Arriving swiftly on the heels of Moving on Skiffle, Accentuate the Positive is certainly a kissing cousin to its 2023 companion: it's another spirited revival of a style that a young Van Morrison held dear. Despite being titled after the Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen standard, Accentuate the Positive isn't an ode to the Great American Songbook. It's nominally a celebration of the early days of rock & roll, an era that did see various styles, attitudes, and demographics mingle, so Morrison's decision to punctuate classics by Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, and Chuck Willis with pop tunes, country hits, and jump blues isn't far afield: all this music was part of the early explosion of rock & roll. Besides, Van Morrison has never been a rockabilly cat, he's a blues shouter and he plays precisely to those strengths here, leading his band through lively and loving readings of rock & roll oldies, never apologizing for the unabashed nostalgia of the entire enterprise.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

During the late '50s, Ella Fitzgerald continued her Song Book records with Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, releasing a series of albums featuring 59 songs written by George and Ira Gershwin. Those songs, plus alternate takes, were combined on a four-disc box set, Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, in 1998. These performances are easily among Fitzgerald's very best, and for any serious fan, this is the ideal place to acquire the recordings, since the sound and presentation are equally classy and impressive.© Leo Stanley /TiVo

The 100th anniversary of the Rhapsody in Blue premiere has produced a flood of new recordings of that masterwork, but this isn't one of them; the Rhapsody in Blue shows up only in a couple of snatches in an opening medley. Instead, what is on offer is a kind of meeting of the minds between musicians from two different worlds, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the versatile Michael Feinstein on piano and vocals. Gershwin's songs are presented in various arrangements, for piano solo (Thibaudet is a fine Gershwin pianist), two pianos, or voice and piano. Several times the two musicians present the same song in two different guises, bringing home the fact that Gershwin, with only Bach and perhaps Astor Piazzolla as competition, retains his essence as his music reworked more than any other composer. Feinstein is a veteran with an appealing conversational way in the songs, and the varied arrangements by Tedd Firth, with some by Feinstein himself or Earl Wild, keep things constantly shifting. In fact, one of the few possible complaints here is that Gershwin himself addressed his songs' malleability in the George Gershwin Song-Book, an underrated collection in which he showed how he might have played these songs in performance. At only 47 minutes plus, the album had room for a few of these, and they might have added another layer. As it stands now, however, the album is a unique entry in the 2024 Gershwin market, nicely recorded at the Colburn School's Zipper Hall in Los Angeles.© James Manheim /TiVo

From 1962 to 1965, the Beatles made 52 appearances on the BBC, recording live-in-the-studio performances of both their official releases and several dozen songs that they never issued on disc. This magnificent two-disc compilation features 56 of these tracks, including 29 covers of early rock, R&B, soul, and pop tunes that never appeared on their official releases, as well as the Lennon-McCartney original "I'll Be on My Way," which they gave in 1963 to Billy J. Kramer rather than record it themselves. These performances are nothing less than electrifying, especially the previously unavailable covers, which feature quite a few versions of classics by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. There are also off-the-beaten-path tunes by the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly on down to obscurities by the Jodimars, Chan Romero (a marvelous "Hippy Hippy Shake"), Eddie Fontaine, and Ann-Margret. The greatest gem is probably their fabulous version of Arthur Alexander's "Soldier of Love," which (like several of the tracks) would have easily qualified as a highlight of their early releases if they had issued it officially. Restored from existing tapes of various quality, the sound is mostly very good and never less than listenable. Unfortunately, they weren't able to include every single rarity that the Beatles recorded for the BBC; the absence of Carl Perkins' "Lend Me Your Comb," which has circulated on bootlegs in a high-fidelity version, is especially mystifying. Minor quibbles aside, these performances, available on bootlegs for years, compose the major missing chapter in the Beatles' legacy, and it's great to have them easily obtainable in a first-rate package.© Richie Unterberger /TiVo

This CD features a logical combination of two talented Frenchmen, violinist Stéphane Grappelli and pianist Michel Petrucciani, who had never recorded together before. With the assistance of bassist George Mraz and drummer Roy Haynes, the co-leaders romp on a variety of standards. Petrucciani was 32 at the time of this June 1995 set, a mere child compared to the 87-year-old Grappelli. Despite his age, Grappelli's violin playing sounds as youthful and enthusiastic as it had been in the 1930s; the 60 years of practice had not hurt. While Petrucciani's music is usually in the Bill Evans post-bop vein, he was happy to visit Grappelli's turf on this occasion, mostly playing veteran standards. On such songs as "Sweet Georgia Brown," "How About You" (here mistitled "I Love New York in June"), "I Remember April," and "There Will Never Be Another You," Stephane Grappelli is both joyful and masterful. Highly recommended.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

Whatever Norman Granz was using as a thinking man's energy drink in 1957 when he formulated this Jazz at the Philharmonic all-star band should be bottled and sold to the world. This stroke of genius was manifested in pairing Stan Getz with J.J. Johnson, backing them up with pianist Oscar Peterson's legendary trio including bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis, and adding MJQ drummer Connie Kay to this truly classic jazz sextet. Two JATP concerts done in Chicago (in stereo) and Los Angeles (in mono) comprise this expanded edition CD, with some stretched-out jams, repeat tunes, and extra material. Originally tabbed as an unusual teaming of tenor sax and trombone, the two principals sound well-suited, very compatible in their dynamic levels, and especially congruous when they play together, while Peterson is absolutely supportive so that these two giants of jazz can cut loose. The shorter concert in Chi-Town has the band absolutely on fire from the get-go, burning up the definitive bop flag-waver "Billie's Bounce" over ten minutes of hard-swinging perfection. Neither Getz nor Johnson had ever played the Charlie Parker evergreen before, nor had either of them done "My Funny Valentine," offered here with Getz's lead line as the trombonist follows gently in his footsteps via a midtempo pace. The swing-era standard "Crazy Rhythm" is cranked up very fast, and features a clever harmony from Johnson, while "Blues in the Closet" closes the show with the simplest bop idea turned into a brilliant, long-winded discourse from all the participants. For the L.A. show, the program also starts with "Billie's Bounce," done differently on the harmonic end just for kicks, while "My Funny Valentine" uses a completely different introduction from the horns. Peterson charges up "Crazy Rhythm" as the sax and 'bone play more in sync, while "Blues in the Closet" again closes the set, but is much shorter, faster, and a bit sloppy at the outset. The add-ons include a short (under four-minute) and easygoing feature for Johnson on "Yesterdays" and another brief rendering of the ballad "It Never Entered My Mind," exclusively for the soulful Getz and a more pronounced Ellis. The extraordinary playing by these expert jazzmen elevates this album to legendary status. It is some of their best work (from a pivotal year in modern jazz recording), and a shining example of how professionally Granz could mix and match musicians to form optimal results.© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo

In an interview promoting 2020's fine Blues Bash, guitarist Duke Robillard stated, "I want to make a straight vintage-style blues album ... danceable blues ... like the blues records I bought as a kid." This notion may have guided him in recording They Called It Rhythm and Blues, too. The majority of these 18 songs are beautifully crafted covers of vintage R&B, blues, and jazz tunes. Robillard's band -- vocalist Chris Cote, pianist/organist Bruce Bears, bassist Marty Ballou, drummer Mark Teixeira, and saxophonist Doug James -- are drenched in swinging earthiness playing these R&B, jump, and rowdy blues jams. Robillard appended them with fine guest singers and instrumentalists; everybody approaches the material with sophistication and spontaneity. Cote sings six songs, including the opener, Chuck Higgins' gritty, fingerpopping, "Here I'm Is," atop Robillard's stinging fills and James' moaning tenor framing a piano and snare shuffle. He also delivers a riveting vocal on Joe "The Honeydripper" Liggins' piano-pumping, horn-drenched party anthem "In the Wee Wee Hours" and Freddie King's Big Joe Turner instrument "Someday After Awhile." Mickey & Sylvia's "No Good Lover" features a vocal-and-guitar duet between singer/axe slinger Sue Foley, as well as a choogling organ break by Texas bluesman Mike "The Drifter" Flanigin. Kim Wilson joins his former Fabulous Thunderbirds bandmate on vocals and wailing harmonica in a raw, spirited, spiky revisit of "Tell Me Why," with pumping piano by Matt McCabe. Further, Wilson reprises his NOLA-inspired R&B stroller "The Things I Forgot to Do." Speaking of harmonica, Chicago's Sugar Ray Norcia lends his voice and snaky harp to a roiling tribute to Big Walter Horton on Tampa Red's "Rambler's Blues," and puts the party into overdrive with a version of a Louis Jordan-inspired read of Jimmy Nelson's "She's My Baby." The W.C. Handy Award-winning Michelle Willson lends her resonant voice to Effie Smith's jump groover "Champagne Mind" and Richard M. Jones' immortal "Trouble in Mind." Robillard's gently swinging solo on the latter underscores her smoky performance, framing it with a muted trumpet -- sounding like the ghost of Bix Biederbecke -- and throaty baritone sax. John Hammond offers a scorching vocal on Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson's Bessie Smith vehicle "Homeless Blues, and Howlin' Wolf's lonely, sinister "No Place to Go." Robillard and Anita Suhanin duet on the guitarist's "Outta Here" amid greasy guitars, Stax-styled horns, and Bears' bumping B-3 grooves. Robillard sings on what may be the first recorded cover of Texas bluesman Zuzu Bollin's R&B groover "Why Don't You Eat Where You Slept Last Night?" His instrumental set-closer "Swingin' for Four Bills" is a soulful exercise in bluesy soul-jazz with Flanigin's B-3 and Foley's guitar. It's Robillard's tribute to organists Bill Doggett and Wild Bill Davis, and guitarists Bill Jennings and Billy Butler. They Called It Rhythm and Blues showcases Robillard at a peak: We already appreciate him as a guitar giant and blues, jazz, and R&B scholar, but here he reveals himself as a generous accompanist, accommodating bandleader, and sympathetic producer to boot. © Thom Jurek /TiVo

Three classic Sonny Stitt sessions from 1949-50 are heard here in full. Stitt, who had been out of action due to his "personal problems," not only made a full-fledged comeback on these dates but debuted on (and stuck exclusively to) tenor rather than playing alto, where he was being assailed as a Charlie Parker imitator. He is featured on eight titles from a pair of quartet dates with pianist Bud Powell (who himself is in top form), bassist Curly Russell, and drummer Max Roach. In addition, Stitt is a sideman on a quintet outing headed by trombonist J.J. Johnson and also including pianist John Lewis, bassist Nelson Boyd, and Roach. Together the latter band performs three of Johnson's originals plus the original version of Lewis' "Afternoon in Paris"; all four titles are heard in two versions apiece. Highly recommended for all serious bop collections.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

On their third album, 2016's Signs of Light, Seattle natives the Head and the Heart have taken the leap from melodic indie folk with Americana tendencies into full-blown radio-friendly pop. Signed to a major label (Warner Bros.) for the first time and working with producer Jay Joyce (who had previously been at the controls for albums by Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, and Keith Urban), the Head and the Heart have added several layers of gloss to their sound, and stripped back some of the most rustic aspects of their music. The group's vocal harmonies have always been strong, but for this album, the Head and the Heart have punched them up and given them a bigger place in the arrangements, just as Joyce has given them a slick electronic makeover. And while acoustic instruments dominated the Head and the Heart's early recordings, Signs of Light is awash in keyboards and samples, shifting the group's musical personality into an entirely different direction. From a songwriting perspective, Signs of Light isn't so much different than what the Head and the Heart have offered us before, and there's still a soul in this music when one can listen past the production. But that's harder than it ought to be, and most of the time Signs of Light, with its high-spirited choruses and stacked harmonies, sounds like it was made in the desperate hope that someone would license one of the songs for a television commercial. The execution is inarguably impressive, but the Head and the Heart have made much better music with simpler technique, and Signs of Light is the sort of album that confirms a fan's worst fears about an indie act signing with a corporate label.© Mark Deming /TiVo