The Love We Make DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

When the tragedy of 9/11 occurred, Paul McCartney was sitting in an airplane on the tarmac at JFK airport. He could see the smoke coming from the towers. As the day rolled on and it became clear these were no accidents, McCartney decided he needed to do something to give back to the city and country that had given him so much. McCartney called upon his celebrity friends and organized The Concert for New York City. The events leading up to the concert were captured on film by Bradley Kaplan and Albert Maysles (who, along with his brother, famously filmed the Beatles on their first trip to the United States) and make up the basis of the documentary, The Love We Make.

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God Bless Ozzy Osbourne DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Ozzy Osbourne has become something of a cartoon character in recent years. The reality show, The Osbournes, portrayed him as a lovable oaf and the term "Prince of Darkness," has become a marketing catchphrase, rather than the appropriate metal term is was in the 1970s and 1980s. The documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, produced by his son, Jack, attempts to rectify all this and help Ozzy reclaim his rightful legacy on top of the metal world.

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Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy Live - Made In Stoke 24/7/11 CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Who says you can’t go home again? Legendary guitarist Slash returned to Stoke on Trent, England, where he was raised as a young boy to record his first-ever live solo album, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy Live – Made In Stoke 24/7/11. The album offers a good mix of solo, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit and, of course, Guns ‘N Roses tracks and features Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy on lead vocals.

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The Rolling Stones - Some Girls Live In Texas '78 Blu-ray Review

Written by General Jabbo

The late 1970s offered a stark contrast in terms of popular music styles. There was the bloated excess of disco – arguably at the height of its powers – dominating the charts and the club scene, especially in places such as Studio 54 in New York. Tipping the scales in the other direction was the punk scene, which stripped rock ‘n’ roll back to its most pure elements – high energy, guitar, drums, bass, snarling vocals. Punk helped put the danger back into rock music. The Rolling Stones managed to embrace both on their seminal release, Some Girls, with a country song added in for good measure.

“Miss You” was full-on disco, but with a Stones edge and came as a result of Mick Jagger’s frequenting of the New York club scene. The rest of the album while not punk certainly shared its raw nature and energy. Gone were the backup singers and horn sections and, in their place, was the World’s Greatest Rock ‘n Roll Band doing what it does best – playing stripped down, powerful music. The band took this attitude on the road with them for the ensuing tour, which is captured on the Blu-ray The Rolling Stones – Some Girls Live In Texas ’78.

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Ray Charles - Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

By the end of the 1950s, Ray Charles, already a star in black America, began to make inroads into the white teen record buying market with hits such as "I Got A Woman" and "What'd I Say." Charles' contract with Atlantic Records was about to expire and the label fully expected to keep their rising star. However, a new label, ABC-Paramount, was looking to stake their claim in the white teen market and came to court Charles.

Their offer was too good to refuse. Charles was able to produce his own records, he received a healthy royalty rate and, most importantly, he would own his own masters after five years — an unprecedented move for any record label, but one that showed how badly they wanted Charles. Charles agreed to the deal and found great success at the label, releasing a number of singles and some of his best-loved work. Those singles are all collected on Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles.

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How I Won The War DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After the success of A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, director Richard Lester tried his hand at making an anti-war film. He enlisted the aid of John Lennon — which was sure to attract viewers — and a young, pre-Phantom Of The Opera Michael Crawford for his 1967 release, How I Won The War. Panned by critics and fans at the time that may have been expecting more madcap Beatles adventures with Lennon and oft misunderstood, the film lampoons the whole notion of war and the class divide between the British officers and enlisted men.

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Ray Charles - Live In France 1961 DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

In 1961, it's safe to say Ray Charles was at the peak of his powers. His albums and tours were smash hits and he had signed a deal with ABC-Paramount that granted him 75% of his record's profits and a minimum guarantee of $50,000 per record. In addition, his former label Atlantic, which was still stinging from the loss of its big star, released a number of unreleased Ray Charles songs which when combined with the material he was doing for ABC-Paramount, made for 10 albums of new material between 1960-1961. Life was good indeed.

In 1961, he was invited to perform at the Antibes Jazz Festival in France. The festival featured a number of important acts, including Count Basie; Les McCann; and the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross and became the first concerts Charles ever performed in Europe. The performances were filmed and form the basis of Ray Charles – Live in France 1961. This DVD marks the first commercial release of this material.

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Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings - Collector's Edition Box Set CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll band had just completed their incredibly successful comeback tour for Steel Wheels. It was the first Rolling Stones tour since the 1981-82 tour for Tattoo You and, in 1991, the band was primed to sign a megabucks deal with Virgin Records. Well, most of the band that is. Weary of touring and the rigors that come with being in a major band, original bassist Bill Wyman decided he had had enough and did the unthinkable – he quit the Rolling Stones. The band kept the door open until it was time to hit the road again in 1994, but Wyman was serious, he was done with the band. He wasn’t done with music, however.

Wyman put in calls to some of his musician friends, including Andy Fairweather-Low, Graham Broad and pianist Dave Hartley. The group hit the studio and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings was born. The Rhythm Kings have gone on to produce five studio albums and one live album. The first four of those studio albums are collected on Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings – Collector’s Edition Box Set.

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Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition) CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

John Lennon was famously quoted as saying, "Before Elvis, there was nothing" and the man had a point. Elvis Presley didn't necessarily invent rock 'n' roll, as there were others with songs out before him. What he did do was perfect it, making it exciting for teenagers and dangerous for parents. When Presley released his first two albums — Elvis Presley and Elvis in 1956 — he forever altered not only the rock 'n' roll landscape, but popular music in general. Now both of these landmark albums are available in remastered form as Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition).

It was by no means a sure thing. After purchasing Presley's contract from Sun Records, producer Steve Sholes had difficulty getting enough good takes out of Presley and his band, which featured fellow legends Scotty Moore on guitar, Bill Black on bass, and D.J. Fontana on drums, leading RCA officials to ponder whether they had signed the right artist. They needn't have worried. Presley's lead single, "Heartbreak Hotel," was a smash, selling over one million copies and his debut album, Elvis Presley, was the first RCA Victor album to ever sell more than 300,000 copies. Presley had arrived.

The album leads off with Presley's cover of fellow Sun label mate, Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes." Presley and his band speed up the song's tempo, giving it an edge and raw sexuality Perkins could never hope to achieve. Similarly, their cover of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman" is an exciting, up-tempo romp at least equalling that of its creator's version.

The album featured a number of unused Sun tracks as RCA lacked new material from Presley. Among those are "I Love You Because," a pretty, country-tinged ballad that originally featured a spoken-word part that was later edited out; "Just Because," a rockabilly number with lightning-fast finger-picking by Moore; and the gritty "Trying To Get To You," a song Presley would revive during his '68 Comeback Special and one that featured some of his best-ever vocals. As debuts go, this was as good as it gets, and Presley managed to keep his momentum going for his second album.

Elvis opens with "Rip It Up," one of three Little Richard covers on the album. From the exciting drum intro, it's clear the band does indeed intend to rip it up. While Presley's voice doesn't match the high-octane power of Richard's, he puts his own spin on the song making for a different, yet equally exciting, version.

"Love Me" is one of the all-time-great Presley ballads and one he'd feature extensively when he started touring again in 1969. One only needs to hear the opening "Treat me like a fool" to be instantly transfixed. Otis Blackwell's "Paralyzed" is a forgotten gem on the LP and would have been released as a single had it not been so similar to "Don't Be Cruel," also written by Blackwell. Presley delivers a confident vocal that betrays his young 21 years on the track.

The included bonus singles for Elvis aren't just bonus tracks —they changed rock 'n' roll. From the doo-wop-influence of "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" to the aforementioned pop gem "Don't Be Cruel," these were legendary songs by a soon-to-be legendary artist.

Presley brought Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" to a white audience, giving the song a hard edge with a gritty vocal. The track features some tasty lead-playing by Moore and remains one of the highlights of the rock 'n' roll era. The CD's final track, "Love Me Tender," a reworking of the folk song "Aura Lee," became the title song to Presley's first movie and one of his best-loved tracks. The song showed a softer side to the young rocker and became a staple of his live shows for years to come.

It's easy now to say how influential these songs were, but at the time, no one had ever heard rock albums such as Elvis Presley and Elvis. Women wanted to be with him, men wanted to be him, and parents feared him. Presley changed the game, paving the way for every rock artist that came after him, making Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition) essential for not only Presley fans, but fans of popular music as well.

Article first published as Music Review: Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition) on Blogcritics.

Roger Glover And The Guilty Party - If Life Was Easy CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Nine years after their first release, Roger Glover and the Guilty Party are back with If Life Was Easy, an eclectic collection of songs from the legendary Deep Purple bassist. Fans expecting the bombastic hard rock of Glover's main group may be disappointed, but fans with an open mind will find a fine collection of songs.

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Rufus Thomas - Do The Funky Chicken CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

As the 1960s wore on, the Stax label focused on current artists such as Otis Redding and Booker T and the M.G.'s while Rufus Thomas, an early hit maker for the label, was being left behind. Now in his early 50s, Thomas had been left off the label's tour of Europe — a move he found insulting — and his 1968 cover of Eddie Floyd's "Funky Mississippi" was recorded for an album that was never released. Undeterred, Thomas returned to the studio in 1969, backed by his son Marvell and members of the Bar-Kays to record his own "Do The Funky Chicken." Based on a dance, it became the title track for his new album and was a big hit for Thomas, hitting number 5 on the R&B charts.

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The Dramatics - Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Toward the end of the 1960s, Stax vice president Al Bell diversified his talent pool by looking outside of Memphis, Tennessee for his artists. They went to Detroit, home of their competitor, the legendary Motown Records, to bring producer Don Davis down to Memphis. Initially, Davis worked with Carla Thomas and then Johnnie Taylor, but by the end of 1969, Davis had produced the first Stax single by another Detroit import, The Dramatics on the label's Volt imprint.

When that single failed to chart, Davis released the group from their contract and they went back to Detroit to work with songwriter Tony Hester. Hester came up with some great songs for the group and Davis resigned them, but let Hester handle the production chores. His first single with the group, "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get," became not only the title of the group's first Stax album, but also hit number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the R&B charts. After nearly a decade, the group finally hit big.

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Shirley Brown - Woman To Woman CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After being discovered by blues legend Albert King at age 14, Shirley Brown served as his opening act on an off for the next 13 years. After a failed single in the early 1970s, King managed to get Brown a tryout with the Stax label where he had some success himself. Recognizing the similarities between Brown's voice and Aretha Franklin's, the label had her record a demo featuring some of Franklin's biggest hits, including "Respect" and "Rock Steady." It was the single, "Woman To Woman," that became Brown's first hit, however, and the title track of her first LP for the label.

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Frank Sinatra & Count Basie - The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Frank Sinatra claimed he had waited 20 years to work with the legendary Count Basie and his orchestra and, in 1962, he finally got his chance with Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First. The pairing of these two New Jersey natives was so successful that they worked together again on 1964's It Might As Well Be Swing. Now both of these legendary recordings are available on the newly remixed and remastered Frank Sinatra & Count Basie — The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings.

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Twisted Sister - Double Live DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Twisted Sister spent a number of years on the New York club scene, building a large following and setting attendance records with their legendary performances. In 1982, before leaving for England to record their debut album, Under The Blade, the band bid farewell to the clubs with a blistering performance at the North Stage Theater. Fast forward nearly two decades later to the NY Steel show in 2001. Held just 11 weeks after the events of 9/11, the show benefitted the New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit fund. After 13 years apart, Twisted Sister was asked to reunite for the event, which sowed the seeds of their reunion. Both shows are available for the first time on the Twisted Sister: Double Live DVD.

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Deep Purple - Phoenix Rising DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Deep Purple is a band with an often volatile history, none more so than its ill-fated Mk. IV lineup. Guitar god Ritchie Blackmore was out and American axe-slinger Tommy Bolin was in. Their history is documented in Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising.

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WhoCares - Out Of My Mind/Holy Water CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

In 1983, after the departure of Ronnie James Dio, Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan joined forces with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to record Born Again, the first — and only — Black Sabbath album to feature Gillan's vocals. Despite its short-lived status, that Sabbath lineup has a cult following among fans. Fast forward to the end of the 1980s when tragedy struck the Spitak region of Armenia in the form of an earthquake. Gillan, along with Deep Purple band mate, Ritchie Blackmore and an all-star cast including Tony Iommi, David Gilmour, Bruce Dickinson, Brian May and Roger Taylor recorded an updated version of "Smoke On The Water" as part of the Rock Aid Armenia album to raise money for the region. Now, some 20 years later, Gillan, Iommi and a new all-star band have recorded a single to help the charity.

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Deep Purple - Deep Purple CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Deep Purple's third and final release from their original lineup was a self-titled affair. Unlike their first two albums, Deep Purple primarily features originals with only one cover song, showing the band's artistic growth. The album has been rereleased on CD with a number of bonus tracks.

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Deep Purple - The Book Of Taliesyn CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After Deep Purple's success with Shades Of Deep Purple, the band did not stray far from its formula for their second album The Book Of Taliesyn. Like its predecessor, The Book Of Taliesyn is roughly half cover songs and half originals and it is being rereleased on CD along with all of the other Mk. I albums with a number of bonus tracks.

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Deep Purple - Shades Of Deep Purple CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Before the bombast of such classics as "Smoke On The Water" or "Highway Star," there was Deep Purple Mk. I. The original band released three albums between 1968 and 1969 and featured Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper on bass. This incarnation was more psychedelic and pop-oriented than the hard rock sound the band would come to be known for. Now, all three of these albums are being rereleased with bonus tracks.

Deep Purple's first album, Shades Of Deep Purple, had a fair amount of success — particularly in the U.S. — including a top-5 hit with their cover of the Joe South-written "Hush." The song remains a staple of classic rock radio to this day and is the best-known version of the song. The band thought highly enough of it to rerecord it with Mk. II singer, Ian Gillan, for an album celebrating their 20th anniversary.

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Tony Bennett - The Best Of The Improv Recordings CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

As the 1960s wore on and rock 'n' roll became more ingrained into American popular culture, artists such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett faced a career crossroads. Rock music had replaced The Great American Songbook as the soundtrack for young people and the crooners were forced to adapt, which Sinatra did with mixed results, or face being outdated. Bennett was in the latter position as his longtime label Columbia's new brain trust decided its legacy artists needed to record music to appeal to young people.

Bennett's music had survived during the rock era and he felt no need to change. After finishing his contract with Columbia and a brief stint with Mike Curb and Polygram, Bennett decided to follow in the footsteps of Sinatra and form his own label, Improv. While the label was not commercially successful, Bennett's music for the label was critically acclaimed. The best of this music is featured on Tony Bennett: The Best Of The Improv Recordings.

The CD leads off with a bouncy take on the Rodgers & Hart classic, "This Can't be Love." Recorded in 1973 with the Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet, Bennett revels in the material with an infectious vocal matched by Braff's tasteful coronet. "Make Someone Happy" finds Bennett teamed up with the late Bill Evans on piano. The song features two virtuosos on top of their respective games with Evans' lightning-fast runs nicely contrasting Bennett's powerful, confident vocal.

The saloon song, "You Don't Know What Love Is," perfectly teams Bennett's longing vocals with Evans' understated piano while Bennett and the Ruby Braff/George Barns Quartet offer up a jazzy, up-tempo "The Lady Is A Tramp." "Reflections" pairs Bennett with an orchestra (conducted by Torrie Zito, who also plays piano). The song is traditional standards fair, with Bennett's operatic vocals drenched in reverb and backed by lush strings.

The CD closes with a live rendition of Bennett's signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Bennett gives a vibrant performance and he and the band are in fine form on this jubilant recording.

Bennett's Improv years mark an important point in his career. One in which he followed his own muse instead of catering to the latest trends. Bennett would, of course, be vindicated as he experienced a career resurgence, particularly among young people who were often hearing these classics for the first time, which began in the 1980s and continues to this day. The material and musicians on The Best Of The Improv Recordings are top notch throughout, making the CD a welcome addition to any Bennett fan's collection or a good introduction to this great artist's career.

Article first published as Music Review: Tony Bennett - The Best of the Improv Recordings on Blogcritics.

Paul McCartney - McCartney II (Special Edition) CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Much like its predecessor, 1970's McCartney, signaled the end of the Beatles, its follow-up, 1980's McCartney II, came at the end of Wings. Whether Paul McCartney intended that to be the case is a matter of opinion, but he has not had a named band since nor has there been a third album in the McCartney series.

McCartney II was originally supposed to be a double album but ultimately got released as a single disc. 31 years later, the tracks intended for the double LP have been included as bonus cuts on McCartney II (Special Edition).

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Paul McCartney - McCartney (Special Edition) CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

McCartney, The classic solo debut from Paul McCartney, is often touted as the final nail in The Beatles' coffin. Released before Let It Be — against the other Beatles' wishes — the album also accompanied a press release where McCartney said he no longer envisioned a future writing partnership with John Lennon. The dream was over. Now, 41 years later, this famous debut is getting the expanded treatment as McCartney (Special Edition).

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ZZ Top - Live in Germany 1980 CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

In 1980, while on tour for Deguello, ZZ Top was looking to expand their fan base to a worldwide market. Already popular in America, the band wanted to conquer Europe next. An opportunity presented itself in the form of the popular German television show, Rockpalast, which broadcasted throughout Europe. Taking the stage at 4:00 a.m., the band played a spirited set that makes up the CD, ZZ Top – Live In Germany 1980.

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Chick Corea - The Definitive Chick Corea On Stretch And Concord CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

To say Chick Corea is a giant of the modern jazz era would be an understatement. Beginning in the mid 1960s, Corea was a pioneer in the avant-garde jazz movement, accompanying the likes of Miles Davis. He later formed Return To Forever, a fusion group that, over time has counted Stanley Clarke and Earl Klugh among its ranks. More recently, he's had his Elektric and Akoustic bands, his Five Peace Band, his Trios and he has explored solo piano outings as well.

Collecting all this material on two CDs would be an impossible task. In honor of Corea's 70th birthday though, Concord's latest release in its Definitive series covers the last 30+plus years with The Definitive Chick Corea On Stretch And Concord.

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Frank Sinatra - Ring-A-Ding Ding! CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Sinatra's first album for the label needed to reflect this positive period in his life. It needed to swing. This presented a problem as his frequent arranger, Nelson Riddle, was contractually obligated to Capitol until 1963. Similarly, Sinatra favorite Billy May was also signed long-term. Capitol was not thrilled about Sinatra leaving — they did, after all, provide him a home when his career was stalling in the early 1950s — and they were not about to let their prize arrangers work for Sinatra’s label anytime soon. Luckily for Sinatra, Johnny Mandel — a jazz composer who Sinatra was a fan of — was available and he helped Sinatra bring his vision to life with Ring-A-Ding Ding!, a hard-swinging album and one of Sinatra’s favorite catch phrases of the day.

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Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman: Legacy Edition CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

It would be tough to better a solo debut as strong as Blizzard Of Ozz, but to many fans, Ozzy Osbourne may have done just that with its follow-up, Diary Of A Madman. In honor of its 30th anniversary, the album is now available in remastered, expanded form as Diary Of A Madman: Legacy Edition.

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Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz: Expanded Edition CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne's career had hit a major turning point. Fired from Black Sabbath, who had since gone on to replace Osbourne with Ronnie James Dio, Osbourne's next move needed to be big, No one could have predicted just how big it would be.

Osbourne joined forces with bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake, but it would be former Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads who stole the show on what would become not only one of the best solo debuts, but one of the best metal albums of all time, Blizzard Of Ozz.

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Twisted Sister - Under The Blade: Special Edition CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After toiling away in the New York club scene for years, Twisted Sister recorded its first EP, Ruff Cutts, for the U.K. Secret Records label with two tracks produced by Eddie Kramer. That hard-charging release served as a primer for the band's legendary debut, Under The Blade, as three of its four tracks were redone for the album. While the album was later remixed and reissued in the United States with a different cover, it is the original artwork and U.K. mix that most Twisted Sister fans clamor for. That has been rectified with the release of Under The Blade: Special Edition. The new edition contains the original album, all of Ruff Cutts and a DVD featuring a live performance from the Reading Festival in 1982.

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The Staple Singers - Be Altitude: Respect Yourself CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Few groups have had the longevity of the Staple Singers. Fewer yet have managed to do it while completely changing styles more than once. The Staple Singers started out as a gospel group in the 1950s, before turning to folk music and protest songs in the 1960s. After signing with Stax in the late 1960s, the Staple Singers moved from protest music to "message music," as Mavis Staples put it. The songs were still socially conscious, but didn't beat the listener over the head with their message. The music also infused more of a soul and R&B flavor to it. The pinnacle of this period arguably came with Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, which featured three top-ten R&B hits.

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Johnnie Taylor - Taylored In Silk CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

By the early 1970s, the late Johnnie Taylor's sound had evolved from gospel singer to blues singer (he was known as Johnnie Taylor The Blues Wailer for a time) to smooth soul singer. Producer Don Davis had been brought in from Detroit to try and create a hybrid between the legendary Motown and Stax sounds, the results of which are plentiful on 1973's Taylored In Silk.

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Booker T. And The M.G.'s - McLemore Avenue CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Booker T. and the M.G.'s cut their teeth as the house band for Stax Records, backing legendary soul and R&B acts such as Otis Redding and Sam & Dave and helping to define the Memphis sound. They also released a number of instrumental singles and albums, but it was keyboardist Booker T. Jones' interest in the Beatles that led the band to one of their more ambitious projects, McLemore Avenue.

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Ben Waters - Boogie 4 Stu: A Tribute To Ian Stewart CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Ian Stewart was one of the unsung heroes of rock 'n' roll. A founding member of The Rolling Stones, he was dismissed from the touring lineup by manager Andrew Loog Oldham for not looking the part. Undeterred, Stewart continued to play on the band's albums and serve as their road manager. Later, with Oldham no longer the band's manager, Stewart returned to the concert stage for various tours between 1969 and 1982 as one of the group's pianists. Stewart died in 1985 and the band paid tribute to him by insisting on his inclusion when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Bill Evans - The Definitive Bill Evans On Riverside And Fantasy CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Bill Evans was one of the great innovators of modern jazz piano. It's no stretch to say he's had at least some influence on virtually every pianist to follow his innovative lead. From his days with the Miles Davis sextet to his years as a solo artist, Evans accomplished more than most in terms of furthering his genre. The Definitive Bill Evans On Riverside And Fantasy collects 25 tracks from a 21-year period from this jazz legend.

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Miles Davis - The Definitive Miles Davis On Prestige CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

Collecting the works of Miles Davis can be a daunting task. The jazz giant had dozens of albums and was at the forefront of numerous jazz movements, many of which were radically different from one another. From 1951 to 1956, Davis recorded for the Prestige label, transformed his sound from Cool Jazz to Hard Bop and led some of the greatest bands in 20th century music. Twenty-four of these recordings are collected on The Definitive Miles Davis On Prestige.

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Ray Charles - Live In Concert CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The word genius gets tossed around a lot when referring to musical artists, with some more deserving of the honor than others. When people referred to the late Ray Charles as a genius, however, rarely was it more appropriate. Charles was a master of multiple genres seldom seen before or since, mixing R&B, big band, jazz, gospel, country and rock 'n' roll into a blend uniquely his. After playing with smaller combos throughout the 1950s, Charles assembled a 15-piece band in 1961. Originally released in 1965 as a 12-song album, Ray Charles – Live in Concert, the album has been expanded by seven songs to include the complete show.

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SIN-atra CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

As leader of the legendary Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra had attitude in spades, a fact not lost on Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider. In the liner notes for SIN-atra, an album featuring hard rock and heavy metal covers of Sinatra tunes, Snider calls Sinatra "the original rock star" and proclaims that "if he had come up in the '80s, there is no doubt in my mind he would have been the front man for a heavy metal band!"

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Elvis Is Back! Legacy Edition CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

When Elvis Presley entered the Army in 1958, it could have been career suicide. While he was the undisputed King of Rock 'n' Roll up until that point, record buyers have always been fickle and two years was a long time to wait for new material back then. In short, his first album back needed to be killer — and it was. Elvis is Back! ranks among not only Presley's best albums, but is one of the best rock albums of all time.

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Twisted Sister - Club Daze Volume 1: The Studio Sessions CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

"Rock will live tomorrow, but disco dies today," a defiant Dee Snider sang on "Rock N Roll Saviors," a call to arms for the forces of rock and a standout track on Twisted Sister — Club Daze Volume 1: The Studio Sessions. Originally released in 1999 by Spitfire, The Studio Sessions captures Twisted Sister when they were a hungry New York club band.

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Twisted Sister - Love Is For Suckers CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

No album divides Twisted Sister's fan base (or even the band itself) more than its final album of all-new material, Love Is For Suckers. First released in 1987, the album was intended to be a Dee Snider solo project.

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Twisted Sister - Come Out And Play CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After the success of its breakthrough LP, Stay Hungry, Twisted Sister found itself at a crossroads with its follow-up LP, Come Out And Play — placate the mainstream fans that got into the band with "We're Not Gonna Take It" or stand by the longtime fans that got into Twisted Sister the metal band.

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Twisted Sister - You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

After years toiling away in the New York club scene and the word-of-mouth success of their debut LP, Under The Blade, Twisted Sister was rewarded with a contract from Atlantic Records. The band's first major-label LP, You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll, was a bold first step toward superstardom.

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Jeff Beck - Rock 'n' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The legendary Les Paul spent the last 14 years of his life playing every Monday at New York City's famed Iridium Jazz Club. What better place for fellow legend Jeff Beck to honor one of his heroes on what would have been Paul's 95th birthday?

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Frank Sinatra - Best of Vegas CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

"Don't you love the sound of the big band?" an exuberant Frank Sinatra asked his audience in a spirited version of "Pennies From Heaven" recorded in 1987 at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. This recording is one of the many highlights of Frank Sinatra - Best of Vegas.

Best of Vegas collects songs from four of the five shows included in the essential box, Sinatra - Vegas, originally released in 2006 and covers a 26-year time period between 1961 and 1987. Tracks from the 1978 Caesar's Palace show, originally included as a DVD in Sinatra - Vegas, are conspicuous in their absence from this collection. They'd have made a welcome addition, as they are currently unavailable commercially on CD.

What is included though is prime Sinatra, from his cocky, swinging Rat Pack era to a more humble, older Sinatra, basking in the glow of the songs and their arrangements. The CD is presented roughly in chronological order, beginning with the 1961 tracks and finishing with the 1987 tracks, save for "Theme From New York, New York," which is taken from the 1982 Caesar's Palace show.

Highlights of the 1961 set include a stunning "Moonlight in Vermont," which Sinatra keeps from getting too serious by making an off-color comment toward the end. Similarly, he assures the crowd during a swinging "The Lady is a Tramp" that "smuck" isn't dirty the way he says it. Sinatra is on top of his game here in voice and attitude and he knows it.

Next up are songs from the 1966 run at the Sands Hotel with Count Basie and his Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones. When Sinatra tells the crowd during a killer "I've Got You Under My Skin" that they were "going to take this here building and move it three feet that way – now" it really seems as if he and the band might be able to pull it off. Equally stirring are the versions of "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)" and "Luck Be A Lady," also from 1966. Sinatra's monologue also comes from this show and he's in rare form, riffing on Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., alcohol and the Catholic Church. It's Sinatra at his irreverent best.

We jump to 1982 for the next set of songs, which includes some of the oldest material on the disc, including "Without a Song" from the Tommy Dorsey era, with the original arrangement no less, and "All or Nothing At All" from Sinatra's days with Harry James with a then-new arrangement by Nelson Riddle. Sinatra's voice is older, but still strong in this set and offers maturity not possible in the 1961 set.

The three songs from 1987 show that even into his '70s, Sinatra still could deliver live. The highlight of the show and one of the highlights of the disc is the stark rendering of the classic saloon song, "Angel Eyes." Sinatra's older voice gives the song an authenticity that might be lost on younger singers. The listener gets the impression he lived this song

The good and bad thing about Best of Vegas is it leaves the listener wanting more. That's the idea of course, as people will want to pick up the Vegas box after hearing this. The other issue is that while Sinatra's voice sounds fine throughout, it does sound different as the CD advances to the '80s material. Still, the performances are all top notch and listeners wanting a taste of the adult-oriented Vegas Sinatra knew was all about would do well to start with this CD.

Article first published as Music Review: Frank Sinatra - Best of Vegas on Blogcritics.