Uli Jon Roth - Metamorphosis 2003

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Genre: Classical, Neo-Classical Metal, Baroque

Original Release Date: 2003

Label: Steamhammer – SPV

< METAMORPHOSIS OF VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS >
featuring Uli Jon Roth & Sky Orchestra

contains Uli’s unique interpretation of Antonio Vivaldi’s timeless masterpiece
“The Four Seasons” as well as a new Concerto by U.J.R. - “Metamorphosis”.

The album comes in a Digi-pack, complete with an unprecedented 64-page booklet
including stunning artwork and extensive liner-notes and poetry by Uli.

Metamorphosis is divided into 24 tracks connected by soundscapes and narration.
“This piece represents a new pinnacle of the art of guitar playing and is full of
boldness and innovation.”

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Bob James Trio - Bold Conceptions (1962)

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Genre: Jazz

Original Release Date: 1962

Label: Verve

by Judith Schlesinger
From the first powerful kick of "A Moment's Notice," it's clear this is not the Bob James of the Taxi TV theme, the fusion-flavored Fourplay group, or the smooth pop albums done with Earl Klugh and David Sanborn. This is the original Bob James -- his very first album, in fact, recorded at age 22 (and produced by Quincy Jones) as a prize for winning the 1962 Collegiate Jazz Festival. Not only did the trio win as a unit, but each member won as most promising player on his own instrument (James also won as leader). This collection, largely bop in its approach, is astonishing in its precocious reach, featuring two James originals: the intriguing "Quest" and the daringly impressionistic "Trilogy" that involves the playing of oil drums, temple blocks, and golf balls, among other things. The trio acquits itself well with the varied, ambitious material, including an ethereal "Nardis," a selection from Leonard Bernstein's ballet, Candide, and a churning rendition of "Birk's Works." The only ballad is a confident, sensitive treatment of "Fly Me to the Moon." The CD also includes two bonus tracks, "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise" and "Ghost Riders in the Sky"; it's unclear whether they were part of the original session, but they are equally playful and joyous. Impressive trio work, great spirit.

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L. Subramaniam - Subramaniam in Moscow (1988)

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Genre: Jazz

Original Release Date: 1988

Label: Boheme Music (BMR) / Melodiya

Audio Samples


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Sunstorm - Sunstorm 2006

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Genre: Hard Rock

Original Release Date: 2006

Label: Frontiers Records

If you weren't paying close attention, you likely missed it. Sunstorm is not an established name, but yet is another project that features Joe Lynn Turner behind the mic. And if you believe you have never heard anything sung by JOLT then you are likely wrong, since he has appeared everywhere. Turner has been the vocalist for Mother's Army, Rainbow ("Stone Cold" and "Street of Dreams" went top 40), Deep Purple, Fandango, Yngwie Malmsteen ("Heaven Tonight" charted on the Billboard), Brazen Abbot, teaming with Glenn Hughes for Hughes/Turner and plenty more. Toss in a mighty heaping of tribute appearances and a handful of solo records. Get through all of that and you can congratulate yourself for barely scratching the surface of the Joe Lynn universe. There's alot more out there than just those mentioned. He has done metal, hard rock, pop, etc. and has a superb voice for all those niches. Yet AOR may be where he sounds the most at home.

Sunstorm was created in an attempt to finally get some of Joe Lynn's older material out on the market and take him back to his AoR days of glory. Alot of the songs on here are reworked, updated versions of tunes that were slated to appear on the follow up to "Rescue You". This second album was in the can but canned before it could make its way out to the public. The music was undeniably quality stuff so thanks to the encouragement and input from a record label, the dust was blown off and these puppies were polished up for their grand mainstream debut. These were mashed together with an assortment of other tunes. A few unreleased gems from Jim Peterik and a handful of AOR classics that you might have forgotten about as time moves on.....

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Fuse One - Fuse One 1980 [2003]

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Genre: Jazz, Fusion

Original Release Date: 1980

Label: Sony Music

This seven-track release by Fuse One features guitarists John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummers Lenny White and Tony Williams includes the tracks "Grand Prix" and "To Whom All Things Concern."

"Fuse One" was a brilliant concept accoperative of some of the day's top jazz musicians including John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell (guitars), Joe Farrell (flute & saxes), Ronnie Foster (keyboards), Stanley Clarke (bass), Lenny White and Tony Williams (drums) playing together for the sheer pleasure. First time on CD.

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Richie Kotzen, Greg Howe - Project (1997)

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Genre: Instrumental rock, jazz fusion

Original Release Date: 1997

Label: Shrapnel

Don't overlook these Kotzen/Howe state-of-the-art guitar showcases. TILT and PROJECT team two of the most accomplished axe-murderers out there for some jaw-dropping incendiary fusionfests that manage to overcome the built-in negatives (basically, they were executive-produced by Dr Frankenstein, as both guitarists recorded their parts seperately in their respective basements, with session drummers overlaid onto the basic tracks) with hot, hot, hot playing. Sure, there's something coldly clinical about this approach but there's a lot of inventiveness and even chemistry here that you wouldn't figure on, given the methods used. On TILT, every track features two virtuoso players trying to out do each other with such fury and finesse it's a wonder they didn't catch fire..whereas this followup (just as good) goes for wider sound canvases and a bit more experimentation. You'll need to keep some flame-retardant beside your speakers while playing either cd, though. As you may have figured out, both are strongly recommended.

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Empire - Chasing Shadows (2007)

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Genre: Hard Rock, Melodic Metal

Original Release Date: 2007

Label: Metal Heaven

Dangerdog Music Reviews
Empire's previous release 'Raven Ride' was a very impressive piece of work. Now Tony Martin is gone on vocals, only to be released by rocker, Doogie White (Cornerstone, Rainbow, and many others). Empire, however, has not skipped a beat in this transition. This is consistent melodic hard rock with great melodies and hooks wrapped in a hard driving performance. Mr. White appears to have been born to sing these songs. He is clear and passionate. And the rest of the band which includes founder Rolf Munkes (guitar), Neil Murray (bass, Ex Gary Moore, Ex Black Sabbath Ex Whitesnake), and Mike Terrana (drums, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Axel Rudi Pell, Rage, Metalium among others) easily move through the compositions with enthusiasm and acumen....

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Chad Wackerman - Forty Reasons 1991

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Genre: Fusion

Original Release Date: 1991

Label: CMP RECORDS

Forty Reasons was drummer Chad Wackerman's debut solo project from 1991 and featured luminaries such as Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Jimmy Johnson on bass and Jim Cox on keyboards. Considered by many fans to almost out-Holdsworth a Holdsworth solo release, Allan is at his silkly legato best over these eleven instrumentals, melodically and harmonically driving the quartet into fusion nirvana. Forty Reasons was written up in Down Beat, who stated, "This one's a burner from the get go", while Jazziz Magazine enthused, "A recording that offers a formidable showcase for one of the most powerful and expressive young drummers in rock or jazz." A simply powerful fusion summit.

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Bireli Lagrene & Jaco Pastorius - Stuttgart Aria 1986

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Genre: Fusion, Jazz

Original Release Date: 1986

Jazzpoint Records: Globe Music

by David Ross Smith
Jazzpoint released this two-disc set in 1999 as a way to, again, capitalize on the Jaco Pastorius name. Although never intended for release, the music on Broadway Blues & Teresa is, admittedly, exceptionally packaged and features fine sound quality and impressive turns by the trio of Pastorius, Bireli Lagrene, and Peter Lubke.

The recordings are taken from the Stuttgart Aria studio sessions (March 1986) and from Pastorius' four-track home recordings made during his stay in Germany (March-December 1986). Disc one, Broadway Blues (BB), consists of different renditions of compositions that appear on Stuttgart Aria and the live Heavy 'n Jazz. Stuttgart features keys and synth; BB does not, and it is their absence that makes BB such an appealing recording -- it is firmly rooted in jazz fusion, whereas the electric synthetics of Stuttgart create a levity that nearly places the project in the pop-jazz category....

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Emergency - Entrance 1972 [2005]

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Genre: Jazz-Rock, brass rock, Prog-Rock

Original Release Date: 1972

Label: CBS

Hanus Berka aus Prag kam das erste Mal in den mittleren Sechziger Jahren nach Deutschland. Nach einem Kurzaufenthalt in Las vegas, siedelte er sich in Munchen an und grundete Ende 1970 die Band EMERGENCY. In seine band holte er Udo Lindenberg (Schlagzeug), Marrie Newby (Gitarre), Jiro Matousek (Tasteninstrumente), Otto Bezloja (Bass), Dusko Goykovic (Trompete) und Reddy (Stimme) – Vier Tschechen ,1 Deutscher und 1 Englander!


Ihre erste Veroffentlichung tendiert mehr in die europaische Jazz-Richtung. Fur die LP „Entrance“ (1972) wurde der Gro?teil der Bandbesetzung gewechselt. Udo Lindenberg wurde durch John Redpath und zeitweise durch Curt Cress ersetzt. Ende 1972 wurde EMERGENCY wieder umgekrempelt und neu organisiert. Ein Plattenvertrag mit dem renomierten BRAIN-Label wurde unterzeichnet. Ihre lezte Lp „Get out of the country” wurde 1973 von Berka, Peter Bischof, Richard Palmer James , Jerzy Ziembrowski, Veit Marvos, Martin Harrison und Bernd Knaak aufgezeichnet. Nach diesem Album loste sich die Band auf....

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