This auspicious recording started out almost as an afterthought. Jimmy Smith was in the midst of making his excellent big-band album ANY NUMBER CAN WIN when he stepped into a couple of New York studios with old pal Kenny Burrell and a rhythm section to quickly cut the sides that became BLUE BASH. The air of spontaneity is certainly present here, as Burrell and Smith use the common language of the blues to move through a varied program.

''Farmers Market Barbecue'' represents the later period in Count Basie's career. Basie always maintained a firm grasp on his music; his concept never wavered or faltered when it came to good, down-home swing. Basie's music always contained elements of group interplay. In his later years, his music was much more highly arranged; however, an impromptu approach to jazz still pervaded his work. If spontaneity was the mark of the Kansas City days, lightheartedness permeated his later efforts. This is most clearly displayed on tracks such as "Lester Leaps In" and "Jumpin' at the Woodside." On the latter, the Count and his orchestra sustain a light and buoyant swing while still infusing the music with lively improvisations. Tenor saxophonists Kenny Hing and Eric Dixon trade choruses on these jazz anthems in a blithe and playful manner. Always able to breathe new life into classic repertoire, with ''Farmers Market Barbecue'' Basie proves that big band music is not just the sum total of the golden years of the late '30s and early '40s.

Beate Slettevoll Lech - vocal; Morten Halle - sax and flute; Jon Eberson - guitar; Bjorn Kjellemyr - bass; Pal Thowsen - drum; Rine Klakegg - piano; Rob Warning - vibrophone.

The title says it all - this is an absolutely dreamlike collection of tunes, both funky and straight ahead, written and performed by a masterful ivory tickler. After an illustrious career as mostly a sideman and/or musical director for R&B biggies like Anita Baker and Al Jarreau, this release established Lyle as a solo star, and rightfully so. Lyle's R&B background is more than apparent on the best of these eight cuts like Baker's "Been So Long," the funky "Loco-motion," and the airplay winner "Tropical."

After making a monumental comeback with their Death…The Brutal Way album last year, Asphyx are back – this time with their first official double live album Live Death Doom. Recorded in front of a sold out audience at the infamous Turock (which is based in Essen, Germany) in July last year, Live Death Doom is a true testament to Asphyx’s ability to destroy the stage with their trademark dooming death metal sound.