Various Artists
We Still Can't Say Goodbye: A Musicians' Tribute to Chet Atkins (Morningstar)
2LP, Premium 140-gram Vinyl
Chet Atkins, aka Mr Guitar, aka The Country Gentleman, lived from 1924 to 2001 and, in that time, helped create the "Nashville Sound," in doing so taking country music to a wider audience. He is deservedly revered by many, and this double album is a fitting tribute.
"The album WE STILL CAN’T SAY GOOD BYE was conceived and produced by 3-time Grammy-winning, bluegrass and country songwriter, producer and guitarist Carl Jackson, a longtime Glen Campbell collaborator, vocal arranger for TRIO II with Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton; Jackson also produced the 2003 Grammy-winning Country Album of the Year Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’ - Songs Of The Louvin Brothers," reads the press release. "He has had songs recorded by Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Emmylou Harris, and Trisha Yearwood and was recorded at Station West in Nashville, TN with Luke Wooten engineering and mixing. Eric Clapton’s guitars were recorded by Simon Climie."
The list of those who turned out to pay tribute to Atkins is long and illustrious. "So Sad" features the triple threat of Vince Gill, Bradley Walker and Eric Clapton, and it's beautiful.
Even better is the stunning version of ""How's the World Treating You" by James Taylor and Alison Krauss. And Sierra Hull, who excelled with Molly Tuttle at Clapton's Crossroads festival last year, performs a gorgeous "All I Ever Need is You."
Those unfamiliar with Atkins' work should get familiar. In the meantime, this is a lovely introduction.
The Beginning and Then Some: The Albums of the '80s (Reprise/Rhino)
4LP boxed set
Keeping with the country music theme, Dwight Yoakam's first three platinum #1 albums have been released on vinyl for the first time this millennium, for Record Store Day.
That's Guitars, Cadillacs, etc., etc, Hillbilly Deluxe, and Buenas Notes From a Lonely Room. It's really no surprise that his first three albums were so popular, and this rerelease proves that his blend of country and rockabilly produced some incredible songs.
It's worth getting the box for the fourth LP alone -- a collection of rarities from that era called So Forth & So On. Right from the off, the '81 demo of "This Drinkin' Will Kill Me" is earthy, poetic and authentic, and it rolls on from there. That whole disc is a real treat.
The box also comes with foreword notes by Garth Brooks and Chris Hillman, and liner notes by Bill Bentley and Don McLeese. Not a moment is wasted.
Wadada Leo Smith and Amina Claudine Myers
Central Park's Mosaics of Reservoir, Lakes, Paths and Gardens (Red Hook)
LP, clear vinyl
Dear lord, this album is stunning. Whether you're a dedicated jazz head or a casual listener, it's hard to ignore the delicate, deliberate, minimalist approach to jazz that masters-of-their-craft Wadada Leo Smith and Amina Claudine Myers employ here.
If their aim is to paint musical pictures of the sights and the feel of a walk through Central Park, then this is an undeniable success. You can smell the air and feel the breeze. Incredible.
According to the press release, this its the duo's "first recorded collaboration and their first involvement since their early years as key members of the iconic Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Smith plays trumpet, Myers alternates between piano and Hammond B3. But their connection feels telepathic.
"The album is marked by the convergence of two iconic sounds and an intentionality of texture created between their two instruments and the sonority fully encompassed by their individual refrains, and the space between," reads the press release.
Cannonball Adderley
Burnin' in Bordeaux: Live in France 1969 (Elemental)
Poppin in Paris: Live at L'Olympia 1972 (Elementary;)
Both deluxe limited edition 2LP, 180 gram vinyl
Especially for Record Store Day, Elemental released two live double albums--previously unreleased recordings by alto sax giant Cannonball Adderley.
"Recorded live at the Bordeaux Jazz Festival and the Paris Jazz Festival, this impressive document showcases the monumental jazz giant legend in his prime," reads the press release. "This is the first complete, authorized release of these performances, transferred from the original tape reels, recorded by the ORTF and housed in the INA (Institut national de audiovisual)."
On both recording, Adderley is joined by his brother and cornet man Nat Adderley, and drummer Roy McCurdy. In Bordeaux, he had Joe Zawinul on piano/electric piano and Victor Gaskin on bass. In Paris, this roles were taken by George Duke and Walter Booker respectively.
The sound is crisp and immaculate, and Adderley is clearly at the top of his game. These albums are probably more for hardcore jazz fans that newbies, but hey, it never hurts to try something new. Or in this case, something five decades old.
