Jefferson Airplane - Utica NY (1969)

Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to achieve international commercial success. They were headliners at the Monterey (1967), Woodstock (1969), Altamont (1969), and the first Isle of Wight Festival (1968) in England. Their 1967 break-out album Surrealistic Pillow ranks on the short list of the most significant recordings of the Summer of Love. Two songs from that album, "Somebody to Love"[2] and "White Rabbit", are among Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

The October 1966 to February 1970 lineup of Jefferson Airplane, consisting of Marty Balin (vocals), Paul Kantner (guitar, vocals), Grace Slick (vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar, vocals), Jack Casady (bass), and Spencer Dryden (drums), was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.[3] Marty Balin left the band in 1971. After 1972, Jefferson Airplane effectively split into two groups. Kaukonen and Casady moved on full-time to their own band, Hot Tuna. Slick, Kantner, and the remaining members of Jefferson Airplane recruited new members and regrouped as Jefferson Starship in 1974, with Marty Balin eventually joining them. Jefferson Airplane was presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

East Of Eden - New Leaf (1971)

After the catastrophically unprog eponymous album on Harvest (of all labels), EOE needed to reconvene discuss their musical directions. Not sure they went ahead, though because after the Jig-A-Jig monstrous, but totally unrepresentative hit, after their semi-country rock third album, the probably were a little lost. With a very enticing sexy artwork, with a butterfly tattoo, but a relatively stable line-up (finally), this was their second album in 71, plus a bunch of singles throughout, so the least we can say was that the group was not about to profit from dole money. Amazingly enough singer David Jack is the only songwriter (even credited so on the JaJ monster instrumental hit) bar the opening track, which is rather strange since he gets sole credits on the two instrumental pieces in the bonus tracks..

Hearing the lead-off track Bradshaw the Bison Hunter, you'd swear that that EoE is back on saddle, because this track is easily much better than anything they'd done on the previous album. Alas, this wouldn't last as Bradshaw is rather unrepresentative (and the only track receiving credits other David Jack as songwriter as it boasts as a group effort) of the rest of the album. No Harm, Get Happy, Don't Be Afraid, Joe, Song For No-one, etc. are all way to close for comfort to country rock or a folky/country singer/songwriter or basic blues-rock. The rare tracks (other than Bradshaw) being worth another mention are the Man Said (strictly on private tastes), and the finale Home Blues (also on personal tastes), sounding like Free doing a good blues track, David Jack doing a credible Paul Rodgers. The least we can say is that an album such as this one have a few tracks that fit the "filler" category.

I am not aware of this album getting an EMI reissue, but there floats around a version of the semi-legit Progressive Line label, which boasts a whopping five bonus tracks, all from 71 and 72 singles. If the unmistakeable Jig-A-Jig is present (a good point, because in some ways it is prog), the remaining four tracks are A and B-sides of two singles. The first of which is Boogie Flu (a non-interesting boogie) and the much more Bach-like Last Dance Of The Clown, an excellent track that should've answered JaJ's success. The later Sin City Girls single is lesser interest (about dancing shoes, puhhhleaeaeaease) and best forgotten and its flipside not deserving such a poor spectacle. All Our Yesterday is pure rip-off to the fab four, but pleasant enough to .

Little wonder after such another mediocre album (although it was better than its predecessor), violinist Dave Arbus would leave the band. And while this album is a tad better, the group is still trying to find itself, but even with the three good bonus track, this album cannot be considered as essential.

Gurnemanz - No Rays Of Noise (1977)

Gurnemanz, was a German folk rock band, who have recorded and pressed privately two excellent albums during the mid 70s. Their delightful music is somewhere between first Broeselmaschine, Hoelderlin and Ougenweide. All ingredients are there, sitar, flute, lute, lyre, mandolin etc played by master musicians, but above all is this stunning female voice of Manuela Schmitz. This is their second album, originally pressed privately in 1977, all tracks are sung in English and it includes one of the best versions of the JOHN BARLEYCORN song, ever heard. Deluxe 180g vinyl, from the original analogue master tapes, exact reproduction of the original first pressing.

Gäa - Alraunes Alptraum (1975)

The first three tracks from 1975 are from an aborted second album, and the last four were recorded about a decade later with some of Gaa's members and others. The first three are classic Gaa, similar to the Uranus material, though with better fidelity, less rough around the edges. The track "Morgendammerung," an instrumental, even stretches further out from Gaa's rock trappings. It starts with a ticking noise and slowly building keyboard tones, moves to a jazzier middle section, and then getts even more funky with a rolling bass riff and odd percussion noises. The newer tracks, recorded one per year between 1984 and 1987, are far more conventional rock & roll; "Tabbert" is excruciatingly mainstream, whereas "Du" and "Warum" are a little better, as the group attempts to capture the magic of earlier Gaa, and "Inspektion" even flirts with synth pop. Needless to say, these tracks pail compared to the 1975 stuff.

Try - Just A Try (1998)

This album was meant to be -- and remained -- a one-shot studio project, "just a try" between instrumental folk guitarist Amadeus Reineck, and keyboardist Michael Lapp. Each one has provided a handful of tunes, with the opening and closing selections being joint efforts. Reineck's music is a dreamy folk strongly reminiscent of Anthony Phillips and Gordon Giltrap. In some of his tracks, Lapp joins him on guitar or mandolin, on others he adds keyboard layers, which gives the music a Gandalf feel. Lapp's own tunes fall into the German tradition of '70s electronic music with more of a new age feel (as in "Monte Christo," more than a bit trite). For "Wreck on the Wire," the duo brought in bassist Dieter Bauer and singer Caroline McCombs. By far the most satisfying piece of this set, it actually develops a strong theme and it is obvious that Lapp and Reineck took more time to write the arrangements. The "Introduction," and the soft and cute "Roswithas' Baby," are also highlights. It is worth noting that these three pieces are all found in the album's first half. The second half consists of a suite of much less developed pieces. Short, they present simple acoustic guitar or keyboard themes that have been left somewhat raw (and are consistently sickening-sweet). For example, the cheerful "Move" could have been much better if it had a proper melody instead of the doodling synth line Lapp came up with. Reissued in 1998 by Garden of Delights, this album is better kept for the collector.

The Yardbirds - For Your Love (1965)

Back in 1965, this album seemed like a real mess, which was understandable, because For Your Love wasn't a "real" album, in the sense that the Yardbirds ever assembled an LP of that name or content. Rather, it was the response of their American label, Epic, to the band's achieving a number six single with the title track, with manager Giorgio Gomelsky selecting the cuts. The quasi-progressive "For Your Love," dominated by guest artist Brian Auger's harpsichord, is juxtaposed with hard-rocking blues-based numbers, almost all of which featured departed lead guitarist Eric Clapton (who is mentioned nowhere on the LP), with current lead guitarist Jeff Beck on just three tracks. The Clapton cuts, although primitive next to the material he was soon to cut with John Mayall, have an intensity that's still riveting to hear four decades later, and was some of the best blues-based rock & roll of its era. The three Beck sides show where the band was really heading, beyond the immediate success of "For Your Love" -- "I'm Not Talking" and "I Ain't Done Wrong" were hard, loud, blazing showcases for Beck's concise blues playing, while "My Girl Sloopy" was the first extended jam to emerge on record from a band on the British blues scene; the source material isn't ideal, but Beck and company make their point in an era where bands were seldom allowed to go more than four minutes on even an album track -- these boys could play and make it count.

Supersister - Present From Nancy-To the Highest Bidder (1970-1971)

Supersister was a Dutch band from The Hague, Netherlands, active during 1970–1974, 2000–2001 and 2010–2011. They played progressive rock ranging from jazz to pop, and although Dutch, they are generally considered to be part of the Canterbury scene due to their playfulness and complicated sound.The most predominant band members were Robert Jan Stips (keyboards, vocals), Sacha van Geest (flute), Ron van Eck (bass) and Marco Vrolijk (drums).

The band started in 1967 as Sweet OK Supersister as a school band with singer and songwriter Rob Douw, who soon thereafter left. The remaining members continued as a more serious musical quartet under the name Supersister. Their style was progressive rock in which Stips' keyboards played a dominant role.

Their debut was the 1970 album, Present from Nancy, with charting singles such as "She Was Naked", "A Girl Named You", and "Radio". In that year they also played on the main stage of the famous Kralingen Music Festival, "the Dutch Woodstock". After the three albums Present from Nancy (1970), To the Highest Bidder (1971), and Pudding en Gisteren (1972), Van Geest and Vrolijk quit. The remaining crew, together with new members Charlie Mariano (wind instruments) and Herman van Boeyen (drums) released the album Iskander in 1973, which is a jazz-rock oriented concept album based upon the life of Alexander the Great.

In 1974, Stips and van Geest released a final studio album, Spiral Staircase [nl], using the band name Sweet Okay Supersister. This marked the end of the band.

The band reunited in 2000, after a request by the Progfest festival for a performance in Los Angeles. The four 1970–1973 period band members decided to accept and the result was the requested performance, as well as a short tour through the Netherlands in late 2000 and early 2001. To mark the occasion a rarities album was released, called Memories Are New - M.A.N. (2000) featuring live and studio recordings from 1969–1973. The reunion abruptly came to an end when van Geest unexpectedly died of heart failure in the summer of 2001. The reunion concert at the Paradiso in Amsterdam was recorded and later released on CD (Supersisterious, 2001) and DVD (Sweet OK Supersister, 2006), which also featured several old and new documentaries, photographs and unreleased audio tracks.

The band reunited once more, as a three piece, in 2010 for two songs in a televised celebration concert for 50 years of Dutch pop music. After this the band was scheduled to play at NEARfest 2011. Rehearsals were started, but the appearance at the festival had to be cancelled when Ron van Eck became seriously ill (he was already battling leukemia for a while) and eventually died in July 2011.

The Byrds - (Untitled) (Unissued) (2000)

This double album was nearly titled Phoenix to symbolize The Byrds' rebirth after they settled into a solid post–Gram Parsons lineup. It was 1970, and bandleader Roger McGuinn was as intuitive as ever while longtime Byrds producer Terry Melcher was healing from Charlie Manson panic (The Manson family had allegedly targeted Melcher for murder). This album beautifully captures the failing hippie promise and the seemingly unending Vietnam War. With one LP recorded at two New York City shows (featuring heavier renditions of earlier hits, including “Mr. Tambourine Man” and a 16-minute “Eight Miles High”) and a studio LP with some songs cowritten by theater great Jacques Levy (for an ill-fated country-rock musical), Untitled contains some of the finest Byrds work on record. (The gorgeous 12-stringer “Chestnut Mare” might be McGuinn’s finest five minutes.) The set includes a few other left-fielders too, including a pair of winning Kim Fowley cowrites (“You All Look Alike,” “Hungry Planet”), a Little Feat cover (the inescapably sad “Truck Stop Girl”), and a classic Lomax Bros. ditty detailing the buttonholed evils of cocaine (“Take a Whiff on Me”).

The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)

Velvett Fogg - Velvett Fogg (1969)

From the weird name, as well as song titles like "Yellow Cave Woman" and "Plastic Man," you'd expect something a little more interesting than routine late-'60s British psychedelia. However, that's what you get on this rarity, from a group which gave more prominence to heavy organ riffs than the typical outfit of the era. There's no gripping vision or focus -- "Yellow Cave Woman" is a basic riff and lyric that keeps on going for several interminable minutes without variation; "Come Away Melinda" is an odd hard rock cover of the anti-war folk tune; "Owed to the Dip" is a long formless organ instrumental; and "New York Mining Disaster 1941" a strange, pointless Bee Gees cover. The album meanders so directionlessly that it is kind of weird, but in a boring way.

Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young - 4 Way Street (1971)

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had come out of Woodstock as the hottest new music act on the planet, and followed it up with Deja Vu, recorded across almost six months in the second half of 1969 and released in March of 1970, supported by a tour in the summer of that year. As it happened, despite some phenomenal music-making on-stage that summer, the tour was fraught with personal conflicts, and the quartet split up upon its completion. And as it happened, even Deja Vu was something of an illusion created by the foursome -- Neil Young was only on five of the album's ten tracks -- which meant that an actual, tangible legacy for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was as elusive and ephemeral to listeners as Ahab's Moby Dick. But then came 4 Way Street, released in April of 1971: a live double-LP set, chock-full of superb music distilled down from a bunch of nights on that tour that more than fulfilled the promise of the group. Indeed, contained on those original four LP sides was the embodiment of everything great that the unique ethos behind this group -- which was not a "group" but four individuals working together -- might have yielded. Each of the participants got to show off a significant chunk of his best work, whether presented alone or in tandem with the others, and the shared repertory -- "Long Time Gone," "Ohio" etc. -- binding it all together as more than a documentary of some joint appearances. Conceptually, it was all as diffuse as the concept behind the group, but musically, 4 Way Street was one of the great live rock documents of its time, a status that the original vinyl retains along with such touchstones as the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East, the live half of the Cream's Wheels of Fire, and the Grateful Dead's Live/Dead; some of the extended guitar jams between Stills and Young ("Southern Man") go on longer than strict musical sense would dictate, but it seemed right at the time, and they capture a form that was far more abused in other hands after this group broke up. Although Neil Young and Stephen Stills had the advantage of the highest wattage on their songs and their jams together, David Crosby and Graham Nash more than manage to hold their own, not only with some strong and distinctive songs, but also with a strong case that less could be more: they reached the more introspective members of their audience, mostly individually, while Stills and Young wowed the crowds collectively. In many respects, this was the greatest part of the legacy that the foursome left behind, though it is also a bit unfair to stack it up next to, say, Deja Vu, as 4 Way Street had the advantage of all four participants ranging freely across a combined 20 years of repertory.

Magma - Mekanïk Destruktiw Kommandoh (1973)

There is definitely quite a large step from Magma's second LP, 1,001 Degrees Centigrade, to this one, their third. At the same time, MDK represents a transitional period: drummer/composer Christian Vander has definitely abandoned the jazzier leanings of the previous opuses and has now dived head first into martial hymns and a new form of progressive devotional music -- extraterrestrial gospel. But he has also chosen to retain the brass section that gave Kobaïa and 1,001 Degrees Centigrade their signature sound. Therefore, the music has yet to become the relentless rhythmic kaleidoscope that the future would promise. MDK was introduced in the LP's original liner notes (an illuminated delirium by Vander, who rechristens himself Zebëhn Straïn dë Geustaah -- his text, the essence of which is a revelation transmitted to him by the Prophet Nebëhr Gudahtt, is the key text in Magma's mythology) as the third movement of Theusz Hamttaahk, but it was the first one recorded. The previous two movements are "Theusz Hamttaahk" itself, often performed live but not recorded at the time, and Würdah Ïtah, which would become the group's next album. All three album-length pieces share elements (some lyrics, rhythmic cells, and chord sequences), but they are individual stand-alone pieces. MDK showcased for the first time the incredible range of singer Klaus Blasquiz and introduced the ground-moving work of bassist Jannick Top, with and for whom Vander will develop an increasingly rhythm-heavy style, already present here. Between the meticulous developments of "Hortz Fur Dëhn Stekëhn West," the possessed free-form screams in "Nebëhr Gudahtt," and the hymnal chorus of "Mekanïk Kommandöh," MDK is one giant creative blow to the guts, and unsuspecting listeners will be left powerless at the end of its onslaught of mutated funk, pummeling gospel rock, and incantatory vocals in a barbaric invented language. It remains one of Magma's crowning achievements (together with Kohntarkosz) and the best point of entry into Christian Vander's unparalleled musical vision. And if the literary concept bothers you, just ignore it: the music has more than enough power to do without it.

Marc Cohn - Marc Cohn (1991)

Marc Cohn is one of the finest debut albums of the 1990s, and it brought adult piano pop back to the radio. Every song is well-crafted, and Cohn's singalong choruses, introspective lyrics, and vocal stylings reveal his '60s soul and '70s singer/songwriter influences. His voice is rich, but has a roughness that adds emotion when stretching to the upper end of his range while remaining subtle at the lower end. Marc Cohn shows himself to be an accomplished and versatile songwriter, from the uplifting gospel opener "Walking in Memphis," the hit for which he is widely known, to the concluding love letter "True Companion." Cohn has a great ear for melody and a keen eye for detail that immediately grab your attention and reward the listener with repeated plays. The album's highlight, "Silver Thunderbird," is a prime example of Cohn's ability to combine storytelling with an unbelievably catchy chorus. It is not surprising that the songs played on piano work better than those written for guitar; however, the album is surprisingly consistent, even for a debut. This album is worth checking out for any listener who wonders where the tuneful pop and soul of the Big Chill era went.

Siloah - Siloah (1970)

Siloah were a German progressive psych / folk band in the vein of Kalacakra, Langsyne and others "curiosities". A collective hippie musical tribe largely inspired by mysticism, LSD and sexadelism. Their music features a heavy use of stoned vocals (in English), mantric like guitar parts, flute, "ethnic" percussions. Their first drugged item released in 1970 offers a dangerous and imaginative ocean of trippy, perpetual jammings. A bombastic psychedelic explosion in the mood of the best german prog folk releases. The atmospheres are beautifully "acoustic", sometimes dreamy and ethereal but never away from krautrock "primitive" sound. One year later they release an other highly psychedelic item with now more emphasis on keyboards parts. Both records have been re-issued in CD in 1993 on the Lost pipedream label. Today their discography is available at "Garden of delight". An achieved musical experience and a beautiful "acid" folk trip that can ravish fans of krautrock.

Sweetwater - Sweetwater (1968)

Collector's Choice Sweetwater is the only Sweetwater album to feature Nanci Nevins on vocals throughout, and it's hard to get a grip on. Sometimes it's attractive Californian folk-pop-psych not too far removed from the Mamas & the Papas, as on "Through an Old Storybook"; sometimes it's trying for a rock-Baroque-classical-jazz fusion, although the material doesn't match the ambitions of the arrangements. Whether intentionally or otherwise, Nevins' vocals often recall those of Grace Slick, though she isn't as good. On "My Crystal Spider," they seem to be going for a far-out psychedelic sound; the ascending and descending bit of harsh electronics in the middle sounds uncomfortably close to effects employed, earlier and to more effective use, by the United States of America on "Hard Coming Love." When bands, even on their first album, make multiple comparisons to more renowned acts so inevitable that these form the bulk of a review, it's a good indication that the musicians were not in the same league as those they were trying to emulate.

Ktzat Acheret - Nonames (1973)

I would like to recommend one of the better progressive rock bands that was ever created. The Hebrew name of the band is Kzat Aheret (in English this translates to "A Little Different"). But besides the Hebrew name, on the album cover, there is one more name - "Nonames". They are a band that was created in Israel in 1974, by a three very talented musicians and composers; Shem-Tov Levi-flute and voices [mainly], Shlomo Ydov-guitars and voices [mainly], Shlomo Gronich-keybords and voices [mainly]. I write "mainly" because they played many more instruments like drums and string instruments. A very astonishing band for Israel in those days. They were experienced in many progressive styles, like a very sophisticated psychedelic style, with classical and extravagant improvisations and forms, with melodic and dissonant melodies, and with a theatrical style of humor in many episodes, and sometimes were influenced with their own folk music. They used great orchestration. They released their only album in '74 and published many singles. -- Dickmann Ofer (Israeli progressive rock)

*****

By 1973 Israel was involved in the terrible Yom Kippur war, this was a traumatic event for the Israeli nation. After the war, many artists tried to express the trauma. Gronich teamed up with Shlomo Ydov and assisted by several session musicians they recorded a brilliant album under the name Nonames/Ktzat Acheret (A Bit Different). This album reflected some of the pain and anguish of the Yom Kippur trauma and was very varied musically. At this stage strong influence of groups such as Gentle Giant and Mahavishnu Orchestra was reflected in their music, but they added a dose of jazz, classical, avant-garde, Middle-Eastern music and Balkan rhythms and a certain sense of humor. it had many highlights including the 3 instrumentals Shemi's Piece and Quinta which sounded like a symphonic version of Italian band Area and 204 that sounded like Gentle Giant on avant-garde pills, Two Chinese, The Little Prince and Pink Skies. This album is an essential masterpiece of Israeli prog. The band split due to Gronich's departure to USA.

Joe Bonamassa - Transilvania - Milano (2007)

Guitar mastermind Joe Bonamassa, a young player with the childhood dream of playing music similar to legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix, was 22 when he inked a deal with Epic. Hailing from Utica, New York, Bonamassa could play the blues before he could drive a car. He first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan at age four and was instantly taken by Vaughan's high-powered playing. At age eight, he opened for B.B. King, and at age 12, he was playing regularly around upstate New York. It was soon thereafter that Bonamassa hooked up with the band Bloodline, which featured other musicians' sons: Waylon Krieger (Robby Krieger's son), Erin Davis (Miles Davis' drummer kid), and Berry Oakley, Jr. (son of the Allman Brothers bassist). Bloodline released a self-titled album, but Bonamassa wanted to move on. In summer 2000 he guested for Roger McGuinn on Jethro Tull's summer tour, later releasing his debut solo album, A New Day Yesterday. Produced by longtime fan Tom Dowd, the album marked a move toward a more organic and rock-sounding direction. He put together a power trio with drummer Kenny Kramme and bassist Eric Czar and hit the road to support the album.

Upon returning from the road, he hooked up with Dowd to record the muscular and sweeping studio disc So, It's Like That and released a document of the tour, A New Day Yesterday Live. The following year, Bonamassa put out Blues Deluxe, featuring nine cover versions of blues classics alongside three originals. The muscular You & Me appeared in 2006, followed by the more acoustic-tinged Sloe Gin in 2007. A year later, Bonamassa released the two-disc live album Live from Nowhere in Particular, followed in 2009 by The Ballad of John Henry. Late in 2009 he released the DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall with guest spots from Eric Clapton and Paul Jones. In 2010, the guitarist released his first disc for the Premier Artists label, Black Rock, featuring a guest appearance by B.B. King. It was followed by the debut album from Black Country Communion, a blues-rock supergroup that put him in the company of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian. Bonamassa, ever the overachiever, released his earthy Dust Bowl in March of 2011, followed by Black Country Communion's 2 in June and by his unique collaboration with vocalist Beth Hart on a searing collection of soul covers entitled Don't Explain in September.

In May of 2012, Bonamassa released Driving Towards the Daylight. The album reunited the guitarist with producer Kevin Shirley, who brought in Aerosmith's Brad Whitford to play rhythm guitar on the 11 tracks. Driving Towards the Daylight was a significant blues hit -- it topped the Billboard blues chart and debuted at number two on the overall British chart -- and Bonamassa didn't slow down. Early in 2013, he released a live CD/DVD set called An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House and prepared SeeSaw, a studio album of classic covers with vocalist Beth Hart. SeeSaw was released later in 2013, and Bonamassa and Hart followed it up with Live in Amsterdam in March of 2014. After the release of SeeSaw, Bonamassa returned to the studio once again with producer Shirley to record what would be his 11th solo studio album. As a thank-you to his fans for their continued support, Bonamassa announced that the album would be his first release to feature entirely original material. Different Shades of Blue appeared in the fall of 2014, featuring 11 new songs co-written by Bonamassa with various veteran Nashville songwriters. Another busy year followed in 2015, with Bonamassa playing on Mahalia Barnes' Betty Davis tribute Ooh Yea! The Betty Davis Songbook and releasing two separate live collections: Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks in the spring and Live at Radio City Music Hall in the fall.

Returning to Nashville, he recorded his studio follow-up to Different Shades of Blue, working with many of the same songwriters who'd appeared on that 2014 album. Blues of Desperation appeared in March 2016. Another live recording, Live at the Greek Theatre, which celebrated the work of blues legends such as B.B. King, Freddie King, and Albert King, followed that summer. At the beginning of that year, Bonamassa headed out on an all-acoustic tour that saw him performing some of his best-known material in a new way. The tour included two nights at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York that were filmed and recorded for prosperity. The performances saw him backed by a full band alongside the likes of guest musicians Chinese cellist and erhuist Tina Guo and Egyptian percussionist and composer Hossam Ramzy. The recording, Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening, was released in mid-2017. Bonamassa re-teamed with Beth Hart for Black Coffee, an album of covers that was released in January 2018. Also that year, he delivered British Blues Explosion, a live album recorded during a five-show run at the Royal Navy College in London, in which he performed covers from his top three British influences: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.

Vangelis - 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise (1992)

Vangelis is best known to many music fans for his film soundtracks. His score for Hugh Hudson's "Chariots of Fire" (1981) made quite a splash in its time; nowadays, however, his soundtrack music for Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" (1982) is probably best-known and most highly regarded. Vangelis worked with Scott again on the 1992 film "1492: Conquest of Paradise," one of two films released that year in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic. Even if "1492" the soundtrack does not quite reach the heights that Vangelis achieved in "Blade Runner," it still provides tuneful, anthemic music of the kind for which Vangelis is known. If you like Vangelis's work on film scores, or if you are a fan of the film "1492," you should enjoy this soundtrack.

The Pogues - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (1990)

A relentless, Motown-styled raveup, "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" was one of The Pogues finest moments and one of their hardest rockers. It was a British hit in 1988, yet it took two years for an EP of the same name to appear. The EP is one the group's most rock-oriented efforts -- it even features a version of The Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" -- but it's not entirely successful, with the noticeable exception of the title track.

Thelonious Monk - Live At Monterey Vol 1 (1963)

For Monk fans, these Mo-Fis are must-haves. Wow! After releasing so many mediocre rock albums, Mobile Fidelity came through with not one but TWO shiny gold CDs by the enigmatic, lovable Thelonious Monk (accompanied in these live recordings by Charlie Rouse on sax, John Ore on bass, and Frank Dunlop on drums). Wow! Volume 1 starts off with "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and then offers three Monk originals, "Well You Needn't," "Evidence," and "I Mean You." Wow! Volume 2 brings us one cover, "Sweet and Lovely," plus four Monk tunes, "Light Blue," "Criss Cross," "Epistrophy," and Bright Mississippi." Wow!

Either disk can stand by itself as a jazz treasure, but the real Monk fan will really have to get both. I seldom recommend premium-priced CDs, but here I am, enthusiastically recommending two of them. Wow! Alas, MFSL is gone, so you nay have a devil of a time finding them. Bummer!

ByKarl W. Nehring, amazon

Paul Revere and The Raiders - A Christmas Past And Present (1967)

A Christmas Present…and Past, by Paul Revere & the Raiders featuring Mark Lindsay, was one of the stranger seasonal albums ever made, which was perhaps appropriate given its release in the midst of the psychedelic '60s/Vietnam War era. Lindsay and producer/co-songwriter Terry Melcher concocted a comic, satirical take on Christmas that included sendups of President Lyndon Johnson, references to current social problems, and "A Heavy Christmas Message," which plaintively asked, "Who took the Christ out of Christmas?" Amazingly, Columbia Records reissued this odd artifact on CD in the 1990s as though it were just another collection of holiday songs. Listeners who buy it unaware are in for a surprise.

Samuel Prody - Samuel Prody (1971)

Samuel Prody foi uma banda inglesa de Heavy Psych Blues formada por Tony Savva (voz), Derek Smallcombe (guitarra), John Boswell (bateria) e Stephen Day (baixo) em Londres, Inglaterra no ano de 1969.

Em 1970 lançaram seu primeiro e unico disco, um álbum caracterizado pela psicodelia pesada sendo comparado com as bandas Ancient Grease e Sir Lord Baltimore.

Uma das caracteristicas da banda são seus solos de blues, por mais que altere a sua sonoridade pesada com um som limpo eles mantem uma estrutura  nativa no blues.

"Excellent heavy psychedelic blues-rock in the being of the Masters Apprentices, Morly Grey, Ancient Grease and Sir Lord Baltimore. Samuel Prody is very much underrated one album miracle, which any addict of proto-metal (or classic hard'n'heavy and psychedelia) will enjoy; it will definitely please and surprise hardcore fans of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. The mastermind behind the band was Tony Savva, London-based bass guitarist and singer, who went through various minor bands of the 60s. After over 30 years of various 'unofficial' CD releases of the album Tony has decided to offer a limited edition CD himself and he has signed each one of the first 100 personally."

Peter Hammill - Incoherence (2004)

Unlike anything else Peter Hammill has done before, Incoherence seems to counterbalance the relative simplicity of his previous studio outing, Clutch. A multi-tracked keyboard extravaganza, Incoherence consists of a single 42-minute suite in 14 movements. There are separate songs, but they are segued in ways that make the transitions unnoticeable, especially on first listen. That alone is enough to set the album apart from its neighbors in Hammill's discography, but there is more: a renewed urge to experiment with forms and textures within the song format; a rare level of richness and complexity in the arrangements; and the overarching concept of incoherence, language, and miscommunication that ties all 14 songs into a single, highly convincing whole. Several listeners will have a harder time getting into this album, as it demands some focused listening and requires assessment as a complete work, instead of being absorbed song by song. Some of the keyboard sounds are rather trite, but Hammill's multi-keyboard arrangements are a step or two ahead of his usual self, with some sections sounding surprisingly close to some of Peter Gabriel's work. Hammill also plays acoustic and electric guitars, although keyboards remain the main focus. Stuart Gordon adds violin in several sections, and Van der Graaf Generator alumnus David Jackson contributes saxes and flutes. Highlights include "Babel," the electronic-sounding "Cretans Always Lie," and the poignant ballad "Gone Ahead," which has become a live favorite (see Veracious). Even though Incoherence is a suite, not an epic track, it still feels like Hammill's most ambitious undertaking since "Flight." It also represents a high mark in the man's artistic creativity.

Syd Barrett - Barrett (1970)

On his second solo album, Barrett was joined by Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley and Pink Floyd members Rick Wright (organ) and Dave Gilmour (guitar). Gilmour and Wright acted as producers as well. Instrumentally, the result is a bit fuller and smoother than the first album, although it's since been revealed that Gilmour and Wright embellished these songs as best they could without much involvement from Barrett, who was often unable or unwilling to perfect his performance. The songs, however, are just as fractured as on his debut, if not more so. "Baby Lemonade," "Gigolo Aunt," and the nursery rhyming "Effervescing Elephant" rank among his peppiest and best-loved tunes. Elsewhere, the tone is darker and more meandering. It was regarded as something of a charming but unfocused throwaway at the time of its release, but Barrett's singularly whimsical and unsettling vision holds up well.

Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways (2014)

Nobody ever would've thought the Foo Fighters were gearing up for a hiatus following the vibrant 2011 LP Wasting Light, but the group announced just that in 2012. It was a short-lived break, but during that time-off, lead Foo Dave Grohl filmed an ode to the classic Los Angeles recording studio Sound City, which in turn inspired the group's 2014 album, Sonic Highways. Constructed as an aural travelog through the great rock & roll cities of America -- a journey that was documented on an accompanying HBO mini-series of the same name -- Sonic Highways picks up the thread left dangling from Sound City: Real to Reel; it celebrates not the coiled fury of underground rock exploding into the mainstream, the way the '90s-happy Wasting Light did, but rather the classic rock that unites the U.S. from coast to coast. No matter the cameo here -- and there are plenty of guests, all consciously different from the next, all bending to the needs of their hosts -- the common denominator is the pumping amps, sky-scraping riffs, and sugary melodies that so identify the sound of arena rock at its pre-MTV peak. There are a few unexpected wrinkles, as when Ben Gibbard comes aboard to give "Subterranean" a canned electronic pulse and Tony Visconti eases the closing "I Am a River" into a nearly eight-minute epic, but the brief eight-song album just winds up sounding like nothing else but the Foo Fighters at their biggest, burliest, and loudest. They've become the self-proclaimed torch barriers for real rock, championing the music's history but also blessedly connecting the '70s mainstream and '80s underground so it's all one big nation ruled by six-strings. That the mainstream inevitably edges out the underground on Sonic Highways is perhaps inevitable -- it is the common rock language, after all -- but even if there's a lingering predictability in the paths the Foo Fighters follow on Sonic Highways, they nevertheless know how to make this familiar journey pleasurable.

Billy Squier - Hear and Now (1989)

Hear & Now is a rock album by Billy Squier that was released on June 14, 1989. Like his previous album, 1986's Enough Is Enough, it sold roughly 300,000 US copies. The disc's single, "Don't Say You Love Me”, reached #4 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks and #58 on the Billboard Hot 100.