This is The Cure - Festival Summer 2026, The Studio Versions (A Hervé Guilleminot Special Presentation) + Rock En Seine 30.08.2026 + Movie

This is The Cure - Festival Summer 2026, The Studio Versions (A Hervé Guilleminot Special Presentation) 

THE CURE -  FROM BEDROOMS TO STADIUMS

Few bands bring people together quite like The Cure. Their audiences span several generations: fans who discovered them in the early 1980s stand alongside younger listeners who have found the same comfort, excitement and sense of belonging in their songs. Music once played alone in teenage bedrooms now fills arenas, stadiums and festival fields. That journey makes The Cure one of the most remarkable bands to emerge from the closing decades of the twentieth century. Even in front of tens of thousands of people, their songs can still feel intensely personal.

One of their greatest strengths is their extraordinary range. The Cure move from the stark landscapes of cold wave and post-punk to bright pop melodies, restless psychedelia and long, slowly unfolding pieces with something of the scale of progressive rock. “A Forest”, “Just Like Heaven” and “Disintegration” express very different moods, yet all belong unmistakably to the same musical world. Their darkness has never excluded pleasure, humour or joy. They can make an audience dance, then draw it into a song about loneliness, love or loss, with equal conviction.

As one of the last great British new wave and post-punk bands still performing on this scale, The Cure carry an enormous history. Much of their enduring appeal comes from Robert Smith. Behind the wild hair and familiar make-up is a singer whose vulnerability, dry humour and independence have made him an unusually endearing public figure. His voice remains immediately recognisable, while the musicians around him give the songs their depth and physical force. Together, they have built a relationship with listeners that reaches far beyond fashion or nostalgia.

Their generosity is especially clear on stage. Full-length Cure concerts often exceed two and a half hours, allowing room for familiar favourites, less obvious songs and extended passages that need time to reveal their power. These performances offer more than a succession of hits: they invite the audience to inhabit the music. The same emotional openness helps explain why The Cure continue to inspire musicians, writers, filmmakers and countless listeners for whom their songs have become part of everyday life.

Trent Reznor expressed this connection memorably when he inducted the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. His deeply sincere tribute recalled discovering music that seemed to understand his own feelings and made him feel less alone. It captured something essential about The Cure: their ability to turn private uncertainty into a shared experience.

They also continue to create music worthy of that attachment. Songs of a Lost World demonstrated that their themes could grow older with them, giving grief and passing time a powerful musical form. Robert Smith has spoken of a possible ending around 2029, but their continuing commitment gives these later years a sense of purpose.

The triumphant summer of 2026 provides the starting point for this collection. Bringing together 50 studio recordings, this imagined complete concert brings together every song played across the tour, making it easier to hear which periods the band chose to favour. Alongside it, I have included the closing Paris-area performance from Rock en Seine on 30 August 2026 in FLAC audio and video. I was there... it felt like a genuine musical firework display, and a moving reminder that songs first loved in solitude can become an extraordinary collective celebration. (Hervé Guilleminot)

Include are the following:

This is The Cure - Festival Summer 2026, The Studio Versions (A Hervé Guilleminot Special Presentation) 50 tracks (320 Kbps) + Rock En Seine 30.08.2026 31 tracks (flac)

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MOVIE 

The Cure - Rock En Seine 30.08.2026

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TRACK LIST

1 - Plainsong - 1989

2 - Alone - 2024

3 - Pictures of You - 1989

4 - High - 1992

5 - Lovesong - 1989

6 - Catch - 1987

7 - Burn - 1994

8 - 2 Late - 1989

9 - Fascination Street - 1989

10 - Never Enough - 1990

11 - alt.end - 2004

12 - A Fragile Thing - 2024

13 - Push - 1985

14 - In Between Days - 1985

15 - Just Like Heaven - 1987

16 - Treasure - 1996

17 - The Last Day of Summer - 2000

18 - Trust - 1992

19 - Three Imaginary Boys - 1979

20 - Charlotte Sometimes - 1981

21 - Want - 1996

22 - A Night Like This - 1985

23 - Secrets - 1980

24 - A Strange Day - 1982

25 - Cold - 1982

26 - Play for Today - 1980

27 - In Your House - 1980

28 - A Forest - 1980

29 - Shake Dog Shake - 1984

30 - Primary - 1981

31 - From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea - 1992

32 - One Hundred Years - 1982

33 - Endsong - 2024

34 - Prayers for Rain - 1989

35 - M - 1980

36 - It Can Never Be the Same - 2016

37 - Faith - 1981

38 - A Letter to Elise - 1992

39 - Disintegration - 1989

40 - Lullaby - 1989

41 - Hot Hot Hot!!! - 1987

42 - Wrong Number - 1997

43 - The Walk - 1983

44 - Mint Car - 1996

45 - The Lovecats - 1983

46 - Let's Go to Bed - 1983

47 - Friday I'm in Love - 1992

48 - Close to Me - 1985

49 - Why Can't I Be You? - 1987

50 - Boys Don't Cry - 1979

Total running time: 4 hours, 12 minutes.

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Gerry Mulligan - Mosaic Select 21 [2006] (3 x CDs)

SUNDAY JAZZ

GERRY MULLIGAN

Gerry Mulligan - Mosaic Select 21 [2006] (3 x CDs)

Mosaic Select 21, released in 2006 as a three‑CD limited edition on Mosaic Records, gathers four projects recorded by Gerry Mulligan during an unusually productive stretch in late 1957 and 1958. The material was originally created for Pacific Jazz, a label that documented Mulligan’s work with care, issuing albums in multiple formats and preserving sessions that showed his range as a baritone saxophonist, arranger and bandleader. The box presents these recordings in fresh transfers, giving listeners a clear view of Mulligan’s melodic clarity and his ability to adapt to varied ensemble settings.

The first portion features Mulligan’s reunion with Chet Baker, recorded with Henry Grimes and Dave Bailey. Although the pair had a long history, these sessions avoid nostalgia, offering relaxed phrasing and a shared sense of balance. The quartet produced enough material for two albums, though only one appeared at the time, making the additional tracks valuable for collectors who follow catalogue histories.

The centrepiece of the set is The Gerry Mulligan Songbook, presented here in stereo. Bill Holman arranged six Mulligan compositions for a saxophone section that included Lee Konitz, Allen Eager, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Mulligan himself, supported by Freddie Green, Henry Grimes and Dave Bailey. Mulligan contributed an additional piece for the date, and the writing throughout is crisp, elegant and deeply musical, showing how his ideas could be expanded into larger textures without losing intimacy.

Another highlight is the collaboration with the Vinnie Burke String Quartet, an unusual ensemble of guitar, violin, cello and bass with Mulligan and Bailey. Eight selections were prepared for an album that never materialised, though four later surfaced on CD. The pizzicato textures create a light, open sound that suits Mulligan’s lyrical approach.

The final portion features Annie Ross Sings a Song of Mulligan, recorded with both the reunion quartet and Mulligan’s 1958 group with Art Farmer, Bill Crow and Bailey. Ross’s pitch accuracy and musical sensitivity make her an ideal partner in a cordless setting.

Mosaic Select 21 offers a detailed view of Mulligan’s craft, captured during a remarkably focused period of recording. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Gerry Mulligan - Reunion 4:07

02 Gerry Mulligan - When Your Lover Has Gone 5:09

03 Gerry Mulligan - Star Dust 4:44

04 Gerry Mulligan - My Heart Belongs to Daddy 4:13

05 Gerry Mulligan - Jersey Bounce 4:27

06 Gerry Mulligan - Surrey With The Fringe on Top 4:42

07 Gerry Mulligan - Ornithology 5:12

08 Gerry Mulligan - Trav'lin Light 3:42

09 Gerry Mulligan - People Will Say We're in Love 3:43

10 Gerry Mulligan - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You 3:39

11 Gerry Mulligan - The Song is You 3:24

12 Gerry Mulligan - Festive Minor 4:11

13 Gerry Mulligan - I Got Rhythm 6:01

14 Gerry Mulligan - Trav'lin Light (Alt Take) 4:35

15 Gerry Mulligan - Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to Y ou (alt take) 3:33

16 Gerry Mulligan - All The Things You Are 6:47

CD2

01 Gerry Mulligan - Four and One Moore 4:24

02 Gerry Mulligan - Crazy Day 7:05

03 Gerry Mulligan - Turnstile 4:12

04 Gerry Mulligan - Sextet 4:19

05 Gerry Mulligan - Disc Jockey Jump (full version) 4:34

06 Gerry Mulligan - Venus De Milo 5:09

07 Gerry Mulligan - Revelation 5:01

08 Gerry Mulligan - Crazy Day (Mono take) 7:06

09 Gerry Mulligan - Turnstile (Mono take) 7:56

10 Gerry Mulligan - May-Reh 6:04

11 Gerry Mulligan - The Preacher 6:28

12 Gerry Mulligan - Good Bait 4:40

13 Gerry Mulligan - Bags' Groove 3:57

CD3

01 Gerry Mulligan - Lullaby in Rhythm 4:31

02 Gerry Mulligan - Body and Soul 4:24

03 Gerry Mulligan - Out of Nowhere 4:15

04 Gerry Mulligan - I'll Remember April 5:07

05 Gerry Mulligan - I Can't Get Started 5:02

06 Gerry Mulligan - I Feel Pretty 3:33

07 Gerry Mulligan - How About You? 2:50

08 Gerry Mulligan - I've Grown Accustomed to His Face 3:01

09 Gerry Mulligan - This Time The Dream's on Me 3:23

10 Gerry Mulligan - Let There Be Love 3:44

11 Gerry Mulligan - All of You 2:20

12 Gerry Mulligan - Give Me The Simple Life 3:35

13 Gerry Mulligan - This is Always 4:21

14 Gerry Mulligan - Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea 3:42

15 Gerry Mulligan - It Don't Mean A Thing If it Ain't Got That Swing 2:10

16 Gerry Mulligan - The Lady's in Love With You 2:25

17 Gerry Mulligan - My Old Flame 3:49

18 Gerry Mulligan - I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans 2:25

19 Gerry Mulligan - You Turned The Tables on Me 3:25

20 Gerry Mulligan - This is Always (first version) 4:00

21 Gerry Mulligan - I've Grown Accustomed to His Face (first version) 3:04

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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VA - We Are the Beautiful, Two Decades of Shoegaze 1991-2011 (4 x CDs)

SHOEGAZE

VA - We Are the Beautiful, Two Decades of Shoegaze 1991-2011 (4 x CDs)

We Are the Beautiful, Two Decades of Shoegaze 1991–2011, released in 2026 as a four‑CD box set on Cherry Red, offers a broad archival view of how shoegaze evolved after its first wave faded from the charts. The set carries the catalogue number CRCDBOX 132 and follows the label’s familiar approach, gathering singles, album tracks and rarities from both major and independent sources. It presents a clear picture of how the genre’s core elements, dense guitars, blurred harmonies and immersive production, continued to shape underground music across two decades.

The first disc focuses on the early nineties aftermath, when bands influenced by My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Ride carried the sound into smaller labels. Many tracks were originally issued on CD singles or short‑run EPs, formats that now hold collector interest. The production style remains thick and saturated, yet several groups introduce brighter melodic lines, showing how shoegaze began merging with indie pop.

The second disc moves into the late nineties, highlighting acts that blended shoegaze with post‑rock, dream pop and electronic textures. Labels such as Kranky, Clairecords and Rocket Girl appear throughout, each contributing recordings that reflect a shift toward atmosphere and slow‑building structures. Several tracks originate from limited CD‑R releases, adding archival value to the set.

The third disc covers the early 2000s revival, when a new generation embraced reverb‑heavy guitars and soft vocal layering. Many of these recordings were first released on small European and American labels, often in editions of a few hundred copies. The sequencing shows how the genre regained momentum, shaped by musicians who treated shoegaze not as nostalgia but as a flexible language.

The final disc brings the story to 2011, capturing the moment when shoegaze intersected with dream pop, ambient and electronic production. These tracks reveal how the sound broadened, becoming more spacious and textural while keeping its emotional core.

As a whole, We Are the Beautiful offers a warm, detailed map of shoegaze’s long arc, preserved with care and respect for the original recordings. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Ride - Vapour Trail 4:19

02 Telescopes - Flying 2:54

03 Lush - Nothing Natural 5:56

04 Ecstasy of St. Theresa - What's 2:15

05 Bleach - Burn 6:34

06 That Uncertain Feeling - Sunriser 2:52

07 Charlottes - Love in The Emptiness (Album Version) 3:47

08 Blind Mr. Jones - Eyes Wide 3:45

09 Curve - Horror Head 3:43

10 Catherine Wheel - I Want to Touch You 4:41

11 Pale Saints - Throwing Back The Apple 4:11

12 Sun Dial - Let it Go 4:37

13 Drop Nineteens - My Aquarium (Second Time Around) 3:14

14 Kitchens of Distinction - When in Heaven 5:17

15 Swallow - Lovesleep 5:00

16 Adorable - Homeboy 4:30

17 Moonshake - Blister 3:33

18 Teenage Filmstars - Inner Space 5:16

CD2

01 Slowdive - Souvlaki Space Station 6:00

02 Secret Shine - Suck Me Down 5:16

03 Chapterhouse - We Are The Beautiful 4:02

04 Ultra Vivid Scene - Medicating Angels 8:14

05 Here - Haze 6:13

06 Cranes - Shining Road 3:53

07 Revolver - Cradle Snatch 5:57

08 Veldt - Heather 7:35

09 Venus Beads - Shackled 3:41

10 Alison's Halo - Calendar 5:51

11 Brian Jonestown Massacre - Crushed 6:11

12 Starflyer 59 - She's The Queen 3:26

13 Morella's Forest - Hang Out 2:48

14 An April March - Let Everyone Down 3:36

15 Anilore - Movement (2025 Mix) 4:19

CD3

01 Cocteau Twins - Violane 3:48

02 Autumns - The Garden Ends 5:51

03 Bethany Curve - Serene and Smiling 5:00

04 All Natural Lemon and Lime Flavors - Emergency Turn Off 4:39

05 Piano Magic - Snowfall Soon 5:02

06 Lowsunday - She Follows Rain 3:44

07 Bowery Electric - Floating World 4:47

08 Mira - Cayman 5:42

09 Andalusia - Swallow 2:42

10 Con Dolore - Dream 7:15

11 Asobi Seksu - Sooner 3:47

12 Ashrae Fax - Ultravaca 5:07

13 Stella Luna - Change 6:38

14 Pluramon - Hello, Shadow (Ft. Julee Cruise) 3:58

15 Skywave - Fire 4:15

16 Lost Patrol - Velveteen 4:11

CD4

01 Televise - Outside Out 3:50

02 Soundpool - Millions&Billions&Trillions 4:00

03 Film School - On & On 5:42

04 Prids - Like Hearts 3:46

05 Alcian Blue - 71705 4:16

06 Mary Onettes - Lost 4:04

07 School of Seven Bells - My Cabal 5:09

08 A Place to Bury Strangers - I Know I'll See You 4:07

09 Bell Hollow - Seven Sisters 4:08

10 Daysleepers - Release The Kraken 3:56

11 Screen Vinyl Image - Cathode Ray 4:41

12 Pinkshinyultrablast - Blaster 3:26

13 Big Pink - Crystal Visions 5:49

14 Pink Playground - Sunny Skies (EP Version) 4:18

15 Ceremony East Coast - Don't Leave Me Behind 3:30

16 Ringo Deathstarr - Shadow 3:56

17 Tamaryn - Love Fade 3:40

18 Tears Run Rings - Forgotten 5:52

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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VA - Shake! Sixties Brit Mod Nuggets [2023] (2 x LP)

MOD, BEEAT

VA - Shake! Sixties Brit Mod Nuggets [2023] (2 x LP)

Shake! Sixties Brit Mod Nuggets, released in 2023 as a double LP on Demon Records, offers a lively and well‑curated look at the British mod scene as it moved from sharp rhythm and blues roots toward brighter pop and early beat energy. The set carries the catalogue number DEMREC 1043 and was pressed on coloured vinyl, adding a collectible dimension for listeners who follow modern archival reissues. Although the original tracks span 1963 to 1967, the compilation presents them with a clear narrative flow, shaped by careful sequencing and strong attention to label sources such as Decca, Pye, Columbia, Parlophone and Fontana.

The first LP leans into the rawer side of mod culture. Many tracks were originally issued as 45 rpm singles, often in modest quantities, and several have become sought after by collectors who specialise in early British R and B. The music carries the urgency of small clubs and youth venues, with tight guitar lines, brisk tempos and vocals that balance attitude with charm. The production style reflects the era’s studio limitations, yet the energy remains vivid, shaped by musicians who understood how to keep rhythm at the centre.

The second LP moves toward the more melodic end of the mod spectrum. Here the influence of soul, beat and emerging pop forms becomes clearer, with tracks that use brighter harmonies, cleaner guitar tones and more polished arrangements. Several selections come from groups who never reached national charts, making their inclusion valuable for listeners who enjoy discovering lesser known acts. The mastering preserves the character of the original singles while giving the set a consistent sonic profile.

As a whole, Shake! Sixties Brit Mod Nuggets offers a warm, detailed snapshot of a scene defined by style, rhythm and youthful drive. It treats the music with care, presenting both familiar names and overlooked gems in a format that suits late night listening and deep archival exploration. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Bo Street Runners - Bo Street Runner (Original 1964 7" Mono Single Version) 2:12

02 Others - Oh Yeah! 2:50

03 David John and the Mood - Bring it to Jerome (Alternative Mix) 2:14

04 Mickey Finn and the Blue Men - I Still Want You 2:28

05 Ronnie Jones and the Night-Timers - I Need Your Loving 2:46

06 Second Thoughts - Seventh Son 2:32

07 James Royal - Work Song 3:08

08 Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated - Taboo Man 2:20

09 Trendbender Band - Unchain My Heart 2:34

10 Syndicats - Crawdaddy Simone 3:16

11 In Crowd - Things She Says 1:48

12 Boys Blue - You Got What I Want 2:07

13 Rocking Vickers - It's Alright (Pastiche of "The Kids Are Alright") 2:12

14 Artwoods - I Take What I Want 2:54

15 Favourite Sons - That Driving Beat 1:40

16 Moody Blues - And My Baby's Gone 2:22

17 Stormsville Shakers - Number One 2:28

18 Union - See Saw 3:36

CD2

01 Rod Stewart - Shake 2:49

02 Laurel Aitken and the Soulmen - Last Night 3:20

03 Barry St. John - Gotta Brand New Man 2:22

04 Soul Brothers - Good Lovin' Never Hurt 2:20

05 Lucas and the Mike Cotton Sound - Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud 2:38

06 J.J. Jackson - But It's Alright 2:53

07 Carl Douglas and the Big Stampede - Something for Nothing 2:34

08 Wynder K. Frog - Turn on Your Lovelight 3:11

09 Spencer Davis Group - Looking Back (Single Version) 3:02

10 Double Feature - Baby Get Your Head Screwed On 2:44

11 Scots of St. James - Tic Toc 2:22

12 Attraction - She's a Girl 2:37

13 John's Children - But She's Mine 1:56

14 Drag Set - Day and Night 2:16

15 Rupert's People - Hold On 3:31

16 Action - Look at the View 4:02

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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VA - The Great Tomato Blues Package (45 Classic Blues Selections) [1989] (2 x CDs)

BLUES

VA - The Great Tomato Blues Package (45 Classic Blues Selections) [1989] (2 x CDs)

The Great Tomato Blues Package, released in 1989 on Tomato Records as a two‑CD anthology, offers a generous and carefully assembled survey of mid‑century blues recordings drawn from the label’s deep catalogue. Issued under catalogue number R2 70737, the set gathers forty‑five tracks originally released between the late forties and early seventies, presenting a broad view of electric blues, acoustic traditions and regional styles that shaped the genre’s evolution. Tomato had long been known for licensing important material from artists whose work often sat between folk, blues and early roots music, and this compilation reflects that archival commitment.

The first disc leans into classic electric blues, with performances that highlight strong guitar phrasing, steady rhythm sections and vocals shaped by lived experience. Many tracks were originally issued on small labels, later reissued by Tomato in LP or CD form, making their appearance here valuable for listeners who follow catalogue histories. The mastering preserves the warmth of the original tapes, allowing the grit and nuance of each performance to come through clearly.

The second disc expands the frame, bringing in acoustic sides, regional variations and lesser known artists whose recordings rarely appear in mainstream anthologies. Several selections originate from albums Tomato released during the seventies, often drawn from field recordings or studio sessions that documented musicians with long histories but limited commercial exposure. These tracks add depth, showing how blues traditions persisted outside major label structures.

What makes The Great Tomato Blues Package notable is its balance of familiarity and discovery. Well‑known artists anchor the set, yet the rarities and deeper cuts provide insight into the genre’s breadth. The sequencing moves smoothly, creating a listening experience that feels both historical and immediate. For collectors, the anthology stands as a thoughtful document of Tomato’s role in preserving essential blues recordings, presented with care, clarity and respect for the original sources. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Johnny Shines - Too Wet to Plow 4:24

02 Mississippi Fred McDowell - You Got to Move 2:52

03 Peg Leg Sam - Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho 3:20

04 Louisiana Red - Sweet Blood Call 3:00

05 Lightnin' Hopkins - Cryin' Shame 2:33

06 Sonny Terry - Playing With the Thing 2:39

07 Sonny Boy Williams - Fattening Frogs for Snakes 2:24

08 Roosevelt Sykes - Music is My Business 2:41

09 Jelly Roll Morton - Dead Man Blues 3:17

10 Louis Armstrong - St. Louis Blues 3:05

11 Bessie Smith - Alexander's Ragtime Band 3:03

12 Champion Jack Dupree - Shake Baby Shake 2:29

13 Willie Mabon - Poison Ivy 2:54

14 Billie Holiday - Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 1:56

15 Charlie Parker - Parker's Mood 3:05

16 Big Mama Thornton - Ball and Chain 7:00

17 Little Walter - Juke 2:45

18 Howlin' Wolf - Little Red Rooster 2:27

19 Buster Brown - Fanny Mae 2:59

20 Elmore James - The Sky is Crying 2:45

21 Aretha Franklin - There is a Fountain Filled With Blood 4:28

22 Ray Charles - Blues is My Middle Name 3:08

CD2

01 Ike & Tina Turner - Poor Fool 2:36

02 B.B. King - The Other Night Blues 3:37

03 Brownie McGhee - The Blues Had a Baby 2:54

04 Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley 2:29

05 Little Richard - Lucille 2:28

06 Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind 2:37

07 Wilbert Harrison - Kansas City 2:25

08 Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy 2:56

09 Jimmy Reed - Take Out Some Insurance 2:26

10 Koko Taylor - Wang Dang Doodle 3:02

11 Chuck Berry - In the Wee, Wee Hours 3:05

12 Fats Domino - Blue Monday 2:44

13 Dee Dee Ford; Don Garner - I Need Your Lovin' 2:17

14 Irma Thomas - Wish Someone Would Care 2:14

15 Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman 2:59

16 Carl Perkins - Honey Don't 2:51

17 Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 5:04

18 John Lee Hooker - Tupelo 7:25

19 Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - That's All Right 5:54

20 Johnny Winter; Rocky Hill - Bad Girl Blues 2:49

21 Townes Van Zandt - Nothin' 2:51

22 Mississippi John Hurt - Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight 2:53

23 Lead Belly - Midnight Special 2:53

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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Charles Tolliver - Mosaic Select 20 [2005] (3 x CDs)

SUNDAY JAZZ

CHARLES TOLLIVER

Charles Tolliver - Mosaic Select 20 [2005] (3 x CDs)

Mosaic Select 20, released in 2005 as a limited three‑CD set, presents a concentrated view of Charles Tolliver’s work for Strata‑East during the first half of the seventies. The collection draws from albums originally issued between 1970 and 1973, including Music Inc., Live at Slugs’, and Impact, each sourced from the label’s master tapes and restored with Mosaic’s familiar attention to discographical detail. The set carries the catalogue number MS‑020 and was pressed in a numbered run, making complete copies a valued item among collectors who follow Strata‑East’s history.

The first disc highlights Tolliver’s studio work, where his trumpet lines move with clarity and purpose. His compositions favour strong melodic shapes supported by rhythmic patterns that shift between hard bop drive and open, modal spaces. The ensemble, built around Stanley Cowell’s piano, Cecil McBee’s bass and Jimmy Hopps’ drums, plays with a balance of structure and freedom, giving the music a sense of forward motion without sacrificing nuance. The original LPs were known for their warm, slightly raw sound, and Mosaic’s mastering preserves that character while bringing out instrumental detail.

The second disc focuses on the Live at Slugs’ material, recorded in 1970 and originally released on two separate Strata‑East LPs. These performances show the group at full stretch, with extended improvisations that reveal Tolliver’s command of dynamics and pacing. The live setting adds intensity, shaped by Cowell’s harmonic imagination and McBee’s deep, resonant tone. The interplay feels conversational, guided by musicians who understood how to build tension gradually.

The final disc gathers later studio recordings, including selections from Impact, issued in 1972. These tracks show Tolliver refining his compositional voice, using tighter arrangements and more pronounced ensemble writing. The brass and reed voicings add colour, while the rhythm section maintains the group’s characteristic blend of precision and openness.

Mosaic Select 20 stands as a clear, respectful document of Tolliver’s early seventies work, preserving a vital chapter in independent jazz history. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Charles Tolliver - Drought 9:22

02 Charles Tolliver - Felicite 8:25

03 Charles Tolliver - Orientale 17:37

04 Charles Tolliver - Spanning 8:26

05 Charles Tolliver - Wilpan's 10:37

06 Charles Tolliver - Our Second Father 13:23

CD2

01 Charles Tolliver - Drought 12:22

02 Charles Tolliver - Stretch 10:42

03 Charles Tolliver - Truth 7:07

04 Charles Tolliver - Effi 10:46

05 Charles Tolliver - 'Round Midnight 8:38

CD3

01 Charles Tolliver - On The Nile 13:34

02 Charles Tolliver - Ruthie's Heart 18:46

03 Charles Tolliver - Repetition 8:52

04 Charles Tolliver - Impact 7:33

05 Charles Tolliver - Our Second Father 20:16

06 Charles Tolliver - Earl's World 6:24

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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VA - Into The Sixties Towards A Cosmic Music [2024] (3 x CDs)

JAZZ, CLASSICAL, FOLK, WORLD & COUNTRY

VA - Into The Sixties Towards A Cosmic Music [2024] (3 x CDs)

Into The Sixties Towards A Cosmic Music, released in 2024 as a three‑CD set on Pre‑Echoes, presents an expansive archival view of the sounds that shaped the early part of the decade before the psychedelic explosion fully arrived. The compilation gathers recordings from 1958 to 1964, sourced from labels such as Columbia, RCA, Philips, Decca and Vanguard, each track chosen for its role in forming the musical vocabulary that would later define the sixties. The catalogue number, Pre‑Echoes PECM 003, places it within a series devoted to tracing cultural and sonic transitions with careful documentation and high‑quality mastering.

The first disc focuses on orchestral and experimental works that introduced new harmonic ideas into popular consciousness. Composers explored modal structures, extended techniques and atmospheric textures, often released originally on LP formats that now hold considerable collector interest. These pieces reveal how avant‑garde concepts filtered into mainstream listening, shaping the ears of musicians who would soon transform rock and pop.

The second disc moves toward early electronic and tape‑based experiments. Tracks from university studios, broadcast archives and small European labels show how sound manipulation became a creative tool. The presence of musique concrète, primitive synthesizer tones and radiophonic textures demonstrates how technology opened new pathways for musical imagination. Many of these recordings were issued in limited quantities, making their inclusion valuable for listeners who follow early electronic history.

The third disc highlights jazz, folk and global influences that fed directly into the emerging sixties aesthetic. Modal jazz sessions, raga‑influenced folk pieces and world‑derived rhythmic patterns appear throughout, each offering a glimpse of how musicians were expanding their sense of scale, colour and emotional reach. Several tracks originate from rare 45 rpm singles or short‑run LPs, adding further archival weight to the set.

As a whole, Into The Sixties Towards A Cosmic Music offers a clear, thoughtful map of the ideas that shaped a momentous decade, presented with care, context and respect for the original recordings. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Daphne Oram - Ursa Major (Sun Mix) 1:54

02 Ornette Coleman - Monk and The Nun 5:54

03 Gustav Holst - Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity 7:49

04 Olivier Messiaen - L'alouette Lulu 6:41

05 John Coltrane - Spiritual 13:37

06 The Jimmy Griuffre 3 - Flight 3:22

07 Morton Feldman - Piece for Four Pianos 7:18

08 Ravi Shankar - Dhun Kafi (Spring Season) 12:31

09 Aldous Huxley - On Drugs, Dictators & Writing 4:41

10 Charles Mingus - Self-Portrait in Three Colours 3:05

11 Allen Ginsberg - The Sunflower Sutra 4:49

12 Jean Sibelius - Allegro Molto Moderato, from Symphony No.6 7:00

13 Edith Sitwell - The Wind's Bastinado 1:07

14 Julian Bream Consort - Monsieur's Almaine 2:16

CD2

01 Jimmy Smith - Flamingo 8:06

02 Maurice Ravel - Introduction and Allegro 10:25

03 Bill Evans Trio - Nardis 5:50

04 Pierre Boulez - Après 'L'artisanat furieux' 0:51

05 Luciano Berio - O King from Sinfonia 5:01

06 Karlheinz Stockhausen - Zeitmasse 12:57

07 Arnold Schoenberg - Andante, from Concerto for Piano 4:54

08 Dmitri Shostakovich - Largo, from Symphony No.5 13:40

09 Claude Debussy - Sarabande from Pour le piano 4:33

10 Lili Boulanger - Psalm 129 6:07

11 Satyajit Ray - On Style and Influences 3:25

12 Eric Dolphy - Left Alone 6:41

CD3

01 Erik Satie - Gymnopedies No. 2 2:00

02 John Cage - Quodlibet from String Quartet in Four Parts 1:27

03 Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Sun Song 3:37

04 Edgard Varese - Hyperprism 4:39

05 Gustav Mahler - Andante moderato from Symphony No.6 14:28

06 Igor Stravinsky - Symphonies of Wind Instruments 8:39

07 Claude Debussy - Danse sacree 5:05

08 Claude Debussy - Danse profane 4:38

09 Django Reinhardt - Manoir de mes reves 2:36

10 Gustav Holst - Second Dance from Beni Mora 2:52

11 Constant Lambert - Valse for the Gemini 4:19

12 Edith Sitwell - When Sir Beelzebub 0:58

13 Alexander Scriabin - The Poem of Ecstasy 22:18

14 Maurice Ravel - Le Gibet, from Gaspard de la nuit 5:06

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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