Ace’s Songwriter Series and Black America Sings compilations always promise a good time, but their latest may have outdone them all: a hits and rarities packed tribute to the songs, sound and style of Stevie Wonder. Black America Sings Stevie Wonder, available March 27, collects 20 compositions by the Motown legend from across the pop and soul diaspora. From familiar tracks in less familiar versions to songs he gave others both on and off the label he was part of for more than half a century, there’s quite a bit to appreciate here,…
Q’s Cues: New ‘Écoutez Le Cinéma’ Box Celebrates the Music of Quincy Jones
When Rhino released Q: The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones – a 4CD, 74-track collection – in 2001, it was a valiant attempt to tell a story that was still being written. The gifted bandleader, composer and producer, who passed away at the age of 91 in 2024, had an enduring way with sound, be it jazz, pop, R&B, rock or even film and television scoring. His decades of work with the 20th century’s greatest luminaries made him a tremendous (if controversial) raconteur, with countless stories to tell and luminaries to work alongside….
The Weekend Stream: November 22, 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 real grab bag for you before the Thanksgiving holiday: cut songs from Broadway comedies, rarities from a ’60s soul/rock legend, an inexplicably remastered charity single, rare 12″ mixes and remastered jazz. Have a listen, won’t you?? Various Artists, Monty Python’s Spamalot (Original Broadway Cast Recording/20th Anniversary Edition) (Decca Broadway) (Apple / Amazon) Something to (always) look on the bright side of life over: a new reissue of the music…
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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 That!! (1978) and The Dude (1981). Each will be packaged in the usual style, as part of UMG’s “All of…
The Weekend Stream: November 23, 2024
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. We’ve got Beach Boys covers with some fascinating history related to the band, a tribute to one of the greatest musical icons we lost this year, a new single from a legend of R&B and much more – plus a call to action to help a family in need. California Music, Don’t Worry Baby EP (RCA) (iTunes / Amazon) One of the most unusual branches of the sprawling family tree…
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In Memoriam: Quincy Jones (1933-2024)
Quincy Delight Jones was just 14 years old when he introduced himself to Ray Charles. Though the pianist-singer was just two years older, he was already an inspiration to the younger musician. Charles had the gift of synthesizing the various strains of music – jazz, folk, country, pop, soul, rhythm and blues, and gospel, among them – into a sound both wholly new and wholly American. Jones was struck by how Charles overcame adversity, and their shared ethos became one which shaped young Quincy’s future – and that of popular music itself. …
Look Out, Ol’ Frankie’s Back: Sinatra’s Final Solo Album Gets Remixed and Expanded for 40th Anniversary
Start spreading the news! Frank Sinatra may have taken John Kander and Fred Ebb’s timeless “(Theme From) New York, New York” to the charts, but the Chairman of the Board also had a soft spot for the City of Angels. In 1984, he teamed with the legendary Quincy Jones, fresh off a little 1982 album called Thriller, to craft what would become the final solo studio album of Sinatra’s extraordinary career. On October 25, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and UMe will reissue L.A. Is My Lady in a remixed and expanded edition on…
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The Weekend Stream: April 21, 2024
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’s super-sized post-Record Store Day lineup includes more: more remixes, more covers, more Mancini and yes, more Taylor Swift. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (Republic) (iTunes / Amazon) Can you really call this a reissue? Pop’s most ubiquitous A-lister whipped fans into a frenzy by announcing her 11th studio album shortly before picking up her fourth Grammy Award for…
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The Weekend Stream: July 29, 2023
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. Big things happening in this column: two big box sets from a legendary prog-turned-pop outfit, rare mixes from one of pop’s most legendary performers, tons of remixes from a soulful producer/performer and 200(!) classical titles from a legendary British label. Whew! Genesis, Archive #1 (1969 – 1975) / Archive #2 (1976 – 1992) (Atlantic/Rhino/Craft) Archive #1: iTunes / Amazon…
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The Second Disc Guesses the ‘Thriller 40’ Track List
It’s hard to know what a Michael Jackson event release looks like today. For one, the King of Pop is very much dead; for another, November’s impending release of Thriller 40 is the third reissue of the bestselling album. Are the vaults empty? Is the estate stingy? (This is, after all, the same Jackson estate that bizarrely changed the font on the cover, got very defensive about it, yet changed it again, with a new slipcase. Also, the upcoming Mobile Fidelity vinyl edition may have gotten the company into some uncomfortable spots…
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No Mere Mortal Can Resist? Speculating on the 40th Anniversary Reissue of ‘Thriller’
“Darkness falls across the land / the midnight hour is close at hand…” OK, maybe that’s pushing it a little, but today Legacy Recordings did announce a forthcoming 2CD expansion of Michael Jackson’s landmark Thriller for its 40th anniversary. The world’s best-selling album spun off seven of its nine songs as Top 10 singles in America and helped win the King of Pop a record-setting eight Grammy Awards in one night. (Let’s not forget that the eighth was for a storybook album based on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, also celebrating its 40th anniversary…
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Fly Me to the Moon: Vinyl Me, Please Chronicles “The Story of Quincy Jones” on New Anthology Box Set
Following the recent announcement of an Anthology box set for the Philadelphia International Records, record club Vinyl Me, Please has turned its attention to one of music’s most famous multi-hyphenate talents: Quincy Jones. The multi-instrumentalist-composer-producer-arranger-conductor’s credits are too numerous to mention, but VMP’s Anthology – due in January 2022 – provides a career overview bookended by two of his most acclaimed jazz recordings. The 12-LP box set The Story of Quincy Jones Anthology is produced in cooperation with Quincy Jones Productions and is cross-licensed from labels including Universal and Warner. The box…
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Do I Ever Cross Your Mind: Ray Charles’ Post-Atlantic Recordings Explored on “True Genius” Box Set
Ray Charles formed Tangerine Records in 1962 as part of the creative freedom he earned by jumping from Atlantic Records to ABC-Paramount. In addition to many of his Charles’ own recordings, Tangerine issued music from Louis Jordan, Percy Mayfield, Jimmy Scott, Ike and Tina Turner, and other artists championed by The Genius. The label closed in 1973 when Charles departed the ABC roster, but the Ray Charles Foundation has recently reactivated it for a special 6-CD anthology celebrating its founder. True Genius, due on September 10, is a book-style package featuring nearly…
Better Get Hit In Yo’ Soul: 60 Years of Impulse! Records Celebrated On New CD, LP Box Set
Since its initial 1961 releases produced by founder Creed Taylor, Impulse! Records has been synonymous with excellence in jazz. “The House That Trane Built” was stylish both in packaging (with its distinctive orange-and-black color scheme and exclamation point) and content, with a remarkable artist roster boasting not only John Coltrane but Charles Mingus, Ray Charles, Archie Shepp, Alice Coltrane, Quincy Jones, McCoy Tyner, Gil Evans, Oliver Nelson, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hartman, and Pharoah Sanders. On Friday, Impulse! and UMe announced a 60th anniversary celebration of the still-active label encompassing a new box…
Quartet Records Unveils Holiday Slate with Soundtracks from Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith, Quincy Jones, More
Following La-La Land Records’ recently-announced mega-slate of Black Friday releases, Spain’s Quartet Records label has revealed its own impressive line-up of end-of-the-year reissues. The label has brought out the heavy hitters – including Jerry Goldsmith, Henry Mancini, Ennio Morricone, and Quincy Jones – for an exciting group of limited edition soundtracks. Below, you’ll find Quartet’s own write-ups for each title, with pre-order links to the label as well as to Screen Archives Entertainment. Jerry Goldsmith, The Great Train Robbery: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack (Quartet / Screen Archives) Quartet Records and MGM…
OUT TOMORROW! Melissa Manchester’s “Mathematics: The MCA Years” Arrives From Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music
Melissa Manchester announced her independence from Arista Records when she signed to MCA Records after nearly a decade with Clive Davis’ famous label. At Arista, Manchester had established herself as one of the finest singer-songwriters of her era (or any other!) as well as a first-class pop interpreter. At MCA, she reinvented herself further by jumping headfirst into the world of dance-oriented synthpop, Hi-NRG, and new wave. 1985’s Mathematics bore the period’s hallmark of multiple big-name producers: George Duke, Brock Walsh, Robbie Nevil, Trevor Veitch, and executive producer Quincy Jones. Mathematics featured…
Release Round-Up: Week of July 1
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! We’ve got the latest release from Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music as well as plenty more that we know you won’t want to miss! Eddy Arnold, Each Road I Take: The Lee Hazlewood and Chet Atkins Sessions 1970 (Second Disc Records/Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Our newest release brings together two seminal, never-before-reissued albums by Eddy Arnold on one CD, both from 1970. Love and Guitars captured Arnold in a raw, acoustic setting with many of Nashville’s greatest pickers including…
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Review: Wes Montgomery, “In the Beginning”
Never-before-heard music by Wes Montgomery isn’t easy to come by. Montgomery – an influence to George Benson, Jimi Hendrix, Pat Metheny and every great guitar man in between – didn’t enter a recording studio until 25 years of age, didn’t record as a leader until another ten years had elapsed, and was dead ten years after that, felled by a heart attack at age 45. His body of work can neatly be divided into three distinct periods at different labels: Riverside (1959-1964), Verve (1964-1966) and A&M (1967-1968). The latter two stints were…
Monday at the Movies: Mancini, Williams, Newman and Jones Revisited, Plus Disney Expands “Cinderella” in “Lost Chords” Series
It’s not quite time yet for the long goodbye to new announcements for 2012, but for Quartet Records, it is time for The Long Goodbye. John Williams’ score to Robert Altman’s 1973 film leads off another group of essential new buys for soundtrack fans and collectors. Quartet is pairing The Long Goodbye with a late-period Henry Mancini classic, the score to Blake Edwards’ 1988 comedy-western Sunset. But that’s not all. Kritzerland has a true “wow” release with a gloriously restored stereo premiere soundtrack to Alfred Newman’s score for the 1951 epic David…
Release Round-Up: Week of August 28
Frank Zappa, Official Reissues #15-26 (Zappa Records/UMe) FZ’s 1972-1979 discography, almost entirely sourced from original analog masters. (Joe breaks it all down for you here!) Various Artists, A&M 50: The Anniversary Collection (A&M/UMe) Three discs of hits and favorites from a most eclectic of major labels. Elvis Presley, A Boy from Tupelo: The Complete 1953-1955 Recordings (Follow That Dream) The King’s complete Sun tenure, with single masters, alternates, live takes and more – not to mention an enormous book of liner notes spanning over 500 pages. Art Garfunkel, The Singer (Columbia/Legacy) You know the voice; now, take a dive into…
Wir Lieben Bacharach! And Quincy, Too: Jazz Club Label Compiles Rare Bacharach, Jones On CD
Great catalogue music often arrives in the unlikeliest of places. Universal Music Classics and Jazz’s German division has created the budget Jazz Club label, celebrating artists from the various labels under the Universal umbrella. And though its titles may not be available at your local shop, they’re well worth seeking out, offering plenty of material not available elsewhere. Two of the most recent Jazz Club releases are of a particularly rare vintage. Wir Lieben Bacharach! collects 18 German-language renditions of famous songs from the Burt Bacharach and Hal David songbook…and some not-so-famous…
Q Applause For Mr. Jones and Mr. Hefti: “Enter Laughing” and “Synanon” Come to CD
If you don’t know the name Neal Hefti, you undoubtedly know the man’s music…whether it’s the indelible, insinuating, harpsichord-and-brass theme to The Odd Couple, or the frenetic, groovy Batman theme from the Caped Crusader’s campy television show. And Quincy Jones, the man known as Q, needs no introduction. Like Hefti a veteran of jazz and big band, Jones’ trailblazing productions on landmark albums such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller (to name just one) ensured his place in the pantheon. Today, the Kritzerland label announced the CD debut of two rare soundtrack recordings on…
Soundtrack Round-Up: Intrada Cuts to “The Core,” Music Box Goes “Overboard,” FSM Inches Toward the Finish Line
With the release of another major holy grail in the world of soundtrack collecting yesterday, it’s worth pointing out another four awesome archival titles that may have been lost in the shuffle this past week. First, Intrada’s latest batch of catalogue soundtrack releases, announced Monday, bring to light two underrated gems from two very different composers. First up, after years of waiting, is an official release to the score to the 2003 sci-fi cult-classic The Core. Composer Christopher Young, whose eclectic body of work ventures from horror (A Nightmare on Elm Street II:…
Review: Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, “The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings”
When Frank Sinatra met Count Basie, it was far from a clash of the titans. No, the “historic musical first” that occurred between the grooves of Reprise 1008 in 1962 was more like a perfect union. Both were Jersey boys, with Basie’s formative years spent south of Hoboken, in Red Bank, New Jersey. The men were unusually simpatico, similar in their enormous respect for musicians. Though Basie titled a 1959 album Chairman of the Board, the title was later bestowed upon Sinatra. When Basie put his feelings on music onto paper, he…
Another Round of “ICON” Track Lists (UPDATED 4/4)
UPDATE 4/4: We now have confirmation on the track lists for each set! Original post: Next week, another batch of ICON compilations will be released by Universal Music Group. This is particularly interesting, considering that all of the track lists for these upcoming sets have yet to be revealed. Indeed, pre-order links on Amazon and other sites don’t even have all of these track lists, or cover art, finalized. (This is doubly ironic considering another batch of ICON titles is slate for May, and pre-order links are starting to crop up.) Fortunately, we’ve…
