VIA PRESS RELEASE | Gregory Corso—both the youngest and one of the most influential members of the Beat Generation—stood alongside literary icons like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg as a defining voice in American poetry. Now, Die On Me, the rare and intimate collection of his final spoken word recordings, is being re-introduced to the world by Shimmy-Disc, the cult-favorite label founded by legendary producer, multi-instrumentalist, and archival visionary Kramer.

Originally released on CD in 2002, Die On Me is now available for the first time ever on vinyl. Newly remastered and edited by Kramer, the collection spans archival recordings from 1959 and culminates in Corso’s final sessions, recorded by the late Hal Willner between January 7–10, 2001—just days before Corso’s death.

Today, Shimmy-Disc shares the project’s second release, “A Bed’s Lament”—a poem that takes Corso less than a minute to read, yet leaves an impact that lingers for a lifetime. In just a few lines, Corso delivers a stark and vulnerable meditation on aging and decline: “Once a long time ago I held the royal couple, I was straight, I was strong,” versus “Now I stand in a dank room with shakey legs and sunken back.”

Kramer shares his thoughts: “What is more sad, more beautiful, more passionate, more filled with all the things that make life worth living, than a bed? Our lives are tied like bootlaces to hundreds upon thousands of beds, but there is often one that stands out, never to be forgotten.

Gregory chose these words with great care, with great love, and with god-like precision as he composed this brief poem many years before the reading you hear on this recording, made just days prior to his death in 2001. Slowly over the years between its birth and this reading, it had taken on new meaning for him. It is difficult not to cry when I listen to it. Corso at his best, as he is here, cannot be matched. As Ginsberg so often said, “He is the greatest of us all.”

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | This Record Store Day Black Friday (November 28th), Avenue/Rhino celebrates one of the most electrifying collaborations in music history with The Very Best of Eric Burdon and WAR. Issued as a two-disc CD set alongside the 2LP Record Store Day exclusive, the release marks the latest chapter in Avenue/Rhino’s anniversary series honouring 50+ years of WAR’s trailblazing music.

After fronting The Animals and becoming one of the defining voices of the British Invasion, Eric Burdon sought a new musical direction in the late 1960s. In 1969, he teamed up with the Long Beach funk band WAR, a collaboration that produced hits like “Spill the Wine,” included in this release alongside its unedited remix, and earned accolades from fans, fellow musicians, and journalists—including NME’s Richard Green, who called them “the best live band I ever saw”. WAR’s legendary producer Jerry Goldstein adds, “This collection documents one of the great bands of the early ’70s at their best, both live and in the studio.”

Capturing the raw spark of Burdon and WAR’s earliest recording sessions, this collection revisits their first two groundbreaking albums—Eric Burdon Declares “War” (1970) and The Black-Man’s Burdon (1970)—produced by Jerry Goldstein and remastered in stunning detail by the legendary Bernie Grundman. The set also unveils three never-before-heard gems from the Avenue Records vaults, offering fans a deeper glimpse into the formative years that helped shape the band’s signature sound.

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Celebrating La Monte Young on his 90th birthday. —Ed.

La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela are absolute titans of the 20th century avant-garde, having broken considerable ground at the intersection of Minimalism and Drone Music during their 1960s heyday. However, the duo’s early work has been persistently difficult to hear. For example, Superior Viaduct’s release of 31 VII 69 10:26 – 10:49 PM / 23 VIII 64 2:50:45 – 3:11 AM The Volga Delta a.k.a. The Black Record is the first (legit) reissue of this legendary album since it first came out in 1969. Featuring two wildly differing side-long pieces, it is a masterwork of highly disciplined drone logic and experimental abstraction.

Partners in art and life, La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela came to prominence (of a decidedly subterranean fashion) in New York City during the waning days of the classic Bohemian era, and that they both still walk among us is a reality to cherish. Young is the more well-known of the two, as Zazeela, a multimedia artist on her own, notably, has contributed to a small number of his recordings as a musician. But as photographer, album designer, performance lighter and producer in general, her impact is felt throughout his discography, as difficult as that body of work has been to hear.

The LP under review here, which for space considerations will be called The Black Record, was already half an archival release upon issue in 1969. Side two, “23 VIII 64 2:50:45 – 3:11 AM The Volga Delta,” was captured in the New York City studio of Young and Zazeela in 1964 (per the title), the recording a part of a longer composition, Studies in the Bowed Disc; for the piece, a gong is bowed (the instrument a gift to Young and Zazeela from sculptor Robert Morris), with the sound nearer to noise music than to the sustained resonances one might expect to result from a bowed gong.

More typically dronelike prolonged tones are heard via side one’s “31 VII 69 10:26 – 10:49 PM,” which was recorded in Munich in 1969 at the gallery belonging to arts impresario Heiner Friedrich. Released on vinyl by Friedrich on his Edition X imprint that very year, “31 VII 69 10:26 – 10:49 PM” is also part of a another longer composition, Map of 49’s Dream the Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery; this segment features the voices of Young and Zazeela against a sine wave drone, with the stated influence of Hindustani singer Pandit Pran Nath easy to absorb.

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Muse Records stands amongst the most esteemed labels in the long history of jazz. Established by producer/executive Joe Fields, Muse thrived during the transitional era of the 1970s by being true to the music as it developed. On October 17, Time Traveler Recordings, yet another label spearheaded by indefatigable producer and archivist Zev Feldman kicks off the Muse Master Edition Series with three 180 gram reissues. Drummer Roy Brooks’ The Free Slave, a 1970 live quintet recording hosted by the Left Bank Jazz Society released in 1972, is the earliest of the three. We give it proper consideration below.

Prior to starting Muse Records in 1972, Joe Fields was an executive at Prestige, a label that had kept abreast of jazz as it had developed throughout the 1960s. In a nutshell, Muse began as a continuation of the Prestige mission after that label was purchased by Fantasy Records in 1971.

The two recordings that coincide with this reissue of The Free Slave are pianist Kenny Barron’s Sunset to Dawn, originally released in 1973, and tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett’s Cosmos Nucleus, originally released in 1976. With its lack of polish and live performance energy, Brooks’ album stands out. It’s the one to get if you can only get one of the three reissues.

Immediately apparent in The Free Slave’s leadoff title track is the rowdiness of the audience assembled at The Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, MD as organized by the Left Bank Jazz Society. The crowd is ready to get down; the band doesn’t disappoint. Pianist Hugh Lawson taps into a Ramsey Lewis-like groove right out of the gate and rolls with it for just over 12 minutes, as Brooks and bassist Cecil McBee work up a lively foundation from which trumpeter Woody Shaw and tenor saxophonist George Coleman productively launch.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Following the success in recent years of deluxe editions of Ultravox’s Vienna, Rage In Eden, Quartet, and Lament albums, on December 5, Chrysalis Records will release a Deluxe Edition box set of The Collection, the band’s hugely successful 1984 compilation.

The Collection features the 14 singles Ultravox released between 1980 and 1984. Upon its release it sold over two million copies worldwide and went triple platinum in the UK. The most notable tracks featured on The Collection include the iconic “Vienna,” the anti-nuclear war anthem “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes,” new wave synth driven classics like “All Stood Still,” “Hymn,” and “The Voice,” and the single that was recorded specifically for the original compilation, “Love’s Great Adventure.”

This newly remastered compilation has been expanded to a 4CD/ two blu-ray Deluxe Edition. The set includes a new Collection II with a further 14 singles, alternative and unreleased versions from 1986 to 2024, 10 newly created ’80s style 12” Extended Versions which the Ultravox were known for, mixed by Midge Ure, Steven Wilson, and Blank & Jones amongst others, as well as all the band’s B-sides collected together for the first time, and two Blu-ray discs with over four hours of footage featuring all the band’s groundbreaking promotional videos, alternative versions, and a collection of their appearances on BBC TV from Top of The Pops and live performances.

The Collection is a limited Edition pressing of 5,000 units worldwide, housed in a 12” sized box set with six Discs (4CD/two Blu-ray) housed in a rigid slipcase, and two 20-page booklets, featuring previously unseen photos and images and lyrics. It will also be available to stream and on digital services.

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Remembering Art Tatum, born on this date in 1909. —Ed.

Fans of jazz piano and Art Tatum in particular have reason to rejoice, as Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings offers 39 previously unreleased performances from Tatum’s trio with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart. Recorded by the Blue Note Jazz Club’s proprietor Frank Holzfeind, this set is a major discovery that deepens a persistently undervalued side of the pianist’s artistry.

Born in 1909, Art Tatum’s style evolved from stride piano as exemplified by Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, and Luckey Roberts. Importantly, he was also impacted by the innovations of his contemporary Earl “Fatha” Hines. When assessing the key influences on Modern Jazz piano, Hines and Tatum hover at the top of the list.

The Smithsonian Collection Of Classic Jazz includes two selections by Tatum, both featuring him solo. As a student of stride, Tatum was a technical powerhouse with great stamina who thrived without accompaniment. Lennie Tristano was once quoted as saying that Tatum and Hines were the only two pianists who could deliver jazz’s essential swing while playing alone, and solo is the mode for which Tatum remains most celebrated.

Indeed, even during a trio engagement such as this one, captured by Holzfeind on August 16–28, 1953, Tatum acquiesced to play a few tracks solo; at the Blue Note, it was “Humoresque,” “Begin the Beguine,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and “Elegy,” all revealing him in solid form. It’s notable that the cuts on the Smithsonian collection were recorded in 1949 for Capitol (“Willow Weep for Me”) and in ’56 at a private party (“Too Marvelous for Words”). Interestingly, one of Tatum’s signature solo tunes, “Tea for Two” is tackled on Jewels in the Treasure Box by the trio.

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In a world where music often feels formulaic, Matisyahu continues to stand as a beacon of innovation and authenticity. With the release of his eighth studio album, Ancient Child, the GRAMMY-nominated artist once again proves why he remains one of the most compelling voices in modern music. This 12-track masterpiece is not just an album—it’s a spiritual and sonic journey that bridges the past, present, and future, blending genres and themes with a deftness that only Matisyahu can deliver.

From the very first note, Ancient Child feels like a deeply personal exploration of identity, resilience, and the search for divine light. Matisyahu’s ability to weave his Jewish heritage and spirituality into a universal narrative is unparalleled, and this album is no exception. It’s a record that challenges listeners to reflect, while also inviting them to move, groove, and lose themselves in its rich tapestry of sounds.

The album opens with “Pro-Cess,” a track that sets the tone for what’s to come. With its hypnotic rhythm and introspective lyrics, it feels like an invitation to step into Matisyahu’s world—a place where faith and music intertwine seamlessly. The song’s layered production and haunting melodies immediately draw you in, leaving you eager to see where the journey will lead.

One of the standout moments on the album is “Son Come Up,” a collaboration with Matisyahu’s eldest son, LAIVY. This track is a testament to the power of family and legacy, as father and son trade verses over a lush, atmospheric backdrop. LAIVY’s youthful energy complements Matisyahu’s seasoned delivery, creating a dynamic interplay that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in tradition.

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Looking for the perfect birthday gift for someone you really, really despise? Better even than a birthday card laced with anthrax, or a surgically precise drone missile strike? Well, I’ve found it!

It’s lackluster country “star” Lee Greenwood’s 1992 album American Patriot, a collection of flag-waving favorites guaranteed to either nauseate you or bore you to death. So far as patriotic statements go, it’s far less belligerent (and hence less entertaining) than the series of three albums that make up the compilation Patriotic Country, which includes such classics as Charlie “Jingo” Daniels’ racist “This Ain’t No Rag It’s a Flag.” And unlike Patriotic Country, which to be fair features some pretty good songs, it has no musical merits whatsoever.

Greenwood will not be remembered for his contributions to country music—they’re near nil. What he will be remembered for is standing tall with Donald Trump. And for, no kidding, publishing his own version of the Bible. His version comes with a subtitle (God Bless the USA), as well as (I wish I was making this up) copies of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and Lee’s own handwritten chorus to his original song “God Bless The USA,” which fittingly enough is the opening track on the Patriotic Country compilation. Choosing anything else would have been a slap in the face to our Great Land.

Samuel Johnson famously called patriotism “the last refuge of a scoundrel,” which was the last word on the subject until Ambrose Bierce came along. After defining patriotism as “Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name,” the great cynic submitted that patriotism wasn’t the last refuge of a scoundrel, but the first. And as it was then, so it shall always be. Nowadays the word “patriot” has been co-opted and debased by all manner of scoundrels, rogues, neo-fascists, right-wing Christian nationalists, and flat-out loonies like Marjorie Taylor Greene.

No decent and upstanding citizen wants to be labeled a patriot. Call me a patriot, and I will punch you in the genitals.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Analogue Productions proudly announces the definitive reissue of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, the most iconic and best-selling jazz album of all time. Issued as a 180-gram double LP 33 1/3 edition—with Side 4 cut at 45 RPM—this pressing is sourced from the original Classic Records parts mastered by Bernie Grundman directly from the original master tape.

The release corrects the long-standing speed issue that affected the first three tracks on the album’s original 1959 recording—“So What,” “Freddie Freeloader,” and “Blue in Green”—caused by the motor on Columbia’s 3-track master recorder running slow. Newly corrected, this release offers the most accurate presentation of this landmark work to date. Each edition is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged in a heavyweight Stoughton Printing “tip-on” gatefold jacket with a scuff-resistant matte finish, complete with a four-panel insert featuring speed-correction details and liner notes by the late music critic Robert Palmer.

Standard black vinyl pressings will be available, with a limited-edition blue vinyl version, limited to just 1,500 copies, offered for collectors exclusively through Acoustic Sounds. In addition to the speed-corrected main program, Side 4 features the alternate take of “Flamenco Sketches” cut at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity.

More than Miles Davis’ most enduring work, Kind of Blue is a cultural touchstone, universally acknowledged as a masterpiece of mood, melody, and atmosphere. Recorded in 1959 at the height of the golden age of high fidelity, the album benefited from state-of-the-art studio innovation and Columbia Records’ commitment to sound quality.

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