first issued on LP in 1979 and 1980, the period-instrument movement was just starting to really gain momentum, and Trevor Pinnock's English Concert was one of the premier ensembles in the field. You can hear why on this delightful reissue -- the performances and the recording quality have both aged remarkably well, and both stand up nicely to the best of the more recent recordings of this familiar repertoire. (RA) |
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| COUNTRY/FOLK |
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| $12.98 |
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| Title: |
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Emotionalism |
| Label: |
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Ramseur
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Artist:
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Avett Brothers |
| ISBN: |
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9786311158630 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00775020788923 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRMS 2078892 |
| Cat.#: |
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RR2716 |
| Genre: |
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Folk, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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“They’re so earnest” remarked my best friend when hearing the new Avett Brothers CD. Indeed, this North Carolina trio is refreshingly honest; penning deceptively simple tunes about weighty issues like truth, shame, death, and honor, all delivered with clear harmonies and stripped-down instrumentation. After a few listens, it’s hard not to be taken by their infectious sincerity. These guys are skyrocketing up the festival-fan charts, and it’s easy to hear why on their newest. Recommended. (GH) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Live and in Session |
| Label: |
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Compass
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Artist:
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Tannahill Weavers |
| ISBN: |
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9786311163580 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00766397445427 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCOMS974454 |
| Cat.#: |
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7 4454 2 |
| Genre: |
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Celtic |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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The Tannies hop over to the Nashville-based Compass Records label with this album, which is a rather strange live/studio hybrid: seven tracks recorded during their 2005 US tour and seven more recorded in the studio in 2006. It works, though, and what's especially impressive is how well the group's sprightly Scottish neo-folk songs and traditional dance sets translate live; their trademark tight harmonies sound just as rich and warm onstage as they do in the studio. Expect demand from this group's many fans. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Waterloo, Tennessee |
| Label: |
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Rounder
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Artist:
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Uncle Earl |
| ISBN: |
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9786310793689 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00011661057722 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD116 6105772 |
| Cat.#: |
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11661-0577-2 |
| Genre: |
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Old-Time, Folk |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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For their sophomore outing, the ironically named string band Uncle Earl (why ironic? there’s nary an uncle among the four female band members) create a potent mix of tradition and originality. Their instrumentation is traditional – guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, clogging—and they play material from the folk catalog (“My Little Carpenter,” “Bony on the Isle of St. Helena"). Yet they add their own touch, with originals like “D & P Blues” (or Drinking & Promiscuity Blues) and the occasional hollering in Chinese. Fun, eclectic, and a force to be reckoned with, Uncle Earl are helping to expand old-time music to a wider and more diverse audience through their great playing and their fun-loving attitude. Recommended. (GH) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Blue Rain |
| Label: |
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Appleseed Records
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Artist:
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Eric Andersen |
| ISBN: |
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9786311129890 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00611587110121 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDAPPL1101 |
| Cat.#: |
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APR CD 1101 |
| Genre: |
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Folk Music, Blues Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Eric Andersen’s latest is the first live album of his forty year career, and it’s a stunner. Digging into his blues roots (his first professional gig in New York was opening act for John Lee Hooker at Folk City in 1964), he fronts an excellent Norwegian band led by feisty guitarist Morten Omlid. The set list includes originals such as his classic “Blue River” and “You Can’t Relive the Past,” co-written with Lou Reed. He also tosses off covers by Jimmy Reed and Fred Neil with comfortable ease. Everything works perfectly on this recording. Recommended. (GH) |
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| $15.99 |
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| Title: |
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Revenge! |
| Label: |
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Yep Roc (dist. Redeye)
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Artist:
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Robbie Fulks |
| ISBN: |
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9786311095232 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00634457212527 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDREDEYEP2125 |
| Cat.#: |
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Yep 2125 |
| Genre: |
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Alt-Country |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Revenge! dishes out a double dose of live Robbie Fulks, who brings a deep understanding and knowledge of country music and formidable musicianship to his shows, all delivered with tongue firmly in cheek. The first CD (“Standing”) is an electric set, full of Bakersfield twang and hot licks. The second disc (“Sitting”) offers acoustic fare, where his fine picking dishes up wry originals and tunes by the Carter family and, of all things, a Cher cover. Go figure. If you haven’t added Fulks to your collection, this is a great place to start, and will warm the hearts of all the alt-country fans who come in your library. And because it’s Robbie Fulks, they’ll chuckle a bit in the process. (GH) |
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| $24.98 |
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| Title: |
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Sky Blue Sky [CD/DVD] |
| Label: |
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Nonesuch
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Artist:
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Wilco |
| ISBN: |
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9786311132647 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00075597998429 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNONE171644 |
| Cat.#: |
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171644-2 |
| Genre: |
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Country/Rock |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Expect demand for this long-awaited return to the rootsy, country-inflected sound that characterized Wilco's work in the mid-1990s. Bandleader Jeff Tweedy sometimes sounds just a bit mannered in his ragged everyman singing style, but his lyrical gifts are substantial and there are also impressive hooks lurking in the weeds. Note that this edition is packaged with a DVD that features the band performing songs from the album, along with interviews. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Translated from Love |
| Label: |
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Rykodisc
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Artist:
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Kelly Willis |
| ISBN: |
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9786311259078 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00014431088629 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRYKO310886 |
| Cat.#: |
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RCD 108886 |
| Genre: |
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Country & Western |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Has anyone else noticed that as time goes on, Kelly Willis sounds more and more like Chrissie Hynde? But in a better way: just as heartfelt, but less bitter; just as sharp and incisive, but sweeter and more consistently in tune. Still mad at her for doing a Claritin commercial? Get over it -- and if you need a little help, check out her trashy Tex-Mex take on Iggy Pop's "Success." Brilliant. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Humdinger |
| Label: |
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Compass
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Artist:
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Paul Brock & Enda Scahill |
| ISBN: |
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9786311163597 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00766397445526 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCOMS974455 |
| Cat.#: |
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7 4455 2 |
| Genre: |
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Celtic |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Button accordionist Paul Brock and plectrum banjo player Enda Scahill are joined by pianist Ryan Molloy and percussionist Tommy Hayes on this delightful set of Irish jigs, hornpipes, reels and airs. Both Brock and Scahill are world-renowned players, but the secret weapon here is Molloy, whose piano subtly but powerfully pushes everyone else to a higher level of energy and what the contradance crowd calls "lift." Brilliant. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Wagonmaster |
| Label: |
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Anti-
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Artist:
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Porter Wagoner |
| ISBN: |
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9786311185698 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00045778685929 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDANTR86859 |
| Cat.#: |
|
86859-2 |
| Genre: |
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Country & Western |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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If you're a 50-year veteran of the Grand Ole Opry, you should probably be able to expect that people will leave you alone and let you rest. But there's no indication that Porter Wagoner wants to do that, and no reason to think that Marty Stuart would have let him anyway. So this new Stuart-produced album should come as no surprise, nor should its gritty old-school style, which features nods to bluegrass, Bakersfield, honky tonks and even (if you listen closely) rhythm & blues. Skip over the spoken-word stuff and you've got one of the best country albums of the last five years. (RA) |
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| JAZZ |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Eternal Licks & Grooves |
| Label: |
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Mama (dist. Allegro)
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Artist:
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Bob Florence |
| ISBN: |
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9786311030691 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00734956103026 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDAGROMAA1030 |
| Cat.#: |
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MAA 1030 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Whoo, doggies! Bob Florence has some big ideas and a big band with which to express them, and the results are pretty thrilling. Several of these tracks run over twleve minutes in length, but none is less than exciting, and his arrangement of Claude Debussy's "Claire de Lune" is a real treat. If your library supports a jazz program -- especially one with an emphasis on arranging -- you should consider this an essential purchase. (RA) |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Quartet |
| Label: |
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Nonesuch
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Artist:
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Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau |
| ISBN: |
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9786310946511 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00075597999402 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNONE104188 |
| Cat.#: |
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104188 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau follow up their successful duo release with this quartet session, featuring the other two members of Mehldau's regular trio. The music ends up being a pleasant blend of Metheny's more fusion-y style with Mehldau's own straight-ahead tendencies; immediately attractive, but also complex enough to reward careful and repeated listening. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Holding On To What Counts |
| Label: |
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Capri
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Artist:
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Chip Stephens Trio |
| ISBN: |
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9786310871998 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00054987408229 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCPRI74082 |
| Cat.#: |
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74082-2 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Most of the tunes on this trio set are standards -- "Cookin' at the Contental," "Passion Dance," "Everything I Love" -- but pianist Chip Stephens makes them his own. Sometimes he does so by means of unusual arrangements (his take on Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" is dramatically different from what you'd expect), and sometimes just by means of pure enthusiasm and energy. This is Stephens' first album as a leader, and it promises more exceptional music to come. (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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If Dreams Come True |
| Label: |
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Gjazz (dist. City Hall)
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Artist:
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George Gee & the Jump, Jivin' Wailers |
| ISBN: |
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9786311249536 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00837101333535 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDGJAZ3568 |
| Cat.#: |
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GJ3568 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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George Gee's big band specializes in a sound that lies somewhere between traditional big band swing and the jump blues of Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway. The focus here is on dancing, not on showing off -- though there are plenty of hot solos and nifty arrangements. Imagine yourself in the Savoy Ballroom on a Saturday night circa 1942, then take the tempo up just a touch. Sound like fun? Then buy this disc. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Being There |
| Label: |
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ECM
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Artist:
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Tord Gustavsen Trio |
| ISBN: |
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9786311214985 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00602517235175 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDUMG B000875702 |
| Cat.#: |
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ECM 2017 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Norwegian pianist Gustavsen’s trio creates engaging, moving music that’s elegiac with offsetting passages of spirited, albeit contemplative, exuberance. It’s gorgeous material that demands quiet listening, and rewards the listener for the effort. This is part of series that began in 2003 with Changing Places, followed by 2005’s The Ground, and now Being There. These are beautiful, highly recommended recordings. (GH) |
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| Title: |
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Abbey Sings Abbey |
| Label: |
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Verve
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Artist:
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Abbey Lincoln |
| ISBN: |
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9786311168448 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00602498485842 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDUMG B000890002 |
| Cat.#: |
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VERF-01536-2 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Venerable jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln revisits a dozen of her own compositions, arranging them for a small group featuring Larry Campbell’s guitars, plus bass & drums and the occasional accordion and cello. The results are captivating. Very highly recommended. (GH) |
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 |
| |
| $24.98 |
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| |
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| Title: |
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Essential John McLaughlin |
| Label: |
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Sony Legacy
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Artist:
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John McLaughlin |
| ISBN: |
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9786311262368 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00886970683128 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCOLM06831 |
| Cat.#: |
|
8869706831 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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Compilation (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
Most casual fans know John McLaughlin for his work with Miles Davis’ electric bands and his own Mahavishnu Orchestra, where he helped define jazz fusion guitar in the 70’s. Columbia’s Essential includes a number of Miles & Mahavishnu selections (including the blistering 17 minute “Right Off” from Miles’ A Tribute to Jack Johnson LP). But it also shows his roots, featuring a 1963 session with British jazz musician Graham Bond with future Cream bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. In addition, it includes acoustic and electric highlights from his solo career. A fine career summary. (GH) |
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| |
| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Sunset Cafe Stomp |
| Label: |
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Delmark
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Artist:
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Jazz O'Maniacs |
| ISBN: |
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9786310350943 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00038153024420 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDDELM244 |
| Cat.#: |
|
DE-244 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
If you miss Bix Beiderbecke as much as many jazz fans do, and still love the sound of traditional, New Orleans-style jazz, then you're sure to get a kick out of this live performance by the German band the Jazz O'Maniacs. The concert was part of an annual Beiderbecke tribute series and is full of fun, spirited performances of such classic material as "Gully Low Blues," "Georgia Bobo" and "Drop That Sack." (RA) |
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| ROCK/POP |
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| Title: |
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At the End of Paths Taken |
| Label: |
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Zoe
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Artist:
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Cowboy Junkies |
| ISBN: |
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9786311049266 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00601143109720 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD011 4310972 |
| Cat.#: |
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01143-1097-2 |
| Genre: |
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Popular Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Michael, Margo, and Peter Timmons, siblings known as the Cowboy Junkies, are one of the most thoughtful and literary bands working today. Their eleventh studio album is a thematic examination of the mysterious ways that familial relationships grow and endure, dissipate and wither. Ranging from electric blues to intricate, string-sextet enhanced ballads, At the End of Paths Taken is a probing, intelligent, and musically satisfying treatise on family, inspired in part by the poetry of Seamus Heaney and Philip Larkin, as well as Joan Didion’s brilliant memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking. Highly recommended. (GH) |
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| $15.99 |
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| Title: |
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At My Age |
| Label: |
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Yep Roc (dist. Redeye)
|
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Artist:
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Nick Lowe |
| ISBN: |
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9786311250235 |
| ISBN-10: |
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|
| UPC: |
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00634457210226 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDREDEYEP2102 |
| Cat.#: |
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YEP-2102 |
| Genre: |
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Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Sure, Nick Lowe produced tons of punk and new wave records in his day, but his own work can be viewed as an ongoing treatise on perfecting the three minute pop song (including his only US hit, 1979’s “Cruel to Be Kind”). He’s no stranger to country music, either, and was once married to Carlene Carter, of the Cash/Carter clan. So it comes as no surprise that country and pop intermingle here, all presented with Lowe's trademark mixture of attitude and charm. The result's one polished and relaxed ditty after another. (GH)
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 |
| |
| $11.98 |
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| Title: |
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Learning to Crawl (Expanded Edition) |
| Label: |
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Rhino
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Artist:
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Pretenders |
| ISBN: |
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9786311184011 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
|
| UPC: |
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00081227999872 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRHIN101058 |
| Cat.#: |
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R2 101058 |
| Genre: |
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Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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|
| Comments: |
|
1984’s Learning to Crawl was the Pretenders’ third album, a tough tale of survival after the death of founding guitarist James Honeymoon-Scott. It features three of Chrissie Hynde’s most enduring tunes: “Middle of the Road” is a testament to maturity and compromise (“I’m not the cat I used to be/ I got a kid, I’m thirty-three"), “Back on the Chain Gang,” a eulogy to Honeymoon-Scott, still rings true as a powerful statement about endurance in the face of adversity, and “My City Was Gone,” a tough anti-Reagan anthem. This reissue also includes several demos and a live version of “My City Was Gone.” Fine stuff from one of the 1980s most memorable bands. (GH)
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| Title: |
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Live at Massey Hall |
| Label: |
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Warner/Reprise/Maverick
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Artist:
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Neil Young |
| ISBN: |
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9786310982441 |
| ISBN-10: |
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|
| UPC: |
|
00093624332824 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDWARN43328 |
| Cat.#: |
|
43328-2 |
| Genre: |
|
Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
The second installment in Young’s Archives Performance Series, this live CD from 1971 is an intimate acoustic set that captures Young at the brink of superstardom. Recorded between the release of 1970’s After the Goldrush (his third LP) and 1972’s chart-topping LP, Harvest, it’s just Young on acoustic guitar or piano, and features many of his best known songs: “Old Man,” “Helpless,” “Ohio,” “Needle and the Damage Done,” and the beautiful “A Man Needs A Maid/Heart of Gold Suite.” There are also a few rarer tracks, including “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Bad Fog of Loneliness.” The CD recording is pristine, the performance simply brilliant. This is a major work by one of the most popular musicians of our time. An alternate version also includes a DVD of the concert. Very highly recommended. (GH) |
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| |
| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Naughty, Bawdy & Blue |
| Label: |
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Stony Plain
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Artist:
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Maria Muldaur |
| ISBN: |
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9786311138205 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00772532131926 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSTON1319 |
| Cat.#: |
|
SPCD1319 |
| Genre: |
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Blues |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
This isn't Delta blues or Chicago blues, but rather the racy music-hall blues of the kind heard in unsavory jazz joints in the 1920s and 1930s; the arrangements evoke New Orleans more than anything else. Muldaur's voice is dark and smoky, aged to perfection and perfectly suited to these songs by the likes of Alberta Hunter, Sippie Wallace, Mamie Smith and Ma Rainey. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Reggae Hit L.A. |
| Label: |
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Hellcat
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Artist:
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Aggrolites |
| ISBN: |
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9786311187036 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
|
| UPC: |
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00045778049721 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDHLCT80497 |
| Cat.#: |
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| Genre: |
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Rock, Alternative Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Punk and reggae have had a kissing-cousin relationship since the earliest days of the UK punk scene, and many punk bands have openly acknowledged reggae's influence on their sound and attitude. But never has a band simultaneously cultivated such a hardcore punk image and such a strictly traditional reggae (actually, rock steady) sound as the Aggrolites do. They write and play music that harks back explicitly to the glory days of the Upsetters and the Heptones while dressing and scowling like members of Minor Threat. Ultimately what matters is the music itself, of course, and it's a hard-skanking joy. If you mourn the passing of the Black Ark, then pick this one up and take heart. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Are You Listening? |
| Label: |
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Sanctuary
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Artist:
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Dolores O'Riordan |
| ISBN: |
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9786311114391 |
| ISBN-10: |
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|
| UPC: |
|
00060768479524 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDSATY06076847954 |
| Cat.#: |
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06076-84795-2 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
On her long-awaited solo debut (the Cranberries split up in 2001), singer Dolores O'Riordan explores some sounds and styles that would never have passed muster with her former band: a tin whistle here, an aggressive rhythm loop there, metal guitars elsewhere. Her full-throated vocals still evoke Sinead O'Connor in mostly good ways, and her expanded stylistic range bodes well for her future. Here's hoping it doesn't take another six years for her to follow it up. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Rubinoos |
| Label: |
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Castle/Sanctuary
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Artist:
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Rubinoos |
| ISBN: |
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9786311210857 |
| ISBN-10: |
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|
| UPC: |
|
00021823628127 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCSLM236281 |
| Cat.#: |
|
CMETD 1431 |
| Genre: |
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Rock |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (3-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
Snicker if you want, but the fact is that the seventies were not a completely worthless era in pop music. Exhibit #1 for the defense: the Rubinoos, whose tight and tuneful songs were both shameless candy-coated pop music and also perfect examples of disciplined, carefully-crafted songcraft. This is the kind of music people pretend they don't like because they're afraid they'll be considered uncool. And that's what makes them uncool. Essential for all pop collections. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Prins Thomas Presents Cosmo Galactic Prism |
| Label: |
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Eskimo (dist. Forced Exposure)
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Artist:
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Prins Thomas |
| ISBN: |
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9786311280089 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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05414165017240 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDESKM501724 |
| Cat.#: |
|
ESK 501724 |
| Genre: |
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Electronica |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
OK, ask yourself this: how many DJs or remix artists are going to bring Hawkwind, Parliament, the Boards of Canada, and Holger Czukay together on a single mix program? Oh, and also Bob James. Bob James, baby! This is why we love Norwegian DJ Prins Thomas, and this is why every library ought to own this funky-fresh space-disco set. (RA) |
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| WORLD/ETHNIC |
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| Title: |
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Na Afriki |
| Label: |
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Cumbancha
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Artist:
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Dobet Gnahore |
| ISBN: |
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9786311217672 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00890846001046 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCUMH4 |
| Cat.#: |
|
CMB-CD-4 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Some of the most exciting music to come out of Africa in recent years is coming from the Cote d'Ivoire, and some of the best of that music is coming out of the mouth of Dobet Gnahore. By turns funky, delicate, forward-looking and tradition-minded, the songs on this disc are sumptuously beautiful and irresistibly danceable. Highly recommended to all world music collections. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Queens & Kings |
| Label: |
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Asphalt Tango (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
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Artist:
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Fanfare Ciocarlia |
| ISBN: |
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9786311105511 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
|
04015698138924 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDHMD ATR1207 |
| Cat.#: |
|
CD-ATR 1207 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
There has been a steadily increasing interest in the brass band music of Romany (Gypsy) culture in recent years -- one indicator is the fact that when Sacha Baron Cohen wanted a version of "Born to Be Wild" for his hit film Borat, he turned to Fanfare Ciocarlia. That track is included here, along with 13 other equally frantic, funky and intoxicating tunes. The blend of Spanish, Eastern European, Middle Eastern and (I swear) Mariachi sonorities is wild and refreshing, and may be unlike anything you've ever heard. Every library should own this disc. (RA) |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Palace Lounge Presents: Cafe D'Afrique, Vol.3 |
| Label: |
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Savoy Jazz
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Artist:
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Various Artists |
| ISBN: |
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9786311250112 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00795041764720 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSVY 17647 |
| Cat.#: |
|
SVY 17647 |
| Genre: |
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Dance/World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
|
Thanks to the wonders of the electronic information age, dance music has become so internationalized that it's almost silly to offer a compilation of "chilled beats from the Cape of Good Hope" -- what difference does it make where the chilled beats are from anymore? Well, it still makes some difference, and there are hints of African provenance hidden within these groovy electronic textures that go well beyond the various languages in which the lyrics are sung. See if you can tease them out -- it's pretty fun. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Songs Of Survival: Traditional Music Of Georgia |
| Label: |
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Topic
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Artist:
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Various Artists |
| ISBN: |
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9786311186688 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
|
00714822093521 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDTOPI935 |
| Cat.#: |
|
TSCD 935D |
| Genre: |
|
World Music |
| Release type: |
|
New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
|
That's "Georgia" as in the former Soviet state, not the current U.S. state. And this budget-priced two-disc set is a wonderful celebration of the traditional music of the region, focusing on the reedy, three-part vocal harmony songs that are at its heart. Imagine something similar to the Bulgarian choral music that was briefly but intensely popular about 15 years ago, only on a more intimate scale. There are those who claim that the Georgians are the most musical people on earth, and you may agree after listening to these stunning discs. (RA) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Lagos No Shaking |
| Label: |
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Astralwerks/Honest Jons
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Artist:
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Tony Allen |
| ISBN: |
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9786310198309 |
| ISBN-10: |
|
|
| UPC: |
|
00094635132229 |
| Prod.#: |
|
BECDATWR51322 |
| Cat.#: |
|
|
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
|
New |
| Comments: |
|
Tony Allen was the drummer in Fela Ransome Kuti's Africa '70 band, and thus he was one of the architects of the style known as Afrobeat. This album was recorded in Nigeria in 2005 with a combination of older and younger musicians, mixed in Berlin by Moritz von Oswald of dub-techno group Rhythm & Sound, and the quality of the music is matched by the clarity of the sound. This style of music has been out of fashion for a few decades now, but here it sounds as fresh as ever. (SA) |
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© CD HotList 2004 |
