April 2003

Best known as the guitarist who replaced Syd Barrett in the original Pink Floyd, David Gilmour needs little introduction to music fans. Filmed live at Gilmour’s appearance at the June 2001 Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in London, David Gilmour In Concert adds in three tracks from concerts filmed at the same venue in January, 2002. Regarding his appearance at Meltdown, Gilmour adds, “Robert Wyatt was the Meltdown Festival’s curator for 2001. He rang and invited me to play and my immediate answer was yes.” Enlisting the support from key players like keyboardist Michael Kamen, acoustic guitarist Neill MacColl, Chucho Merchan (bass) and a full Gospel choir led by Sam Brown, Gilmour presents some of his best known music in a restrained yet clearly Pink Floyd-inspired mode. Also featuring Robert Wyatt, Rick Wright and Sir Bob Geldof, the 130 minute DVD features tracks first heard on Floyd classics like Atom Heart Mother, The Wall and Wish You Were Here as well as a couple of Syd Barrett-composed classics. In addition to a bonus feature that features six Gilmour guitar solos in “close-up”, the DVD adds in three bonus videos including Gilmour’s version of “I Put A Spell On You” (with Jools Holland from ‘92) and “Don’t” (from a Leiber-Stoller tribute concert from 2001). The DVD booklet also displays a number of color pics from the Meltdown concert. It’s not often you get to see a legend performing rock classics in such an intimate, revealing live setting. And when he breaks out his electric and pedal steel guitars, it’s clear Gilmour still has the power to move mountains. www.pinkfloyd.com

Over the past several years, King Crimson have a released a series of musical masterpieces, and they’ve hit the trifecta with their 2003 album The Power To Believe. Themes and musical imagery that debuted on Level 5, a dazzling e.p. road tested during their Summer 2001 tour, and 2002’s Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With come sharply into focus on Power To Believe. With machine like clockwork fretboard masters Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp trade off licks with lightening precision while stick expert Trey Gunn and drumming ace Pat Mastelloto add an enormous musical undertow to the sound spectrum. Like a futuristic rock orchestra from another dimension, Crimson continues to amaze. The sheer amount of undulating, hybrid prog sounds here are far too much to put into mere words. Suffice, that after nearly 35 years of musical power, King Crimson is still the place where music dreams of fantastic things. www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com / www.king-crimson.com

Anyone who fails to marvel at the vocal wonders of singer Miriam Stockley just isn’t listening. Comparable in spirit and style to New Age diva Enya and easily in a class with vocal stars such as Sarah Brightman, the South African born Stockley really shines on her 2003 Narada / Virgin release Second Nature. The vocalist on those popular Adiemus albums, Stockley’s Euro-flavored / World Beat tinged vocals also added so much to Mike Oldfield’s Millennium Bell concert and in the past she’s also provided vocal support for David Bowie, Elton John and Tina Turner. The album features quite a few musicians including guitarist Erwin Keiles and keyboardist and the album’s co-producer Ian Lynn. On the scene in the U.K. since her 1982 tour with singer Sheena Easton, Stockley shines on the brilliantly conceived Second Nature. www.miriam.co.uk

After 25 years of music making, singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders returned in late 2002 with their 8th studio album. Regarding the making of Loose Screw, Chrissie adds, “the beauty of this album, and the reason why it was a lot of fun to make is that the songs were written very, very quickly. There was no agonizing over anything. Several of the songs were literally written in one sitting. And for my money, that’s why this album is more upbeat, and I would describe it as 'easy listening'.” A sublime mixture of the famous Pretenders rock and roll sound and tropical reggae rhythms, the 12 track set features a number of songwriting collaborations between Hynde and long time Pretenders’ guitarist Adam Seymour and overall, Loose Screw is an excellent follow up to the group’s overlooked ‘99 album Viva el Amor! www.pretendersarchives.com

With all the interest in singing sensation Norah Jones it’s worth noting the inclusion of a track of her's on the 2002 release of Ultra Chilled 03. A refreshing approach to the drum and bass overkill of much club music, the purpose of the Ultra Chilled series is to unwind and chillout to the downtempo Euro-vibe sounds of the freshest, hippest artists from around the globe. The double CD Ultra Chilled 03 features a number of stellar tracks and remixes from artists such as Charlie Hunter & Norah Jones, Jazzanova, Bebel Gilberto, St.Etienne, Coldplay, The Doves, Beth Orton as well as a second disc of some lesser known but quite impressive up and coming artists. From the turned on artwork to the impressive choice and sequencing of tracks, Ultra Chilled 03 is just the kind of music the jet-setters in Ibiza groove to every night and yes, A.C. Jobim would approve. www.ultrarecords.com