While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it's no secret that listening audiences are also digital - catalogue music lovers, too - and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we're introducing a new Saturday feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Rahsaan Roland
Cherry Red's Robinsongs imprint is continuing its series dedicated to the quiet-storm sound of Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly with a two-fer containing both 1981's Live in New Orleans and 1986's Live in Los Angeles. Maze began its life as Raw Soul, but a felicitous association with Marvin Gaye led to a change of name for the smooth-soul band to Maze as well as to a deal with Capitol Records. (As Raw Soul, the band's only previous major label releases were on the RCA-affiliated Gregar label
Frankie Beverly began his recording career in his native Philadelphia, but it wasn't until he took his band Raw Soul to San Francisco that the group began to pick up steam. With the support of Marvin Gaye, Raw Soul became Maze, one of the biggest proponents of the "quiet storm" sound. Late last year, Cherry Red's Robinsongs label reissued the final two albums by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly - Silky Soul and Back to Basics - as one 2-CD set with bonus tracks. Gaye reportedly came up with