The Clash
The Clash
Drastic Plastic Records
180 Gram Vinyl LP

One of the most revered imported punk albums of all time is seeing new life more than 30 years after its initial release. The Clash's debut has been given the full audiophile treatment by Drastic Plastic and Sony, a limited edition, 180 gram vinyl LP reissue of the original British release in all its glory. Sound-wise, this release has never sounded better - even though it's a punk record that was recorded on a shoestring, the quality is much better than you might expect. My only complaint would be the lack of any extras (downloads, inserts, etc), but even then, this record is more than a fitting tribute to the groundbreaking sonic fury that is The Clash.

MISH MASH Mandate: What's My Name?
The Clash - Drastic Plastic

The Dave Liebman Group
Turnaround: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
Jazzwerkstatt
10 song CD

Jazz saxophonist Dave Liebman brings a new twist to the music of Ornette Coleman with this collection of tunes culled from Coleman's early career. Liebman's contribution comes in the form of adding harmony to Coleman's melodic themes, bringing a different interpretation to the music as it was originally recorded. Another interesting aspect comes in the fact that Coleman was not an influence on Liebman's own personal style, so Liebman is able to approach the music with a freshness that may not otherwise be there if he had. Guitarist Vic Juris backs up Liebman on the album, and provides the backbone for the harmony play between the two musicians. Their teamwork is excellent and they manage to take Coleman's work to a completely new level in the process.

MISH MASH Mandate: Harmonized
Dave Liebman Turnaround on Amazon.com

Chet Baker
The Sesjun Radio Shows
Out Of The Blue/T2 Entertainment
2 CD set

This 2 CD set pulls together 15 unreleased tracks from five different live performances by Chet Baker on Dutch radio between 1976 and 1985. There is a nice variety of moods presented here, thanks to the mix of musicians and instruments featured in each set. For example, the first set features trumpet and vocals by Baker, backed by flute, piano, and bass, while another set has him backed with vibraphone, bass, and drums. Central to it all is Baker, who is in top form throughout, executing his performance with his unique calm and cool, West Coast style. The sound quality is excellent, sure to please any fan of live jazz.

The disc is the first in a series of live performances on the Tros Sesjun radio program that ran from 1973 to 2004 in the Netherlands. Future releases will include Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Clark Terry, and others. Looking forward to hearing more!

MISH MASH Mandate: Lost And Found
Chet Baker Sesjun Radio Shows @ Amazon