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Nick Lowe, Pure Pop for Now People, 1978 on Columbia
Issued as Jesus of Cool in the UK and elsewhere, but as Pure Pop for Now People in the US and Canada. this was NIck Lowe’s solo debut. The track list also differs between the North American and European releases. Yep Rock put out an expanded reissue in the US in 2008 under the name…
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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 classic Oscar Peterson Trio with Ed Thigpen and Ray Brown. Recorded at the Gürzenich on April 11th, 1961 by an unkown recording engineer and mastered by Thomas…
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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 includes Jon Wurster (who’s played with Bob Mould, Superchunk, and The Mountain Goats) on drums, John Stirratt (of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco) on bass, Dag Juhlin (Poi…
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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 in Hollywood – the same sessions that yielded All or Nothing at All and Body and Soul. Wonderful versions of “Stars Fell on Alabama” and “One For…
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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 to score a great seat in front row balcony. The Costello & Nieve 2025 tour announced 15 nights in February and March: I can’t vet all the…
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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 R.E.M. or the B-52s or Pylon or even Let’s Active, but this is a great album. It takes some guts to label one side of your fourth…
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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 Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Dammers, Lynval Golding, Roddy Radiation, Horace Panter, John Bradbury, Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez. This album was produced by Elvis Costello, and features…
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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 of “WDR Original Masters” recorded by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) which is basically West German NPR/PBS – a public service radio and TV broadcaster. These are great…
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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 are likely the most well known, but I love the early Sam Cooke, Percy Mayfield, Lloyd Price, and Jesse & Marvin. Tracklist: Released on yellow vinyl via…
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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 and Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers. The tracks credited to Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers feature Eddie Cole (Nat’s older brother) on bass and Jimmy Adams on drums –…
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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” won a ton of awards. It’s a wonderful album and I hope the first of many more to come. My copy via a record fair at Mill…
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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 Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday in 2017, released at the end of that year Ella At Zardi’s – a vibrant, previously unreleased album recorded during a two-week stint…
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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 make Heaven 17. This was their second studio album (and best selling album) – with the single “Temptation” being the best known hit. My copy, via Pitchfork…
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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,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Today I Started Loving You Again” – as well as some Nelson originals like “I Can Cry Again” and “That’s Why I Love…
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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 Scott La Faro.” La Faro died in a car accident less than two weeks after the gig was recorded. Evans on piano, La Faro on bass, and…
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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 revolutionary covers of fundamentally mind-blowing – but it is fun to hear an alternative version of a favorite album. My copy direct from Amazon.com
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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 six nights at The Cellar Door in Washington DC – solo with acoustic guitar and piano. (He actually does “Cinnamon Girl” on piano). My copy, via a…
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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 braces, the hats: vaguely Depeche Mode, vaguely Dexy’s Midnight Runners. They were a UK new wave band, who toured opening for Madness – their debut single “Boxerbeat”…