New Music Releases: The Brecker Brothers, Billy Ocean, Brigitte Bardot

The Brecker Brothers - Live And Unreleased

The return of a great band! The archival recording, 'Live and Unreleased', documents the Brecker Brothers at the peak of their powers during a European tour on a particularly happening night in Hamburg on July 2, 1980 at the legendary Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall. One of the best-selling, most potent bands of the '70s, the Brecker Brothers defined the swaggering sound of New York funk-fusion during the decade. On the strength of such contemporary crossover recordings as their 1975 self-titled debut, 1976's Back to Back, 1977's Don't Stop the Music and 1978's Heavy Metal Be-Bop, brothers Randy and Michael Brecker set a new standard in jazz with their tight arrangements, catchy funk grooves, melodic grooves and scintillating solos. A showcase for the brothers' legendary chops, Live and Unreleased also shines a light on Finery's scorching guitar licks, Gray's innovative Prophet V and Mini-Moog work, Jason's slap bass prowess and Morales' thunderous drumming throughout 10 exhilarating tracks. Among the highlights are a 19-minute version of "Funky Sea, Funky Dew" (from 1977's Don't Stop The Music) that features an astounding 9-minute unaccompanied solo from Michael Brecker that has him deeply into an experimental mode with electronic effects. Personnel: Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Randy Brecker (trumpet & vocals), Mark Gray (keyboards), Barry Finnerty (guitar), Neil Jason (electric bass & vocals), Richie Morales (drums).

Billy Ocean - One World

'One World' is the 11th studio album from Billy Ocean, the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced. The album features 12 brand new songs, all co-written by Billy, and sees him reunite with producer Barry Eastmond who wrote and produced a number of Billy's biggest hits including "When The Going Gets Tough" and "Love Zone." A Grammy award winner with worldwide sales of over 30 million, Billy hit the number one spot across three continents in the 70s and 80s, counting no fewer than six UK top 10 singles. With hit albums the world over, Billy has notched up an impressive three Platinum albums (including two which are certified 2x Platinum). In 2018, he was recognized for International Achievement at the 2018 Ivor Novello Awards. About the new album, Billy says: "'One World' is my first original studio album in over 10 years. It's like a landmark for my 70th birthday! I feel this album reflects my maturity, and the many genres of music I ve been exposed - coming from the Caribbean as a little boy influenced by calypso music, to growing up in the East End of London, where music was so wonderfully diverse. I truly feel 'One World' has captured all of my musical influences over the years. The album reflects my thoughts, and the way that I feel at 70 years old, but most of all I hope that it will make people stop and think about life and its meaning.

Brigitte Bardot - La Belle Et Les Blues

Screen goddess, fashion icon, pioneer of female empowerment: La Bardot's various achievements are fully recognized around the world. Her work as a singer, however, has been less familiar outside of Francophone territories. 'La Belle Et Les Blues' is the first legitimate retrospective of her recording career specifically compiled for the English-speaking market. Spanning the years 1962-1970, it is a glorious confection of smoky jazz, frenetic yé-yé and groovy late 60s pop, all stamped with Bardot's idiosyncratic vocal approach, as unique as that of her acting. Highlights abound throughout 'La Belle Et Les Blues', from effervescent early cuts like 'L'Appareil A Sous' and 'Moi Je Joue', via Bardot's trademark 'tropezian' introspection on 'Mr Sun' and 'La Madrague', to the Serge Gainsbourg-helmed late 60s apotheosis of 'Harley-Davidson', 'Bonnie & Clyde' and Brigitte's raunchy original version of 'Je T'aime Moi Non Plus', tracks that have since become global club and turntable favourites. The carefully remastered, delightfully illustrated collection comes with extensive liner notes detailing Bardot's enduring appeal across the decades and, as a special bonus, features fresh musings from B. B. herself on her times as a recording artist - in a rare interview granted especially for this release.