Blues & Jazz

There are box sets and then there are BOX SETS. John Mayall’s The First Generation 1965-1974 set sits firmly in the latter category, being substantial both in the artefacts contained within and the superb music it encompasses.

The first set of this size to be released documenting John Mayall’s early years sees not only all albums from his much lauded formative career, but also unreleased tracks aplenty. Featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Blue Mitchell, Jon Mark and many more outstanding musicians, this mammoth package contains 35 CDs, a beautiful hardback book and much more.

Not for nothing did Mayall earn the moniker ‘Godfather of the British Blues’. For a short but compelling time in the 60s and 70s he recognised raw talent, took it in, nurtured it, and everyone thrived and benefitted as a result. Many of the best musicians of the period passed through the hallowed ranks of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. All are on show here in a stunning set crammed with musical highlights.

Put together with John Mayall’s full co-operation, the full list of contents is as follows:

• 35 DISCS, inc. 3 CD singles & 8 previously unreleased discs, alongside newly remastered versions of the original Decca & Polydor albums
• MUSIC FROM SEVEN UNRELEASED GIGS (inc. Windsor 1967, Gothenburg 1968, Berlin 1969 and San Francisco 1970)
• 28 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED BBC TRACKS featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor
• HARDBACK BOOK inc. many rare photos and memorabilia plus a full gig listing for the period • INDIVIDUALLY SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
• FAN CLUB BOOK of letters and correspondence • 2 REPLICA POSTERS - Ten Years Are Gone and 1968 tour poster
• REPLICA PRESS PACK for John Mayall Plays John Mayall

Double DVD edition. Eric Clapton, one of the world's pre-eminent blues/rock guitarists, once again summoned an all-star team of six-string heroes for his fifth Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2019. Held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, the two-day concert event raised funds for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, the chemical dependency treatment and education facility that Clapton founded in 1998. With actor Bill Murray as the Master of Ceremonies, the 2019 festival features outstanding performances by Clapton, James Bay, Jeff Beck, Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark Jr., Robert Cray, Sheryl Crow, Andy Fairweather Low, Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Sonny Landreth, Lianne La Havas, Los Lobos, John Mayer, Keb' Mo', Bonnie Raitt, Robert Randolph, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jimmie Vaughan and many more.

If you know anything about Joe Bonamassa-the post-millennium’s breakout bluesman/pre-eminent Anglophile-you’ll know that a lifelong ambition is to blow the roof off Abbey Road. Royal Tea brings Bonamassa full circle, the backdrop of Abbey Road demanded British Blues, reconnecting with the guitar-slinging kid who stumbled across Jeff Beck Group, John Mayall, Cream, etc. in his dad’s vinyl collection. Cowritten by notables like Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Pete Brown (Cream), Jools Holland.

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of his TOURIST album, Ludovic Navarre aka 'St Germain' has invited UK, South Africa, USA, Reunion Island and France producers, DJs and remixers with various musical inspirations, from Deep House to Afro House and Chicago House

Never underestimate the power of a woman with her back to the wall. In March 2020, as Covid blew across the planet, the shutters came down on live venues and recording studios, and the music scene fell suddenly silent, Ghalia Volt faced the same dilemma as every other artist. What now? The answer was One Woman Band.For Volt, the rebirth as a solo performer wasn't a decision made lightly. Since the early days, she's been a musician who thrives on the buzz of the hook-up, surrounding herself with the best players and soaking up their vibe. Back in 2017, it was the Belgium-born songwriter's taste for collaboration that led her to New Orleans, for the meeting with local blues legends Mama's Boys that became her smash-hit debut album, Let The Demons Out. Two years later, it was that same spirit that lured Volt to the fabled hill country of Coldwater, Mississippi, to hold her own at second-album sessions with greats like Cody Dickinson, Cedric Burnside, Lightnin' Malcolm and Watermelon Slim.With the breakout success of 2019's Mississippi Blend - a record that broke into the Top 3 of the Billboard Blues Chart on three separate occasions - it seemed the world was Volt's for the taking, her seven-year transformation from Brussels busker to the adopted daughter of American roots gathering pace. Now, with One Woman Band, the journey takes a thrilling left-turn. If her apprenticeship on the mean streets taught Volt anything, it's that she already had everything she needed to make magic - and in March, she reconnected with that one-woman philosophy. "I started playing on a real drum set," she recalls. "Playing a kick, snare and hi-hat plus a tambourine with my two feet, while playing slide/guitar and singing at the same time."

Whipsmart songwriter, electrifying guitarist and lap steel player, and gruff, commanding vocalist Selwyn Birchwood is one of the blues' brightest young stars. His third album amazes with potent rhythms, startlingly fresh lyrics and jaw-dropping musicianship. Selwyn's first two releases, 2014's Don't Call No Ambulance and 2017's Pick Your Poison have scanned over 16,000 units combined.Alligator publicity and social media teams will be expanding awareness for an artist who has been featured on NPR's World Café and XM/Sirius Satellite radio and in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, DownBeat, Vintage Guitar and No Depression, plus tour press from coast to coast. Selwyn has enjoyed strong Triple A support from format leaders like WXPN/Philadelphia and WMNF/Tampa, as well as being championed at blues radio worldwide.A tireless live performer, Selwyn has logged over 150 live performances a year since his 2014 debut and will be scorching stages across the U.S. as soon as tour dates are feasible.Produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Susan Tedeschi), Living In A Burning House is a master class in distinctive, contemporary roots music and positively brimming with immediately catchy lyrics, undeniable grooves and some of the most exhilarating guitar playing in any genre. Thirteen compelling originals include horn-fueled declarations of love, rocking reflections on modern life and low and slow ballads, all bound by Selwyn's raw, urgent vocals. National advertising includes a Facebook ad campaign, plus color ads in Living Blues and Blues Music Magazine. Regional advertising for Selwyn Birchwood tour dates and in major blues society newsletters. Aggressive promotion at Triple A and Americana radio, plus specialty blues shows, radio syndicators and various internet music programmers.Whipsmart songwriter, electrifying guitarist and lap steel player, and gruff, commanding vocalist Selwyn Birchwood is one of the blues' brightest young stars. His third album amazes with potent rhythms, startlingly fresh lyrics and jaw-dropping musicianship. Selwyn's first two releases, 2014's Don't Call No Ambulance and 2017's Pick Your Poison have scanned over 16,000 units combined.Alligator publicity and social media teams will be expanding awareness for an artist who has been featured on NPR's World Café and XM/Sirius Satellite radio and in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, DownBeat, Vintage Guitar and No Depression, plus tour press from coast to coast. Selwyn has enjoyed strong Triple A support from format leaders like WXPN/Philadelphia and WMNF/Tampa, as well as being championed at blues radio worldwide.A tireless live performer, Selwyn has logged over 150 live performances a year since his 2014 debut and will be scorching stages across the U.S. as soon as tour dates are feasible.Produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Susan Tedeschi), Living In A Burning House is a master class in distinctive, contemporary roots music and positively brimming with immediately catchy lyrics, undeniable grooves and some of the most exhilarating guitar playing in any genre. Thirteen compelling originals include horn-fueled declarations of love, rocking reflections on modern life and low and slow ballads, all bound by Selwyn's raw, urgent vocals. National advertising includes a Facebook ad campaign, plus color ads in Living Blues and Blues Music Magazine. Regional advertising for Selwyn Birchwood tour dates and in major blues society newsletters. Aggressive promotion at Triple A and Americana radio, plus specialty blues shows, radio syndicators and various internet music programmers.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bishop and Grammy-winning harmonica great Musselwhite join forces for a fun and historic collaboration of front porch blues. Among the most famous bluesmen in the world, with over five decades each of recording and performing, Elvin and Charlie have scanned over 600,000 units combined, despite over two dozen of their releases coming before the advent of Soundscan. Aggressive press, radio and social media outreach around the great story of these two legends recording their first album together. Radio promotion for regular airplay on Triple A and Americana stations, as well as play on blues specialty shows that are guaranteed to give it bountiful spins. Tour dates at theatres and performing arts centers as they become feasible.

The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band release Straight To You: Live. Their only other live output, the Live! In Chicago album was released a decade ago and got itself a Grammy nomination along the way, but this time around for 2020, you get to watch the band in it's full glory as well as listen. In the last 10 years the multi-platinum selling Shepherd has gone from strength to strength, winning countless awards, releasing four studio albums and touring the world over several times - from Brazil to Europe, India to Canada and US to Australia and beyond. The band were only weeks into The Traveler World Tour when the Covid-19 pandemic broke, and the world came to a standstill. The show took place at the famous Leverkusen Jazzstage for the iconic German TV show, Rockpalast on 25th November 2019. The seven-piece band took the stage and immediately launched into their most-recent hit-single 'Woman Like You'.

2020 release. Jeremiah Johnson blends the sounds of the south, with Mississippi River blues and a touch of country flair. Emotionally charged roots rock, powered by the common man's passion for life and all the struggles in-between. Songs with meaning, a powerfully persuasive voice and master class musicianship.

The first of Grammy Award-winning blues and rock icon Johnny Winter's celebrated Alligator releases, with over 100,000 sold in the U.S. alone. This reissue has one song from the original release removed (Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye), and a previously unreleased track featuring guest James Cotton, "Nothin' But The Devil," added.

SmoothJazz Icon Richard Elliothas performed and recorded withjazz and R&B superstars Rod Stewart, Smokey Robinson, The Yellow Jackets, Tower Of Power, Bonnie Raitt, just to name a few. With more than 20 top ten smooth jazz singles and number 1 contemporary jazz albums, he has delighted his dedicated fan basefrom coast to coast. Authentic Life, produced by Richard and his long-time collaborator Rick Braun, overflows with Richard's ebullient spirit. Highlights include the funly Lorber/Elliot original "Snapshot", a deeply moving cover of the Gino Vanelli classic "Living Inside Myself", the uplifting "Boogie, " and Much more!!

Few recordings maintain their power to utterly intoxicate for decades as Kind of Blue does. This 1959 all-time classic is one of the monuments of jazz: So What; Freddie Freeloader; Blue in Green; All Blues , and Flamenco Sketches . This vinyl release is the way to experience one of the greatest albums ever made.

Limited colored vinyl LP pressing. Classic Grammy winning album that contains 2 sought after classics: 'This Masquerad'e and 'Breezin'.

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio—or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3—specialize in the lost art of “feel good music.” The ingredients of this intoxicating cocktail include a big helping of the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette; a pinch of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. & The M.G.’s and The Meters; and sprinkles Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. It’s a soul-jazz concoction that goes straight to your heart and head makes your body break out in a sweat.

The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan’s smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio’s explosive chemistry. 
 
Founded by Larmarr’s wife and manager Amy Novo, the trio started from humble beginnings in 2015, but since then has released two Billboard charting albums and toured the world to sold out venues. The trio returns now with their second studio album, I Told You So, with even heavier grooves and more confidence. It may have been several years since their most recent studio effort, but they haven’t missed a beat.

Recommend for fans of: New Mastersounds, Soulive, Jimmy Smith, Khruangbin

Masterfully plush guitar textures! This colorful collection spotlights guitar virtuoso Barnes and his octet's tremendous technique, astounding agility, tender touch, and impressive improvisations across a dozen pieces that run the gamut of musical emotions. Gaiety, romance, melancholia, and more are expressively explored in this first-ever reissue of brilliant, gem-like jazz.

Peanuts Greatest Hits is an album of all seasons for fans of the venerable Charlie Brown and the gang. The program includes the instantly recognizable “Linus and Lucy,” the springtime favorite ,“Baseball Theme” Halloween’s “Great Pumpkin Waltz” and the yuletide favorite “Christmas Time Is Here.” Releasing in conjunction with Peanuts’ 70th anniversary, this limited edition picture disc features a smiling Snoopy on side A and his best friend, “Little Birdie,” Woodstock on side B.

Featuring the vivid musical cues that Guaraldi wrote for the cast of the Peanuts characters, this ‘Peanuts Portraits’ LP adds new dimensions to beloved regulars like Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Schroeder and Sally. In addition to nine songs performed by Guaraldi, the album also includes two classic Peanuts tunes recorded by pianist George Winston. Eight of the selections (including Winston renditions of “Linus And Lucy” and “Masked Marvel”), make their vinyl debut on Peanuts Portraits.

Off the heels of Grammy-nominated album, Heart of Brazil, comes jazz clarinet icon Eddie Daniels' new project, Night Kisses. Paying tribute to the world-renowned Brazilian musician/composer Ivan Lins, it brings Daniels together with legendary jazz pianists Dave Grusin and Bob James, plus top-shelf trio-Josh Nelson, Kevin Axt, Mauricio Zottarelli - and the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet. Features songs from Lins’ classic ‘70s/’80s albums and new arrangements by Kuno Schmid and Josh Nelson. CD housed in Digi-Pak.

For over 30 years Matthew Shipp has built up an unparalleled body of work and a wholly original musical language that becomes more focused and distinctive with the passage of time. His abstract eloquence is on vivid display throughout The Piano Equation, new works for solo piano. Shipp builds his solo music in a cellular fashion, formed out of disparate elements that combine and evolve in novel and fascinating forms. Stride, swing and the avant-garde collide like elemental particles, the aftereffects radiating outward in increasingly complex and intricate formations. The scientific, the personal, the political and the fantastic co-exist throughout his work, melding in the pianists radical vocabulary which speaks with it's own alien yet familiar logic. Fragments of melody coalesce and transform, dissolve or shatter into kaleidoscopic reveries. The Piano Equation celebrates Matthew Shipp's 60th birtday, and while some may have used the arrival of such a landmark occasion as their 60th birthday to look backwards, Shipp continues to move resolutely forward, further evolving a voice that is as intimately personal as it is cosmically adventurous. This release is also the inaugural release from Tao Forms, a new label founded by drummer-improviser-composer - and longtime Shipp collaborator - Whit Dickey.

Smooth Urban Jazz superstar Kim Waters has sold over one million albums in his more than 20 years of touring and recording. Loved by R&B and Jazz fans alike, his crossover appeal, Smooth Jazz #1 radio hits and dynamic performances have placed him among the elite in his field. Highlights include Kim's passionate remake of Ella Mai's smash hit "Boo'd Up" and brilliant Waters original compositions like the romantic "With Open Arms," the exotic "Nina In Tortola," the driving "In The Fast Lane" and much more! Surefire radio hits include the funky original "Shakedown," the joyful "Feels Like Friday Night" and the uplifting "The Moment I See You!"

Ambrose Akinmusire follows his acclaimed, genre-busting 2018 manifesto, Origami Harvest, with another visionary statement on his new album `on the tender spot of every calloused moment'. The trumpeter examines blackness on an uncompromising set of modern jazz laced with a heavy blues feeling. The album presents 11 new compositions by Akinmusire, featuring his quartet - pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, drummer Justin Brown - with guest vocals from Genevieve Artadi and Jesus Diaz.

Guitarist John Scofield celebrates the music of his friend and mentor Steve Swallow in an outgoing and spirited recording, made "old school" style in just one day in New York in March 2019. "I love these songs", says Scofield of the selection of Swallow compositions explored here. The rapport between Scofield and Swallow is evident in every moment. Behind the drum kit, Bill Stewart, a close associate of Scofield's since the early 90s, is alert to all the implications of the interaction.

Coming off my last album I was productive, and I ended up with a great batch of songs. I ran one by Joe Bonamassa, who said right away he wanted to play on it. And that’s how this album came about. Joe inspired me to invite others. I had songs that were strong and told good stories. I wanted the best musicians alive like Jeff Beck, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Van Morrison and more to take them in unexpected directions. Wayne Hood, my producer, brought out the best of them. We have amazing songs and great guitars. - Dion

Kahil El'Zabar's 'Spirit Groove' on Spiritmuse Records is the latest musical inspiration from a spiritual jazz master Kahil El'Zabar, featuring the legendary tenor sax colossus, David Murray. El'Zabar's and Murray's collaborative efforts span over 4 decades of exceptional explorations in the varied realms of spiritual jazz. Joining them on this project are 2 extraordinary young talents, Emma Dayhuff on acoustic bass and Justin Dillard on keyboards/organ. 'Spirit Groove' is an innovative journey into the core soul of jazz and groove, where all are one in Spirit.

Kenny Dorham's 1964 album Trompeta Toccata would be the final album that the great underrated trumpeter and composer would record as a leader, and it stands as a fitting testament to his prodigious talent. The album featured a stellar quintet with Dorham and his frequent collaborator Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone along with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath.

On 1964's Into Somethin', Larry Young made it abundantly clear that he had his own unique approach to the Hammond B-3 organ. Young explored a more modal territory over the course of his six Blue Note albums including this tremendous session featuring tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, guitarist Grant Green, and drummer Elvin Jones. This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal.

On his second Blue Note album Smoke Stack, pianist and composer Andrew Hill used an unusual line-up of two bassists (Richard Davis and Eddie Khan) along with the masterful Roy Haynes on drums. The seven Hill compositions that the quartet explore here contain all the rare beauty to be found in his music. This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Recorded in 1982, not long after she moved to Paris, Fodder On My Wings was one of Nina Simone's favorite albums. In addition to having written the music and lyrics for all but one of the album's 13 songs, the back cover proudly states that she 'arranged, conducted and conceived' all of them. Originally recorded for a small French label and only sporadically available since its initial release, Fodder On My Wings is a lesserknown but important part of Nina's musical history. The album contains deeply personal songs, including 'I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive' and 'I Was Just A Stupid Dog To Them', as well a searing lyrical improvisation about the death of her father on 'Alone Again, Naturally'. Recorded at a time when Nina was feeling rejuvenated by her surroundings and the African musicians she met in Paris, Fodder On My Wings is an essential Nina Simone album that is making a longoverdue reappearance.

Three, the 21st album from legendary Australian instrumental trio The Necks, is a winding, textural, and visceral musical exploration through three individual, contrasting tracks that each delve into separate tenets of their sound. Three's variety of tones and structures offer a glimpse into the boundless, immersive sonic universe The Necks have been constructing, through recorded and live performance, for over 30 years. From its very first moments, 'Bloom' rattles and propels listeners through a dense, mesmerizing soundscape of unceasing intensity. Directly juxtaposing the consuming rattle of the opener, 'Lovelock,' dedicated to the memory of Damien Lovelock, former frontman of The Celibate Rifles, is a weightless and atmospheric threnody that ruminates in the quiet and overwhelming moments of grief. The final setting of Three is one of warmth and familiarity. 'Further,' is a confident, seductive groove in a quintuple meter, reminiscent of the groups' work on records like Sex (1989) and Aquatic (1994). Contrasting the style of their celebrated improvisational live act, the group's studio work is meticulously sculpted from beginning to end. On Three, Chris Abrahams (piano), Lloyd Swanton (bass), Tony Buck (drums/percussion), and their long-time backend collaborators Tim Whitten (engineer) and Doung Henderson (master) have again scrupulously built music that focuses on the most intricate edges of staggeringly immense, diverse worlds. From strained to still to smoky, each piece of Three marks itself as distinct and its own, but all feel representative of Australia's greatest cult band, The Necks.

Double vinyl LP pressing. Bitches Brew is a studio album by jazz musician, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis, originally released on March 30, 1970. It marked his continuing experimentation with electric instruments that he had previously featured on the critically acclaimed In a Silent Way (1969). With these instruments, such as the electric piano and guitar, Davis rejected traditional jazz rhythms in favor of loose, rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. In subsequent years, Bitches Brew gained recognition as one of jazz's greatest albums and a progenitor of the jazz rock genre, as well as a major influence on rock and funk musicians.

Vinyl LP pressing. 2020 release from the singer/songwriter. Supernova, the follow-up to her 2018 debut Starfire, is a "reflection of on the highs and lows that make life so beautiful," according to a press release. It was written after an extensive time on the road and the birth of her second child.

One of the greatest jazz innovators of all time, alto saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker (b. August 29, 1920) is one of the few musicians who can be said to have permanently changed jazz. A leading figure in the development of bebop, Parker (also known as “Bird”) left an enormous musical legacy in his short 34 years of life, and his vast influence extends to other forms of art, such as dance, literature, visual arts and film. As part of Bird’s centennial celebration in 2020, Craft Recordings presents The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection, a deluxe box set including four 10-inch LPs cut from newly restored and remastered audio. The collection highlights Bird’s pioneering bebop recordings for Savoy Records from 1944–1948, featuring jazz legends Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis, Bud Powell, Max Roach and more. The package includes faithfully restored original album artwork, plus a booklet containing vintage photos, rare ephemera and new liner notes by GRAMMY®-winning author Neil Tesser. The complete set will also be released digitally.

Robert Cray has been bridging the lines between blues, soul and R&B for the past four decades, with five Grammy wins and over 20 acclaimed albums. His latest album, That's What I Heard, was recorded at the iconic Capitol Records studios and produced by Steve Jordan (Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Keith Richards, Boz Scaggs). The music is a varied sonic blend of blues, soul, boogaloo and gospel. Guest artists include Ray Parker Jr and Steve Perry.

Sonny Landreth’s new album "Blacktop Run" mixes genres and styles across a landscape of lyricism and rootsy grooves. His 3rd album for blues connaisseur label Provogue, and his 14th overall, will be released on February 21, 2020. A percussive burst of acoustic resonator guitar pushes the narrator on a journey “between the life I left and the edge of next” in the title cut of guitarist, songwriter and bandleader Sonny Landreth’s 14th album. As the singer feels the wind at his back, a rising bass line intersects Landreth's vocalizing to stretch the fingerpicked tune into Far Eastern melodicism. The south Louisiana artist's groundbreaking work has long mixed familiarity with experimentation, and his latest ten-song collection stretches from hard-edged electric instrumentals to wistful acoustic ballads. The project's range is the fruit of a renewed collaboration. Producer RS Field – who helmed Landreth's trio of breakout albums – joined the six-stringer and co-producer Tony Daigle to finish the record.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the release of I'm New Here , the thirteenth - and last - studio album from the legendary US musician, poet and author Gil Scott-Heron, XL Recordings will release a unique reinterpretation of the album by acclaimed US jazz musician Makaya McCraven. Titled We're New Again, the album will be released on 7th February 2020; exactly a decade after the release of Scott-Heron's original Richard Russell-produced recording. It's set to follow in the footsteps of Jamie xx's highly acclaimed 2011 remix album We're New Here and will be McCraven's first release of 2020, following the huge global acclaim heaped upon his 2018 album Universal Beings. One of the most vital new voices in modern jazz, McCraven is described by the New York Times as a Chicago-based drummer, producer and beat maker, [who] has quietly become one of the best arguments for jazz's vitality.

A previously unreleased treasure. This is the final ever recording of the legendary, influential drummer, whose impact across Rock, Funk and Soul, as well as Jazz, is unrivalled to this day. Recorded over 2 nights, 19th & 20th November 1986, at Ronnie Scott's in London, England. Available as 4 physical formats, as standard and Deluxe. The deluxe, Collector's Editions include a full 30 minutes of extra material, including a gob-smacking drum solo demonstrating that even toward the end of his life, his playing was unsurpassable The Collector's Editions will be available in limited batches at a time, to optimise their value, and increase collectability. Includes full liner notes by Buddy's daughter Cath, who also appears as a guest vocalist on the recording 'My dad chose set lists for the two nights that I hadn't heard before. He was always brilliant in choosing the right sets, but this time he shied away from the tried and true and went to places musically that were very different. It was as if he knew that he didn't have to prove anything anymore and could relax and go wherever he wanted and enjoy it. I think the end result proves just that. For two incredible nights I got to sit in the audience and cheer right along with everyone else. I will always remember that time as one of the greatest moments in my life. Now I can revel in the fact that, thankfully, his last recordings were caught on tape for all of us to enjoy forever. It has taken thirty-three years to finally get these recordings out. An absolute labor of love that I never gave up on. At times it was quite a struggle, but in the end it was all about the music.'