Tag: compilation
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The Blues Project, Archetypes, 1974 on MGM
Reissue of 1969’s The Best of the Blues Project, which was on Verve Forecast. There is a whole series of releases titled Archetypes from the mid-seventies on MGM – not sure if they are all reissues or not. Other artists in the MGM Archetype Series are: Charlie Parker, Tim Hardin, Billy Holiday, Blues Project, Velvet…
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Mose Allison, Mose Allison Sings, 1963 on Prestige
Compilation of tracks from Allison’s first albums which had been released on Prestige between 1957 and 1959. Though he was first known as a pianist, he gradually sang more and more. This was the first compilation in which he sang on every track. All were recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, and Ira Gitler wrote the…
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Various Artists, The Vinyl Series Volume One, 2021 on Island
Great collection of Reggae / Ska / Rocksteady singles from the early days of Island Records, said to be hand-picked by label founder Chris Blackwell. There’s already been a Volume Two and Volume Three (going into the 70s) – not sure if there will be more or not. Somewhat idiosyncratically includes The Spencer Davis Group…
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Depeche Mode, People Are People, 1984 on Sire / Mute
Compilation album for North America put out by Sire in 1984, pulling the title track single and a combination of album cuts, and b-sides. This song was such a key to the soundtrack of my life in the early 80s: “People are people so why should it be / you and I should get along…
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Bill Evans, Return Engagement, 1974 on Verve
Title sometimes listed as Verve Return Engagement – part of a series of basically compilations of Jazz greats published in the 1970s by Verve. (I have the Oscar Peterson one as well). Nice way to get a bunch of Bill Evans tracks from across 8 albums in a new package. My copy—via Down in the…
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Joy Division, Substance, 1988 on Factory
Posthumous collection of Joy Division singles put out in 1988 as a 1xLP and reissued in 2015 as a 2xLP by Rhino (a digital remaster). Substance was also used at the title for the New Order singles collection that came out in 1987 (with “1987” added). Still looking for a good clean copy of Unknown…
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John Mayall, Down The Line, 1973 on London Records
Compilation of songs previously released: First LP includes songs from Blues Breakers, A Hard Road, Crusade, The Blues Alone, Bare Wires, Blues From Laurel Canyon, and Looking Back, and the second LP is John Mayall Plays John Mayall (1965) which was never released on vinyl in the US (and had not been issued in the…
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Various Artists, A Very Special Christmas, 1987 on A&M
Long before Maria’s “All I Want For Christmas” came this wonderful compilation to benefit Special Olympics International with a whos-who of mid-late 80s artists covering holiday songs: This is holiday music I can get behind – though Christmas in Hollis does have a certain earworm quality I still love it. Artwork by Keith Haring, of…
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Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra, Hollywood Stampede, 1972 on Capitol
Seventies reissue – volume 5 in the Capitol Jazz Classics series – with songs taken from sessions in February and March of 1945. Players joining Hawkins on these tracks include Howard McGhee (trumpet), Sir Charles Thompson (piano), Allan Reuss (guitar), Oscar Pettiford (bass), Denzil Best (drums), Vic Dickenson (trombone), John Simmons (bass). Great classic jazz…
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Various Artists, Magnolia Record Club Presents NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, 2022 on Dualtone
Sadly, heard last week Bob Boilen is retiring from NPR Music. This record collects some strong performances from the Tiny Desk concert series – but really there are so many gems in the series it is just a bit of a taste: Selections make sense for Magnolia Record Club and fit generally their curation (it…
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Various Artists, Ruby Trax: The NME’s Roaring Forty, 1992 on New Musical Express.
This was a 3xLP box set issued to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the New Musical Express – which ran in print from 1952 to 2018 when it went digital-only (though it is said to be coming back). The compilation was full of contemporary artists covering songs that had been covered in the NME during…
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The Alarm, Standards, 1990 on IRS
Compilation from IRS records in 1990 – most of the songs you’d expect from their earlier LPs, plus A New South Wales and Happy Christmas (War is Over). My copy is a UK pressing I picked up at Academy Records in NYC. Rare that I buy an LP just for one or two songs where…
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Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Paul Quinichette, & Wardelll Grey, Tenors Anyone?, 1958 on Dawn.
Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Paul Quinichette, & Wardelll Grey, Tenors Anyone?, 1958 on Dawn. My copy is a 1980 reissue on Biograph Great compilation
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Legendary Black Jazz Stars in their First Films, 1978 on Biograph.
Legendary Black Jazz Stars in their First Films, 1978 on Biograph. Compilation featuring Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway. Only one Bessie Smith tune sadly but it is St. Louis blues with Fletcher Henderson. Rohauer Films (I assume) is Raymond Rohauer, an Infamous collector of silent films often accused of taking ownership of things that…
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Jimmy Reed, Wailin’ The Blues, 1969 on Tradition Everest.
Jimmy Reed, Wailin’ The Blues, 1969 on Tradition Everest. Compilation
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Various Artists, Join the Ritual, 2021 on Jagjaguwar.
Various Artists, Join the Ritual, 2021 on Jagjaguwar. Covers record by Jagjaguwar artists, including Bruce Hornsby covering Dinosaur Jr, Jamilla Woods doing Fast Car, (Tracy Chapman), and Okay Kaya covering R.E.M.’s Nightswimming. Part of Secretly Society subscription
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Various Artists, One Pound Ninety-Nine: A Sampler of the State of Things, 1985 on Situation Two / Beggars Banquet.
Various Artists, One Pound Ninety-Nine: A Sampler of the State of Things, 1985 on Situation Two / Beggars Banquet. UK Sampler with three tracks of Bauhaus and offshoots (Peter Murphy, Love & Rockets).

