6812 - SUGAR THIEVES Live (2010)

SUGAR THIEVES
''LIVE''
2010
63:02

1. Poor Black Mattie/7:01
2. Heaven/4:19
3. Bird's Gonna Sing/4:15
4. Pushin' Up Daisies/7:09
5. Flamin' Mamie/6:06
6. Deep Elem Blues/6:32
7. Stay In the Saddle/3:57
8. Memphis Women/4:30
9. This Little Light of Mine/5:04
10. More Whiskey/3:12
11. Light Up Ahead/4:30
12. Don't Cry/6:19

David Libman/Drums, Cymbals
Jeff Naylor/Bass, Pedal Steel
Meridith Moore/Vocals
Mikel Lander/Vocals, Guitar
Shea Marshall/Sax, Harmonica, Keys, Clarinet

Album Notes
by cdbaby
The Sugar Thieves are one of the Phoenix valley’s brightest up and coming bands. With their sultry blues roots foundation and upbeat dance-abilly groove, the Sugar Thieves will steal the sweetness right out of your bowl. They won the Arizona Blues Competition two years in a row (08, 09), being voted best blues band in the state by the Phoenix Blues Society. They were finalists in last years’ International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee (Feb.09), where they were voted one of the top ten unsigned blues bands in the world. They also received the award for “Best Americana Band”, and were nominated for “Best Local Band” by the Phoenix New Times for 2009. The Sugar Thieves’ original songs and high-energy showmanship keep faith with the unique qualities that founded blues music.

BIOGRAPHY
By Official Site
The Sugar Thieves were born in 2006, in a smoky dive bar in Tempe Arizona. They began as a duo with Mikel Lander and Meridith Moore on guitar and vocals. By adding upright bass (Jeff Naylor), organ & sax (Shea Marshall), and drums (David Libman), they have become one of the hardest working bands around. Over the past seven years they've independently produced and released five albums, and have won the Phoenix Blues Society's "Arizona State Blues Showdown" three times. In 2009, 2010, and 2013, The Sugar Thieves went on to compete in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where in 2009 they were voted one of the top ten unsigned blues bands in the world, and won the “People’s Choice” award in 2010 and 2013. This summer, The Sugar Thieves traveled to France, where they played the Cahors Blues Festival, along with a slew of other gigs: from clubs and brasseries to markets, a cultural arts center, and even a BBQ joint in Paris. In 2013 alone, The Sugar Thieves have performed in San Felipe (México), all over Southern and Coastal France, Memphis TN, St. Louis MO, Denver CO, Omaha NE, and all over the American Southwest.

This five piece is always on the move, sharing their music with new audiences. They are a perfect mix of American music, with sounds of New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago, and Mississippi. They fuse Blues, Roots, Folk, Gospel, and a little Jazz, to make up one big bowl of Sugar. Their hometown of Phoenix Arizona has dubbed them the "Meat Shakin' Blues Band." The Sugar Thieves are planning their next album "Sugar in the Raw" to be released in 2014. It will be acoustic, and will include many new original tracks by the Thieves. If you haven't seen them yet, don't wait. This group puts on a show-stopping performance that's worth writing home about. Just make sure to hide your sugar.

6811 - JONNY TWO BAGS - Salvation Town (2014)

JONNY TWO BAGS
''SALVATION TOWN''
APRIL 1 2014
37:34

1 /One Foot in the Gutter /3:31
2 /Avenues /3:32
3 /Then You Stand Alone /2:53
4 /Clay Wheels /4:15
5 /Forlorn Walls /3:34
6 /Wayward Cain /2:52
7 /Ghosts /4:32
8 /Hope Dies Hard /4:12
9 /Alone Tonight /4:06
10 /The Way It Goes /4:07

Steve Berlin /Saxophone
Jackson Browne /Vocals On 3
Terry Evans /Vocals
Davey Faragher /Guitar (Bass)
Joel Guzman /Accordion
Brent Harding /Guitar (Bass)
David Hidalgo /Accordion, Bajo Sexto, Guitar (Electric)
David Hidalgo Jr. /Drums
Vincent Hidalgo /Guitar (Bass)
Thelma Jones /Vocals
Chris Joyner /Piano
David Kalish /Celeste, Guitar (Bass), Hammond B3, Slide Guitar, Timpani,

Vibraphone
Greg Leisz /Pedal Steel Guitar, Slide Guitar
David Lindley /Dobro, Fiddle, Slide Guitar
Arnold McCuller /Vocals
Danny McGough /Hammond B3
Julie Miller /Vocals
Gaby Moreno /Vocals
Alexis Ross /Colorist
Zander Schloss /Bouzouki, Guitar (Bass), Mandolin
Pete Thomas /Drums, Percussion
Jonny Wickersham /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Jeff Young /Hammond B3, Piano

Review by
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stepping outside of Social Distortion, which has been his steady gig since 2004, Jonny Two Bags reiterates his varied palette on his second solo album, 2014's Salvation Town. Not as blaring or ballsy as Social Distortion but certainly still muscular, there's a slight rootsy underpinning on Salvation Town; a bit of Tex-Mex surfaces on "Avenues," "Clay Wheels" lopes along on a lazy country beat. Despite this Nudie Suit flair -- which isn't evident just on full-song digressions into certain styles, it's there in the arrangements and the well-worn interplay of his backing band -- Salvation Town is, at its core, a strong rock & roll record, one with deep roots but no sense of living in the past. Jonny Two Bags never shies away from his middle age -- it's present in his concerns, his far-reaching influences, how he carries his guitar -- but that's the appealing thing about Salvation Town; it's an appealingly adult rock & roll record, one that still kicks up dust and has a vulgar tongue and proudly displays every last one of its scars.

Review by
MusicDirect
Solo Debut from Social Distortion Guitarist Jonny Wickersham
Salvation Town, the surprising and powerful solo debut by Jonny Two Bags, guitarist for the Southern California punk rock institution Social Distortion, defies expectations at every turn. Produced by David Kalish, noted for his long association with Rickie Lee Jones, at his Redstar Studio in Los Angeles, the album features 10 striking original songs written by Jonny Two Bags aka Jonny Wickersham.

A diverse array of talent that spans the musical spectrum was enlisted for the recording. Jackson Browne shares vocals with Wickersham on “Then You Stand Alone,” while David Lindley, whose guitar work graced several of Browne’s classic ’70s albums, contributes to four tracks. Los Lobos’ multi-instrumentalist David Hidalgo and his sons David Jr. and Vincent join in on “Wayward Cain” and super-sideman Greg Leisz (Lucinda Williams, Eric Clapton, K.D. Lang, Dave Alvin) also appears on guitar.

The drum chair is filled by Pete Thomas, a mainstay of Elvis Costello’s bands. Wickersham’s colleagues in Social Distortion, keyboardist Danny McGough and bassist Brent Harding, join on a few tracks while Austin accordion luminary Joel Guzman and bassist/punk kingpin Zander Schloss (Weirdos, Circle Jerks, Thelonious Monster) round out the lineup.

6810 - ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK - Engelbert Calling (2014)

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
''ENGELBERT CALLING, DISC ONE''
MARCH 17 2014
79:45

01 - Something About The Way You Look Tonight (Feat. Elton John)/4:33
02 - Since I Lost My Baby (Ft. Cliff Richard)/3:38
03 - Never Never Never (Ft. Olivia Newton John)/4:20
04 - Spanish Eyes (Ft. Il Divo)/3:08
05 - Make You Feel My Love (Ft. Willie Nelson)/3:31
06 - I Need You Now (Ft. Lulu)/4:20
07 - Spinning Wheel With Gene Simmons/3:31
08 - Real Love (Ft. Shelby Lynne)/3:56
09 - Release Me (Ft. Wynonna Judd)/3:31
10 - She Believes In Me (Ft. Kenny Rogers)/4:31
11 - Better (Ft. Louise Dorsey)/4:08
12 - Ain't That Peculiar (Ft. Andrea Corr)/4:31
13 - A Certain Smile (Ft. Johnny Mathis)/4:05
14 - Kiss Me Honey (Ft. Tini)/2:53
15 - The Hungry Years (Ft. Neil Sedaka)/4:27
16 - It Matters To Me (Ft. Dionne Warwick)/3:28
17 - She (Ft. Charles Aznavour)/2:45
18 - After The Lovin' (Ft. Beverley Knight)/4:22
19 - It's Impossible,somos Novios (Ft. Armando Manzanero)/3:18
20 - Quien Te Dijo Eso (Ft. Luis Fonsi)/4:26
21 - Something To Hold On To (Ft. Ron Sexsmith)/2:55
22 - Father And Son (Ft. Bradley Dorsey)/3:41

Some of the world s entertainment legends have joined forces with Engelbert Humperdinck to create tracks for his forthcoming duets album. Coming over 45 years after his first massive number one single, the incomparable trademark Please Release Me , this album is a celebration of an incredible career. The album will be released on March 17th 2014 through Conehead via Nova Distribution / Universal. Featuring brand new recordings that see Engelbert teaming up with some of music s greatest stars, this is a collection that really shines. The album is being produced by Grammy Award-winner Martin Terefe [Jason Mraz, James Morrison, KT Tunstall, Mary J Blige]. Engelbert said, This album is a true labour of love. We have a few more recordings to go, but what a cast! I m keeping most of it under my hat but I was so excited about working with Elton, Smokey, Willie Nelson, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and of course Sir Cliff whom I have admired ever since first hearing them, I m honoured that they have contributed to this album, people are going to love the songs . Elton commented, One of the sweetest and nicest people I have ever worked with. We had great time singing together and he is so quick, what I call a one-take singer , 76 years old and still sounding as good as ever Features duets with, among others, Elton John, Cliff Richard, Lulu, Il Divo, Willie Nelson, Gene Simmons, Ron Sexsmith, Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton John, Smokey Robinson, Shelby Lynne, Armando Manzanero, Beverly Knight, Kenny Rogers, Andrea Corr, Neil Sedaka, Dionne Warwick, Charles Aznavour, Tini, Luis Fonsi.

BIOGRAPHY
By Steve Huey
Ultrasmooth balladeer Engelbert Humperdinck was often billed as "the King of Romance," and for millions of fans around the world, he more than lived up to that title. Despite the strange name and the latter-day ads hawking his music on late-night TV, Humperdinck was one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers around, a sensitive lyric interpreter with excellent vocal technique and a three-and-a-half-octave vocal range. During his heyday in the late '60s and early '70s, Humperdinck cultivated the image of a mysterious heartthrob, sporting shaggy sideburns and a flamboyant wardrobe that, when coupled with his rich, silky crooning, drove female fans wild. He was especially popular in Europe and his native U.K., and his worldwide record sales -- counting both albums and singles -- eventually totaled well over 100 million. Like his friendly rival Tom Jones (with whom he shared a manager for many years), he later settled into a comfortable niche as a stalwart of the Las Vegas entertainment circuit.

Humperdinck was born Arnold George Dorsey on May 2, 1936, in Madras, India. His father worked as an engineer for the British Army, and the family returned to England when Arnold was seven, settling in Leicester. Arnold took up the saxophone at age 11, but didn't really try his hand at singing until 17, when his friends talked him into entering a small local singing contest. Not only did he earn a standing ovation, he also impressed the audience with a knack for comic impressions, particularly Jerry Lewis (which he often included in his later live shows). In fact, his Lewis impression gave him his first stage name, Gerry Dorsey. He started singing in nightclubs, but after finishing school, he put his budding music career on hiatus to serve in the military through 1956.

When Dorsey returned, he got the chance to record for Decca in 1958, but the lone single released, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," flopped. He managed a few appearances on British television, most prominently on the show Oh, Boy!, and toured with Marty Wilde; the exposure helped him become a popular concert attraction in his own right, even though he had no hits of his own. His career was nearly derailed in 1961 when he contracted tuberculosis, which kept him completely out of commission for six months; once he recovered, he found that England's burgeoning rock & roll movement was pushing more traditional pop out of the spotlight.

As Gerry Dorsey, he struggled for several years until he got in touch with former roommate Gordon Mills in 1965. Once the lead singer of a skiffle group called the Viscounts, Mills had moved into artist management, and at the time was enjoying breakout success with Tom Jones. It was Mills who suggested that Dorsey change his name to the well-nigh unforgettable Engelbert Humperdinck, after the 19th century Austrian composer who adapted Hansel and Gretel into an opera. To create an air of mystery around the singer, Mills insisted that he refrain from any contact with his fans following concerts, even if that meant escaping through windows. The gimmicks worked, as the newly christened Humperdinck scored a new deal with Decca. His first two singles, "Dommage Dommage" and "Stay," were released in 1966, and both missed the charts. But the third time proved to be the charm. In 1967, Humperdinck cut a pop-ballad version of "Release Me," previously a hit for country singer Ray Price and R&B chanteuse Esther Phillips; Humperdinck's cover made the song a standard. Given some exposure by the singer's last-minute addition to a bill at the London Palladium, it rocketed to the top of the British charts and sold over a million copies, ultimately keeping the Beatles' seminal double-sided hit "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever" out of the top spot. It also went to number four in America, where the accompanying album made the Top Ten.

"Release Me" kicked off a streak of seven straight Top Five hits in the U.K., which lasted into 1969. Those hits included "There Goes My Everything," the million-selling number one "The Last Waltz," "Am I That Easy to Forget," "A Man Without Love," "Les Bicyclettes de Belsize," and "The Way It Used to Be." While they weren't as successful on the American pop charts (none reached the Top Ten), they all made the Top Ten on the easy listening charts; his albums of the 1967-1970 period sold well too, as his first six all landed in the Top 20. Humperdinck's string of easy listening hits continued apace in the early '70s; 1970 brought "Winter World of Love," "Sweetheart," and "My Marie," and the following year "Another Time, Another Place" and "When There's No You." By this time, Humperdinck had become a hugely popular live act, touring extensively on the cabaret and nightclub circuits, and became a regular in Las Vegas as well.

Humperdinck concerts were such a profitable enterprise, in fact, that the singer's management began to de-emphasize recordings, instead encouraging him to continue touring. As a result, the chart placements of his less frequent new material were suffering considerably by the mid-'70s. In late 1976, after signing a new deal with Epic, Humperdinck did return to make his second appearance in the American Top Ten with "After the Lovin'," an adult contemporary chart-topper that also made the lower reaches of the country charts. The album of the same name made the Top 20 and gave him his biggest-selling LP since 1970. Humperdinck topped the adult contemporary charts one last time with 1979's "This Moment in Time," and had his last chart single in 1983, with "Til You and Your Lover Are Lovers Again."

Humperdinck continued to make a profitable living on tour and in Las Vegas, still commanding a sizable female following; by this time, his act featured several celebrity impressions -- not just Jerry Lewis, but Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and Julio Iglesias. Compilations of his work were heavily advertised through direct-marketing campaigns on American television, keeping his sales at a steady pace; he also re-recorded much of his material in different languages, helping maintain his popularity across Europe. He attempted a recording comeback with the 1987 album Remember I Love You, which featured a duet with Gloria Gaynor and wound up earning him a Golden Globe Entertainer of the Year award. The lounge revival of the '90s helped bring traditional pop and smooth crooning back into fashion, and Humperdinck found himself with a new hip cachet; he capitalized by recording "Lesbian Seagull," a song for the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack, in 1996. He followed it with a foray into contemporary dance-pop, The Dance Album, for the Interhit label in 1998; a new version of "Release Me" had some success in the dance clubs. In 2003, the Hip-O label issued Definition of Love, a new album featuring standards, rock oldies, and more recent pop hits by the likes of Aerosmith and Robbie Williams.

6809 - ED JAMES - ...In the 21st Century (2006)

ED JAMES
''IN THE 21ST CENTURY''
DECEMBER 18 2006
43:12

1. Out Of This Town/2:44
2. She's The One/3:23
3. Girl Gone Bad/3:33
4. Miss Polly/3:42
5. And Then She Smiles/3:55
6. Disposable/3:20
7. Second/4:05
8. Layna/2:03
9. WIFM/3:54
10. Star Trek Girl/3:43
11. Will You Marry Me?/3:00
12. You're Always Right (And I'm Never Wrong)/3:48
13. Lullaby/2:02
All Tracks By James

Album Notes
by cdbaby
Ed James...just a guy on a mission to write the perfect song. He loves a hook...and believes that great melodies and harmonies make the world go 'round.

Mr. James began his music career at the age of 2, beating the crap out of pots and pans on the kitchen floor. He became the drummer of his first rock band when he was in the 5th grade. Fast forward to the present...and somewhere along the way, Ed earned degree in music, released several solo records, and has been featured on more than 2 dozen compilation and tribute CDs. Also, you may have recently heard Ed's songs on NBC, VH1, and MTV. "Ed James...in the 21st Century" is his brand-new solo record.

Ed's songwriting style is heavily inspired by his heroes, The PSWS - Perfect Song Writers Society: the Beatles, Jellyfish, Fountains Of Wayne, Jason Falkner, and Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.

Also a dynamic live performer, Ed has thrilled audiences at International Pop Overthrow music festivals in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, as well as Sparklefest, a NC-based rock music event.

REVIEW
By Steve
I know I'm a little late to the party on this one, but Ed James' ...In The 21st Century is either the last great power pop album of 2006, or one of the first for 2007. (It came out in early-mid December, but I didn't have a chance to process until around the 1st, so it's in the 2007 pile for me.) Ed's reputation precedes this disc, with great releases like Meet Ed James!, Big Time and Poprocket already under his belt. But in case you're new to Mr. James, you're in for a treat: his records are power pop in the classic sense, always hooky, always melodic, usually a bit loud, and never boring. And In The 21st Century is no exception.

It doesn't take very long for the hooks to sink in: "Out of This Town" opens with some guitar crunch, while "She's The One" follows with jangly goodness. Other highlights include "Miss Polly", the story of a fading beauty; "And Then She Smiles", whose chorus will make you smile; and the unashamedly geeky "Star Trek Girl", which boldly goes into the Trek references where no song has gone before.

6808 - DONOVAN LEE - Taylors Bayou (2014)

DONOVAN LEE
''TAYLORS BAYOU''
2014
43:46

1. Taylors Bayou/4:01
2. Walking Papers/3:23
3. Missing You/3:30
4. Pass That Bottle/4:42
5. Never Wanted To Say Goodbye/4:18
6. Marriage/4:14
7. Dixie Chicken/4:04
8. Hope You Pass This On/4:22
9. Folsom Prison Blues/3:25
10. Pass That Bottle (Radio Edit)/3:38
11. Hope You Pass This On (Radio Edit)/4:40

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Donovan was born in Port Arthur, TX and started playing music at the age of 12. When he turned 19 he left the music scene to pursue a career to support his family. Then, at the age of 27, he joined the United States Marine Corp. This is where he rediscovered his love for music. While stationed in San Diego, CA, Donovan started singing again on a karaoke dare. But, it wasn’t until his deployment to Iraq that he realized the true impact and healing of music. Donovan bought an acoustic guitar in Ar Ramadi and started playing and writing songs during his downtime on base. After about a week Donovan noticed he had created an audience of 20 plus Marines, it soon became a daily event and the audience continued to grow. While in Iraq, Donovan suffered a hand injury and had to have bone fusion surgery upon returning home. In 2009, after spending his last 3 years on medical/reserve status, the United States Marine Corp discharged Donovan with 8 years of Honorable Service.

In 2006, Donovan went to New York City and attended Digidesigns School at Soundtrack Studios and became a Certified Digidesigns Pro Tools Operator. Then, in 2007 he opened Dungeon Recording and Sound Studio in Westcliffe, CO. Donovan has recorded multiple local artists and helped them succeed in their own musical ambitions. Donovan decided to continue his own passion for music and started playing drums for a local country band. Donovan had the opportunity to perform as an opening act with Josh Gracin. In October of 2009 Donovan created his own Band, Taylors Bayou. Taylors Bayou began an 8 state tour and has played over 600 shows and festivals to include: Nebraskaland Days, The Hershey Fall Fest, The Canon City Music and Blossom Festival, The Archuleta County Fair and Copper Country at Copper Mountain. Donovan has shared the stage with artists to include; Darius Rucker, Glorianna, Theory of a Deadman and Whiskey Myers. Throughout 2011 Taylors Bayou “band” began a transformation to Donovan Lee “artist”. With a debut album release respectfully named “Taylors Bayou”.

Donovan recorded the album, Taylors Bayou, at Sugarhill Recording Studios in Houston, TX with Producer/Engineer Andy Bradley (Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Beyonce, Destiny’s Child). It features several Guest appearances by the following musicians; Mark Andes (Firefall, Spirit, Heart, Canned Heat), Brian Thomas (David Allen Coe, Johnny Bush, Clint Black, Waylon Jennings, Bare Naked Ladies, George Strait, Leeann Womack) and Kenny Cordray (co-writer of ZZ Top’s hit Francine). The album is set to go to print in March 2012 and is full of Original material written by Donovan. The album also includes 2 covers, Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash in a Southern Rock style tribute and the Little Feat classic, Dixie Chicken.

Donovan’s originals have been played on 40 plus Radio Stations in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee and has had his music played on several TV Shows throughout Europe. Donovan still travels and plays shows with his band Taylors Bayou, but he plays and pursues his own Solo ambitions as well. To include performances at numerous venues in Downtown Nashville’s Legendary Broadway Music District. Donovan is attending the Berkley School of Music and working on a Master Certificate in Guitar and Vocal. Donovan is continuing his education in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Music.

6807 - DAMN YANKEES - Don't Tread (1992)

DAMN YANKEES
''DON'T TREAD''
1992
52:43

01 - Don't Tread On Me/5:06
02 - Fifteen Minutes Of Fame/4:46
03 - Where You Goin' Now/4:37
04 - Dirty Dog/4:49
05 - Mister Please/4:16
06 - Silence Is Broken/4:58
07 - Firefly/4:54
08 - Someone To Believe/4:53
09 - This Side Of Hell/3:56
10 - Double Coyote/4:41
11 - Uprising/5:28
All Tracks By Jack Blades, Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw

Greg Adams /Arranger, Conductor
Jack Blades /Bass, Vocals
Robbie Buchanan /Keyboards
Paul Buckmaster /Conductor, String Arrangements
Michael Cartellone /Drums
Neverleave Bros. /Vocals (Background)
Ron Nevison /Producer
Ted Nugent /Guitar, Vocals
Tommy Shaw /Guitar, Vocals
Tower of Power Horn Section
Andy Udoff /Overdubs

REVIEW
By Gary Hill
Sometimes the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Such is the case with Damn Yankees, a group that should have been so much better than it was. When you have a band including such hard rock heroes as Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw (Styx), and Jack Blades (Night Ranger), you really expect something special. This album, Damn Yankees' second, shows the band falling even shorter from those expectations than on its debut. The songwriting just never seems to gel: The majority of the material feels like each member wrote a part and then they just tried to stick the various pieces into one assembly. The result is not really bad, and there are some shining moments. It's just that one would think that this group would be capable of so much more. Interestingly enough, with all this talent, the brightest moments of the album are the ones that are trademark Nugent.

BIOGRAPHY
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine
For a brief time in the early '90s, the supergroup Damn Yankees enjoyed a considerable amount of success on the arena rock circuit. Comprised of guitarist Ted Nugent, Styx's Tommy Shaw, Night Ranger's Jack Blades, and drummer Michael Cartellone, Damn Yankees arrived during the final moments of pop-metal's heyday, and their music didn't stray from that radio-friendly format at all. The group's self-titled debut album spawned several hits in 1990, including the Top Ten power ballad "High Enough" and the radio hit "Coming of Age." Although they proved to be a popular concert draw (Nugent even made headlines for his unchained behavior on-stage, which included shooting arrows into an effigy of Saddam Hussein), the band's follow-up effort, Don't Tread, didn't fare nearly as well. The group disbanded soon after, with Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades continuing to work together as Shaw Blades.

6806 - CHRIS BERARDO & THE DESBERARDOS - American Dust (1997)

CHRIS BERARDO & THE DESBERARDOS
''AMERICAN DUST''
JANUARY 1 1997
46:52

1. American Dust/4:31
2. Old Man's Eyes/5:01
3. One Step Closer To Goodbye/4:49
4. The Top Of The Stairs/5:09
5. Is There Anybody Out There/4:50
6. Somewhere Down The Line/5:12
7. Hard Times For The Lonely/3:47
8. She's Leaving Me/4:55
9. Still Your Friend/6:59
10. One Chance/2:01
All Tracks Chris Berardo

Chris Berardo - Vocals, Percussion & Harmonica
Marc Berardo - Vocals, Acoustic Guitars
Scott Berardo - Drums
Tom Marotta - Bass & Vocals
Dick Neil - Acoustic & Electric Guitars & Dobro
C.J. Masters - Pedal Stell & Electric Guitar
Additional Musicians:
Pete Szymanski - Electric & Upright Bass
Tom Camp - Piano
Jim Allyn - Mandolin & Fiddle
Jack Tyrrell - Piano
Vic Diaz - Drums
Jim Copolla - Drums
Billy Lopez - Keyboards

ABOUT
Chris Berardo & the DesBerardos are based in Silvermine, Conn. They found success at AAA, Americana and College radio with their 2003 release, Pure Faith, as well as their 2007 album, Ignoring All the Warning Signs. They have toured the country as headliners in rock clubs, listening rooms and dancehalls but also as a support act for The Marshall Tucker Band, The Doobie Brothers, NRBQ, Levon Helm, David Allan Coe, Dickey Betts, Little Feat, Molly Hatchet, Blue Rodeo and many others ...

6805 - CHASE - Watch Closely Now (1997)

CHASE
''WATCH CLOSELY NOW''
1997
38:31

01 - Watch closely now/2:11
02 - Having a good time/3:23
03 - Those eyes/4:24
04 - Angry young men/2:47
05 - The Song is over/3:46
06 - Superman (Feat. Maynard Ferguson)/2:51
07 - Writing on the wall/3:04
08 - Show me a place/4:00
09 - Rocky/2:46
10 - What you say/6:16
11 - Celebrate/2:32

Terry Fryer /Arranger, Keyboards
Bruce Gaitsch /Guitar
Les Hooper /Arranger, Producer
Walt Johnson /Lead, Trumpet
Tommy Martin /Executive Producer
Ted Piercefield /Arranger, Trumpet, Vocals
Terry Richards /Vocals
Gary E. Smith /Drums
Jerry VanBlair /Trumpet
Alan Ware /Trumpet
BIOGRAPHY

By Bruce Eder

Mention the term "jazz-rock" and listeners will likely think of such acts as Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, and Weather Report, but in the early '70s a band called Chase rivaled all of them, and bid fair to take the country by storm; in fact, for a little while in 1971, they did precisely that with a chart-topping single, a Grammy nomination, and a high place in reader polls. Chase were formed by trumpet virtuoso Bill Chase in 1970, at a time when, thanks to outfits like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, the public was beginning an infatuation with jazz-rock fusion. Though their roots went back to 1968, Chase came along at just the right moment to ride that wave to major chart success in 1971, with the hit single "Get It On" and the accompanying self-titled debut album.

Bill Chase (born William Edward Chiaiese on October 24, 1934) hailed from Boston, MA; the family (which changed its name to "Chase" while Bill Chiaiese was a boy) was musical on both sides, especially his mother's -- one great-uncle had even played trumpet with the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Bill Chase took up violin as a boy and later played percussion in the school band, but he found his real musical calling in 11th grade when, for the first time, he started playing the trumpet. He never looked back, and the only change in course on his way to a career was his shift from classical music to jazz, which took place around 1951, in the wake of attending a Stan Kenton concert, where he first encountered the playing of Maynard Ferguson. Chase later attended the Berklee School of Music, where he studied both classical and jazz, and his teachers included John Coffey and Herb Pomeroy.

In the course of a decade, from the mid-'50s through the mid-'60s, he went from playing in local Boston dance bands to playing with Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson -- he was recording with Ferguson in the late '50s and became a featured soloist, writer, and arranger in Woody Herman's Herd, and could be seen prominently in the Herd's appearances on television as well as heard on their records. He later established himself in Las Vegas and was requested as a musician whenever he could appear on The Ed Sullivan Show or The Tonight Show. The seeds for his own band were planted in 1968, at just about the point when he found himself growing bored with the lot of a star soloist and began looking for a new vehicle through which to express himself and play his music. He began putting a group of his own together informally that year, and pulled together the beginnings of a core of a permanent band in 1969 -- this was the group that was eventually known as Chase, once it coalesced the following year. Bill Chase's original notion was that it would be an instrumental outfit, but he later added room for a singer and for vocals in the group's work, in order to extend its range and audience appeal. The lineup that made it to their actual first record, in addition to Bill Chase, consisted of Jay Burrid on drums, Phil Porter on keyboards, Dennis Johnson on bass and vocals, John Palmer on guitar, and Alan Ware, Jerry Van Blair, and Ted Piercefield on trumpet (the latter two also sang), with Terry Richards on lead vocals. All of these musicians were superb, though it was the four trumpets that gave the band its edge and distinctive sound. Chase were signed to Epic Records and were roaring up the charts in 1971 with "Get It On," an original that they'd been kicking around for months in various lineups (and initially without words), blasting it out over AM radio right to the number one spot. The group's debut album marked its musical and commercial peak -- Chase were nominated for a Grammy Award that same year, and Bill Chase placed in the number two spot (behind Frank Zappa) in a poll of the top pop musicians of the year, while Down Beat rated the Chase LP as the top pop album of 1971. Ironically, that first album sounded at times just a little bit like the original late-1967-era Al Kooper-led version of Blood, Sweat & Tears, a group whose inspiration had also come from Maynard Ferguson (in that case, Kooper's admiration for Ferguson's sound).

Chase delivered even more in their live performances where, by most accounts, they seemed to put out a 100 percent effort at every show. Indeed, they wrecked some of their potential as an opening act because their performances were so strong and overpowering that they embarrassed the headliners. Their reputation soon expanded beyond national boundaries as Chase toured Europe, Africa, and Asia, and in 1972 they recorded a second album, entitled Ennea -- by the time it was cut, Burrid had been replaced by Gary Smith and Terry Richards was out, replaced by G.G. Shinn who, in addition to singing, also played the trumpet. Unfortunately, this was also when Bill Chase, who had written the material for the new album, lost the ear of the critics, who didn't like the second album nearly as much as they had the first. Other problems cropped up over the ensuing year, including more personnel changes and Bill Chase being driven into personal bankruptcy. He kept teaching and performing, but the band ceased to exist for several months.

In late 1972, Bill Chase re-formed the group with a new lineup, and during the following year he went through numerous personnel under the Chase name, trying to come up with a new band sound that would work musically for him and that the public would accept. A third Chase album, Pure Music, was forthcoming in 1973 with a new lineup. But the promise and excitement in the press for the 1971 album had dissipated by now, and the new LP received a lukewarm reception, though the band was getting enough gigs to work steadily.

On August 9, 1974, Chase were traveling by plane to Minnesota for a performance at the Jackson County Fair when they flew into bad weather -- in the ensuing crash, Bill Chase, along with bandmembers Wally Yohn, John Emma, and Walter Clark, were killed with their two pilots. The tragedy generated shock waves throughout the jazz community, although in the world of popular music, which was becoming dominated by arena rock acts and beginning its embrace of disco, as well as encountering the noise of the punk rock sideshow, Chase were soon forgotten by listeners without long memories. A tribute album entitled Watch Closely Now, by surviving band alumni and longtime associates of Bill Chase, was recorded in 1977. In the late '90s all three Chase albums were reissued on CD on the Collectables label.

6804 - IAN ANDERSON - Homo Erraticus (2014)

IAN ANDERSON
''HOMO ERRATICUS''
APRIL 15 2014
51:33

Part 1: Chronicles
1. Doggerland (4:20)
2. Heavy Metals (1:29)
3. Enter The Uninvited (4:12)
4. Puer Ferox Adventus (7:11)
5. Meliora Sequamur (3:32)
6. The Turnpike Inn (3:08)
7. The Engineer (3:12)
8. The Pax Britannica (3:05)
Part 2: Prophecies
9. Tripudium Ad Bellum (2:48)
10. After These Wars (4:28)
11. New Blood, Old Veins (2:31)
Part 3: Revelations
12. In For A Pound (0:36)
13. The Browning Of The Green (4:05)
14. Per Errationes Ad Astra (1:33)
15. Cold Dead Reckoning (5:28)

Ian Anderson / vocals, flute, acoustic guitar
John O'Hara / Hammond organ, piano, keyboards
David Goodier / bass guitar, glockenspiel
Florian Opahle / electric guitar
Scott Hammond / drums, percussion
Ryan O'Donnell / vocals

OFFICIAL REVIEW
In 2012, Ian Anderson released Thick As A Brick 2, the follow-up to Jethro Tull’s legendary concept album. The album was a critical and commercial success, charting around the world. In April 2014 he returns with Homo Erraticus, his new studio album.

The original Thick As A Brick album, released in 1972, was based around the poem of disgraced child prodigy Gerald Bostock. For Homo Erraticus, Anderson is reunited with Bostock, using lyrics written by Gerald based on an old historical manuscript. The manuscript examines key events from throughout British history before going on to offer a number of prophecies for the future.

Suitably dramatised and exaggerated by Bostock as metaphors for modern life, he presented Anderson with ideas for 15 songs, which have now been set to music. The result is Homo Erraticus.

The album will be released on Anderson’s own Calliandra Records label in conjunction with Kscope on April 14th.

Following the release of this “Jethro Tull” (in all but name) album, Ian and his band will be embarking on an extensive UK tour, where they will play the album in its entirety followed by a selection of Tull classics. These shows will be followed by further tours in Europe, America and more later in the year.

REVIEW
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Two years after Thick as a Brick 2, an explicit 2012 sequel to the 1972 prog classic, Ian Anderson embarked on another ambitious journey, this time assembling a concept record called Homo Erraticus. A loose -- very loose -- album based on a "dusty, unpublished manuscript, written by local amateur historian Ernest T. Parritt (1873-1928)," Homo Erraticus is an old-fashioned prog record: it has narrative heft and ideas tied to the '70s, where jazz, classical, folk, orchestral pop, and rock all commingled in a thick, murky soup. Divorced from Tull, Anderson favors fruitiness -- he likes ripe melodies and baroque arrangements that showcase either his flute or the dexterity of his band -- and if the music by and large isn't as forceful as Aqualung, partially due to the absence of muscular musicians, it nevertheless demonstrates a clear-eyed conception that is in the same lineage. Yes, the production on Homo Erraticus is too precise -- there's too much air, there's too much room to roam, decisions that diminish the impact of the music -- but the contours of the compositions deliberately and delicately recall classic Tull, so Homo Erraticus winds up satisfying: it's as close to '70s prog as is possible in 2014.

6803 - RENAISSANCE - Symphony Of Light (2014)

RENAISSANCE
''SYMPHONY OF LIGHT''
APRIL 2014
53:45

1/Symphony Of Light/12:09
2/Waterfall/4:44
3/Grandine il Vento/6:13
4/Porcelain/6:41
5/Cry To The World/5:44
6/Air Of Drama/5:21
7/Blood Silver Like Moonlight/5:16
8/The Mystic And The Muse/7:48
All songs by Dunford/Haslam except 9 Dunford/Thatcher

Annie Haslam - lead vocals
David J. Keyes - bass
Rave Tesar - keyboards
Frank Pagano - drums, percussion
Jason Hart - keyboards
Michael Dunford - guitars
Additional musicians:
John Wetton (ex-King Crimson, UK) - vocals on "Blood Silver Like Moonlight"
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) - flute on "Cry To The World"

REVIEW
Anchored by longtime lead vocalist Annie Haslam and the masterful songwriting and arrangement skills of Michael Dunford, Symphony of Light is a testament to the unforgettable melodies and unique blending of progressive rock with classical influences and symphonic arrangements that have become the band's trademark.

Composer and guitarist Michael Dunford died prematurely after the completion of the band's first album in 13 years. Annie Haslam, with Renaissance keyboardist Rave Tesar, composed an additional song, 'Renaissance Man' that they have dedicated to Michael and added to the new album. Guest appearances include Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) and John Wetton (Asia).

BIOGRAPHY
By Bruce Eder
The history of Renaissance is essentially the history of two separate groups, rather similar to the two phases of the Moody Blues or the Drifters. The original group was founded in 1969 by ex-Yardbirds members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty as a sort of progressive folk-rock band, who recorded two albums (of which only the first, self-titled LP came out in America, on Elektra Records) but never quite made it, despite some success on England's campus circuit.

The band went through several membership changes, with Relf and his sister Jane (who later fronted the very Renaissance-like Illusion) exiting and McCarty all but gone after 1971. The new lineup formed around the core of bassist Jon Camp, keyboard player John Tout, and Terry Sullivan on drums, with Annie Haslam, an aspiring singer with operatic training and a three-octave range.

Their first album in this incarnation, Prologue, released in 1972, was considerably more ambitious than the original band's work, with extended instrumental passages and soaring vocals by Haslam. Their breakthrough came with their next record, Ashes Are Burning, issued in 1973, which introduced guitarist Michael Dunford to the lineup and featured some searing electric licks by guest axeman Andy Powell. Their next record, Turn of the Cards, released by Sire Records, had a much more ornate songwriting style and was awash in lyrics that alternated between the topical and the mystical.

The group's ambitions, by now, were growing faster than its audience, which was concentrated on America's East Coast, especially in New York and Philadelphia -- Scheherazade (1975) was built around a 20-minute extended suite for rock group and orchestra that dazzled the fans but made no new converts. A live album recorded at a New York concert date reprised their earlier material, including the "Scheherazade" suite, but covered little new ground and showed the group in a somewhat lethargic manner. The band's next two albums, Novella and A Song for All Seasons, failed to find new listeners, and as the 1970s closed out, the group was running headlong into the punk and new wave booms that made them seem increasingly anachronistic and doomed to cult status.

Their '80s albums were released with less than global or even national fanfare, and the group split up in the early '80s amid reported personality conflicts between members. During 1995, however, both Haslam and Dunford made attempts to revive the Renaissance name in different incarnations, and Jane Relf and the other surviving members of the original band were reportedly planning to launch their own Renaissance revival which, if nothing else, may keep the courts and some trademark attorneys busy for a little while.

6802 - JACK BRUCE - Silver Rails (2014)

JACK BRUCE
''SILVER RAILS''
MARCH 25 2014
47:31

01 - Candlelight/4:18
02 - Reach For The Night/6:18
03 - Fields Of Forever/4:33
04 - Hidden Cities/4:59
05 - Don't Look Now/5:03
06 - Rusty Lady/5:11
07 - Industrial Child/3:39
08 - Drone/4:46
09 - Keep It Down/4:55
10 - No Surrender/3:32

Silver Rails is Jack's first studio in ten years, recorded at the world famous Abbey Road studios. Produced by Rob Cass, it is a splendid collection of carefully crafted songs written in partnership with lyricists Pete Brown, Kip Hanrahan and Margrit Seyffer.

He is joined on the album by a host of celebrated instrumentalists including Phil Manzanera, Robin Trower, Bernie Marsden & Uli Jon Roth.

REVIEW
By Tom Jurek
Silver Rails is Jack Bruce's first solo studio album since 2003's fine More Jack Than God. Bruce recorded the set at Abbey Road with producer Rob Cass and collaborated with a dazzling array of musicians. Notably, he brought back John Medeski and Cindy Blackman Santana from the Spectrum Road project -- a tribute band to the Tony Williams Lifetime -- that released its own album in 2012. He also enlisted son Malcolm Bruce and guest guitarists including Phil Manzanera, Robin Trower, Bernie Marsden, and Uli Jon Roth. Bruce wrote songs with longtime collaborators Pete Brown and Kip Hanrahan, as well as his wife, Margrit Seyffer. The music is quite diverse, making this album a distant spiritual cousin to 1969's Songs for a Tailor. There are some scathing rockers, most notably the rumbling, politically intense "Drone," illustrated only by distorted bass and drums -- and samples of a WWII Stuka. "Reach for the Night" is a sophisticated, multivalent pop song with R&B and even jazz overtones. The piano-driven rock of "Fields of Forever" actually recalls the spirit of "Doin' That Scrapyard Thing" from Cream's Goodbye album. "Rusty Lady" (about the death of Margaret Thatcher -- Bruce wasn't a fan) is a funky blues with Trower's silvery guitar punctuating the mix. The Caribbean rhythms and horns in "Candlelight" make it a sophisticated outlier here, Medeski's organ careening around a bubbling bassline, stuttering drum kit, brass, and Manzanera's dancing single lines and vamps. The complex melody in "Hidden Cities" walks a line between metal and prog, while the next cut, "Don't Look Now," commences as a lithe, weary ballad before gradually cracking itself open and transforming into a midtempo rocker. Marsden's stinging fills punch through Bruce's bassline in the strutting modern blues that is "Keep It Down." The set closes with the thundering rock and roll of "No Surrender," the most raucous tune on the set. Bruce's voice is a tad grainy, but his pitch and phrasing remain intact. Silver Rails is chancy and engaging, even through inconsistent moments and stands as a bright testament to an exceptional musician who, for over 50 years, has pushed at the margins of every genre he's taken on.
BIOGRAPHY
By Richard Skelly
Although some may be tempted to call multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer Jack Bruce a rock & roll musician, blues and jazz are what this innovative musician really loves. As a result, these two genres are at the base of most of the recorded output from a career that goes back to the beginning of London's blues scene in 1962. In that year, he joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated. Throughout the following decades and into the 21st century, Bruce has always been a supreme innovator, pushing himself into uncharted waters with his jazz and folk-rock compositions.

Bruce's most famous songs are, in essence, blues tunes: "Sunshine of Your Love," "Strange Brew," "Politician," and "White Room." Bruce's best-known songs remain those he penned for Cream, the legendary blues-rock trio he formed with drummer Ginger Baker and guitarist Eric Clapton in July 1966. Baker and Bruce played together for five years before Clapton came along, and although their trio only lasted until November 1968, the group is credited with changing the face of rock & roll and bringing blues to a worldwide audience. Through their creative arrangements of classic blues tunes like Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," Skip James' "I'm So Glad," Willie Dixon's "Spoonful," and Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," the group helped popularize blues-rock and led the way for similar groups that came about later on, like Led Zeppelin.

Bruce was born May 14, 1943, in Lanarkshire, near Glasgow, Scotland. His father was a big jazz fan, and so he includes people like Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller among his earliest influences. He grew up listening to jazz and took up bass and cello as a teen. After three months at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, he left, disgusted with the politics of music school. After traveling around Europe for a while, he settled into the early blues scene in 1962 in London, where he eventually met drummer Ginger Baker. He played with British blues pioneers Alexis Korner and Graham Bond before leaving in 1965 to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, whose guitarist was Eric Clapton. This gave him time to get his chops together without having to practice. With Manfred Mann, who he also played with before forming Cream, Bruce learned about the business of making hit songs.

Cream's reputation for long, extended blues jams began at the Fillmore in San Francisco at a concert organized by impresario Bill Graham. Bruce later realized that Cream gave him a chance to succeed as a musician, and admitted that if it weren't for that group, he might never have escaped London. After Cream split up in November 1968, Bruce formed Jack Bruce & Friends with drummer Mitch Mitchell and guitarist Larry Coryell. Recording-wise, Bruce took a different tack away from blues and blues-rock, leaning more in a folk-rock direction with his solo albums Songs for a Tailor (1969), Harmony Row (1971), and Out of the Storm (1974).

In 1970 and 1971, he worked with Tony Williams Lifetime before putting together another power trio with guitarist Leslie West and drummer Corky Laing in 1972, simply called West, Bruce & Laing. After working with Frank Zappa on his album Apostrophe in 1974, Bruce was at it again in 1975 with the Jack Bruce Band, whose members included keyboardist Carla Bley and guitarist Mick Taylor. Back on the road in 1980 with Jack Bruce & Friends, the latter version of the group included drummer Billy Cobham, keyboardist David Sancious, and guitarist Clem Clempson, formerly of Humble Pie. In the early '80s, he formed another trio, B.L.T., this time with guitarist Robin Trower, before working with Kip Hanrahan on his three solo albums. Bruce's bluesiest albums include all of his work with Cream, the albums B.L.T. and Truce with Trower, some of his West, Bruce & Laing recordings, and several of his albums from the 1980s and early '90s. These include Willpower (PolyGram, 1989); A Question of Time (Epic Records, 1989), which includes guest performances by Albert Collins, Nicky Hopkins, and Baker; as well as his CMP Records' live career-retrospective album recorded in Cologne, Germany, Cities of the Heart (1993).

Bruce released Monkjack in 1995, an album of his jazz piano compositions that he performed with organist Bernie Worrell, issued on CMP. Bruce recorded the fierce Shadows in the Air in 2001 with a new band called the Cuicoland Express that included Vernon Reid, Worrell, and Robby Ameen, and guest artists Eric Clapton and Dr. John for the CMC International/Sanctuary imprint. Bruce reunited with Robin Trower for 2008's Seven Moons, released on Evangeline Records, following it with Seven Moons Live a year later in 2009. In 2010, Bruce joined the Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute Band with Reid, organist John Medeski, and drummer Cindy Blackman and toured in the late part of that year and in early 2011 to sold-out performances and rave reviews. Also in 2011, Pledge Music, a company that pairs fans and artists to fund projects, released Jack Bruce and the Cuicoland Express Live at the Milky Way, from a 2001 concert in Amsterdam. The high-quality recording was provided by Bruce's daughters, who designed the cover as well. The Lifetime Tribute Band's tour had been so successful that the group renamed itself Spectrum Road and entered the studio. They emerged with a self-titled album that featured covers of Lifetime material and originals. In 2013, Bruce reconvened the rhythm section under his name for the album Silver Rails (with Robin Trower, Phil Manzanera, Uli Jon Roth, and Bernie Marsden alternating in the guitar chair). It was released in March of 2014.