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Pink Floyd - Echoes
EMI 7243 536 11118 Reviewed by RP
It is easy to harbour hostile thoughts when most "best ofs" boil down to the common denominator: a collective reprise of some high-charting and undeserving singles. Echoes differs in a number of obvious ways. Pink Floyd's enduring and influential cult band status here merits a four LP format. The expanse of vinyl also lends itself to an exploration of music that includes the late sixties psychedelia, space and art-rock experimentalism, as well as those technical and instrumental triumphs lifted from Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall. In charting this evolutionary process it passes through the Barrett years and those albums borne out of the long-standing enmity between Waters and Wright. There is space, too, for an epic title-track taken from Meddle and for those famously indulgent side-long eulogies like 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' (Wish You Were Here). Early classics 'See Emily Play' and 'Arnold Layne' are cleverly and contrastingly paired with later songs, 'The Happiest Days Of Our Lives' (The Walk and 'Learning To Fly' (A Momentary Lapse Of Reason). The digitally remastered 'Emily' and 'Arnold' have rarely sounded better. While those stereo effects found in the likes of 'Money' are well-realised, even if they don't quite match that on the highly-regarded mo-fi pressing of Dark Side. However, at around £30.00, Echoes is a bargain not to be missed.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk (44)(0)1579 363603

The Waifs - Sink Or Swim
Hot Records HOT 1080 Reviewed by RP
Stray Aussie roots outfit, The Waifs, were recently heard as the support band at Billy Bragg's Lowry Concert, which suggests that besides their honed acoustic skills Josh Cunningham, Donna and Vikki Simpson possess a healthy scepticism for institutions that perpetuate a status quo. The writing from all three is exceptional. However, highest praise goes to the Donna Simpson songs. A commonplace story of an ambitious young musician moving to the city, the transient nature of relationships, those everyday bills that must be met - all financed by dishing up food rather than notes or chords in, 'The Waitress', is deliberately clothed in suitably mundane language, that really works. Her date rape song, 'Service Fee', from its' opening lines "you broke down my door and let yourself in / you helped yourself to my soul and skin" offers a more sophisticated lyricism. But my favourite track is, 'The Haircut', Donna's ironic, sharp-tongued reflection upon being dumped, with all those boyfriend put-downs that preceded it has exquisitely delivered humour in, "so now when I make love I make love to myself/ I got no disease so it's good for my health / I got my hands in my pants - down my calvin klein's / I don't need you no more baby I can come everytime". That is a woman's priceless sweet revenge!
Supplier: hotrecords@pavilion.co.uk

Shawn Colvin - Live '88
Plump Records PL7901-2 Reviewed by RP
Culled from three adrenalin-filled stage performances, this unaccompanied, yet compelling excursion, revisits nine of Colvin's own songs (eight of which are to be found in a studio form on Steady On) as well as two covers in Paul Simon's 'Kathy's Song' and David Bell's 'Don't You Think I Feel It Too: Among the originals are 'Stranded', 'Cry Like An Angel', 'Ricochet' and 'Shotgun Down The Avalanche'. If you warmed to that debut album, then this CD will bed in nicely. Although pared back to guitar and vocals, Colvin projects a truly big sound and so the absence of familiar flashy production values, percussion or layered bass, electric, dobro and mandolins is not critical. Simplicity is it's strength. That, and the finely executed and tightly-woven urban folk music. Live recordings, of course, will have their detractors, but I appreciate the honesty and interaction with the audience on these discs. There is integrity a plenty to be found here outside of the perfection that can be crafted in the studio. Occasional bum notes and a level of Intensity where you can almost hear the beads of perspiration form and drop to the floor during a set are a potent and timely reminder of how disproportionate all that studio window dressing can become.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk (44)(0)1579 363603

Wizz Jones - Lucky The Man
Scenescof SCOFLP 1009 Reviewed by RP
Students of Rod Stewart's early R&B career will perhaps recall that during the Sixties, prior to his sojourn with Jimmy Powell And The Five Dimensions as a tempestuous harmonica player, he had toured Europe alongside Wizz Jones. Rod went on to become a trouser-thrusting Seventies rock icon. Wizz, meanwhile, still basks in that collective anonymity of our middle-England acoustic folkblues scene. Accompanied here by Gerry Conway (Fairport Convention), Clive Palmer (Incredible String Band), John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee (Pentangle), he plies a durable, honest and quite distinctive guitar-licking trade on this intimate thirteen track studio-bound album. It's easy to warm to the evenly paced rendition of Blind Boy Fuller's, 'Weeping Willow Blues', or the Ray Charles 'Funny (But I Still Love You): A traditional folk song like, 'Ornie Wise', drips with sensitivity. Interspersed amongst them are three Wizz-penned originals that compare favourably. 'Another Summertime', 'Lullaby Of Battersea' and the title-track, 'Lucky The Man', typify this polite, well-mannered school of English folk music. Consequently, Wizz does not possess a universal appeal. Soft enunciation and gently-shaped delivery lacks the cutting edge of his Trans-Atlantic counterparts. LP strictly limited to a run of 800.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk (44)(0)1579 363603

Ian Brown - Music Of The Spheres
Polydor Records 589126-1 Reviewed by RP
Between apathy and much-publicised management squabbles "Madchester" favourites, the Stone Roses, were capable of creating classic guitar/pop records. Their self-destructive quality was reflected through line up changes and infrequent releases. It's surprising they lasted as long as they did. Founder member, Ian Brown, though, has remained in the limelight even when being rubbished for vocals that have occasionally strayed seriously of-key. He has, however, since 1996, pursued a fascinating solo career. Last year's Music Of The Spheres is the latest and most subtle step in this blend of guitar electro-pop. Brown, like much of his hometown, has undergone a dramatic makeover during the past five years. Yet, buried beneath some sweet, lingering and ethereal melodies in 'F.E.A.R', 'The Gravy Train', 'Hear No See No', 'Northern Lights' and 'Whispers', are real life lyrical allusions and worries. Broken relationships, drugs, shadowy figures, givers and takers populate and juxtapose these often dreamy-sounding mixes. The musical veneer, as with much of Manchester's redevelopment, papers over but cannot, on it's own, resolve these issues. An overlay of keyboard programming and studiosourced effects suits and sustains this attitude.

Butterfly Jones - Napalm Springs
Vanguard VCD 79590-2 Reviewed by RG
Butterfly Jones is the latest venture from ex-DADA frontman Michael Gurlet and drummer Phil Leavitt. Add guitars, keyboards and various period pieces and you've got a recipe for musical genre mayhem. The results however, are surprisingly palatable: modern enough to be hip, laden with enough psychedelic nostalgia to be hip, just near enough to the white line to be recognisable, far enough away to be, well, hip. Napalm Springs consists of 14 songs loaded with hooks, run through with all the guitar riffs that Oasis lost (and have been looking for ever since). Yee Gods, it's that rarest of beasts, an album loaded with intelligent pop. The singing and playing are both top notch, and the production's not bad. There's enough variety here to keep you interested while there's a satisfying mix of hope and healthy cynicism. The gentle, bittersweet caress of 'Sophie', the naive joy of 'Wonder cut through with self parody, contrast with the cascading guitars of the title track, the rough and tumble of 'Sunshine and Ecstasy: Shades of the Beatles and the Monkeys look on from afar, thankfully without ever intruding too obviously. But it's the Dylan-esque jangle and edgy chords of 'The Systematic Dumbing Down Of Terry Constance Jones' that's the standout track here. Don't be fooled by the tacky, bikini clad cover. It's just another example of a band who aren't prepared to take themselves too seriously. It's a musically refreshing trait.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band - Live In New York
Columbia COL 500000 1 Reviewed by RP
An atmospheric, adoration-filled triple decker recorded at Madison Square Garden after a hard year's touring with his terrific old backing group, The E Street Band, reiterates what we've always known - Springsteen is a brilliant rock and roll performer, guitarist and storyteller. No need to warm up this audience. They are irrevocably bound to their messiah through a diurnal sense of clarity, purpose, fatalism, hope and compassion he has shown for those generations of blue collar characters who have now populated his narratives spanning four decades. Nineteen tracks here, range across themes of howling desolation in 'Youngstown', the violent streets of 'American Skin', to an aching Tenth Avenue Freeze-out' and the show-stopping, 'Badlands: Anthems, familiar and new, are present too. Flag-wrapped optimism in the shape of 'Born In The USA' and 'Land Of Hope And Dreams' have even more resonance these days. If your purpose was an exploration of the Boss's inventiveness as a songwriter, then go to the studio albums where those multiple bridges, varying choruses and a meter stretched to breaking point demand attention. Live In New York, however, is a homecoming musical celebration where fans dote, band members vamp and a charismatic New Jersey prodigal accepts canonisation.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk (44)(0)1579 363603

Pine Top Perkins - Back On Top
Telarc CD83489

Terry Evans - Walk That Walk
Telarc CD03486

Mighty Sam McClain - Blues For The Soul
Telarc CD83487 Reviewed by RP
Run the handles, "Pinetop", "Mighty Sam" and "Terry Evans" past me or any other like-minded audiophile and we are going to think of Analogue Productions and Audioquest releases. Occasionally, though, finding yourself proved completely wrong can be a pleasant experience. Which is the case with these three CDs taken from a mainstream blues label. First into the tray was Back On Top, the second recording for Telarc by octogenarian pianist, Pinetop Perkins. This man has lived a lifetime with the blues. From 1930s boogie-woogie in rural Mississippi, and cutting those ivories around Chicago haunts of the fifties and sixties, to an eleven-year stint as replacement for Otis Span in the Muddy Waters band - Pinetop has simply engaged his audiences in a soulful, uncomplicated conversational style that, with a deft and disarming caress of the keys, moves dewy-eyed listeners and musicians alike. When he runs those hands across an old standard like Leroy Carr's, 'How Long The Blues', there is nothing academic about his delivery. It just drips with tenderness and authenticity. Guests, Ray Norcia with his crying harmonica and that sweet acoustic guitar work from Carey Harris, dovetail right in alongside him and the band. Great pace and dexterity, too, in his 'Down In Mississippi' where the later stunning electric guitar licks and a weeping harp are almost more than a grown man can bear. Elsewhere, subtle and slow-burning material such as Edie Boyd's, 'Five Long Years', and the Earl Hooker classic, 'Anna Lee', rake over those temperature raising coals that have preoccupied generations of bluesmen - dead end jobs, no money and woman trouble. Pinetop's is a finely etched performance, nicely revealed though some clean-sounding, detailed and unfussy engineering. Technically, the Terry Evans and Mighty San McClain recordings, that employ Sony's Direct Stream Digital mastering system, are even better. While offering greater dynamic range and an improved resolution that exposes those most delicate of instrumental nuances, they can still fire out really punchy vocals and a snappy horn or trumpet arrangement when demanded. A rocksteady musical image, in terms of shape, size and soundstage location, reinforces a "live" session feel to these Bernie Grundman mastered discs. On, Walk That Walk, big Terry Evans not only talks the talk but strides purposefully through nine of his originally-penned numbers which, whilst drawing on a sweet-soaked Delta Blues legacy, also have an indelible brand of that more recent LA scene imprinted upon them. His neat acoustic guitar, thickly set, rich and sometimes grizzled vocals, all have the right credentials. And, when you hear a support band including Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, Kenny Dew and Jesse Samsel, you realise that these are seriously good blues musicians at play. Reframing this idiom is another Evans objective. Indebtedness, an age-old theme, is freshened up for a final, 'Credit Card Blues'. Yet, Evans has a knack of getting his hooks into you early. Here, with the snappy title-track (a witty discourse on shoes) and while musing on more women problems for The Story Of My Life: When he drops the pace back for a gospel-like, 'A Stones Throw Away', his versatility shines through. Mighty Sam McClain is a man who has placed his faith in less secular solutions. Sam's spiritual side is unequivocal. In a dozen soaring songs our Louisiana-born vocalist looks heavenward - his cadences rise to be joined by equally uplifting horn, trombone and trumpet arrangements. Not everyone's cup of tea, perhaps, and not as inspired as those earlier Audioquest LPs, Give It Up To Love and Sledgehammer Soul Et Down. They too, like Blues For the Soul, were produced by Joe Harley and his efforts are almost as persuasive as the ministry on offer - but you still won't find an old atheist like myself reaching for a bible.

Hans Zimmer - Black Hawk Down OST
Decca 440 017 012-2 Reviewed by RG
The movie might be deeply flawed, marred by the same perspectual myopia and resultant incipient racism that infected Platoon and further back, The Green Beret, but as Zimmer points out, that leaves the music as the only voice available to the Somali people. As such, he does a sterling job of recreating that cultural void between the rich, well-fed technocrats of the US armed forces and the impoverished Africans with the temerity to reject the opportunity of salvation. Of course, it's not the starving that make that choice, but then the World has never responded to overly simplistic foreign policy. This soundtrack sees Zimmer at his powerfully atmospheric best, teasing us with the hints of familiar themes that flicker tantalisingly before whirling away in the complex weave of the music. Here it's the hard-edged riff from Led Zep's 'Kashmir' that provides a momentary bridge between North and South, whilst anyone familiar with Gaspar Lawal will find themselves on recognisable ground. The insistent techno ambience of tracks like 'Synchrotone' stand in stark contrast to 'Barra Barra' and the sublime Baaba Maal vocal on 'Hunger: Zimmer rates this as his most ambitious work and I'd agree. However, like all steps into the artistic unknown the results are patchier and less polished than the likes of Gladiator. But alongside the odd trip this is evocative and moving music of real power. A treat.

Nickel Creek - Nickel creek
Sugarhill Records SUGCD 3909 Reviewed by AH
Bluegrass music hasn't had the high profile in the UK of say, your Shania Twain or Leann Rimes slant on Country Music. Attitudes are changing though, as the huge sales of the soundtrack 0 Brother Where Art Thou? and Alison Krauss albums have gone to prove. Krauss in particular has been a major influence on the steady growth of the genre and here we have another young band who are going to open it up to a whole new audience. Nickel Creek are a three piece comprising Sara Watkins, (violin and vocals), Chris Thile, (mandolin and banjo) and Sean Watkins, (acoustic guitar). The quality of the playing and the high standards they achieve with their songwriting make a mockery of their ages. They are respectful of the roots of bluegrass but they drive it on to a fresh and vibrant new plateau. A perfect example is their version of Sinead Lohan's gorgeous 'Out of the Woods: Sara Watkins delivers a beautiful vocal performance, but no less impressive are the harmonies and playing, especially Sean Watkins acoustic guitar work. Although of tender age, Nickel Creek have been together for 10 years - and it shows. They've picked up countless awards and they'll go on to win many more, selling millions along the way. There that good.

Christine Collister - An Equal Love
Topic records: TSCD 1 Reviewed by AH
My trawls round the record shops over the years have uncovered Christine Collisters name on many occasions, courtesy of albums by Richard Thompson, Clive Gregson and her own personal releases, but I dismissed them all, mainly because they were always filed in the folk section. In my naivety I had her down as another one of those yelping, heavy-on-the-Irish-accent, fiddles everywhere folkies types. Oops, big mistake. It just goes to show you - never judge a book by its cover! The first time I actually got to hear Miss Collister sing was on The Dark Gift of Time which is in essence a Best-Of compilation. Two things struck me. Firstly the voice - and what a voice it is! It's truly a wonderful creation, deeply hypnotic one moment and intoxicating the next. Secondly, the songs. Collister is a folk singer, but that's not all she is. She can sing jazz, blues, pop, country - in fact she can sing anything, and brilliantly too. Her latest offering, An Equal Love, is yet another eclectic mix with a least half of the songs written or co-written by Collister herself. This album simply confirms the fact that she is one of this country's finest ever singers. Don't be a plonker like I was and get down to your local record store pronto - you'll find her albums in the folk section!

The Electric Soft Parade - Holes In The Wall
dB records dB002 Reviewed by MC
In 1994 Britpop ruled. Since then its been mainly downhill. The Soft Parade are a pair of men who never really let Britpop go. Inspired by all those bands I loved so much, and all those since that I have grown to love, the Electric Soft Parade, formerly The Soft Parade, should be everything I have been hoping for. So why aren't they? Lets not be too hard on The Electric Soft Parade, this album is mostly superb. The singles are shining gems, 'Empty at the end', There's a silence' and 'Silent to the dark' were beautiful on their release and haven't faded since. And there are other glimpses of glory along the way, but somehow the album lacks a certain spark. For two men to record an album this good, almost entirely on their own, in their bedrooms, and to take that to the charts, deserves recognition. To stand against the trend so boldly also deserves recognition. But I can't help but think a nine song mini-album might have been all the more poignant. No shortage of determination, but a slight lack of purpose. Strangely haunting, frequently too beautiful for words, warmly nostalgic and skilfully delicate, this album is well worth buying, but will never make it to my top ten.

Six by Seven - The way I feel today
MNTCD1027 Mantra 2002 Reviewed by MC
Six by Seven are not happy men. On their debut album The things we make Six by Seven were depressed, on the follow up, The closer you get, they got angry, and on this album they begin pointing fingers. Slimmed down to a four piece their sound is more simple, straight down the middle and rough. The way/ feel today isn't as perfect as their last album The closer you get (if you haven't got it, then get it now) but the vision is clearer: the loud bits are louder, the hard bits are harder and the songs seem to have gained focus. However, there is less variety on this album than the previous two, with an almost total lack of quiet numbers, and in parts Chris Olley's vocal is almost totally drowned out by guitars. But then that's what you get when you record an album completely live, with no overdubs of any kind. Six by Seven remain one of, possibly the, best band of our times. The have a singular intensity of emotion uncaptured by any other band. The way I feel today is exactly what you might have expected it to have been, confirming their direction and carving out a definite Six by Seven sound: angry, dirty and emotionally wrecked. As the album closes Chris Olley screams his confession over and over again: "I've been a bad man". Sure you have, but we like it that way.

John Waite - Figure In A Landscape
Gold Circle GI 10005-2 Reviewed by AH
I've always had a soft spot for The Babys and Bad English, John Waite's previous two bands. The Babys wrote a catchy power pop and Bad English were a fine melodic rock band. It was John Waite's voice - a volatile mix of power and grace - that gave them the edge and marked them out as different to all the other hairspray AOR bands of the era. After Bad English split Waite carved out a solo career and is best remembered for the massive worldwide hit 'Missing You' Fast forward to 2002 and Waite's new album Figure In A Landscape. It's fair to say he's not breaking any new ground, sticking instead to a formula that's been kind to him throughout his career. But he's never lost his ear for a great melody, as opener 'Keys to Your Heart' with its chugging guitars and passionate vocals, testifies. 'Keys...' represents on It one of three rockers on this album and this is the only minor gripe -it's a bit top heavy on the ballads. Mind you he does write great ballads: 'Always Be Your Man' and 'Fly' are as good as any he's ever written. Let's make the next one a bit more Rock'n'Roll though Johnny boy.

Maura O'Connell - Walls and Windows
Sugarhill Records SUGCD 3937 Reviewed by AH
Some singers are natural songwriters. Joan Armatrading, Patti Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Jann Arden have the gift in abundance. Others might not be songwriters but they are masters of interpretation - Maura O'Connell is one such singer. Born and raised in the town of Ennis in County Clare, Maura O'Connell grew up in a singing family. Her first taste of a professional musician's life came with a six week tour of America as vocalist with the traditional Irish Band, De Danann. After leaving the band Maura relocated to Nashville where she graces albums by the likes of Van Morrison, Roseanne Cash and Dolly Parton. Solo critical recognition followed in 1993 when she contributed standout tracks to the compilation A Woman's Heart and since then she has consolidated her reputation with a string of fine releases. Walls and Windows is her most accomplished album to date, those interpretative skills and that honey coated voice wrapping them selves gloriously around songs by such luminaries as Patti Griffin, Ron Sexsmith, John Prine and Van Morrison. The excellent production comes courtesy of Ray Kennedy (the other half of 'Twangtrust' with Steve Earle) and the list of musicians contains some of Nashville's finest talents. All in all, Walls and Windows is a triumph for Maura O'Connell - a true songwriter's singer

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - BRMC
Virgin Records America 7243 8 10045 2 4 Reviewed by MC
2002 looks set to be the best year for music for a long time. With a whole host of fresh new British bands just waiting to release debut albums it looks almost certain that guitar music is back for real. But before the British lads get in the ring its time to check out the latest from over the pond. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fit the Zeitgeist perfectly, with dark rhythmic songs tinted with psychedelic. The artwork is all grainy mood shots, distinctly eighties, and the music follows suit, reminiscent of bands such as the Cult and Jesus and Mary Chain. The album kicks off with three superb songs back to back, but fails to keep the pace. The album quickly descends into much more pedestrian territory. The album looses focus, wallowing in effects, it has a great sound, but no direction whatsoever. At their best BRMC produce beat music with a vital energy, and this album has plenty of great moments, but like so many albums from the decade it pays homage to, it's a few great moments in an hour of filler. BRMC add a kick to the singles chart, and are another name on a growing list of guitar-based albums in 2002, but fail to deliver the goods. Buy the singles, keep an eye on their progress, but leave the album on the shelf.

Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky
BBQCD226 Beggars Banquet 2002 Reviewed by MC
I stood next to Biffy Clyro whilst watching Seraphim (also worth looking out for) last month. One day I hope to tell my children that Biffy Clyro are an energetic three piece from Scotland that sound like all bands should. They stand somewhere between American nu-metal and British guitar rock. Except unlike nu-metal there's no joking about, and unlike current British rock there's little pretension. Also, unlike most debut albums about at the moment Blackened Sky sounds slightly rough and fresh. It doesn't sound as considered, and consequently dull, as a lot of current releases. Blackened Sky is loud: it's primal screams all round and in harmony no less. The tried and tested quiet-loud-quiet formula makes many appearances, but under all the signature changes and percussion there are solid tunes and innovative lyrics, as a recent unplugged session proved. Watching Biffy Clyro live gives you a deep-seated feeling of excitement, a feeling which the album captures well. Nirvana comparisons abound, but favourably, as they manage to mimic the intensity just as well as the sound. I cannot recommend this album highly enough. It's a solid and exciting debut album from a seriously good band. The songs may come to life on stage, but the album has the greater depth of emotion. Recorded skilfully, played ably and paced perfectly.

Kate Williams, Malcolm Creese, Matt Skelton, Julian Siegel - Sycamore Song
ABCD 8 Reviewed by DD
Ivor Cutler reckons "Kate Williams attacks the piano as though she is going to stand no nonsense from it". I know exactly what Ivor meant but it doesn't quite do justice to the range of her piano playing which although it's pretty emphatic is full of feeling and subtlety, nor to this fine set. Joined by Matt Skelton on drums, Julian Siegel on tenor and the inimitable Malcolm Creese on bass, the set includes a smattering of William's originals, notably the opening 'Crocodile Tears', the title track and the lovely 'Penumbra' which closes the album. Another William's composition 'Interlude' does just what the title suggests, providing a brief and deceptively gentle introduction to the fastest paced number here, the Tristano composition 'Lennies Pennies'. This really does provide some no nonsense playing from Kate, real percussive force, before giving way to some great interplay between tenor and percussion. All driven hard by Creese's bass. The album also features standards like 'You don't know What Love Is' and 'It's You or No One' all of which the band make their own. This is a highly enjoyable set from a band that are clearly both very talented and are having a great time. Good warm, natural recording lends the set an appropriately live feel. Recommended.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Matt Water Sextet - Smallbills Garage
ABCD 9 Reviewed by DD
This CD should come with instructions to 'play loud'! This'll bring the best from the percussion driven 7/4 opener 'African Dawn' and the whole set, whilst it shows plenty of variety gains that extra dimension with a tweak or two more on the volume control. Water, who has been nominated a Rising Star in the BT British Jazz Awards, is much in demand in UK clubs, and on the evidence of this recording, it's easy to understand why. There are some great tracks here including a number the band describe as 'a shameless bit of Blue Note revival.. we always rely on to get a flagging audience going a bit. With solos from five of the six piece, only bassist and Producer Malcolm Creese misses out here. 'Ballad for Stan Getz' is just that, a gentle and evocative number that hints at Getz's style without overtly copying it, with some lovely alto from Matt Water. One of my favourites, held together by a distinctive bass line from Creese, is 'Waiting for the Dodo' named after an unpunctual Italian friend of Water. This is a really refreshing and enjoyable set from a label I'll now be watching with interest, and is well worth checking out.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Oscar Peterson and Count Basie - Satch and Josh
Pablo/ JVC XRCD VICJ-60376 Reviewed by DD
This is a cracking set recorded in '74 and boy do Peterson and Basie have some fun. Accompanied by Basie band alumni Freddie Green, Ray Brown and Louis Bellson, with either the two pianists belting it out or as on the blues drenched "S&J Blues", with Basie on organ, their enjoyment simply oozes from the speakers. Despite an increasingly unwieldy collection of his music, I can't seem to get enough of Basies 'just behind the beat', relaxed economical style. Here, with his equally distinctive band members he's perfectly complemented by Peterson's faster paced, more complex approach. The band play a number of Basie classics like 'Jumping at the Woodside' along with some joint compositions such as the opener 'Buns' which if it doesn't get your toes tapping within two bars of the off will prove that you've forgotten to remove your diving boots. The point is that there's not a weak track here. It's simply a great set. The sound quality is excellent: warm and tangible with plenty of clout when necessary. This is great music making by a band of consummate musicians and is a recording I suspect I will be playing many, many times in the coming months. Why's it called Satch and Josh? Sorry you'll just have to buy it and read the sleevenotes!
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Tony Coe, John Horler, Malcolm Creese - In Concert
ABCD 6 Reviewed by DD
This is another real find. An excellent band, featured in a live recording that captures a real, tangible presence and sense of occasion making for great, unpretentious music. Recorded at St George's, Bristol in '97 it features Tony Coe variously on clarinet, tenor Et soprano, John Horler on piano and Malcolm Crease on drums. The opening track 'Waltz' is a knockout: Coe on clarinet wrings every drop of emotion from this Horler composition, the strength 'though is in the integrity of this trio, great pianism from Horler, subtlety and drive from Creese and no one player unduly dominating. This fine musician-ship is maintained throughout as the band work through a range of own compositions and standards including 'Body and Soul' and Ellington's 'Blue Rose'. The band take the time to get the best from every number - the shortest track here is over six minutes and not a note seems like it's outstayed it's welcome. Nor for a millisecond did I miss drums throughout the set. The most ambitious piece here is the closing number 'Minor Dance' described by the band as 'semi-jazz, semi-classical'. Forget classifications, as the sleeve notes say, "This is some of the most accomplished, musically satisfying jazz you will hear, and repeated listening only increases its appeal". You should have guessed by now that I'm not about to argue with that!
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Count Basie - Chairman Of The Board
Classic Records/Roulette SR52032 Reviewed by RG
This has long been one of my favourite Basie discs, and as anybody who pays attention to the records I use for equipment testing, an invaluable reviewing tool. You might assume from that that the sound quality on this disc is exceptional and you'd be right, although that's only a means to an end. The great thing about this record is that it catches a truly stellar band at the height of its powers, and the recording actually does them justice. The sheer energy and effortless enjoyment of the musicians floods out of the speakers and fills the room. The Count's lazy style provides the perfect structure as well as the space for the solos, while the ensemble playing of the brass provides real bite and punch as long as your system's up to the task. The album opens with the sublime 'Blues In Hoss' Flat' and maintains the standard throughout, although 'Half Moon Street' stands out as a personal highlight. Say "big band" to a lot of people and they pull a face. Play them this and they soon change their tune. Accessible and engaging, brilliantly played and recorded; what more do you want.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

Count Basie - The Atomic Count Basie
Classic Records/Roulette R52003 Reviewed by RG
The best Basie album ever? Some certainly think so, although my vote goes to Chairman Of The Board. Still, why quibble. This is one hell of a record and it's a real pleasure to have a nice, quiet, flat 1809 pressing readily available. You get ten tracks of Basie doing his inimitable thing, and centre stage or not, there's no question who's running the show. 'The Kid From Red Bank' opens proceedings and introduces the cast, allowing the Count a spell in the limelight. Thereafter, normal service is resumed, with Basie happy to take a back seat, his notes prodding and shaping proceedings, setting the tempo and setting the style. Take the easy smooch of 'After Supper'. The easy piano intro establishes the style, picked and developed by the brass and rhythm section before it's the Count that moves it on again, developing the theme and building the track from the inside out. The instant shift to the up-tempo 'Flight Of The Foo Birds' features an inspired Tenor solo from Eddie Lockjaw Davis, the Count almost unnoticed until he signs off. After all, if you're going to surround yourself with some of the finest musicians around, why not let them strut their stuff. Here they do. And how! Caught trying to choose between this and 'Chairman...'? Easy. Buy them both.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186

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