Released by the U.K.’s Edsel label in 2011, this compilation has a title that is somewhat misleading. The Best of the Arista Years contains Showmen and Chairmen of the Board leader General Johnson's self-titled 1976 album – co-produced with Rick Chertoff – in its entirety. The remainder of the disc consists of the disco version of one of the album’s A-sides, “Don’t Walk Away,” the B-side “Ready Willing and Able,” the 12” version of the 1977 single “Let’s Fool Around,” and the 12” disco version of another 1977 single, “Can’t Nobody Love Me Like You Do.” While none of it quite matches Johnson’s best moments with Chairmen of the Board, it’s all sturdy, disco-laced mid-‘70s soul, comparable to what the likes of Willie Hutch and Johnny Bristol were releasing at the time. Each one of the A-sides impacted the R&B chart, with the Top 25 “All in the Family” the most successful of all. This is likely the first time any of the material has appeared on compact disc.

Welcome to the Wrecking Ball! is Grace Slick's 1981 follow-up to her solo album Dreams (1980). Her third solo album, it was released before stepping back into her old position in Jefferson Starship. The lyrics of the first track include numerous references to Slick's dislike of rock journalists and critics. The songs Slick wrote for side-B of the album are closer in style to the psychedelic songs of Jefferson Airplane than to the songs on the previous album Dreams, and the song "No More Heroes" contains vocal overlays and tape effects speeding up and slowing down the song. The album rose to #48 on the Billboard charts.

Tir Na Nog expanded their horizons on their 1972 sophomore release by adding drums (Barry DeSouza) and bass (Larry Steele), as well as some effective string arrangements. Produced by the legendary Tony Cox (Caravan, Françoise Hardy, Family), A Tear and a Smile retained all of Sonny Condell and Leo O'Kelly's offbeat phrasing, playful melodic deviations, and pastoral balladry, while subtly turning an eye to the prospects of a little commercial appeal…

Even as "the fourth tenor" has become one of the world's most popular and renowned classical and operatic singers, Andrea Bocelli has been teasing pop fans over the years by recording brilliant duets with the likes of Celine Dion and Sarah Brightman. Who better to helm the Tuscan-born vocal giant's first pure pop album than David Foster, who has made foreign language singing all the rage by introducing the world to Josh Groban? Amore features songs from various musical eras, from the 1920s through the '80s, which Bocelli sings in his native Italian, Spanish, and French…

The mind behind Timewarp is Angelos Stoumpos, born in Athens, Greece 25 years before the second millennium. He was introduced to electronic music at age 13 when he acquired an Amiga. Captivated by the fledging technology’s potential he started working on his own sounds and soon found his musical identity in the area of chill sound beats. Being a DJ as well as a composer he became known in the greek ‘underground’ electronica scene. Over the years he appeared in numerous parties and venues and he collaborated with one of the pioneering dance projects in Greece known as Insearch. Influenced by and joining forces with a number of other composers and artists he started expanding the character of his music…

Lulo Reinhardt is one of the foremost authentic and distinctive musical voices in Gypsy music today, he is from a long line of musicians; the great-nephew of jazz legend Django Reinhardt and also the nephew of the gypsy violin master Shnuckenack Reinhardt. Lulo comes from a lineage peppered throughout with highly talented musicians. He first showed an interest during his formative years. By the age of five Lulo was already being handed down the guitar tradition through his father Bawo Reinhardt and has devoted his life to music ever since. By the time he was 12, he was performing with his cousins in the Koblenz-based Mike Reinhardt sextet. Over the years, Lulo expanded his musical horizons as he delved into the music of other cultures. Today, Lulo continues to explore and…

For the eternal romantic: Eleven unforgettable selections include the poignant Matt Dusk and Eleanor duet To Make You Feel My Love, Always On My Mind, Fields of Gold and Both Sides Now. The song selection for Runaway started simply: three songs that Eleanor McCain simply couldn’t live without. The New Brunswick native found it a tough, but comforting challenge. “I’m drawn to songs that emphasize the human connection, most of which happen to be love songs.” With producer Matt Dusk and co-producer Shelly Berger helping with the selection, there are eleven songs - some familiar classics, others soon-to-be-discovered…