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/ Allen Toussaint

January 6, 2025 By The Second Disc 6 Comments

Rhino Start Your Ear 2025

We've already filled you in on details of Rhino's upcoming live release from WAR, but that's not all coming from the label.  Rhino's annual Start Your Ear Off Right vinyl campaign has already commenced at independent retailers and select Barnes and Noble locations.  This year's slate encompasses releases from Dream Theater, Ramones, Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, Grateful Dead, Rush, and others. Below, you'll find the complete list of SYEOR titles due this month, including those which arrived last

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Categories: News Formats: Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Funk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Dream Theater, Eddie Hazel, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead, Lindsey Buckingham, Ramones, Rush, The Cult, The English Beat, Yes, ZZ Top

December 11, 2024 By The Second Disc 7 Comments

Rhino Reserves

Rhino has announced the launch of new audiophile vinyl series: Rhino Reserves. The series kicks off on January 31, 2025 as part of the label's annual Start Your Ear Off Right campaign available exclusively through Rhino.com and select retail outlets (typically independent record stores and Barnes & Noble locations) with Allen Toussaint's Southern Nights and Eddie Hazel's Game, Dames, and Guitar Thangs. Going forward, each Rhino Reserves title will be pressed locally by the California-based

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Categories: News Formats: Vinyl Genre: Funk, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Eddie Hazel

November 18, 2024 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

King of America and Other Realms

It was a fine idea at the time/Now it's a brilliant mistake... Elvis Costello delivered a powerful surprise in 1986 when he shed his backing band, The Attractions, and teamed up with T Bone Burnett for King of America.  Originally credited in the U.K. to The Costello Show (Featuring The Attractions and Confederates) and in the U.S. to The Costello Show (Featuring Elvis Costello), the album backtracked from the sleek '80s polish of its two immediate predecessors (Punch the Clock and Goodbye

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, T Bone Burnett

September 16, 2024 By Mike Duquette 5 Comments

King of America and Other Realms packshot

When King of America became Rhino's penultimate Elvis Costello reissue in 2005, a hype sticker cheekily hailed it as "the album that fans, critics and Elvis Costello all agree on." Perhaps that's why it'll be the next of his classic albums to receive a deluxe box set this fall. King of America and Other Realms, available November 1, follows the super deluxe, vinyl-and-digital-only The Complete Armed Forces box; however, this one's primarily available on CD - six of 'em, in total. The

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash

January 29, 2021 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

Little Steven Macca to Mecca

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Tommy James and The Shondells, Celebration: The Complete Roulette Recordings (Cherry Red/Grapefruit)  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Cherry Red's Grapefruit imprint brings together Tommy James and The Shondells' 1966-1973 recordings for Roulette Records (including James' solo Roulette LPs) on this 6-CD box set. The set features liner notes by Bob Fisher and mastering by Simon Murphy.  Read the track listing and more here, and watch

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Reggae, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Beachwood Sparks, Bob Marley, Burt Bacharach, Carla Olson, Daniel Tashian, Dr. John, Hutch, Little Steven, Mick Taylor, Randy Newman, Roy Head, Tommy James and The Shondells

March 5, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Honeycombs Have I the Right

The Honeycombs weren't quite a one-hit wonder. The stomping "Have I the Right?" established the group, under the aegis of maverick producer Joe Meek, when it topped the U.K. Singles Chart in the summer of 1964. But its follow-ups barely squeaked into the top 40, and a No. 12 placement for "That's the Way" was too little, too late to bolster the group's fortunes. These showings, however, were no reflection on the band's quality. For one of its final releases, Cherry Red's RPM imprint has

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Funk, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Joe Meek, The Honeycombs, The Meters

February 11, 2020 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

She Came from Liverpool

Today, we're looking at another trio of recent releases from the team at Ace Records!  If you missed Part One of our Ace Round-Up, click here! While The Beatles are no doubt Liverpool's most famous musical export, Merseyside - spanning 249 square miles (or 645 square kilometers) bordering Lancashire to the northeast, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south and southeast, and The Irish Sea to the west - yielded an abundance of groups like The Cryin' Shames, Gerry and The

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Beryl Marsden, Cilla Black, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Jackie DeShannon, The Emotions, Various Artists

May 10, 2019 By The Second Disc Leave a Comment

Cilla Black Cilla and In My Life

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Cilla Black, Cilla/In My Life (SFE/Cherry Red) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Cherry Red's Strike Force Entertainment imprint has two more reissues in the ongoing series of definitively remastered and expanded Cilla Black albums. First up is the late vocalist's debut album Cilla (1965) with In My Life (1974), the latter of which is making its premiere on CD in full.  This 2-CD set adds 26 bonus tracks, three of which are new to

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Blues, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Allen Toussaint, Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Cilla Black, David Newman, Howard Jones, Professor Longhair, Rare Earth, The Neville Brothers, Thomas Newman

April 19, 2019 By Sam Stone Leave a Comment

VA Poppies st ed front

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! The Rolling Stones, HONK [Various Formats] (Interscope) 1-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3-CD deluxe: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-LP standard: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-LP Target-exclusive blue vinyl: Target.com 4-LP deluxe color vinyl: The Rolling Stones' Online Shop Various music/apparel bundles: The Rolling Stones' Online Shop Honk is a new compilation album from The Rolling Stones that

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Blues, Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Jazz, Pop, Rock Tags: Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, Bananarama, Bil Evans, Stevie Nicks, The O'Jays, The Rolling Stones, Wes Montgomery

April 8, 2019 By Sam Stone 6 Comments

SFW JazzFest

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or simply "Jazz Fest," as it's become known, is more than a gathering of musicians performing for a crowd. Since its founding, it's become a cultural event; an annual celebration of the unique music, art, food, and people of New Orleans and beyond, with acts ranging from jazz, rock, pop, country, blues, and more. To celebrate the festival's fiftieth year, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has announced the May 10 release of Jazz Fest: The New Orleans

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Folk, Funk, Gospel, Jazz, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Newport All-Stars, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Professor Longhair, Snooks Eaglin, Terence Blanchard, The Dixie Cups, The Meters, The Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty

October 4, 2017 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Eric Gale Definitive

In his all-too-short life, guitarist Eric Gale (1938-1994) made his mark on the worlds of jazz, rock, R&B, and pop, leading his own jazz ensembles and contributing as a session musician to countless classic records by Paul Simon, The Drifters, Billy Joel, and Aretha Franklin, among others.  Cherry Red's Robinsongs imprint has recently taken stock of the late Gale's legacy of lithe, liquid guitar lines with a 2-CD release, The Definitive Collection. The Brooklyn-born musician ultimately

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Jazz, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Eric Gale

June 10, 2016 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Pet Sounds 50

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, with some of the most high-profile releases yet for 2016! The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds 50 (Various Editions) (Capitol/UMe) 4-CD/1-BD Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-CD Deluxe Edition (CD 1 + highlights from 4-CD set): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Mono 180-Gram Vinyl Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Stereo 180-Gram Vinyl Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The Beach

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Charlie Faye and the Fayettes, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Glen Campbell, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Coltrane, Kris Kristofferson, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, The Beach Boys, Van Morrison

May 13, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Grateful Dead Red Rocks 7 8 78

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Linda Ronstadt, Frenesi (Remastered Edition) (Elektra/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Linda Ronstadt's 1992 Spanish-language album Frenesi returns to CD in a newly-remastered edition with no additional content.  Consider this an appetizer for the upcoming expanded remaster of Trio! Allen Toussaint, The Complete Warner Recordings (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Rhino has a reissue of its 2003

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: CD, Digital Download Genre: Classic Rock, Gospel, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Soundtracks Tags: Allen Toussaint, Grateful Dead, Henry Mancini, Linda Ronstadt, Miles Davis, The Blind Boys of Alabama

April 14, 2016 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Allen Toussaint American Tunes

When Allen Toussaint unexpectedly passed away last November at the age of 77 during a European tour, it was reported that the great producer-arranger-composer-pianist had completed one final album.  Nonesuch has confirmed the release of American Tunes on June 10, the culmination of one of the most remarkable careers in popular music. American Tunes was recorded at two sets of sessions with producer Joe Henry: solo piano at Toussaint's New Orleans home studio in 2013, and with the rhythm

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Digital Download, Vinyl Genre: Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint

March 9, 2016 By Joe Marchese 6 Comments

Sex Pistols RSD

We've already filled you in on Rhino's upcoming Record Store Day releases from the late David Bowie, but the label has now confirmed the rest of its vinyl offerings for the April 16 event!  This year's crop of 25+ titles is a diverse one, with a number of vinyl premieres, new entries in the label's longtime "Side by Side" series, and more!  You'll find all details just below. a-ha - Hits South America 12-inch 180-gram vinyl Limited edition of 3000 copies, $14.98 AIR - Casanova

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, Vinyl Genre: Blues, Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, Madonna, Record Store Day, The Doors, The Monkees, The Sex Pistols

November 10, 2015 By Joe Marchese 8 Comments

Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint once asked in song, "What is success?  Is it doin' your own thing, or to join the rest?"  The New Orleans native, of course, was well-acquainted with success, if ever mindful of its cost.  In a career spanning seven decades, Toussaint happily was able to do his own thing - as a pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, producer, and recording artist.  Toussaint, who passed away suddenly last evening at the age of 77 while on tour in Europe, brought the music

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint

September 29, 2015 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Dr. John Singles

Dr. John's most famous single was titled "Right Place Wrong Time," but the one and only Mac Rebennack has certainly found himself in the right place at many a right time.  One particularly halcyon period of the funky New Orleans piano man's long career is captured on Omnivore Recordings' essential new collection of The Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968-1974 (OVCD-149). Though the 22 U.S. and U.K. singles included on this collection represent Dr. John's earliest years as a solo artist under that

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Categories: Reviews Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Dr. John

September 14, 2015 By Mike Duquette 1 Comment

Elvis Costello Unfaithful Music

"Every day I write the book," sang Elvis Costello on his first U.S. Top 40 hit, and this year he is indeed writing one. The iconoclastic British rocker, who's chased his muse through the most diverse of places, from punk to bluegrass, will let it all out in prose on the hotly anticipated memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. And now, Universal Music Enterprises, the home base for Elvis' catalogue for nearly a decade (following stints at Rykodisc/Demon in the 1990s and Warner

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Pop, Rock Tags: Allen Toussaint, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash, The Roots

September 1, 2015 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Allen Toussaint The Real Thing

Of all the great names in the annals of R&B history, there is only one Allen Toussaint.  A pianist, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and all-around renaissance man, the Louisiana native is responsible - in one capacity or another - for some of the most memorable songs and recordings in the modern pop and soul canon: "Working in the Coal Mine," "Southern Nights," "Mother-in-Law," "Lady Marmalade" and "Yes We Can Can" among them.  Though those hits for Lee Dorsey, Glen Campbell, Ernie

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint

August 12, 2015 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Dr. John Singles

The Doctor is in! On September 18, Omnivore Recordings is heading to the bayou with one of New Orleans' favorite sons, Mac Rebennack - a.k.a. Dr. John! The Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968-1974 collects the Good Doctor's A- and B-sides, from both the U.S. and the U.K., as issued on the Atco and Atlantic labels during that prolific period. These 22 tracks take the piano-pounding Night Tripper from his debut album, Gris-Gris, through Desitively Bonnaroo, produced by fellow N'awlins legend Allen

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, The Meters

November 19, 2014 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

sam dees one in a million

Welcome to Part 2 of our two-part series exploring a recent crop of amazing soul and R&B from the Ace and Kent labels! Birmingham, Alabama native Sam Dees has worn many hats in a long and illustrious career – producer, singer, songwriter, among them.  But it’s a songwriter that Dees has received his greatest acclaim.  He’s gifted music to George Benson and Aretha Franklin (“Love All the Hurt Away”), Atlantic Starr (“Am I Dreaming”), Gladys Knight and the Pips (“Save the Overtime (For Me)”

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Sam Dees

August 19, 2014 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

frank sinatra duets de

The Posies, Failure (Omnivore) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Omnivore expands the 1988 debut album from power-pop heroes The Posies.  The new Failure restores the album’s original 12-track running order (preserved on cassette but cut down by one song on vinyl) and adds eight bonus tracks. Many of these are sourced from a long out-of-print 2000 box set and a 2004 reissue of the album proper, but one, a demo of “At Least for Now,” is being heard for the first time

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Categories: News, Release Round-Up Formats: Vinyl Genre: Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Allen Toussaint, Leonard Bernstein, Pino Donaggio, Professor Longhair, Smokey Robinson, The Posies

August 12, 2014 By Mike Duquette Leave a Comment

power in the music

Billy Thermal, Billy Thermal (Omnivore) Before Billy Steinberg co-wrote with Tom Kelly a host of pop classics (“Like a Virgin,” “True Colors,” “So Emotional,” “Eternal Flame"), he fronted a little-heard band on Richard Perry's Planet Records: their original five-track EP is expanded to a 12-track compilation with demos and outtakes! (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) The Guess Who, Power in the Music: Expanded Edition (Iconoclassic) The final Guess Who studio album for RCA (and last with

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Allen Toussaint, Billy Thermal, The Guess Who, The Originals

May 19, 2014 By Mike Duquette 4 Comments

doors weird scenes

Oasis, Definitely Maybe: Chasing The Sun Edition (Big Brother/Ngrooves) Oasis' debut album is remastered and expanded; the first in a planned series of multi-format reissues from the legendary Britpop band. 1CD remaster: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.2LP remaster: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.3CD deluxe edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.3CD/2LP/1 x 7″ box set: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Billy Joel, A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia (Columbia/Legacy) The Piano Man's 1987 sojourn to the USSR is

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Categories: News, Release Round-Up Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, DVD Tags: Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, Billy Joel, Miles Davis, Oasis, R. Kelly, R.E.M., Roy Orbison, The Doors, Vinyl

October 1, 2013 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

claudia lennear phew

Claudia Lennear might have spent much of her career 20 Feet from Stardom, as per the acclaimed documentary of that title.  But on her 1973 Warner Bros. solo debut album, the onetime background singer and member of Leon Russell’s Shelter People was front and center.  That LP was titled Phew!, perhaps not the most likely name for a heady brew of funk, rock and soul by the striking singer who gave inspiration to both David Bowie and Mick Jagger.  But “Phew!” is an accurate expression of relief now

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Categories: Reviews Tags: Allen Toussaint

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