Deluxe Edition. Includes Bonus Disc With Four Additional Tracks.

The Pièces de clavecin en concerts are a kind of link between the Italian trio sonatas and Bach’s polyphonic trios. An example of the latter would be the trio sonata which concludes the Musical Offering. Another example would be the keyboard sonatas – for harpsichord or pianoforte – with violin or ad libitum accompaniment which were developed considerably at the end of the XVIII century, especially in France.

Leave it to Fabio Biondi to take a relatively "new" work of Antonio Vivaldi never before recorded and build something exciting and thoroughly relevant around it. Virgin Classics' Improvisata: Sinfonie con titoli features Vivaldi's plucky Sinfonia Improvisata, RV 802, a fragmentary work that was discovered only in 1999; this appears to be its first recording. As it lasts only three-and-a-half minutes, one could fill it out with other Vivaldi sinfonias and therefore duplicate dozens of other recordings. Instead, Biondi has taken account of the turbulent and highly pictorial character of the short Vivaldi work and has located a selection of similar pieces that complement it well. Most extraordinary among them is the sinfonia La tempesta di mare by mega-obscure Italian Carlo Monza and a cheerful, vibrant symphony by Giuseppe Demachi, La campane di Roma – decorative, highly programmatic pieces from the eighteenth century that have never seen the light of day.

Vintage live Tull at its 1970s best! "A live extravaganza from the '70s Jethro Tull, this was recorded over several nights in different venues on a portable 8-track tape recorder and transferred to 2" multitrack when I got home after the tours. I had to listen all through to many shows and pick the best live versions. But much of it was, at least, from the concert in Bern, Switzerland where dear Claude Nobs came to introduce the band in his inimitable style. Also featuring on this box set collection is the live concert from Madison Square Garden recorded a few months later and shown live on BBC TV in the U.K. A scary experience for the band as it was, we were told, the first time a live rock concert had been the subject of a live satellite broadcast.

Sometimes God Hides: The Young Person's Guide to Discipline Review by Mike DeGagne
Sometimes God Hides is a musical stew made up of guitar-laden progressive and jazz-rock tracks, mainly from King Crimson and their solo members. With the likes of Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp leading the way, this sampler from the DGM label offers a kaleidoscopic journey through the amazing guitar craft of these talented musicians, along with some excitingly vivid excursions from Trey Gunn and the California Guitar Trio and a peculiar mix of new age and ambient from the Europa String Choir. Subtitled "The Young Persons' Guide to Discipline," these 23 tracks open up a whole new world of guitar and string manipulation, fusing familiar techniques with aberrant rhythms, electronic pastiches, and appealing yet incongruous string arrangements. Cuts such as Belew's "Burned By the Fire We Make" and King Crimson's "Red" (from an official bootleg album out of Argentina) tread on cordial rock ground but are still entertaining while, at the other end of the spectrum, tracks like Peter Hammill's haunting a cappella entitled "A Better Time" and "Voices of Ancient Children" from Los Gauchos Alemanes swoop and soar with a blend of new age mystery and modernized ambience. While the focal point of most of the songs is the guitar, the surrounding atmosphere of trancelike keyboard runs and unique string applications creates a multi-dimensional effect throughout each track. Moody and eccentric, this sampler makes for a truly peculiar instrumental journey.

Long before the automobile was widely used as a means of transport, the railroad was the symbol of freedom, independence and adventure in America. "Go west, young man" was the typical saying for anyone who wanted to try their luck as a prospector, farmer or rancher. In 1869 it was possible for the first time to cross the American continent from east to west by rail. In addition, a suitable music began to develop, which consisted of folk, blues, rockabilly and skiffle songs. These songs glorified and celebrated on the subject of the lyrics only one thing, namely the railway. It was time to dedicate a double CD to these songs.

Connie Francis is one of the best selling female artists of all time and these 60 tracks emphasise why. Since the 1950's Connie's hit­s, such as "Lipstick On Your Collar" and "Stupid Cupid" have been listened to by millions and millions of fans. Her enduring popularity after more than 50 years in the business only confirms the strength of the songs included on this remastered collection.

The Allman Brothers Band was one of America's greatest Southern rock bands. Both their massive hits as the hidden gems are now all available on the exclusive 2LP Collected release. It covers the music from their late 1960s to the 1990s, including hits like 'Ramblin' Man', 'Jessica' and 'Melissa'. Besides tracks from The Allman Brothers Band Collected also includes songs by the related projects The Allman Joys, The Hour Glass and solo work from Duane & Gregg Allman. After the famous 1971 live release 'At Fillmore East', The Allman Brothers Band represented an artistic and commercial breakthrough. With their extended live jam improvisations they became famous all over the world. As one of the pioneering bands in the Southern rock they recorded several successful albums and singles. The group largely infused hints of the blues, jazz, and country into their music.

When a double volume featuring Ivan Moravec was included in the 1999 Great pianists of the 20th Century box set (Philips Records), many a music lover was taken aback. Although Americans knew the Czech artist, owing mainly to the Connoisseur Society, a lot of European listeners and critics had overlooked him yet the recordings contained in the edition certainly attested to Moravec being a pianist of global calibre. Repertoire magazine referred to him as the most closely guarded secret of the classical music world. The 90th anniversary of Ivan Moravecs birth is a very good reason to for come up with a special project. The most complete collection of his recordings to date, the present Supraphon release encompasses 11 albums and a documentary and unique, previously unseen footage from the Czech Television archives. Moravec recorded his core repertoire for the Connoisseur Society, Supraphon, Dorian, Nonesuch and Vox labels. Some of his recordings are now being released on album for the first time. A number of older recordings have been remastered from the original analogue tapes. The set includes the complete Moravec repertoire of Beethoven, Schumann, Debussy, solo Franck, Janácek and Chopins Mazurkas. The booklet provides an exhaustive account of one of the greatest 20th-century pianists artistic development, from the early 1960s to the end of the millennium. Most significantly, the release affords the listener the opportunity to revel in the music that due to its sheer profundity, myriad colour shades and irresistibly personal delivery touches ones very heart. A portrait of a great artist.

Five long years after Eric Records unveiled the last numbered volume of our flagship series – detours through Music City and Soulsville notwithstanding – we proudly present Hard To Find 45s on CD Volume 9: 1957-1959. This jam-packed platter is a veritable potpourri of pop, reflecting the wide-open world of Top 40 radio before the days of niche marketing and narrow-casting. Within the span of these 23 tracks, you’ll hear rollicking New Orleans rhythm ’n’ blues (Huey “Piano” Smith), irrepressible rockabilly (Carl Mann), and spirited workouts on the Wurlitzer (Dave Cortez’s “Happy Organ”), steel guitar (Santo & Johnny’s “Tear Drop”), and a whole “String of Trumpets” (from, who else, the Trumpeteers).

Here’s another ultra-high quality collection from Eric, the first one to venture into the SEVENTIES. Seventeen of these songs made the Billboard Top 20! As usual, all recordings have been digitally remastered from the best available sources in true stereo.

Here's a real grab bag of Top 40 hits from 1960 to 1966, some of them indeed very hard to find on CD or even hear on the radio. Some of them are not really not that hard to find on CD, though this disc (like every one in this series) takes pains to present original 45 RPM single versions, often in stereo.

Twenty-one more really-hard-to-find high-charting Sixties Classics, most in stereo, all superbly mastered from the absolute best sources available! These have never sounded better!

Originally released in 2000, this collection offers 20 hard-to-find ’60s pop hits from the Atlantic, Atco and Warner Brothers vaults. This CD offers the original hit single versions of hard-to-find hits like “Al Di La” by Emilio Pericoli, “Angel on My Shoulder” by Shelby Flint and “Let’s Think About Living” by Bob Luman, as well as the iconic “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher. Collectors will want rare tracks like Rose Garden’s “Next Plane To London” and the doo wop classic “Looking For An Echo” by Kenny Vance. Every song has been lovingly remastered from the original master tapes for stunning clarity and rich sound. All but five tracks are in stereo.

Armadillo Records announced for October the release of “Somewhere in Brazil – The Brazilian Tribute to Iron Maiden”, a double album in tribute to the Iron Maiden, with only Brazilian bands. Each band will contribute a classic and all phases of Maiden, with its three main vocalists, will be represented in the collection that will feature songs from the band's discography up to the album “Brave New World”, which marked Dickinson's return to the group.