Over a colorful life and career spanning seven decades, Mac Rebennack - a.k.a. Dr. John, The Night Tripper - left his mark as a singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and producer spreading the gospel of New Orleans rhythm and blues. With his distinctive rasp of a growl and expressive touch at the keyboard, nobody sounded like Dr. John. Nobody looked like him, either, with his voodoo beads, colorful feathers, and larger-than-life frame. Even his speech patterns were all his own. Funk, blues,
Pastures of Plenty: Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, and More Feature in Previously Unreleased “Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970” DVD
Woody Guthrie remains one of the most significant figures in folk music. His legendary songs of freedom and struggle laid the groundwork for the folk revival that arose in the fifties and sixties, and his music endures as part of America's rich musical heritage. In 1970, renowned folk artists like Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Country Joe McDonald, Odetta, Richie Havens, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Earl Robinson, The Band, and Woody's son Arlo Guthrie, convened to pay tribute to the legendary songwriter,
The Groove: Cherry Red, Robinsongs Collect Rodney Franklin’s Complete Columbia Albums
Between 1978 and 1986, Bay Area-born composer-pianist Rodney Franklin released eight albums for Columbia Records. Flourishing in the period where jazz met R&B and funk head-on, Franklin charted seven singles in the United States and scored one major hit in the United Kingdom (1980's "The Groove"). Now, Cherry Red's Robinsongs imprint has collected all eight of his Columbia albums on two CD sets, four albums per set. Having had the opportunity to meet such legendary jazz figures as Oscar
Ace Explores Rock, Jazz Through the Lens of History with “Three Day Week” and “If You’re Not Part of the Solution”
Ace Records, as always, has delivered some of 2019's finest collections including Songwriter Series volumes dedicated to Eddie Hinton, Leonard Cohen and Merle Haggard, and celebrations of producer Mickie Most and musician Reggie Young. Today, we're taking a look at a pair of the label's other recent releases. Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs present Three Day Week: When the Lights Went Out 1972-1975 (Ace CDCHD 1542) is another sublimely curated compilation focusing on a particular period of
His Kind of Town: Little Steven Releases Songs, Score from “Lilyhammer” in July
Between 2012 and 2014, Steven Van Zandt starred in Netflix's first exclusive television series. A co-production with Norwegian network NRK1, Lilyhammer cast the singer-songwriter-musician as Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano, a gangster making a new life in Lillehammer, Norway. Van Zandt not only acted in, co-wrote, and co-produced the series for three seasons, but he also composed most of the show's music. For the first time, the music of Lilyhammer will be released on July 12 by Van Zandt's own
Listen to the Music: Doobie Brothers Bring “Live from The Beacon Theatre” to CD, DVD, BD
As The Doobie Brothers gear up for their North American summer tour with co-headliners Santana, Rhino is looking back to a recent concert for a new release. In November 2018, the Doobies, led by Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee, returned to New York City's historic Beacon Theatre for the first time in 25 years to perform two of the band's greatest albums, Toulouse Street and The Captain and Me. Both audio and video of that special performance are now set for release from Rhino on
Off The Handle: Rory Gallagher Rarities Collection “Blues” Arrives From UMC
Eric Clapton once described Rory Gallagher as "the man who got me back into the blues." Though he never reached the same "household name" fame as Clapton or other contemporaries, Irish guitar legend Gallagher led a movement back to blues roots that began with his band Taste and continued on throughout his solo career from 1971 to 1994. To commemorate 50 years since Gallagher began his recording, UMC has released a new collection that mines the vaults of the celebrated singer and instrumentalist
A Question of Time: Depeche Mode Continues 12″ Singles Series With “Black Celebration” and “Music For The Masses” Volumes Due May 31
Depeche Mode has continued its series of 12" single box sets today with two new collections: Black Celebration: The 12" Singles and Music For The Masses: The 12" Singles. Released in 1986 and 1987, respectively, the two albums saw Depeche Mode shifting directions into darker musical territory and reaching a wider audience than ever before. To supplement the albums, Depeche Mode also released several 12" singles that included rare mixes, extended versions, and exclusive live recordings of their
Release Round-Up: Week of May 31
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Hootie & The Blowfish, Cracked Rear View: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino) 3-CD/DVD Deluxe: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-CD Expanded: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1LP Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Hootie and the Blowfish are revisiting their 21x platinum smash Cracked Rear View with a new 3-CD/DVD Deluxe Edition and 2-CD Expanded Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes a new
Get a Tiger By the Tail: Omnivore Offers Sealed, Original Buck Owens LPs from Buck’s Own Collection
Tomorrow, May 31, Omnivore Recordings releases the third and final volume of country legend Buck Owens' Capitol Records singles - the most recent in a long-running series of releases on Omnivore from the late Bakersfield, California-based artist, songwriter, musician, and bandleader. Now, the label is teaming with Owens' estate for a special initiative also beginning Friday. Forty original, vintage, sealed Buck Owens LPs will be made available for sale exclusively through Omnivore's
Groove and Move: Cherry Red, SoulMusic Collect Jr. Walker and The All-Stars’ “Motown ’70s Studio Albums”
"Shotgun," "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)," and "(I'm A) Road Runner" alone would have guaranteed Autry DeWalt Mixon, Jr., a.k.a. Oscar G. Mixon, a.k.a. Junior Walker, a spot in the Motown Records firmament. But between 1962 and 1978, the saxophonist-singer charted over 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and recorded more than a dozen albums with his group The All-Stars and a further three as a solo artist. Yet, curiously, none of Walker's 1970s albums for Motown's Soul imprint had ever
Does Your Mother Know: ABBA Celebrates 40 Years of “Voulez-Vous” with New Reissues
ABBA's 1979 album Voulez-Vous, the pop masters' sixth studio album, is beloved today for such classic songs as "I Have a Dream," "Does Your Mother Know," and "Chiquitita." Now, for its 40th anniversary, UMG and Polar Music are marking the occasion with a new array of reissues. On June 14, Voulez-Vous will return to the marketplace in the following formats: Half-Speed Mastered 2LP set pressed on 180-gram vinyl, mastered at Abbey Road Studios, and cut at 45 RPM; Colored vinyl 7-inch vinyl
So Into You: Atlanta Rhythm Section’s Classic Albums Collected on “The Polydor Years”
Born from the ashes of The Candymen and The Classics IV, Atlanta Rhythm Section began as the house band at Buddy Buie, J.R. Cobb, and Bill Lowery's Studio One in Doraville, Georgia. Members had already performed on recordings by Al Kooper, Roy Orbison, B.J. Thomas, and even Liberace by the time they began rising to fame, fanning the southern rock flame. Now, the band's classic output - recorded from 1974 to 1980 - has been remastered and collected in a new box set: The Polydor Years, due this
Comes Once In a Lifetime: Stage Door Celebrates “Lost Broadway: 1961” On New Collection
Stage Door Records' five volumes of Lost West End have sampled numerous rare musicals that have played London over the years. Now, the U.K. label is turning its sights across the pond to the Great White Way to launch a new series: Lost Broadway. The first volume focuses on the year 1961, when composer-lyricist Jerry Herman made his Broadway debut with the successful Milk and Honey; some of the brightest stars included Barbara Cook, Jerry Orbach, Elaine Stritch, and Alfred Drake; the venerable
All the Kids on the Street: The Hollywood Stars’ Lost 1976 Album “Sound City” Hits Stores in August
The Hollywood Stars are back. During the 1970s, the glitter rockers toured with The Kinks and supported such artists as The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, Ramones, and even disco legend Sylvester - while future superstars like Journey, Van Halen, The Runaways, Quiet Riot, and The Knack all opened shows for the Stars. Yet their history on records has been a checkered one. Their 1974 debut album for Columbia Records remained shelved until 2013; a 1977 album on Arista came and went without the
A Couple of Good Years Left: Morello Collects Four Ricky Van Shelton Albums on New Set
Between 1986 and his retirement in 2006, Ricky Van Shelton scored over twenty Country hits on the Billboard chart, including ten Number Ones. Van Shelton has left behind a relatively small but potent discography of fewer than a dozen titles including three chart-toppers. Now, Cherry Red's Morello imprint has collected four of those long-players - two of his core albums and two genre projects - on one 2-CD set: Ricky Van Shelton Sings Christmas (1989), the gospel set Don't Overlook Salvation
UPDATED WITH ORDER LINKS: Let The Sunshine In: Rhino Celebrates Woodstock Era With “Summer of ’69” Vinyl Reissue Series, New Woodstock Compilations
On the heels of their announcement of the expansive Woodstock 50 campaign, Rhino has announced a new series celebrating The Summer of '69: Peace, Love, and Music. Beginning on July 9, the campaign will feature a three-week-long roll-out of limited-edition vinyl releases of classic recordings from the Woodstock era by the likes of Van Morrison; The Monkees; Grateful Dead; Crosby, Stills & Nash; and many more. These LPs will be available in participating brick-and-mortar stores only. Online
Paul Is Live: McCartney Premieres “Amoeba Gig,” Reissues Classic Live Sets on CD and LP
Paul McCartney is back on the road again! Last night, he kicked off the North American leg of his Freshen Up tour, with dates currently scheduled through July 13. This morning, the legendary artist announced a look back at his past live performances with four new titles: reissues of Wings Over America, Choba B CCCP, and Paul Is Live, plus the world premiere of the complete Amoeba Gig. All four albums will be released on July 12 from MPL/Capitol/UMe in digital formats, on CD, and on both black
Head and Heart: Rhino Celebrates 50 Years of America with New Box Set
Almost fifty years ago in London, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and the late Dan Peek first joined their voices together in song - beginning a musical journey as the band America that continues to this day. In anticipation of America's golden anniversary in 2020, Rhino is getting the party started with a new multi-format anthology. America - 50th Anniversary: The Collection arrives from the label on July 12 in 3-CD, 1-CD, 2-LP, and digital versions. It's the first large-scale America
Ain’t It Amazing? Omnivore Collects Buck Owens’ ’70s Sides on “The Complete Capitol Singles: 1971-1975”
Are you ready for the third and final volume of Omnivore Recordings' comprehensive series of Buck Owens' Capitol singles? The Complete Capitol Singles: 1971-1975 is due to arrive Friday, May 31, and will include every side that the legendary country picker/singer/songwriter recorded for the label until the end of his tenure there - 42 tracks in all across two CDs. The 1970s saw Buck embracing the creative freedom of his own studio, built in a converted theater in his home base of
Swinging Doors: Grateful Dead, Emmylou, Dolly, Dino, More Celebrate “The Merle Haggard Songbook”
Along with Buck Owens - with whom he shared a musical history and a wife - Merle Haggard (1937-2016) defined The Bakersfield Sound of country music: authentic, raw, rooted in honky-tonks. But unlike the Texas-born and Arizona-raised Owens, Haggard was actually born in Bakersfield and raised just across the river from that California town. "Hag," as he preferred to be known, rocketed to superstardom thanks to "Okie from Muskogee," his controversial 1969 song that was either a scathing
Review: Gary Louris, “Vagabonds” (Run Out Groove Vinyl Reissue)
Gary Louris was already a hero of the folk-rock revival when he released his first solo effort, Vagabonds. He's been a member of The Jayhawks since the release of their debut in 1986. With a knack for tight harmonies, honest and often melancholic songwriting, and deft instrumental skills, Louris and The Jayhawks have been among the leaders of the alt-country movement ever since. Louris was also a member of the supergroup Golden Smog, whose Down The Old Mainstream we reviewed last year. Despite
Video Crime: David Bowie’s Tin Machine Premieres Live “Nine Track Compilation” Today
Thirty years ago to the day (May 22, 1989), Tin Machine released its first LP. While the band's charismatic frontman was pictured alongside his nattily-dressed bandmates Reeves Gabrels (guitar), Tony Sales (bass), and Hunt Sales (drums), the name of David Bowie was nowhere in sight on the album's front cover. For two albums and two live sets, Bowie remained committed to the concept of Tin Machine as a back-to-basics, largely democratic, hard rock outfit. To promote the debut, the band
Memory Lane: Esoteric Collects Baker Gurvitz Army Albums, Celebrates “Underground Sounds of 1968”
Today we're looking at a pair of recent releases from Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint featuring some heavy sounds! With a résumé including Cream, Blind Faith, Blues Incorporated, The Graham Bond Organisation, and Fela Kuti's group, Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker has long been recognized as one of rock's greatest - and most volatile - drummers. With a personality as outsize as his talent, Baker brought a powerful touch to all of his projects and various bands. Between 1974 and 1976,
Never Say Die! Varese Bringing ‘Goonies’ Score Back To CD
Varese Sarabande is setting sail with a wide CD release of Dave Grusin's score to The Goonies this summer! Recently a staple of Varese's vinyl catalog, it's the first time the music's been put on CD since a limited release in 2010. A movie this offbeat - a gang of misfit kids in Oregon follow a pirate treasure map and face off against a family of crooks - had to have an interesting score, and The Goonies didn't disappoint. Grusin, known equally for his lengthy scoring career (The Graduate,