Archive for the 'Jazz and Blues' Category

Favourite Christmas album: Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas

Posted by pharland on December 21st, 2007 filed in 1960s, Fitzgerald, Ella, Jazz and Blues

Listen while you read: Open up the Verve jukebox in a new window (the jukebox will automatically play a snippet of each tune from the album)
Don’t let the strange (though cool-looking) cover with a multi-coloured unicorn eating a flower fool you. This is a Christmas album, and an excellent one!
Don’t get me wrong. I [...]

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“21st Century Schizoid Man. . . “: King Crimson’s debut (1969)

Posted by pharland on October 8th, 2007 filed in 1960s, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Jazz and Blues, King Crimson, Progressive Rock

Seldom does an album-cover embody the essence of a song so perfectly (or vice versa), but that is the case with the disturbing cover of King Crimson’s debut album of 1969, the year of my birth (art by Barry Godber). The thing is, An Observation by King Crimson (© 1969 E.G. Music Ltd) is [...]

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Jazz guitar duel of 1976: George Benson vs. Jeff Beck

Posted by pharland on August 29th, 2007 filed in 1970s, Beck, Jeff, Benson, George, Jazz and Blues

Listen as you read: “Breezin‘” (audio snippet)

Ok, I’ll admit it: I’m biased and the winner is a foregone conclusion. Through the luck of the draw, I recently ended up with two jazz guitar records from the same year (the first for ¢.10 and the other for a mere buck–both in excellent condition with almost [...]

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