Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. From classic Jersey pop and British dance of the '80s to a bright young drummer keeping Detroit soul alive in the present day, our latest offerings pack quite a punch. The Bongos, Numbers with Wings (40th Anniversary Edition) (RCA/Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) The New Jersey pop/rock outfit led by
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Best of Everything (Geffen/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) On the heels of the release of the acclaimed rarities box set An American Treasure, a new career-spanning anthology arrives from the late Tom Petty. The Best of Everything is subtitled The Definitive Career-Spanning Hits Collection 1976-2016 and features 38 tracks from the soulful rock-and-roller, including two previously unreleased
Dennis Coffey's legacy is probably most tied to his legendary session work for Motown Records. As a member of The Funk Brothers, Coffey appeared on hits such as Edwin Starr's "War," The Temptations' "Ball of Confusion," and Stevie Wonder's cover of "We Can Work It Out." Coffey also performed on recordings by Wilson Pickett, Parliament/Funkadelic, and even produced Rodriguez's debut, Cold Fact. But Coffey, still active to this day, also shines as a live performer. Last summer, Omnivore
For guitarist Dennis Coffey, music was no mere day job. While plying his trade each day as a member of the Funk Brothers, laying down funky licks on some of Detroit's finest records, Coffey was spending his evenings at Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge as one-third of organist Lyman Woodard's instrumental trio. With Woodard and drummer Melvin Davis, Coffey treated patrons to sizzling renditions of the day's hits as well as original songs. One of the trio's 1968 sets was issued last year on
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Johnny Mathis, Close to You/Love Story: Expanded Edition (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music continue their journey through Johnny Mathis' seventies catalogue with this expanded, remastered two-fer of Mathis' 1970 and 1971 albums. Close to You finds the singer reinterpreting hits by Bacharach and David, Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Beatles, and even Santana, while Love Story
Omnivore Recordings has been living up to its name with a little bit of everything - and the next few months promise to continue in that tradition with high-profile titles from artists including Vince Guaraldi, Gene Clark, The Rose Garden, Dennis Coffey, and Malo! Good grief! Jazz great Vince Guaraldi is best known for his immortal scores for Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts animated television specials and first feature film, but the multi-faceted pianist and composer was a man of many talents.
Dennis Coffey's credits are too numerous to mention. As a session guitarist, he brought a rock edge to numerous Motown hits including The Temptations' psychedelic soul favorites like "Cloud Nine" and "Ball of Confusion." As a producer, he helmed Gallery's soft-pop hit "Nice to Be with You" and "Sugar Man" Sixto Rodriguez's acclaimed debut album. As a solo artist, he charted with the instrumental "Scorpio," and crafted guitar-driven disco soul at Westbound Records. Now, the Resonance Records
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up - our first of the New Year! Gerry Rafferty, The Very Best of Gerry Rafferty: United Artistry (Varese Vintage) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Varese Vintage goes right down the line with Gerry Rafferty's greatest hits, including "Stuck in the Middle with You" from Stealers Wheel, and the solo "Baker Street," "Get It Right Next Time," "Right Down the Line" and more! This newly-remastered 16-track compilation has seven U.S. and U.K.