http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/ Voices Feed en-us Jazz Vocals - While there's nothing more soulfully iconic than Ray Charles' voice, the sound of his Fender Rhodes keyboard runs a close second. In The Spirit Of Christmas, he uses both to give holiday fav 2009-11-20 16:12:25 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz Vocals/792/ J Contemporary Jazz - Considering the impact Scott Hamilton's swinging tenor has had on the traditional jazz world over the past 30 years, perhaps it was prophetic that the first Concord record he played on was Rosema 2009-11-19 13:00:04 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/790/ C Jazz - Johnny Mercer's contribution to the American Songbook is written in chapters, not pages. A genuinely American songwriter, and one of Georgia's favorite artistic sons, Mercer would have celeb 2009-11-18 11:56:04 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/788/ J World & Latin - If the holidays are truly about renewing the commitment to peace and goodwill, then what better time of year for music that bridges cultural and ideological divides? Hiroshima's Spirit Of The Sea 2009-11-17 12:34:01 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/786/ W Classical - If anyone knew how to present America's favorite Christmas hymns and carols with an irresistible blend of homey pronunciation and elevated vocalism, it was Robert Shaw. On his 1994 Telarc CD, Son 2009-11-16 15:50:19 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/783/ C Voices At-Large - Concord Music Group is full of talented and dedicated staffers, all of whom share a love of music, and it's about time you met some of them. So, welcome to a new semi-regular feature here at Conc 2009-11-13 13:55:30 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/779/ V Pop & Rock - For Rickie Lee Jones' new Fantasy release, Balm In Gilead, she summoned a wealth of life experience and brought together some of music's seminal talents. Together, they deliver a stunningly 2009-11-11 13:48:32 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/772/ P Jazz Vocals - The title of Concord Jazz's recent release, By Request: The Best Of Karrin Allyson, is perhaps misleading. When is jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson not at her best? Certainly some tracks fit her exce 2009-11-09 13:48:22 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz Vocals/770/ J Jazz Vocals - Unrepentant sap that I am for all things Christmas, new holiday releases get my synapses twinkling. Christmas With Sinatra And Friends, a recent reissue of festive Frank Sinatra chestnuts, is this yea 2009-11-06 13:11:06 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz Vocals/767/ J R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - At just 27-years-old, Stax icon Isaac Hayes used a diverse spectrum of musical skills and influences to create the soundtrack to Shaft. With the release of the remastered Shaft Deluxe Edition, which f 2009-11-05 13:28:22 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/763/ R Jazz - The principals on Sonny Rollins' Moving Out, newly polished in the RVG Remaster series, couldn't have known this at the time, but they couldn't have assembled a set more representative 2009-11-04 09:00:30 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/758/ J Pop & Rock - By the time the world met "Grandpa" Elliott Small in April 2009 via Playing For Change's two-disc Songs Around The World CD/DVD, he'd already been busking in New Orleans' Fren 2009-11-03 16:27:43 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/754/ P Contemporary Jazz - The relaxing image of a warm, inviting tropical sandy beach, green-blue sea and pastel skies adorning the cover of the recent 12 track collection Smooth Jazz Hits is exactly what the days look like fo 2009-11-02 13:39:00 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/751/ C Jazz - I love when my assignments includes a musician's name that I recognize but whose music I've barely heard. Although a good friend of mine has praised alto saxophonist Art Pepper long and loud 2009-10-30 10:40:08 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/748/ J Jazz - No other trumpet player -- except for possibly Miles Davis -- could get lost in a ballad, and magnetically pull you in to get lost with him, like Chet Baker. Even better, Baker was double trouble, a t 2009-10-28 13:30:32 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/744/ J Pop & Rock - When you hear the early recordings of Larry Williams, such as on his 1959 Specialty release Here's Larry Williams, it's hard not to compare him to his friend and labelmate Little Richard. In 2009-10-27 18:14:10 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/739/ P Collector's Corner - In 1954, Henri Renaud, a French pianist and producer, came to New York to organize a series of record dates with the cream of the super-hot '50s-era bebop scene revolving around the Birdland jazz 2009-10-26 12:11:28 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Collector's Corner/732/ C World & Latin - In the 1950s, the mambo and other strains of Latin dance music were hugely popular among Jewish Americans, especially those in New York. This unlikely phenomenon prompted a handful of Latin artists -- 2009-10-23 14:06:13 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/728/ W R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - The 2007 release Interpretations: Celebrating The Music Of Earth, Wind & Fire paid fitting tribute to the brilliant music of supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire, the work of founder Maurice 2009-10-22 10:03:00 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/722/ R Jazz - A new compilation to help celebrate Prestige Records' 60th anniversary, the five-CD Side Steps pulls together almost all of the Prestige sessions on which Coltrane played as a supporting (or side 2009-10-21 12:43:03 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/709/ J Jazz - Young alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon was signed to Concord after winning the prestigious Thelonius Monk Jazz Competition in October of last year. This October marks the release of his Concord Jazz debu 2009-10-20 10:21:41 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/686/ J Classical - Gustav Holst's spectacular orchestral voyage into outer space has proven so popular that, on Oct. 27, Telarc will release its third traversal of the work in 23 years, Holst - The Planets. Recorde 2009-10-19 12:38:52 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/705/ C Pop & Rock - Jimmy Liggins spent his early years living in the shadow of his famous brother Joe Liggins, who led the popular R&B band The Honeydrippers. Jimmy eventually formed his own jump blues group, Th 2009-10-16 15:26:09 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/701/ P Contemporary Jazz - Smack dab in the middle of Regina Belle's thriving careers as a pop/soul artist in the late-'80s and '90s -- which included "A Whole New World," her Grammy-winning Aladdin due 2009-10-15 12:11:50 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/697/ C World & Latin - Latin percussionist Poncho Sanchez recently released his 24th album for Concord Picante. Although it's titled Psychedelic Blues, it's actually a very jazz-oriented release. The set opens wit 2009-10-14 12:21:18 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/692/ W Pop & Rock - For music nerds like... well, pretty much everyone at Concord Music Group, there is history to be found everywhere, even in an '80s electronic band called Cybotron. That band's Fantasy relea 2009-10-13 09:31:14 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/690/ P Jazz - Art Tatum was jazz's first piano master, and played with such awesome vision and technique that he is still revered by every pianist who has played it since. A musicians' musician if not a p 2009-10-09 11:17:16 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/683/ J Contemporary Jazz - Interpreted autobiographically, the title of Curtis Stigers' sixth Concord Jazz recording Lost In Dreams could hearken back to the early-'90s when the distinctively soulful singer and saxman 2009-10-08 11:30:02 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/680/ C R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - Hip soul music fans have known about N'Dambi since the 1999 release of her debut Little Girl Blues and the follow-up Tunin' Up & Cosignin'. Now, with her new Stax release Pink E 2009-10-07 12:06:03 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/675/ R Voices At-Large - Concord Music Group is partnering with Yamaha Guitars, guitarist Lee Ritenour and several other sponsors to stage The Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition, a worldwide guitar competition that c 2009-10-05 13:25:24 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/673/ V Classical - Released one week before the death of Erich Kunzel, longtime conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, From The Top At The Pops finds the beloved musician in ebullient form. Conducting before a live 2009-10-02 09:00:36 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/669/ C Voices At-Large - Ok ya'll, get comfortable. I got some news I think you'll be pretty interested in. On Nov. 17th, Hear Music/Concord Music Group brings you Good Evening New York City, Paul McCartney's m 2009-09-30 10:39:36 By Joel Amsterdam http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/652/ V Contemporary Jazz - Making his Concord Jazz debut with a stirring set of original material appropriately called Songs From The Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, legendary Chicago based pianist Ramsey Lewis laughs, "Darn t 2009-09-29 11:00:24 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/630/ C World & Latin - Guitarist-vocalist-songwriter Corey Harris has a fascinating way of demonstrating the interconnectedness of diverse musical traditions from around the globe. blu.black, his new Telarc release, offers 2009-09-28 13:37:49 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/646/ W Jazz - Whether you're a Peanuts fan, a Vince Guaraldi fan or both, you're definitely going to want a copy of Fantasy's new collection, The Definitive Vince Guaraldi, which comes out Oct. 6 and 2009-09-25 14:52:09 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/643/ J Jazz - Drawn from two separate quintet dates and now part of the RVG Remaster series, Monk features everything that makes just about every Thelonious Monk album so uniquely enjoyable: Strong original composi 2009-09-23 09:00:16 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/638/ J Classical - Begone Busby Berkeley-born images of celestial harpists attired in diaphanous gowns, and angelic cherubs strumming amidst rococo splendor. Thanks to composer Bright Sheng and harpist Yolanda Kondonass 2009-09-22 09:00:12 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/633/ C R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - The L.A.-based quartet All-4-One won a Grammy Award, topped the pop charts with the massive hit "I Swear," which became one of the longest-running No. 1 singles in history, and garnered mult 2009-09-21 17:56:00 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/627/ R Voices At-Large - Time magazine dubbed renowned singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones "The Duchess Of Coolsville" in 1979, just after her self-titled debut was released. By 1991, she'd scored two Grammys an 2009-09-18 13:55:36 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/621/ V Jazz - Four tunes drawn from three sessions featuring two established leaders and one emerging soloist equals almost zero chance that you won't enjoy Dig It! (Prestige) by the Red Garland Quintet with J 2009-09-16 14:40:09 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/618/ J R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - If your holiday travel plans have been downgraded to a staycation, Concord's got the remedy. Ray Charles' The Genius Hits The Road will take you on a cross-country trip that hits all the mus 2009-09-15 12:22:19 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/614/ R Pop & Rock - On his passionate and compelling, highly anticipated Concord Jazz debut Vagabond, vocalist and songwriter Spencer Day finds the perfect way to keep building on the momentum of the buzz that began with 2009-09-14 12:21:46 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/611/ P Jazz - The Wall Street Journal recently published an article by Terry Teachout called "Can Jazz Be Saved?" The piece explores results from the National Endowment for the Arts' latest survey of 2009-09-11 13:15:42 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/604/ J R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - In the original bio that accompanied the 1999 release of her Fantasy/Volt album, It's A Woman's World, Brenda Holloway stated, "I've been an old-school legend...Fantasy gave me a c 2009-09-10 13:57:28 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/601/ R Jazz - The words "sophomore album" are usually pretty loaded, especially for an artist whose debut album was as satisfying and promising as saxophonist Benny Reid's Findings, released in 2007. 2009-09-09 17:42:00 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/595/ J Jazz - You could say George Benson invented contemporary jazz. Breezin', considered a classic of the genre, topped the Pop and R&B charts in 1976 because there wasn't yet a contemporary jazz ca 2009-09-04 12:57:40 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/587/ J Classical - Less than four months after being inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, conductor Erich Kunzel succumbed to cancer near his home in Maine on Sept. 1. Dubbed "The Prince of Pops 2009-09-02 13:45:10 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/585/ C Jazz - There's something intriguing in the story of a 4-year-old Swedish-American boy who launches his show-biz career as a tap dancer raised by two vaudevillian parents, and later becomes one of the wo 2009-08-31 12:04:06 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/584/ J Pop & Rock - Robben Ford's diverse influences and storied career helped him create a playing style that seamlessly blends blues, funk, R&B, rock and even jazz. He is at his most impressive when bringing t 2009-08-28 14:29:49 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/583/ P Jazz - A most heroic yet tragic instrumentalist, tenor saxman Lester Young presented an alternative to Coleman Hawkins' heavy sound. While Hawkins seemed to dig deeply into the rhythm, Young seemed to d 2009-08-26 10:58:14 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/582/ J Contemporary Jazz - The fact that many people working in the smooth jazz genre these days prefer the cooler term "urban contemporary jazz" in describing the vibe just means that superstar saxman/flutist Najee w 2009-08-25 14:15:43 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/581/ C Classical - Telarc's new recording, Beethoven: Complete Works For Piano And Cello, features cellist Zuill Bailey and his frequent recital partner, pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The release demonstrates the com 2009-08-24 13:39:35 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/580/ C R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - In 1969, Stax president Al Bell, mindful of the prominence of soulful duets in the world of R&B and looking for ways to promote the label's roster of hitmakers, came up with the idea of Boy M 2009-08-21 12:17:20 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/579/ R Jazz - One way that the Monterey Jazz Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007 was to form its own MJF Record label and to release its first titles from archived recordings of MJF performances. That 2009-08-20 16:39:18 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/578/ J Pop & Rock - Elvis Costello brought his traveling hootenanny to Hollywood's Greek Theatre last night. Backed by a collection of veteran bluegrass musicians billed as The Sugarcanes, Elvis plucked and swayed t 2009-08-19 13:24:01 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/577/ P Jazz - Herb Alpert, the chart-topping trumpeter and powerful record executive, could sit back and manage the fruits of his prodigious career. Instead, he continues to explore the boundaries between Latin, po 2009-08-18 12:08:36 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/574/ J World & Latin - This year marks the 30th anniversary of Hiroshima. Not the ill-fated Japanese city whose annihilation marked the end of World War II. That was more than 60 years ago. The other Hiroshima -- the contem 2009-08-17 17:49:33 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/576/ W Classical - Six years after its release, Robert Spano's choice of repertoire for his spectacular recording of American music, Rainbow Body, remains proof of the conductor's prescience. Complementing 2009-08-14 13:36:12 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/575/ C Jazz - Admittedly, you can already find much of the music on The Classic Prestige Sessions 1951-1956 on other classic if not legendary Prestige titles. But seeing all the great music that Miles Davis and Son 2009-08-13 17:01:34 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/573/ J Concert Reviews - The future of Concord Music Group was on vibrant display this past weekend at major venues all across Los Angeles. From young divas to polished soul stars to jazz masters, Angelinos were treated to a 2009-08-11 16:10:07 By Rick Nuhn http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Concert Reviews/572/ C Contemporary Jazz - From his breakthrough gig with Blood, Sweat & Tears through his tenures with Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius and Billy Cobham and his own 25-year solo career, five-time Grammy-nominated guitarist Mike 2009-08-07 12:28:11 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/571/ C Pop & Rock - By now, you've either seen Funny People or, at the very least, caught stars Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann or writer/director Judd Apatow on any one of the hundreds of talk shows they appe 2009-08-06 18:26:08 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/570/ P R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - Rufus Thomas is still best remembered for "The Funky Chicken," the 1970 runaway pop and R&B international smash that give audiences a chance to see the 52-year-old clad in pink hot pants 2009-08-05 13:17:01 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/569/ R Voices At-Large - Last month, we highlighted just a few of the out-of-print and titles available in the new Digital Only section. We'll continue to point out albums and cuts you should hear, but don't wait fo 2009-08-04 13:22:08 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/568/ V Jazz - Gentle Jaws provides the exception in the prolific Prestige catalog of tenor saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. He was best known for his uptown, up-tempo swinging, but Gentle Jaws, original 2009-07-30 14:11:34 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/567/ J Voices At-Large - Pianist/composer/educator George Russell boldly eschewed the major-key/minor-key based harmony that dominated Western music for more than 350 years. Although he passed away July 27, 2009, at age 86, h 2009-07-29 11:53:46 By Nick Phillips http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/566/ V Contemporary Jazz - Fans of urban jazz keyboardist and vocalist Joe McBride had been waiting so long for his follow up to 2005's Texas Hold 'Em, they were probably wondering if he started a new life as a profes 2009-07-28 11:05:28 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/565/ C Collector's Corner - Angels In Harlem is a compilation of recordings made in the early-'50s by Andrew "Smokey" Hogg, a singer in the Texas Blues style, a genre considered one of the purest descendants of 19 2009-07-27 19:25:26 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Collector's Corner/564/ C World & Latin - By the time Tito Puente recorded Royal T on Concord Picante in January 1993, he had logged in nine previous recordings on the label and more than 100 overall since the start of his career in the 1940s 2009-07-24 13:12:32 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/563/ W Jazz - Part of Concord's Digital Only series, Groovin' With Tate spotlights the talents of Buddy Tate, a saxophonist who filled two of music's most cherished tenor chairs -- in the Count Basie 2009-07-22 12:33:43 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/562/ J R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - There is nothing quite like a European audience showing their appreciation for a soul music legend. I've witnessed that genuine love and respect on several occasions since arriving in London in A 2009-07-21 11:58:44 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/561/ R Classical - Is it possible that a quarter century has passed since the movie Amadeus purported to tell the story of Mozart's life and death? How many viewers have since laughed off the preposterous assertion 2009-07-20 12:25:03 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/560/ C Pop & Rock - I once described Tift Merritt's wonderful 2008 release Another Country as a "flat-out amazing demonstration of singer/songwriter prowess." I also commended her live show for its sense o 2009-07-17 18:09:40 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/559/ P Jazz - Listen to Arnett Cobb weave through "Sweet Georgia Brown" and it's easy to hear how his tenor saxophone stylistically and chronically bridged the generation gap between traditional big 2009-07-15 12:59:20 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/558/ J Jazz Vocals - In 1998, Jazz singer Teri Thornton won the top prize at the prestigious Thelonius Monk vocal competition, beating out runners-up Jane Monheit and Tierney Sutton,who were just beginning their now impre 2009-07-13 13:20:53 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz Vocals/557/ J Jazz - History suggests that The Prestige Jazz Quartet came together to replace the label's more famous Modern Jazz Quartet when the MJQ jumped to another label. They both employed the same instrumentat 2009-07-10 12:16:21 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/556/ J Classical - Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Choruses' new Telarc recording Transmigration, a moving testament to those who have left us, takes its name from John Adams' Pulitzer Priz 2009-07-09 14:07:04 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/555/ C Contemporary Jazz - The title of saxman Paul Taylor's latest Peak Records release Burnin' inspires many metaphorical possibilities. His ecstatic female fans have especially been doing so with great desire since 2009-07-08 11:05:42 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/554/ C World & Latin - Recorded in 1993 and released on Milestone in 1995, Walking on Coals was Canhoto da Paraíba's first release in the United States and his third overall. Throughout this 12-track set, he 2009-07-07 12:26:28 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/553/ W R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - Eddie Floyd, former member of Detroit vocal group The Falcons, didn't enjoy consistent chart honors as a recording artist, but he did cut some eight albums for Stax from 1967-1974. His final two 2009-07-06 17:48:33 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/552/ R Jazz - Legends Of Acid Jazz: The Best Of Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers has always been my favorite title in Prestige's Legends series. Percussionist and bandleader Pucho Brown was (and remains 2009-07-03 15:14:35 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/550/ J Pop & Rock - Long before Nirvana or Teenage Fanclub or even The Replacements hit the scene, there was Big Star. In the early-'70s, the group crafted a unique blend of radio rock and Brit pop, making them pion 2009-07-02 12:09:14 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/551/ P Classical - If anything defined the Telarc sound early on in the digital age, it was its engineers' mastery of full-range orchestral recording. A case in point is Jongen: Symphonie Concertante & Franck: 2009-07-01 12:33:54 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/549/ C Jazz - Even the most historic journey begins with a single step. Recorded on a single May 1957 date, the simply titled Coltrane (Prestige) marks John Coltrane's debut as a leader. In both its ballads an 2009-06-30 11:40:37 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/548/ J World & Latin - Already a purveyor of edgy, progressive jazz that occasionally flirted with the avant garde, pianist Hiromi Uehara upped the ante when she assembled Sonicbloom to record Time Control (2007) and Beyond 2009-06-29 14:40:54 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/547/ W R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - With the release of Will Downing's groundbreaking A Dream Fulfilled and his pairing with Gerald Albright on Pleasures Of The Night, the vocalist's audience has included jazz and R&B love 2009-06-26 11:48:58 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/546/ R Jazz - Recorded on a hot July 1961 night with Booker Little, pianist Mal Waldron, and his incendiary rhythm section, Eric Dolphy At The Five Spot, Volume 2 (Prestige, RVG Edition) plays like a primer on Eric 2009-06-25 11:10:03 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/545/ J Concert Reviews - Last week, I caught the first of two performances by the amazing Anjulie at L.A.'s Viper Room. The second show, at which she will preview songs from her self-titled Hear Music debut, is tonight. 2009-06-24 13:50:09 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Concert Reviews/544/ C Concert Reviews - Elvis Costello played an in-store at Hollywood's famous Amoeba Records last night (video), romping through many songs from his Hear Music debut Secret, Profane And Sugarcane. Amazingly, he played 2009-06-23 13:59:19 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Concert Reviews/543/ C Collector's Corner - Having left New York to kick a drug habit, 1955 was an important year for Miles Davis. He returned to begin his tenure as one of the great forces of jazz in the second half of the 20th Century. He was 2009-06-22 12:48:17 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Collector's Corner/542/ C Classical - When the great American mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick first sang for veteran mezzo Fedora Barbieri, who had shared stages with Callas, Barbieri exclaimed, "What a voice!" That voice is capture 2009-06-20 12:33:11 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/541/ C World & Latin - For more than a quarter century, steel pan artist Andy Narell has been on a one-man crusade to expand the role of calypso music within the jazz idiom. His resulting body of work has been an engaging h 2009-06-19 14:05:11 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/539/ W Voices At-Large - A little while ago, Concord Music Group launched a new feature on this site which allows you to purchase CDs, LPs, MP3s and other goodies with just a few clicks. Now, ConcordMusicGroup.com introduces 2009-06-18 18:56:45 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/540/ V Jazz - Recorded and released in the summer of 1982, Reel Life (originally on Milestone) is one of Sonny Rollins' brightest and cheeriest sets. The album sounds more of its time than most releases. It sp 2009-06-17 12:30:29 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/538/ J Jazz Vocals - Grammy-nominated singer Kurt Elling's Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman was recorded live at Lincoln Center with Elling's long-time musical director/arran 2009-06-16 12:30:48 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz Vocals/537/ J Concert Reviews - An annual weather phenomenon known as "June Gloom" is one of the great natural curiosities of life in generally sunny Southern California, and this year's grey visitor hung around so ma 2009-06-15 13:22:59 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Concert Reviews/536/ C R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX - There is no one quite like Teena Marie. In fact, no other "blue-eyed soul" artist in contemporary music has ever created such a solid legacy with a primarily African-American audience as a b 2009-06-12 17:11:15 By David Nathan http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//R&B, Blues, Soul & STAX/535/ R Contemporary Jazz - Don't tell the powers that be at GM and Chrysler, who are going through desperate times in this economy, that someone they may be listening to on their commute to work is actually finding joy in 2009-06-09 15:31:21 By Jonathan Widran http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Contemporary Jazz/526/ C Voices At-Large - Too many hipsters and cynics sweepingly dismiss country music as corny and annoying. (Of course, mention names like Johnny Cash or Hank Williams and they all backpedal, but that's another rant.) 2009-06-05 16:51:01 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Voices At-Large/525/ V Concert Reviews - Concord recording artist Karrin Allyson appeared in Los Angeles at Catalina's, to support her Grammy-nominated release, Imagina: Songs Of Brasil (which was reviewed here). Joining her for the we 2009-06-04 11:56:45 By Anne Farnsworth http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Concert Reviews/524/ C Pop & Rock - Elvis Costello's new album Secret, Profane And Sugarcane once again finds him teaming with legendary producer T Bone Burnett, the man behind John Mellencamp's recent Love, Death, Life And Fr 2009-06-02 23:05:54 By David Vienna http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Pop & Rock/523/ P Classical - As Memorial Day rolls around each year, thoughts often turn to America's enduring impact on the rest of the world. While any attempt at far-reaching political analysis is beyond the scope of this 2009-05-29 12:06:36 By Jason Serinus http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Classical/522/ C Jazz - Memorial Day weekend reflections often turn to thoughts of musicians whose passing, like the soldiers' we remember, came far too soon. One name among too many, tenor saxman King Curtis thankfully 2009-05-28 15:07:12 By Chris Slawecki http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//Jazz/521/ J World & Latin - Early in his career, Brazilian guitarist Djalma de Andrade was the only black man in his first jazz gigs in his native Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s. Based on this demographic imbalance, he earned the n 2009-05-27 11:07:54 By John C. Bruening http://www.concordmusicgroup.com//World & Latin/520/ W