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July 2009
Look for "Rick's Pick" 
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| CLASSICAL |
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| $20.98 |
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| Title: |
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Sonatas for cello and basso continuo, op. 1 |
| Label: |
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Dynamic (dist. Qualiton)
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Composer:
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Pietro Gaetano Boni |
| Performer: |
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Andrea Fossa; various accompanists |
| ISBN: |
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9786312741459 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754012793 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDDYNA584 |
| Cat.#: |
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CDS 584 |
| Period: |
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Baroque |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Boni is not a very well known baroque composer -- in fact, this recording is a world premiere. Boni, a cellist himself, worked in Rome in the last part of the 17th century and knew Corelli whose influence can be heard in these sonatas. The melancholy and quiet brooding of the cello is emphasized rather than the brilliant, almost regal flavor heard in Corelli. An excellent recording for baroque lovers and scholars. Recommended for research collections. (MJB) |
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| $20.98 |
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| Title: |
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Pontinen plays Szymanowski |
| Label: |
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Bis
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Composer:
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Karol Szymanowski |
| Performer: |
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Roland Pontinen |
| ISBN: |
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9786312737261 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754013158 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDBIS 1137 |
| Cat.#: |
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BIS-CD-1137 |
| 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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Szymanowski is to Poland what Bartok is to Hungary. His sound and style are far from nationalistic, however. Delicate and sweeping arpeggiations as in Ravel, harsh dissonances and percussiveness as in Bartok, and even bombastic fullness as in Rachmaninoff can all be found in Szymanowski's piano music. The amalgam of influences comes together in a unique melodic style and harmonic language. Contained on this recording are the Sonata no. 3 op. 26; Masques, op. 34; Metopes, op. 29; and five Mazurkas. Recommended for research collections. (MJB) |
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| Title: |
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String Quartets (Anthology, vol. 1) |
| Label: |
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Accent (dist. Qualiton)
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Composer:
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Franz Joseph Haydn |
| Performer: |
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Schuppanzigh Quartet |
| ISBN: |
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9786312788676 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754014032 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDACCE24197 |
| Cat.#: |
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ACC 24197 |
| Period: |
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Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This is not just a run-of-the-mill recording of Haydn quartets. The performances of these three string quartets are stunning. The Schuppanzigh Quartet (playing period instruments) delivers captivating renditions of op. 9, no. 6 in A major, op. 74, no. 1 in C major, and op. 50, no. 6 in D major (The Frog). Because these are relatively little-known quartets from Haydn's massive oeuvre, their artistic beauty, clarity, and balance are all the more noticeable. It is extremely uplifting to hear Haydn quartets played with such conviction, musicality, and love. Recommended for all collections. (MJB) |
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| Title: |
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Orban: Magnificat; Toth: Hymnus de Magna Hungariae Regina; Kodaly: My Heart Aches; Kallo double dance |
| Label: |
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Hungaroton (dist. Qualiton)
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Composer:
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Gyorgy Orban/ Peter Toth/ Zoltan Kodaly |
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Ildiko Cserna; Andrea Melath; Bela Bartok Choir and University Orchestra of Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest / Gabor Baross |
| ISBN: |
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9786312790969 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754013950 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDHUGR32571 |
| Cat.#: |
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HCD 32571 |
| 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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Orban's Magnificat is the longest piece on this enjoyable set of Hungarian choral pieces. What is most striking about it is how unashamedly tonal it is -- if the listener weren't reminded occasionally through the instrumentation or sonorities, one would assume it a piece from an earlier century. The soloists and choir bring all the pieces on this recording an intensity and enjoyment that cannot possibly be lost on the listener. Highly recommended for all collections. (MJB) |
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| $35.96 |
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| Title: |
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Six sonatas for violin alone by J.S. Bach with piano accompaniment by R. Schumann. |
| Label: |
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Centaur
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Composer:
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Johann Sebastian Bach; Robert Schumann |
| Performer: |
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Haroutune Bedelian; Lorna Griffit |
| ISBN: |
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9786312790846 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00044747290423 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCENT2904 |
| Cat.#: |
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CRC 2904/2905 |
| Period: |
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Baroque |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Written at a time when interest in Bach's music by the public was being spurred on by Mendelssohn and others, these nineteenth-century oddities were written by Schumann who was trying to get them published. The publisher felt that piano accompaniment would make them more palatable to the public. Schumann, who probably saw them for the masterworks that they are, didn't want the Bach violin sonatas to be lost forever, so he wrote a new accompaniment in order to get them published. As a music lover, I'm glad he did but I prefer my Bach sonatas and partitas for solo violin. Great for use in music history courses and for research. Recommended mainly for research collections. (MJB) |
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| Title: |
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Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano |
| Label: |
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Istituto Discografia Italiano (dist. Qualiton)
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Composer:
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Ludwig van Beethoven |
| Performer: |
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Jascha Heifetz; Emanuel Bay; Benno Moisewitsch |
| ISBN: |
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9786312741640 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754012847 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDIDIR6560 |
| Cat.#: |
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IDIS 6560/62 |
| Period: |
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Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical Music |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (3-discs) |
| Comments: |
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This three-disc set features studio recordings made between 1947 and 1952. Unfortunately, these recordings have a lot of hiss and "tin can" sound but the clarity is fairly good. Even with the limited sound quality, the exceptional mastery of Heifetz can be heard. Recommended for all collections especially those supporting the study of violin. (MJB) |
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| Title: |
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Sonate da Camera, Volume 1 |
| Label: |
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Atma (dist. Naxos)
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Composer:
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Johann Gottlieb Janitsch |
| Performer: |
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Notturna |
| ISBN: |
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9786312951827 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00722056259323 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDATMA2593 |
| Cat.#: |
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ACD2 2593 |
| 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 quadro sonatas, several of them in world-premiere recordings, by the relatively obscure composer J.G. Janitsch of the court of Frederick the Great. The pieces all prominently feature the oboe, and the playing by the Notturna chamber ensemble (on period instruments, led by the excellent baroque oboist Christopher Palameta) is excellent. Even if the music itself were less significant than it is, the quality of both the music and the playing would be enough to strongly recommend this disc to all classical collections. (RA) |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Santa Cecilia |
| Label: |
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Virgin Classics
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Composer:
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Henry Purcell; George Frideric Handel; Franz Joseph Haydn |
| Performer: |
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Various Performers |
| ISBN: |
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9786312933359 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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05099926635620 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDVIRG66356 |
| Cat.#: |
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266356 2 |
| Period: |
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Baroque/Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (3-discs) |
| Comments: |
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This is an unusual but certainly attractive (especially at super-budget price) compilation. It consists of three previously-released programs featuring the Taverner Consort, the Choir of King's College, and the Chorus and Orchestra of the Gulbenkian Foundation under various conductors, all performing works by Purcell, Handel and Haydn dedicated to the patron saint of music. Featured works include Purcell's ode Hail! Bright Cecilia, Handel's oratorio Alexander's Feast, and Haydn's Missa "Sancta Caeciliae". The performances are all excellent, especially of the Purcell (which prominently features the wonderful soprano Emma Kirkby). Many libraries will already own much of this content, but those that don't would be well advised to snap it up at this excellent price. (RA) |
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| $16.99 |
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| Title: |
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Fesca: Flute Quartets |
| Label: |
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CPO
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Composer:
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Friedrich Ernst Fesca |
| Performer: |
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Linos Ensemble |
| ISBN: |
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9786312877745 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00761203712625 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCPO 777126 |
| Cat.#: |
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777 126-2 |
| Period: |
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Classical |
| Genre: |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Although he was more famous as a violinist than as a composer in his time, and although today his string quartets are more remembered than the remainder of his output, Friedrich Ernst Fesca's flute quartets are quite lovely and receive loving interpretations here by the very fine Linos Ensemble (playing modern instruments). In these pieces you can hear the classical period beginning to be gently ushered out to make way for the romantic impulses of the new century, but the familiar structures and patterns are still in place and the overall impression is one of graciousness and controlled yet real emotion. Very nice. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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The Last Gambist: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba |
| Label: |
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Christophorus
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Composer:
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Franz Xaver Hammer |
| Performer: |
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Hamburger Ratsmusik; Simone Eckert |
| ISBN: |
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9786312900023 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00675754015411 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCRSE77303 |
| Cat.#: |
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CHR 77303 |
| Period: |
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Baroque/Classical |
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Classical |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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I confess that it came as something of a shock to me when I learned that music for the viola da gamba was still being written as late as the turn of the 19th century. In fact, by this point the instrument was quickly losing its cachet and very little was still being written for it -- hence the title of this wonderful album of chamber works by Franz Xaver Hammer (plus one sonata by Carl Abel). Gambist Simone Eckert leads a very fine trio here and the music is absolutely wonderful -- strange as it is to hear these high-classical ideas being expressed on such an ancient instrument, the sound is strangely perfect and makes one sad that the viola da gamba fell out of favor at just the moment it did. (RA) |
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| COUNTRY/FOLK |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Sweetheart Like You |
| Label: |
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Red House
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Artist:
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Guy Davis |
| ISBN: |
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9786312753322 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00033651021124 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDREDH211 |
| Cat.#: |
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RHR-CD-211 |
| Genre: |
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Blues |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Another release by this torchbearer for acoustic blues and other early African American styles is something to celebrate. Here Davis mixes originals with updates of classic songs by Lead Belly and others to give us a rich stew of acoustic stylings. His voice has become gruff with age, but that only adds flavor in this genre. Far from being hidebound, Davis plays with the songs and includes contemporary sounds while still being faithful to tradition. He even does a Dylan cover, the title track. His fine voice, guitar and harmonica playing make this another enjoyable addition to his catalog. (JW) |
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| Title: |
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Song Up In Her Head |
| Label: |
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Sugar Hill
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Artist:
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Sarah Jarosz |
| ISBN: |
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9786312991793 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00015891404929 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSUGA14049 |
| Cat.#: |
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SH-CD-4049 |
| Genre: |
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Folk Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This debut album from eighteen-year-old Sarah Jarosz is one of the most impressive first efforts I've heard in years, from an artist of any age. Equally gifted as a singer, instrumentalist and songwriter, she also demonstrates excellent arranging skills and impeccable taste in covers. Her songs are often tinged with a strange poignancy, and sometimes sound uncannily ancient. Hand-sell this one to patrons whose taste you know to be especially good. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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Head Of Steam |
| Label: |
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Topic Records
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Artist:
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Brass Monkey |
| ISBN: |
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9786312840985 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00714822057523 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDTOPI575 |
| Cat.#: |
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TSCD575 |
| Genre: |
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Folk Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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British folk superstars Martin Carthy (guitars) and John Kirkpatrick (accordion & concertina) and three brass players keep the British brass band tradition very much alive on this spirited collection. The tunes are gathered from Cecil Sharp and other collectors, with wonderful annotations by Carthy and Kirkpatrick. Dance numbers and sea tunes (“The Press Gang,” “The Loss of the Ramillies,” “The Death of Nelson”) dominate the set. Great fun and remarkable musicianship bring tradition to life. Hats off to this fine band! Highly recommended. (GH) |
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| Title: |
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Doors & Windows |
| Label: |
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Compass
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Artist:
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Bearfoot |
| ISBN: |
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9786312873334 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00766397450421 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCOMS974504 |
| Cat.#: |
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7 4504 2 |
| Genre: |
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Bluegrass |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Bearfoot expands the boundaries of bluegrass music in particularly rewarding ways, not only taking traditional material and giving it new energy but also writing new songs that are unabashedly poppy and delivering them just that way, but with acoustic instrumentation. Add in some well-chosen covers by the likes of John Hiatt and the Beatles,some very lovely singing, and unimpeachable chops, and you've get an exceptionally satisfying album. (RA) |
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| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Way Up on a Mountain |
| Label: |
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Rebel
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Artist:
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Spring Creek |
| ISBN: |
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9786312916895 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00032511183224 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDREBE111832 |
| Cat.#: |
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REB-CD-1832 |
| Genre: |
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Bluegrass |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Spring Creek is a Colorado-based bluegrass band that’s steeped in tradition, yet confident enough to fill their album with a fine set of strong, original songs. Songwriting and singing credits are evenly split across the talented members of this quartet, and they even toss in two fine instrumentals. A great, young bluegrass band that’s worth keeping an eye on. (GH) |
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| $14.98 |
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| Title: |
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Around the Well |
| Label: |
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Sub Pop
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Artist:
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Iron & Wine |
| ISBN: |
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9786312908760 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00098787080827 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSUBP70808 |
| Cat.#: |
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SP808 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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Compilation (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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It used to be that an artist released an odds & sods collection only after a long and varied recording career, but songwriter Sam Beam has released just three albums under his Iron & Wine brand name, plus one excellent collaboration with Calexico (In the Reins). Around the Well begins with a CD of home demos, which are nice but tend to reveal the sameyness of Beam’s hushed voice-plus-a-couple-of-acoustic-instruments approach to recording. The second CD of studio recordings sounds better and is a little more varied, but so much material in one place has the effect of emphasizing the artist's limited sonic palette. A terrific songwriter, but let’s hope this collection represents a breather preceding a growth spurt. (SA) |
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The Crow: New Songs for The Five-String Banjo |
| Label: |
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Rounder
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Artist:
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Steve Martin |
| ISBN: |
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9786312924753 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00011661064720 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECD116 6106472 |
| Cat.#: |
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11661-0647-2 |
| Genre: |
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Bluegrass |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Everyone knows that Steve Martin is a very funny guy. Lots of people know that he's also a very accomplished five-string banjo player. Relatively few people know that he's a gifted composer of bluegrass and old-time tunes, but hopefully this album (which also features guest virtuosos Earl Scruggs, Tony Trischka, and Pete Wernick, along with other country-music luminaries) will remedy that. The vocal songs are good, but the instrumental numbers are terrific. Expect demand from anyone who saw him perform "Daddy Played the Banjo" and "Late for School" on Saturday Night Live recently (and that's a lot of people, by the way). (RA) |
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| JAZZ |
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| Title: |
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Quake |
| Label: |
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Sunnyside Records
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Artist:
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Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra |
| ISBN: |
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9786312721444 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00016728120524 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSSCI281205 |
| Cat.#: |
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SSC 1205 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Pianist Holober more than ably leads a 17-piece band through a batch of excellent originals and two pop tunes, “Here Comes the Sun,” and “Ruby Tuesday.” With complex arrangements that make repeated listening a new experience each time, the group still swings beautifully, but in an understated way. The piano is less out front than you’d expect, with more than half the band soloing at one point or another. Standouts include Scott Wendholt on trumpet, and Dave Pietro, alto sax. The gorgeous textures, extended soloing, and fascinating twists and turns make this a highly enjoyable recording. (JW) |
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| Title: |
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One Steady Roll |
| Label: |
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Delmark
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Artist:
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Garvin Bushell |
| ISBN: |
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9786312866176 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00038153025021 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDDELM0250 |
| Cat.#: |
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DE 250 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This one is a real treasure. Bushell, a major figure in jazz history, recorded this session in 1982 at the age of 81, but you wouldn’t know it from his playing. A sideman to almost everyone from Mamie Smith to John Coltrane, he was one of the premiere clarinetists of traditional jazz and swing. Here, backed by Richard Hadlock on soprano sax and several other musicians, he sounds remarkable on a set of eleven tunes. The interweaving of clarinet and sax is a treat, and the piano work by Ray Skjelbred is beautiful. This album is for anyone who loves traditional jazz. (JW) |
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| $12.97 |
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| Title: |
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Saxolollapalooza |
| Label: |
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Cacophony, Inc.
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Artist:
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Frank Macchia |
| UPC: |
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647970140222 |
| Cat.#: |
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FMC514 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This fascinating project by Grammy-nominated saxophonist/composer Macchia features music arranged for a septet of six woodwinds and the great drummer Peter Erskine. Typically scored for two tenor saxes, two alto saxes, baritone sax, and bass sax, with some mixing in of clarinets, flutes, and soprano saxes to sweeten things up, this impressive septet roars through tunes by Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington, while adding a rich depth to fine readings of such traditional material as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Shortening Bread.” Sax fans will love it. Recommended. (GH) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Stomp! The Blues Tonight |
| Label: |
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Stony Plain
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Artist:
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Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Revue |
| ISBN: |
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9786312969532 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00772532134224 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSTON321342 |
| Cat.#: |
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SPCD1342 |
| Genre: |
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Jump Blues |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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There aren't very many guitarists or bandleaders out there as fully qualified as Duke Robillard to put together an album like this one, replete as it is with classic jump blues and jazzy pop fare penned by the likes of Ike Turner, Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Helen Humes. Duke's guitar playing is tastefully brilliant as always, and his more workmanlike vocals are nicely counterbalanced by the more elegant stylings of Sunny Crownover. Maybe not essential to every collection, but surely great fun. (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Some Other Time |
| Label: |
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Sunnyside
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Artist:
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Greg Reitan |
| ISBN: |
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9786312645979 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00016728120128 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDSSCI281201 |
| Cat.#: |
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SSC 1201 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This piano trio, with Jack Daro on bass and Dean Koba on drums, has a light and sparkling feel. Combining six originals with jazz and pop standards by Porter, Coltrane and others in post bop style, the piano stands out through most of the set. Reitan displays his virtuosity well, with extensive solos and impressive flourishes, while leaving room for Daro to extend himself on bass. A darker, more insistent feel is achieved on Lennon & McCartney’s “Dear Prudence,” with Daro’s work combined with Reitan’s left hand. A fine debut album. (JW) |
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| $15.98 |
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| Title: |
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Bobby Broom Plays For Monk |
| Label: |
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Origin
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Artist:
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Bobby Broom |
| ISBN: |
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9786312908074 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00805558253423 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDORGN82534 |
| Cat.#: |
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82534 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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It's always interesting to hear a guitarist take on the strange and brilliant compositions of pianist Thelonious Monk, and from the very beginning of this program Broom takes these familiar pieces and makes them his own -- with respect and love, but with firm authority. He's particularly good with the ballads, which are often overshadowed by the more popular uptempo numbers but remain some of the prettiest in the jazz repertoire. (RA) |
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| $18.98 |
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| Title: |
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Until I Met You |
| Label: |
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Telarc Jazz
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Artist:
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Melissa Morgan |
| ISBN: |
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9786312849025 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00089408368424 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDTELA83684 |
| Cat.#: |
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CD-83684 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
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Her vocal style is a little bit mannered for my taste, but there's no questioning Melissa Morgan's technical chops and she also gets points for harking back as lovingly and explicitly as she does to her vocal forebears -- Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, even Billie Holiday (always a dangerous point of reference for modern singers). The program is an attractive mixture of familiar and obscure tunes, and her backing combo is spectacular. Recommended. (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Off the Cuff |
| Label: |
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Owlstudios.com (dist. Allegro)
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Artist:
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Rick Germanson Trio |
| ISBN: |
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9786312972808 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00879076060146 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDOWLS127 |
| Cat.#: |
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OWL00127 |
| Genre: |
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Jazz |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Pianist Rick Germanson has had a solid career as a sideman for over a decade, but in recent years has also emerged as an impressive leader. His third album in that role finds him working in a trio format with bassist Gerald Cannon and the great drummer Louis Hayes, delivering a solidly swinging program of originals and standards. You'll hear hints of Bill Evans in the ballads and of Bud Powell in the boppish, uptempo numbers, but it quickly emerges that Germanson is fully his own man with his own powerful sense of phrasing and swing, not to mention a very impressive compositional talent. For all jazz collections. (RA) |
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| ROCK/POP |
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| $13.98 |
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| Title: |
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Dracula Boots |
| Label: |
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In The Red (dist. Revolver)
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Artist:
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Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds |
| ISBN: |
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9786312760702 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00759718516623 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDITRD166 |
| Cat.#: |
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ITR 166 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Kid Congo Powers used to play guitar with the Gun Club, the Cramps, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, so already you have some idea of what to expect: swampy, somewhat psychedelic, titillatingly creepy grooves with a lo-fi aesthetic. Recorded in a high school gym, Dracula Boots sounds like it could have been made at any time in the past 60 years and includes covers of vintage songs by Thee Midniters and Bo Diddley, in amongst original tunes that could also have been written by those artists if they were on drugs and/or criminally insane. I don't know whether this all adds up to a recommendation or not, but you do. (RA) |
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| $13.98 |
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| Title: |
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Drift |
| Label: |
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Alpha Pup (dist. Allegro)
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Artist:
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Nosaj Thing |
| ISBN: |
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9786312975755 |
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| UPC: |
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00669158402526 |
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BECDSPHA25 |
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APR-025 |
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Electronica |
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New |
| Comments: |
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The debut from Nosaj Thing doesn't fit any very clear categories, so it tends to get lumped into "instrumental hip hop." That seems to mean "funky instrumental grooves, largely generated electronically." What makes the grooves both fun and exciting is the way that they don't challenge your ear until you start listening hard -- if you want, you can just let them gently and pleasantly bump you around for a while, but if you choose to give them your serious attention you'll hear all kinds of interesting layers and cross-rhythms going on. For all adventurous pop collections. (RA) |
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| Title: |
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What Have You Done, My Brother? |
| Label: |
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Daptone (dist. Redeye)
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Artist:
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Shelton, Naomi &The Gospel Queens |
| ISBN: |
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9786312925354 |
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| UPC: |
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00823134001626 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDDPTN016 |
| Cat.#: |
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DAP-016 |
| Genre: |
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Gospel |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Everything about this album -- from the vintage-style packaging to the vintage-style singing and playing to the vintage-style live-to-8-track sound quality -- conspires to make this album feel like a reissue from the late 1960s or early 1970s. But it isn't, not that any of that matters. What matter are Naomi Shelton's powerful voice, her audible charisma, the quality of the songs and the sharp, spare funky power of her backing band (and singers). Gospel music simply doesn't get much better than this. (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Midnight Blues |
| Label: |
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Blind Pig
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Artist:
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Magic Slim & The Teardrops |
| ISBN: |
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9786312410737 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00019148512528 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDBLPG485125 |
| Cat.#: |
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BPCD 5125 |
| Genre: |
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Blues |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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It may be midnight, but Magic Slim is far from alone on his latest release. One of the last remaining Chicago bluesmen to actually come from Mississippi, Slim has been a fixture on the scene since the 1960s. His sound hasn’t changed much, with his gritty slide guitar work and powerful vocals dominating throughout. He and his band are joined this time by a gaggle of guests, including James Cotton, Elvin Bishop, and Otis Clay, who provide touches of country and soul for variety. This is another notch in his guitar, and a good addition to his consistently excellent list of albums. (JW) |
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| $14.99 |
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| Title: |
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Veckatimest |
| Label: |
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Warp (dist. Redeye)
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Artist:
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Grizzly Bear |
| ISBN: |
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9786312925484 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00801061018221 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDWPRC0182 |
| Cat.#: |
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WARPCD182 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Here’s one for fans of the Fleet Foxes’ psychedelic folk. Grizzly Bear’s latest album is full of dreamy echoes. On “I Live With You,” the eerie echoes come from Brooklyn Youth Choir as the song slowly builds to cacophony. Quivering and harmonious vocals are at their Beach Boys best on “Two Weeks” despite distracting sound effects. (MC) |
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| $12.98 |
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| Title: |
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Manners |
| Label: |
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Columbia/Red
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Artist:
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Passion Pit |
| ISBN: |
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9786312931737 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00886974388623 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCMBA88697438862 |
| Cat.#: |
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FK038 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Passion Pit’s full-length follow-up to their debut EP is dominated by ‘80s-style synthesizers, and leader Michael Angelakos’ falsetto contributes to a particularly bright and shiny indie-pop sound. “Sleepyhead” sounds like it features magical fairies. Unlike typical dance music, a genre known for throwaway lyrics, Passion Pit's music is more in the vein of New Order: danceable tunes where as much care is given to the lyrical content as to the beats. (MC) |
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| $13.99 |
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| Title: |
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Rose City |
| Label: |
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Barsuk (dist. Redeye)
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Artist:
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Viva Voce |
| ISBN: |
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9786312925347 |
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| UPC: |
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00655173108727 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDBARS087 |
| Cat.#: |
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bark87 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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This wife/husband vocal/instrumental duo, whose earlier records were characterized by a charming blend of jangling, gauzy guitar layers and irresistible indie pop melodies with hints of country, psychedelia, and stoner rock, are back. They threw “everything and the kitchen sink” into past recordings to often great effect. Here they have pared it down and the result is their best album to date and they make it sound effortless. This is a grower and a keeper. (TWB) |
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| $17.98 |
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| Title: |
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Live 1969 |
| Label: |
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Sony Legacy
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Artist:
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Simon & Garfunkel |
| ISBN: |
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9786312847700 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00886974130628 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCOLM41306 |
| Cat.#: |
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88697 41306 2 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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Live 1969 documents the final S&G concert tour before the duo split up in 1970. Compiled from several different concerts, the song list features many of their most popular tunes (“The Boxer,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “I Am A Rock,” “The Sound of Silence,”), and serves as an end-of-career swan song, of sorts. The harmonies are what you’d expect from this legendary vocal team, the arrangements range from acoustic duets to a full band backing. It’s a fine addition to their catalog. (GH) |
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| $14.98 |
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| Title: |
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Let's Stay Together |
| Label: |
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Fat Possum (dist. Red)
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Artist:
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Al Green |
| ISBN: |
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9786312847359 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00767981113722 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDFTPS1137 |
| Cat.#: |
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1137-2 |
| Genre: |
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Soul |
| Release type: |
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Reissue |
| Comments: |
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Al Green’s music has been available to music lovers pretty much continuously since his early 70s heyday. There have been a few different box-set compilations, and of course greatest hits collections will satisfy most listeners. But now Mississippi blues label Fat Possum has licensed the Hi Records catalog, and they are reissuing remastered versions of Green’s original albums. The hits are still supreme examples Memphis soul, but these albums prove that there was no great drop-off in quality once you get past the hits. Let’s Stay Together is named after Green’s biggest hit, and it contains his awesome reimagining of the Bee Gees’ "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" as well as other fine originals, but any of this first batch of albums – Call Me, Gets Next To You, I’m Still In Love With You, and yes the new Greatest Hits too -- can be recommended without reservation. (SA) |
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| Title: |
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Total Pop! Deluxe Box |
| Label: |
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Rhino
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Artist:
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Erasure |
| ISBN: |
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9786312836117 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00081227987237 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDRHIN518201 |
| Cat.#: |
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R2 518201 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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Boxed Set (4-discs) |
| Comments: |
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Erasure is one of those bands that is easy to forget, until you suddenly hear "Oh, l'Amour" or "Heavenly Action" and are forcibly reminded that they were one of the best synth-pop acts of all time. Let that realization drive you to this excellent boxed set, which features two CDs of their chart hits (with some nice remixes included) along with a third disc of live recordings and a fourth DVD of BBC television performances, most of them from the Top of the Pops program. The bound-in booklet is long on photos and short on text, but really, would you have it any other way? (RA) |
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| $16.98 |
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| Title: |
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Yours Truly, The Commuter |
| Label: |
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Anti
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Artist:
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Jason Lytle |
| ISBN: |
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9786312908302 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00045778701629 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDANTR87016 |
| Cat.#: |
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87016 |
| Genre: |
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Pop/Rock Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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The demise of Grandaddy was a tragic loss to the indie world (they could have been a case study for Steve Albini’s The Problem With Music). But mastermind Lytle is back with a record that sounds a lot like Grandaddy. His trademark hushed, melancholy, reverb-y melodies, distorted vintage synths and space rock atmospherics are alive and thriving here. His is a strange, intriguing world and musical mind, a rare one inhabited by the technological and sci-fi juxtaposed with the everyday and the natural world, not to mention the likes of Rachmaninov and other rich, textural music ranging from ELO and The Cars to Stravinsky. (TWB) |
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| WORLD/ETHNIC |
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| $13.98 |
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| Title: |
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Gal |
| Label: |
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Dusty Groove (dist. City Hall)
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Artist:
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Gal Costa |
| ISBN: |
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9786312931355 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00600753073506 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDDGRO3009 |
| Cat.#: |
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DGA 3009 |
| Genre: |
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Latin |
| Release type: |
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Reissue |
| Comments: |
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Thanks to the popularity of the Os Mutantes reissues, we’re seeing a glut of albums from late 60s/early 70s Brazil, when local traditions first collided with the psychedelic sounds being imported from the U.S. and the U.K. Gal Costa was a great singer, and here she’s performing material by the best songwriters of her time, like Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Jorge Ben. But on this, her second album, the kitchen sink production is a bit out of control, and the fuzz guitars and other groovy effects aren’t fully integrated with the indigenous sounds. It sounds like it was fun to make, and completists will appreciate its rerelease, but there are better examples of this style and time period. (SA) |
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| $28.98 |
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| Title: |
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Dub Echoes [CD/DVD] |
| Label: |
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Phantom Sound & Vision
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Artist:
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Various |
| ISBN: |
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9786312968979 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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05026328002019 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDPHAM1514938 |
| Cat.#: |
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SJRCD201 |
| Genre: |
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Dance, DJ |
| Release type: |
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Compilation (2-discs) |
| Comments: |
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The Soul Jazz label has already issued a DVD documentary with accompanying CD about dancehall (see CD Hotlist March 2009), and now they’ve done the same thing for dub. The great thing about this compilation is that is covers all of dub’s best eras non-chronologically – from original Jamaican productions from King Tubby and Lee Perry to the very latest U.K. dubstep sounds courtesy of Disrupt and Kode9/Spaceape, with artists like Roots Manuva and Dub Syndicate bridging the gap between the two scenes. Maybe the film makes the connections among these artists more explicit, but your ears will make their own connections. Not the best introduction to the style, but more like a high-quality exhibit curated by a DJ with great taste. (SA) |
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| $11.98 |
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| Title: |
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Economy Class |
| Label: |
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Northside
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Artist:
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Frigg |
| ISBN: |
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9786312488316 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00021561609525 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDNRTH616095 |
| Cat.#: |
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NSD 6095 |
| Genre: |
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World Music |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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The colorful orange booklet suggests that there’s bright music in here, and it does not mislead This high-energy Finnish/Norwegian acoustic group includes a four- (sometimes five-) violin attack accompanied by a variety of other instruments. Frigg is large -- each tune is played by 7-11 musicians, many named either Järvelä or Larsen -- so there’s plenty of family effort here. Mostly instrumental, two tracks include vocals, done by guest female group Kardemimmit. Styles range widely and jump around the world, from polkas to schottisches, and from Louisiana to Norway. This one is a lot of fun. (JW) |
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| Title: |
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Era Uma Vez um Jardim |
| Label: |
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Chant Du Monde (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
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Artist:
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Maria Teresa |
| ISBN: |
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9786312993070 |
| ISBN-10: |
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| UPC: |
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00794881919529 |
| Prod.#: |
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BECDCTDM2741734 |
| Cat.#: |
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274 1734 |
| Genre: |
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Fado |
| Release type: |
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New |
| Comments: |
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The Franco-Portuguese fadista Maria Teresa sings with a cool restraint that is somewhat unusual among adepts of the genre, which is generally characterized by smoldering (if controlled) intensity. Her voice is a thing of both dependable solidity and crystalline loveliness, and is a complete joy to hear. Highly recommended. (RA) |
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© CD HotList 2004 |
