Having not hit the road for most of the 80s, The Steel Wheels Tour was an astounding return for the Rolling Stones, not least as it was the longest tour they had by that point undertaken. It was also to be their last with Bill Wyman. Steel Wheels Live was recorded towards the end of the band’s 60-date run through the stadiums of North America, in the second half of 1989.

This release fills a gap in Barbieri’s discography. The artist we met in his first work as a single leader, In Search Of The Mystery (1967), moved in the realm of pure improvisation, going in the direction of the spirituality of Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders. In the Roman sessions, however, Barbieri recovers his original matrix deeply rooted in the language of John Coltrane and, in part, in that of the early Ornette Coleman. To some extent it is a completely new Barbieri that emerges from these recordings.

With Sam Shepherd’s Floating Points project moving further away from the dancefloor and former status as king of Plastic People with every release, it seemed like only a matter of time before he made a record with an orchestra and a free-jazz luminary. From that point of view, then, the music on Promises – a single, 45-minute semi-minimalist quasi-concerto for saxophone backed by various keyboard instruments and a string orchestra recorded in what appears to be a single, live, and rather spine-tingling take – is not a huge surprise. From the point of view of how much can be done with such sparse foundations, how to bring together fairly disparate musical worlds, and how captivating a recording can be, though, Promises is astonishing.

A re-interpretation so often comes from an impulse, even if subliminal, of one-upmanship – let me do better, wait ‘til you hear it my way. Sometimes though, and it happens too rarely, the cover is an act of devotion in which a musician’s humility produces something more beautiful than bravura could. When Erik Hall undertook his painstaking reconstruction of Steve Reich’s 1976 masterpiece of minimalism, “Music for Eighteen Musicians”, it was as much an exercise in modesty as ambition. With its repetitions and complex constructions, the piece makes great demands on stamina and concentration, and Reich himself advised that these challenges meant it should probably be performed with more than eighteen musicians. Hall, however, recorded every part himself in his small home studio, playing instruments he had on hand, in live, single takes.

Eric Clapton's intimate concert filmed in London in front of a small audience in December 2023. Eric’s set included "Tears In Heaven,” “Layla," "River Of Tears," "Got To Get Better In A Little While,” and a very special version of George Harrison's "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" featuring a special guest appearance from Dhani Harrison. Also featuring a special bonus track titled "Prayer of a Child" - a brand new studio recording.

Arguably the most iconic and lastingly influential jazz singer of all time, Billie Holiday expressed an incredible depth of emotion that spoke of hard times and injustice as well as triumph. With accompaniment by some of the finest bands of the era, these classic tracks were recorded during her creative heyday when her voice was at its potent best.

Prepare to embark on an auditory journey like no other as Norwegian prog-rock maestros Airbag unleash their highly anticipated sixth studio album, "The Century of the Self." Showcasing their trademark fusion of mellow introspection and dynamic energy, from the mesmerizing depths of "Dysphoria" to the haunting crescendo of "Tyrants and Kings," each track captivates with irresistible vocal hooks and virtuosic lead guitar work that has become synonymous with the Airbag sound. As the album unfolds, listeners are taken on a voyage through introspection and intensity, from the introspective balladry of "Awakening" to the foreboding depths of the single "Erase."

While Radio Massacre International did not invent the vocabulary of spacemusic, they certainly do know how to use it. On their album Zabriskie Point, RMI offers us a window into one of music's most intimate experiences, the free-form jam. A notation for this style of music does not exist. The musicians must have the ability to "feel" their way through. It is through these kinds of sessions that musicians bond and demonstrate an almost telepathic connection with their collaborators.
Without any rhythm, harmony or melody to speak of, the listener becomes absorbed and lost in RMI's referenceless sonic spell. Dark analogue synth tones colour the mood, carefully played electric piano notes speak of place and the ever present processed guitar…

Haze played excellent 1971 progressive rock with lots of impressive instrumental passages. 5 tracks that lean towards heavy bluesy progressive and some freaked out parts with good guitars, flutes, bass & drums, but their lead-singer's voice sometimes sounded somewhat strange. This limited SB version is a replica of the original Gimmix cover coming in a Digipak with the DIA in the frontcover.

The Doobie Brothers' third long-player was the charm, their most substantial and consistent album to date, and one that rode the charts for a year. It was also a study in contrasts, Tom Johnston's harder-edged, bolder rocking numbers balanced by Patrick Simmons' more laid-back country-rock ballad style. The leadoff track, Johnston's "Natural Thing," melded the two, opening with interlocking guitars and showcasing the band's exquisite soaring harmonies around a beautiful melody, all wrapped up in a midtempo beat - the result was somewhere midway between Allman Brothers-style virtuosity and Eagles/Crosby & Nash-type lyricism, which defined this period in the Doobies' history and gave them a well-deserved lock on the top of the charts…