Jac Holzman was still in college when he and pal Paul Rickolt each chipped in three hundred bucks to start a record company. That label, Elektra Records - so named for Greek mythology's daughter of Atlas and Pleione, but with the "c" swapped out for a "k" - inaugurated its catalogue with the simply-titled New Songs, an album of poetry settings by composer-pianist John Gruen. Elektra soon shifted its emphasis to folk music, growing its discography with recordings by Theodore Bikel, Josh White,
Joni's Jazz
4CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 8LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada What is jazz? The question has been debated often, but now we know how Joni Mitchell might answer. The legendary singer-songwriter's Archives series is continuing with its first themed compilation, appropriately entitled Joni's Jazz. These 61 selections - available on 4 CDs or 8 LPs - draw from nearly every core album in the Mitchell discography with just a couple of exceptions (Clouds, Ladies of
Impossible Dreamer: Joni Mitchell Collects "Joni's Jazz" on New Box Set
What is jazz? The question has been debated often, but now we know how Joni Mitchell might answer. On September 5, the legendary singer-songwriter's Archives series continues with its first themed compilation, appropriately entitled Joni's Jazz. These 61 selections - available on 4 CDs or 8 LPs - draw from nearly every core album in the Mitchell discography with just a couple of exceptions (Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon) and reflect the breadth of the artist's immersion into the jazz idiom in
The Weekend Stream: June 21, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. A classic film score gets remixed for a major anniversary; a modern jazz great reunites two-thirds of a classic rock band; and it's funny how time flies for Tears for Fears. All this, plus morsels of news on potential reissues from Bruce Springsteen and Duran Duran, and two tributes to singers we lost this week. John Williams, JAWS
Just Squeeze Me: Craft Collects Miles Davis' 1955 Prestige Sessions on "Miles '55"
Following last year's release of Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings, collecting the legendary trumpeter's 1954 sessions, Craft Recordings is turning the clock forward to Miles Davis' 1955 with - what else? - Miles '55. Due on August 22 in various formats including 3 LPs, 2 CDs, and both standard and high-resolution digital, Miles '55 will bring together sixteen recordings cut by Davis at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey for the Prestige label. Ashley Kahn (author of Kind of
The Weekend Stream: June 14, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. This week we've got it all, from Bakersfield country to Billy Joel on Broadway; actors who sing and singer-songwriters who act in short films; Tony Joe White going disco and Josh Groban's hits going super-size. You'll find something to love - we guarantee it! Wynn Stewart, Songs of Wynn Stewart (Capitol Nashville) (Apple / Amazon) After
The Weekend Stream: June 7, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. This week brings posthumous recordings by Prince and Donna Summer, a new spin on Star Wars disco, and plenty of cast recordings leading into the Tony Awards this Sunday! And just a quick programming note: our Unplugged series is taking the week off, but will be back with some new and exciting Weekend Stream extra content very soon! Prince,
Corner of the Sky: Real Gone's June Line-Up Includes "Lost" Dusty Springfield Album Plus Jazz, Heavy Metal, Bluegrass, More
As we roll into summer, Real Gone has another varied line-up for June. It is anchored by an unreleased album by Dusty Springfield but also features a jazz rarity from Joe Henderson and Woody Shaw as well as metal, bluegrass, and even an adult film soundtrack. All of these titles are being released tomorrow, June 6, and you can read on for more information. By the beginning of the 1970s, Dusty Springfield was at a career crossroads. Although she remained on her U.K. label home Phillips, she
It Was Only Yesterday: Robinsongs Collects Soul-Jazz From Eddie Harris, Larry Carlton
Cherry Red's Robinsongs imprint has been maintaining a busy 2025 schedule, with two new titles celebrating greats of jazz and soul. A 5 Classic Albums on 4 Discs collection from late saxophone titan Eddie Harris (1934-1996) offers all of Harris' albums for the Atlantic label originally released between 1974 and 1976 (with the exception of his album of off-color, spoken-word routines). Harris enjoyed a versatile career before signing with Atlantic in 1965. His first albums as a leader were
The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to 'MTV Unplugged' on Paramount+ (Part 3)
Welcome to a special Sunday feature of The Weekend Stream, which takes a look at one of MTV's great live music programs thanks to a recent reissue of one of its best-known episodes. We're running a five-part deep-dive on every episode of MTV Unplugged that's currently streaming on the station's parent streaming network Paramount+! (Part 1 and 2 can be read here and here.) With rock music undergoing a transformation after the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, MTV Unplugged continued to settle
Release Round-Up: Week of May 30
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Grateful Dead, The Music Never Stopped (Rhino) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada This live 3CD or 6LP compendium (also available digitally) from Grateful Dead to commemorate the band's 60th anniversary includes 27 tracks representing every one of the venues in the
Oh, Good Grief!
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Back in 2018, Omnivore Recordings collected The Complete Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Recordings of jazz pianist-composer-Peanuts legend Vince Guaraldi. Now, the label is breaking out one of the albums contained in that set for CD and vinyl reissue. 1968's Oh, Good Grief! was built around his familiar compositions for Charles M. Schulz's legendary characters, but those tunes were subtly updated as
Release Round-Up: Week of May 16
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Status Quo, Live! Deluxe Edition (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) A deluxe edition of Status Quo's first concert album will pair the original album - never a favorite of the band's leader Francis Rossi - with the full, newly-remixed shows that it was assembled from, all under the supervision of the band.
Release Round-Up: Week of May 9
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Jackie DeShannon, Love Forever: Demo Recordings 1966-1968 (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Jackie DeShannon signed with Liberty Records and Metric Music in 1960 as a performer and songwriter. Her big break would come in 1964 when she would open for The Beatles on their first U.S. tour. The next year
The Royal Scam
180-gram black vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada UHQR Vinyl Box: Acoustic Sounds Hybrid Stereo SACD: Acoustic Sounds Are you gonna do it without the fez on? 1976's The Royal Scam, Steely Dan's fifth album featuring "The Fez," "Kid Charlemagne," and "Green Earrings," is returning in a variety of formats to conclude the band's reissue campaign which began in November 2022 with Can't Buy a Thrill. Like the past titles in this series encompassing the Dan's ABC/MCA
The Royal Scam
180-gram black vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada UHQR Vinyl Box: Acoustic Sounds Hybrid Stereo SACD: Acoustic Sounds 1976's The Royal Scam, Steely Dan's fifth album, is returning in a variety of formats to conclude the band's reissue campaign which began in November 2022 with Can't Buy a Thrill. Like the past titles in this series encompassing the Dan's ABC/MCA discography, The Royal Scam (featuring "The Fez," "Kid Charlemagne," and "Green Earrings") will be reissued on
Reissues...and Stuff Like That! Classic Quincy Jones Titles Due on Vinyl, SHM-CD This Summer
A cadre of titles from the discography of the late Quincy Jones - spanning nearly 25 years of his storied career - are coming back into print on physical formats thanks to the shared efforts of Universal' Music Group's teams in America and Japan. Coming June 6 are new SHM-CD pressings of seven of Jones' LPs: This is How I Feel About Jazz (1957), The Quintessence (1962), Big Band Bossa Nova (1962), Walking in Space (1969), Body Heat (1974), Mellow Madness (1975), Sounds...and Stuff Like
Sign In Stranger: Steely Dan's "The Royal Scam" Returns in June
Are you gonna do it without the fez on? 1976's The Royal Scam, Steely Dan's fifth album, is returning on June 6 in a variety of formats to conclude the band's reissue campaign which began in November 2022 with Can't Buy a Thrill. Like the past titles in this series encompassing the Dan's ABC/MCA discography, The Royal Scam will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl from Geffen/UMe while an audiophile-aimed UHQR 45 RPM, 200-gram vinyl edition and a hybrid stereo SACD (playable on all CD players) will
Release Round-Up: Week of April 25
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Neil Young, Oceanside/Countryside (Reprise/NYA) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Neil Young is unveiling another once-lost album with the release of Oceanside Countryside which arrives on CD today following its vinyl release.The LP was recorded from May to December 1977; the first side comprised solo Young performances,
The Bridge
Back in 2023, Iconoclassic released E Street Band founding keyboardist David Sancious' rare, originally-withdrawn album Dance of the Age of Enlightenment on CD for the first time. Now, the label is continuing its association with the artist for a reissue of his 1981 album The Bridge. The album was originally issued on Arista in 1981 in the U.K. and Japan, while the 1982 American edition was released on Elektra. Iconoclassic's worldwide CD premiere has a reversible insert with both covers (take
Oooh, This I Need: Adam Mattera Talks 'Dearly Beloved: A Prince Songbook'
Last year, The Second Disc had nothing but good things to say about Dearly Beloved: A Prince Songbook, Cherry Red's triple-disc tribute to the music of Prince. The set told a story of The Artist's massive impact on pop, rock and soul by way of songs he gave others to record and a galaxy of genre-bending covers. In a year of considerable challenges in Prince fandom, it was a veritable oasis in a desert. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Mattera, the curator and
Release Round-Up: Week of April 18
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Neil Young, Coastal: The Soundtrack (Reprise/NYA) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The concert film Coastal, documenting Neil Young's 2023 solo concert tour, was released to cinemas yesterday; today, its soundtrack album arrives on CD, LP, and digital formats. The 11-track album includes Young favorites such as "I Am a
Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts
Mingus In Argentina offers highlights from two shows near the end of the late composer-bandleader's career in 1977, on which he's joined by Ricky Ford (tenor saxophone), Jack Walrath (trumpet), Robert Neloms (piano), and Dannie Richmond (drums). This set features a 36-page booklet with liner notes by Brian Priestley. Previously available on vinyl for Record Store Day. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from The Blue Morocco
Resonance has unearthed a live recording of trumpeter Kenny Dorham, recorded in 1967 at The Blue Morocco in the Bronx. Dorham is joined on this set by Sonny Red, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Dennis Charles. Matthew Lutthans has mastered, and Bob Blumenthal provides new liner notes. Previously available on vinyl for Record Store Day. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Further Ahead: Live in Finland 1964-1969
The latest release from Bill Evans on the Elemental label, Further Ahead: Live in Finland 1964-1969 collects never-before-released recordings of the late pianist, captured live in Finland during that time frame. A 28-page booklet puts this period of Evans' career into perspective; songs include "Nardis," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Emily," "Round Midnight," and "Autumn Leaves." Previously available on vinyl for Record Store Day. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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