Originally released as a two-record set in 1973, Soul Box has in the past been issued as two separate volumes, both on vinyl and compact discs, although the CD versions were available for only the shortest of time. To this date, this set has never been reissued in its entirety and in a fashion that recalls the original packaging and graphics. It’s a sad state of affairs for what is Washington’s finest moment in the spotlight. With arrangements by Bob James, the saxophonist covers a diverse set of numbers including standards, pop ditties, and original material. In typical Creed Taylor fashion, the supporting cast is nothing short of top shelf, with Richard Tee, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eric Gale, Hubert Laws, and Airto being just a few of the names on the roster.

Chet Baker’s 1978 European tour with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Scott Lee, and drummer Jeff Brillinger produced several recordings of varying quality. Live at Nick’s is considered a classic, whereas Two a Day, recorded only one month later, is less consistently rewarding. The tapes on which Oh You Crazy Moon is based were recorded live in Stuttgart within the same few weeks as the Two a Day concerts, and are certainly worth hearing, if not quite essential.

Piano superstar Evgeny Kissin's new Prokofiev album - with his first-ever recording of Piano Concerto No. 2! For his third EMI Classics release, piano legend Evgeny Kissin has turned to repertoire from his native Russia, Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concertos Nos.2 & 3. The performances were recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall in January 2008 with Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra. This is Kissin's first recording of Prokofiev's Concerto No.2, and the collaboration here with Vladimir Ashkenazy is an inspired choice - in addition to his renown as a conductor, fellow-Russian-born Ashkenazy is one of the finest pianists of his generation and a champion of the Russian piano repertoire. These two great artists inspire each other to the heights of artistry, and these recordings prove it!