Oscar Peterson Trio, 1961 Cologne Gürzenich Concert Hall, 2011 on Jazzline

Part of a series of Jazzline releases called WDR The Cologne Broadcasts, which collects concerts recorded by Westdeutscher Rundfunk (German public radio), including this 1961 appearance of the…

Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and Friends play R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction at the Royale Boston, March 7th, 2025

I missed the last Shannon-Narducy recreate R.E.M. tour, when they came through doing Murmur at the Sinclair. This time I was not going to miss out. The band…

Billie Holiday, Songs for Distingué Lovers, 1958 on Verve

Great set of recordings, with liner notes by Norman Granz. No real detail on the sessions on the record itself, but apparently recorded during sessions in January 1957…

Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve, March 1st 2025 at the Cabot

Last time Elvis Costello came through Beverly and did a show at the Cabot I didn’t manage to get tickets. This time, as a member, I was able…

Guadalcanal Diary, Flip Flop, 1989 on Elektra

The fourth and final (original) full length from Marietta Georgia’s Guadalcanal Diary. Guadalcanal Diary is kind of the most underappreciated indie 80s band from Georgia – they weren’t…

Specials, Specials, 1979 on Two-Tone

Ska greats The Specials (later renamed The Special AKA) in their debut full length on Coventry label Two-Tone, started by Jerry Dammers (of the Specials). The Specials included…

Dave Brubeck Quartet, 1960 Essen Grugahalle, 2010 on Jazzline

Brubeck with Paul Desmond, Gene Wright, and Joe Morello, recorded live in Essen Germany (at the Grugahalle) in 1960. Jazzline is a German label, and has a series…

Various Artists, Rip It Up: The Best of Specialty Records, 2021 on Craft

Craft Recordings release from 2021 – but all the original recordings are from the 1950s (and a few from the 40s). Wonderful collection – the Little Richard tracks…

Nat King Cole, From The Very Beginning, 1973 on MCA

Although this was released in 1973, the recordings collected were originally recorded between 1936 and 1941 and had been released earlier by Decca, credited to King Cole Trio…

Silk Sonic, An Evening with Silk Sonic, 2021 on Aftermath / Atlantic

Super duo with Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, with special guest “host” Bootsy Collins. So far this is their only full length LP, but “Leave the Door Open”…

Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at the Shrine, 2018 on Verve

Previously unreleased live appearance by Ella at the Shrine auditorium in LA January 21st, 1956 – making it two weeks earlier than Ella at Zardi’s: Verve Records, celebrating…

Heaven 17, The Luxury Gap, 1983 on Virgin

Heaven 17 included Martyn Ware and Ian Criag Marsh who had been founding members of The Human League – Glenn Gregory took the place of Philip Oakey to…

Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson and Family, 1971 on RCA Victor

Nelson’s 12th studio album, while he was still at RCA Records, before moving to Atlantic. Some covers – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,”…

Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard, 1967 on Riverside

This is actually a reissue of what originally came out in 1961 (also on Riverside) as Sunday at the Village Vanguard, credited to the Bill Evans Trio “featuring…

Various Artists, Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, 2024 on A24 Music

Tribute album on Amazon’s label timed with the release of the 40th anniversary restored film Stop Making Sense. Tracklist: It’s fair to say none of these are exactly…

Neil Young, Live at the Cellar Door (1970), 2013 on Reprise

Recorded in 1970, and long circulating in various bootleg versions, this was released finally om 2013 as part of the Neil Young Archives Performance Series. Young performed over…

JoBoxers, Like Gangbusters, 1983 on RCA

I had not actually heard of JoBoxers but took a flyer on this one just based on the sheer 80s new-waveness of the cover – the hair, the…

The Police, Outlandos D’Amour, 1978 on A&M

Outlandos D’Amour was the debut album by The Police, released on A&M in 1978. You’ll find cover variations with red, yellow, and green lettering – I don’t think…

Buck Clayton, Swingin’ and Dancing, 1964 on Mode Disques

I do a fair amount of record shopping while traveling, and picked up this Buck Clayton (et sa trompette) at La Fin Du Vinyle in Montreal, on Mode…

David Bowie, The Lost Sessions, Vol 1, 2020 on Parachute Recording Company

Another Parachute Recording Company release, which collects radio broadcasts subject to different copyrights in the EU. In this case, that includes appearances Bowie made on: As is not…