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.