Wadada Leo Smith's third Tzadik release finds him in a modern jazz quartet of seasoned jazz cats and legendary improvisers. Pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Malachi Favors Magoustous, and drummer Jack DeJohnette join Smith in creating an unhurried, mature and, frankly, atypical Tzadik release in that even though it may sound somewhat free to more conservative ears, it is hardly antagonistic and is unmistakably a piano jazz quartet. Regardless of classification, this is an album of excellent jazz that is so fresh and well executed as to define and remind what's great about listening to the music. It's a pleasant surprise that such an incredible lineup of musicians can come together and yield a musical sum still greater than what you would expect, when considering the individual "parts."

Allan Pettersson composed his Ninth Symphony in 1970, two years after the Seventh had been given a triumphant première conducted by Antal Dorati. This had brought him greater recognition than ever before, but at the same time his health was deteriorating even further, and shortly after completing the Ninth Pettersson was hospitalized for a period of nine months. It is striking that he at such a time should have chosen to compose what is the longest of all …..

Drummer Joey Baron teams up with three notable all-stars on this set: altoist Arthur Blythe, guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Ron Carter. Most of the music (all eight songs are Baron's originals) are fairly straight-ahead and more conservative than one might expect. Blythe and Frisell sound fine together (they should team up more often) and each of the four musicians gets his moment to star. Not quite a classic but certainly worthwhile.

Gustav Holst - The Collector's Edition (6CD) 2012
MP3 320 kbps | Tracks: 100 (6 CD) | 07:29:06 | 1.01 GB
Genre: Classical | Label: EMI Classics

EMI Classics presents a magnificent collection that celebrates the life and career of English composer Gustav Holst. Containing an outside selection of Holst s greatest works including his most famous orchestral suite The Planets, the rare The Perfect Fool, as well as the Walt Whitman inspired Ode to Death. This 6-CD collector s edition provides a chance for all classical music aficionados to listen and experience his timeless compositions

“Culture of Ascent” - It’s six epic tracks total over sixty-nine minutes. Glass Hammer’s tenth studio album is a must for fans, and sure to be a hit with connoisseurs of modern-progressive rock.

Following up his surprise hit debut on acoustic guitar, Alone/But Never Alone, Carlton offers a collection of easygoing, laid-back, Wave-oriented smooth jazz that slowly reveals hints of the full range of his capabilities. At first, it sounds as if the guitarist would be merely killing time here, but starting with the funky "Knock on Wood," things get progressively more interesting as Carlton seems to find his funky bearings. "Discovery" is actually quite nice with its cushiony vamp; "My Home Away From Home" finds Carlton flashing his acoustic chops quite effectively; the shuffling "Minute By Minute" garnered a lot of airplay.

Chilean ensemble Exsimio is one of the most energetic and charismatic South American bands around: their KC-meets-Primus influenced ballsy vibe and solid interplaying skills definitely make them deserve a high position in the prog map. Their pallet includes obvious traces of jazz-rock, metallic rock and funky. Their eponymous debut album is an amazing catalogue of neurotic rock explosions and explosive textures, mostly based on the dual guitar and bass counterpoints, but also containing brilliant dynamics shared by the riffs and rhythm section and the disturbing guitar solos that emerge to the fore now and then.

German power metallers GAMMA RAY will release their eleventh studio album, "Empire Of The Undead", via earMusic on March 28. The "Empire Of The Undead" title track was already been made available on the single/EP "Master Of Confusion", an appetizer the band released in 2013, just before touring the world with HELLOWEEN. GAMMA RAY recorded the new album in various sessions in 2013, with Eike Freese at the mixing desk alongside bass player and co-writer Dirk Schlaechter.

Richard F. "Rick" Vito (born October 13, 1949, Darby, Pennsylvania) is a guitarist and singer. He was part of the band Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991. Vito took over as lead guitarist after Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac. He is best known for his blues and slide guitar style, whose influences include Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, B.B. King, Alvino Rey, Les Paul, Mohan Bhatt, George Harrison and Keith Richards.

Shine is the upcoming first solo album by Swedish singer Anette Olzon, to be released on 26 March by earMUSIC. The writing process for Olzon's first solo album began in 2009, during the Dark Passion Play World Tour of Nightwish, and lasted until recently before the album's release. "Shine", which was co-produced by Anette Olzon and Johan Kronlund, is a collaboration with some of the most successful teams in rock and pop in Scandinavia: Stefan Örn (songwriter and producer of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest-winning track "Running Scared") and Johan Glössner. The album was mixed by Kronlund, Nicklas Flykt and Ronny Lahti (known for his work with Loreen and Roxette).