Guitarist John Abercrombie's first in a long line of recordings for ECM was also his debut as a leader. Teamed up with Jan Hammer (who here plays organ, synthesizer, and piano) and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Abercrombie plays four of his originals, plus two by Hammer. These performances differ from many of the guitarist's later ECM dates in that Hammer injects a strong dose of fusion into the music, and there is plenty of spirited interplay between those two with fine support by DeJohnette. Thought-provoking and occasionally exciting music that generally defies categorization.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

Elton John became a true superstar with 1972's Honky Chateau. He followed that album with Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, his most direct, pop-oriented album to date. Designed as a pastiche of classic and contemporary pop styles, the album almost sounds like an attempt to demonstrate the diversity of the John/Taupin team. Though the hits are remarkable -- "Daniel" is a moving ballad and "Crocodile Rock" is a sly take on '50s rock & roll -- the album is slightly uneven. Several of the album tracks, particularly the knowing "I'm Going to Be a Teenage Idol" and the rocking "Elderberry Wine," are as strong as anything John had recorded, but there are too many melodies that simply don't catch hold. Nevertheless, the singles were strong enough to keep the album at the top of the charts, and at its best, it is a very enjoyable piece of well-crafted pop/rock.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Magdalena Kožená has recorded folk songs before, but this 2023 release, which landed on classical best-seller charts in the autumn of that year, is perhaps her definitive statement on the subject. She is teamed with her husband, Simon Rattle, as conductor, leading the nonpareil Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. However, what is most impressive is the program and the way it shows Kožená to be capable of handling a large variety of material. Kožená completely avoids folk songs of her native Czech culture. Instead, she offers folk-influenced material by Bartók, Berio, Ravel, and Xavier Montsalvatge, exploring the various meanings folk songs might have in the non-nationalist musical culture of the 20th century. The results are fascinating, and Kožená succeeds in shifting numerous gears over the course of the album. Sample her belted Berio song "a la femminisca," or, for that matter, her expert retroflex r's in "Black is the colour of my true love's hair," or "I wonder as I wander." Berio's populist take on folk music is one approach Kožená adopts; Ravel's, using Greek vernacular music as just a moderate flavoring of his own style in the Cinq mélodies populaires grecques, is another. Sample her absolutely luminous Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques from that set. Kožená ranges from fully competent to absolutely entrancing in this set of folkish songs, which are both fresh in conception and beautifully executed. An unusually satisfying release.© James Manheim /TiVo

Gershwin's World is a tour de force for Herbie Hancock, transcending genre and label, and ranking among the finest recordings of his lengthy career. Released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth, this disc features jazzman Hancock with a classy collection of special guests. The most surprising of Hancock's guest stars is Joni Mitchell, who delivers a gorgeously sensual vocal on "The Man I Love," then provides an airy, worldly take on "Summertime." On these two tracks, she shows she has come a long way from her folksinger beginnings to become a first-class jazz singer in her own right. Stevie Wonder's unmistakable harmonica complements Mitchell's singing on "Summertime" and shares lead instrument space with his own voice on the W.C. Handy classic "St. Louis Blues." Jazzman extraordinaire Wayne Shorter smokes a solo spot on Duke Ellington's "Cotton Tail" and carves out some space for his soprano saxophone in the midst of "Summertime." A number of the young lions of jazz are featured on various cuts, and Herbie's old pal Chick Corea joins the leader for a piano duet of James P. Johnson's "Blueberry Rhyme." Gershwin's wonderful, extended "Lullaby" finds Hancock teamed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as does an attractive arrangement of a "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" by Maurice Ravel, whose jazz influence can be heard on the piece. In addition, one of the most beautiful tracks on the album places star soprano Kathleen Battle's voice at the forefront of Gershwin's own "Prelude in C# Minor." Yet with all the fine performances by his guests, Gershwin's World remains Hancock's show, and he plays magnificently throughout. From beautiful to funky, percussive to melodic, improvisational to tightly arranged, Hancock and cohorts take a wondrous journey through the music and world of Gershwin.© TiVo

Critics of electronica often complain that much of it has a cold, impersonal quality -- that warmth and humanity are missing from what can be a very producer-driven medium. But there is no law stating that electronica has to be cold; it all comes down to how the participants decide to use technology. And technology is used in a very human way on Details, a collaboration between producer Guy Sigsworth and singer/songwriter Imogen Heap. Together, Sigsworth and Heap comprise the British duo Frou Frou, which has the sort of name that listeners might expect from one of Europop's more bubblegum acts. Hearing the name Frou Frou, one might expect something along the lines of ABBA, Fun Fun, Jemma & Elise, Bananarama, or Aqua. But there is nothing bubblegum about Details -- quite the contrary. Tracks like "The Dumbing Down of Love" and the single "Breathe In" have an atmospheric, dreamy, ethereal outlook. Björk (who Sigsworth has worked with extensively) is a strong influence, and other valid comparisons range from Kate Bush to Dido. Although Sigsworth's high-tech production is attractive, this 2002 release isn't about production gloss for the sake of production gloss -- it's also about solid songwriting and expressive vocals. Had Sigsworth and Heap been forced to record an acoustic project, Details still would have had a lot going for it. Sigsworth uses technology to his creative advantage, but he doesn't hide behind it -- for Frou Frou, technology is not an attempt to compensate for weak singing or weak material. Ultimately, quality singing and composing are the things that make Details a cut above much of the electronic Europop that came out in 2002.© Alex Henderson /TiVo

Red Garland's third session as a leader finds the distinctive pianist investigating eight standards (including "Please Send Me Someone to Love," "Stompin' at the Savoy," "If I Were a Bell," and "Almost Like Being in Love") with his distinctive chord voicings, melodic but creative ideas, and solid sense of swing. Joined by bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, Garland plays up to his usual consistent level, making this an easily recommended disc for straight-ahead fans.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

The duo's best album, and the place to start beyond the hits compilations. Up to the release of A Song for You, the Carpenters' success had seemed an awesome if somewhat fluky phenomenon, built on prodigious talent, some beautifully crafted pop sensibilities, and a very fortunate choice of singles -- their albums Close to You and Carpenters, though they were top-sellers, both seemed just a bit thrown together. Then came A Song for You, a seemingly unified concept album written and recorded during a frantic period of concert activity, and brimming with lovely musical ideas even more lovingly executed, laced with good humor, and enough hits of its own to have established any artist's career on its own. And even in between the hits, the album was built on material that could have made a whole career for anyone. The duo's version of a then-new Carole King song, "It's Going to Take Some Time," not only became a hit single but helped them in the "cool" department, Carole King being about the hottest musical personality there was at that particular time. One song, "Top of the World," which Richard Carpenter had only visualized as album track, became an unexpected hit single and one of the most popular songs of the decade. And where the Close to You LP had included some beautiful album tracks ("Crescent Noon," " "Maybe It's You"), A Song for You was dripping with masterpieces, including "Crystal Lullaby" and "Road Ode"; Richard Carpenter's "Piano Picker," a confessional piece sung by the composer, also marked the high point of his solo vocal contributions to the duo's music. Even the two cuts that reach back into the past -- the soft jazz instrumental "Flat Baroque," a 1966-vintage Richard Carpenter composition that he resurrected for this release, and "Bless the Beasts and the Children," the B-side of "Superstar" from more than a year earlier (written for a Stanley Kramer movie) -- slot in perfectly among the new songs. The high point of their recording career, A Song for You marked the last time that their music (and the only occasion that one of their albums) would be accepted in the rock world on its own terms, without the duo's squeaky-clean image and sound, and middle-class dorkiness becoming a drag on their sales and image. A Song for You has been released several times on CD, the best of which by far is the 1999 A&M remastering with new notes and full lyrics.© Bruce Eder /TiVo

God Don't Make Mistakes was originally intended to be prolific rapper Conway the Machine's official debut studio album. After Griselda signed a deal with Shady Records in 2017, Conway and Griselda founder Westside Gunn periodically gave updates on the album's progress, stating that it would include features by 50 Cent and ScHoolboy Q, among others. 2020's From King to a God, not released by Shady, ended up being Conway's studio debut, as he continued releasing countless underground mixtapes and collaborations. God Don't Make Mistakes finally appeared in early 2022, just days after Conway announced his departure from Griselda, and it clearly reflects an untold number of changes in his life, and the long road he's taken in order to get where he is at this stage. Tracks like the singles "John Woo Flick" and the Alchemist-produced "Piano Love" are classic Griselda-style grimy New York street rap, but much of the album finds Conway addressing troubles in his life and confessing his fears, exposing a vulnerability unheard in most of his catalog. The record sounds no less personal even with the presence of guest appearances by rap heavyweights like Rick Ross, T.I., and Lil Wayne. "Wild Chapters" (with T.I. and Novel), in which Conway mentions the death of his son, is framed by a crunchy lo-bitrate beat and a touching, atmospheric vocal/synth loop. The gospel-tinged "Guilty" addresses the 2012 shooting that nearly claimed Conway's life and left him with Bell's palsy, affecting his speech. "Stressed" is downright startling in its thorough depiction of depression, anxiety, addiction, and helplessness. He reflects on the history of his career on "So Much More," addressing the confusion of his status within Griselda and looking forward to the expansion of his own Drumwork label. "Chanel Pearls," with a poetically sexual guest verse by Jill Scott, feels more hopeful, but the macabre "Babas" features a grim spoken intro by Keisha Plum and a woozy backing track that sounds like Portishead. Easily Conway's most impressive work to date, God Don't Make Mistakes is a culmination of everything he's experienced and achieved so far, and a bridge to the next phase of his life.© Paul Simpson /TiVo

A classical orchestra playing the label’s classic hits. That’s how Pedro Winter, the founder of Ed Banger, chose to celebrate the label’s 15th anniversary. After a unique concert on March 31, 2018 at Le Grand Rex in Paris with the Orchestre Lamoureux, conducted by Thomas Roussel, the 27 tracks on the setlist were re-recorded identically for this anniversary record, which reminds us that the French label has produced a considerable number of hits. First up, we have three funky tracks by Breakbot, where the virtuoso pianist Gaël Rakotondrabe (collaborator of CocoRosie and Woodkid) and the 70 musicians perform the songs with palpable enjoyment – clearly they don’t often get the chance to play disco! Next up is Cassius and his hit I