Alleycat / Direct Hits - Nucleus

Ian Carr had by 1976 fully established his jazz rock adventure with Nucleus and Alleycat is a great example of the concept. Subtle, ingenious, with an ever flowing funk underfloor, the multi layered structure of solos and conversations from the instrumentalists make this a real Amazon. Direct Hits presents the history of the group from 1970 in an ever sliding perspective of gold glimpsed in that exotic jungle.

Waka/Jawaka - Frank Zappa

Frank tackles jazz fusion, wrestles with the studio, plumbs in the originality and eccentricity reaches towards those perfect stars!!

Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan

Love and blues, the chameleon folks it on the road to rock, some unique writing and production alongside those adhoc off the cuff laughing rockabilly moments. Maps the music of a vast territory and comes out singing.

The Promise - John McLaughlin

This garden has flowers of many species from lotus to rose and then onto the real jungle growth. The vegatation is pure and diverse, the garden path an explorers dream challenge. John conducts the world with his cultural friends.

The Look of Love - Diana Krall

The arrangers art brings Miss Krall to this sweet haven, but she brings the edge, dynamic and contrasts of a true jazz addict.

Real Emotional - Curtis Stigers

This guy loves jazz and likes to get caught up in the notes and textures of the song. He plays around with the heart of the piece and hits home with a cowboy's aim.

My Flame Burns Blue - Elvis Costello

EC sings this angular jazz/blues/rock adventure in front of the power string section of a great jazz ensemble, the Metropole. Nice selection of songs, great live recording. Soulful but never abstract.

Dylanesque - Bryan Ferry

Ferry delves into the sockets of these Bob Dylan songs and finds truth and romance by reconstructing the bones and tendons with a touch of Roxy magic.

Fusion for Miles: A Guitar Tribute - Various/Jeff Richman

The jewels from Miles fusion experiments arranged for ten great guests guitarists including Mike Stern, Bill Frisell, Bill Connors, and Pat Martin. Soaring solos on the fretboard of jazzy dreams.

The Inner Mounting Flame - Mahavishnu Orchestra With John McLaughlin

The flame burns bright, the spirits are alight for this groundbreaking fusion feast. Universal magic!

Brown Street - Joe Zawinul

Joe leads a stellar group of weather report alumni into the cauldron of new arrangments of WR classics with the WDR Big Band. The music sparkles with fresh inspiration, delicate thunder and moving rain. Goes down a storm.

Industrial Zen - John McLaughlin

The spritual maze of innocence and experience, abstract journeys and views from the highests peaks. John assembles a host of partners for these explorations of past and future, spirit and flesh. Sublime.

Heavy Machinery - Anders Johansson, Jens Johanssen & Allan Holdsworth

A trio of delights with those rich fusion riffs exchanging between Allan on guitar and Jens keyboards with Anders the key sonic beat keeper. Fine machinery indeed.

The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers - Jack DeJohnette

Jack explores the rythms of jazz and beyond with Bill Frissell on guitar. The drums and percussion up front, angular, powerful and intelligent, the pulse of truth is out here.

Some Skunk Funk - Randy Brecker

Randy and brother Michael breathe with the fire of the WDR Big Band and relive their funk years in this live extravaganza from 2003.

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975 - The Rolling Thunder Revue - Bob Dylan

Bob leads a stellar group of Greenwich village refugees across New England and beyond. The circus rolls into town, sets up in small town theatres, produces live mercury music captured on tape which is stored for years then eventually released. Live magic, the age of folk rock spins on.

SOULTRANE - JOHN COLTRANE

This poet of the tenor sax walks tall with this late 1950's collection of exquisite small group settings of standards. The sound is tough, rigorous with a touch of romance.

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

On this jazz touchstone from the studio, the instruments sing modern and timeless, strenghth and culture, the colour of this music is not just blue but rainbow.

Today - Skip James

Skip's falsetto delivery and sharp lyrics provide a unique flavour of southern blues.

Abraxas - Santana

This jazz rock soup is magic, exotic, eclectic, a cut through the layers to the dream music.

Pure and pulsating rhythmic joy, the dance goes on, the guitar drifts across the world.