Monthly Archives: May 2026

Tyrone Washington: Natural Essence

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In May 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Natural Essence”, the debut Tyrone Washington studio album. It was recorded in December 1967, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Duke Pearson and Francis Wolff.

Personnel:

  • Tyrone Washington – tenor saxophone
  • James Spaulding – alto saxophone, flute
  • Woody Shaw – trumpet
  • Kenny Barron – piano
  • Reggie Workman – bass
  • Joe Chambers – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Tyrone Washington

  1. Natural Essence
  2. Yearning for Love
  3. Positive Path
  4. Soul Dance
  5. Ethos
  6. Song of Peace

Dio: Holy Diver

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On May 25, 1983, “Warner Bros” label released “Holy Diver”, the debut Dio studio album. It was recorded in 1983, at “Sound City” in Van Nuys, California, and was produced by Ronnie James Dio. In 2017, it was ranked 16th on Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Ronnie James Dio – vocals, keyboards
  • Vivian Campbell – guitar
  • Jimmy Bain – bass, keyboards
  • Vinny Appice – drums
  • Angelo Arcuri – engineer
  • Ray Leonard – engineer assistant
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Randy Berrett – illustration
  • Gene Hunter – original art rendering
  • Gene Hunter – mastering
  • Wendy Dio – original concept

Track listing:

All lyrics by Ronnie James Dio, music as stated.

  1. Stand Up and Shout – Ronnie James Dio, Jimmy Bain
  2. Holy Diver – Ronnie James Dio
  3. Gypsy – Ronny James Dio, Vivian Campbell
  4. Caught in the Middle – Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell
  5. Don’t Talk to Strangers – Ronnie James Dio
  6. Straight Through the Heart – Ronnie James Dio, Jimmy Bain
  7. Invisible – Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell
  8. Rainbow in the Dark – Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain
  9. Shame on the Night – Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain

Casiopea: Same

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On May 25, 1979, “Alfa” label released the self-titled, debut Casiopea album. It was recorded December 1978 – March 1979, at “Studio A” in Tokyo, “Power Station” in New York City, and was produced by Kunihiko Murai, Syoro Kawazoe, Shinji Sawada  and Kazusuke Obi.

Personnel:

  • Issei Noro – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, arrangements
  • Minoru Mukaiya – Fender Rhodes piano, acoustic piano, Yamaha SK-20, Yamaha Electone EX-1, vibraphone
  • Tetsuo Sakurai – 1974 Natural Finish Fender Jazz bass guitar
  • Takashi Sasaki – drums
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
  • David Sanborn – alto saxophone
  • Tomato Strings Ensemble – strings
  • Jun Fukamachi – horn arrangements
  • Hiroki Inul – string arrangements
  • Al Schmitt, Norio Yoshizawa, Yasuhiko Terada – recording
  • Neil Dorfsman – recording
  • Mitsuo Koike – engineer assistant
  • James Farber – engineer assistant
  • Yasuhiko Terada – mixing
  • Toshikuni Okubo – illustration
  • Shigeru Wada – photography
  • Kunihiko Murai, Syoro Kawazoe – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Issei Noro.

  1. Time Limit
  2. Tears of the Star
  3. Space Road
  4. Midnight Rendezvous
  5. Far Away
  6. Swallow
  7. Dream Hill
  8. Black Joke

Dick Parry

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On May 22, 2026, Richard Parry died aged 83. He was musician (saxophone, keyboards), best known for his work with Pink Floyd (played on sone of their best known songs, including “Money”, “Us and Them”, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Wearing the Inside Out”. As session musician he recorded saxophone for many artists, including J.J. Jackson, Rory Gallagher, Mike Vernon, Pete Wingfield, Quiver, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Mick Grabham, Jimmy Dawkins, Lightnin’ Slim, Kazimierz Lux, Andy Roberts, Bloodstone, John Entswile, Les Humphries Singers, Jimmy Witherspoon, Duster Bennett, Paice Ashton Lord, Banco de Gaia, David Gilmour and Deborah Bonham.

Wayne Shorter: Second Coming

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In May 1974, “Vee-Jay” label released “Second Genesis”, the second Wayne Shorter studio album. It was recorded in October 1960, at “Universal Recorders” in Chicago, and was produced by Sid McCoy.

Personnel:

  • Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Bob Cranshaw – double-bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Wayne Shorter, except where noted.

  1. Ruby and the Pearl – Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
  2. Pay as You Go
  3. Second Genesis
  4. Mr. Chairman
  5. Tenderfoot
  6. The Albatross
  7. Getting to Know You – Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers
  8. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

Minnie Riperton: Perfect Angel

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On May 24, 1974, “Epic” label released “Perfect Angel”, the second Minnie Riperton studio album. It was recorded 1973 – 1974, at :the Record Plant” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Stevie Wonder and Richard Rudolph (as Scorbu Productions).

Personnel:

  • Minnie Riperton – vocals
  • Stevie Wonder (as El Toro Negro) – acoustic and electric piano, drums, cymbals, bass drum, harmonica, arrangements
  • Marlo Henderson – lead guitar
  • Michael Sembello – lead guitar
  • Richard Rudolph – guitar
  • Reggie McBride – bass
  • Ollie E. Brown – drums
  • Rocki Dzidzornu – congas
  • Deniece Williams – backing vocals
  • Yvonne Wright – backing vocals
  • Shirley Brewer – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Malcolm Cecil – engineer, associate producer
  • Robert Margouleff – engineer, associate producer
  • Gary Olazabal – engineer assistant
  • Baker Bigsby – remix engineer assistant
  • Kent Duncan – mastering
  • Barry Feinstein – cover 
  • Ann Garner – artwork

Track listing:

All tracks by Minnie Riperton and Richard Rudolph, except where noted.

  1. Reasons
  2. It’s So Nice (To See Old Friends)
  3. Take a Little Trip – Stevie Wonder
  4. Seeing You This Way
  5. The Edge of a Dream
  6. Perfect Angel – Stevie Wonder
  7. Every Time He Comes Around
  8. Lovin’ You
  9. Our Lives

Lazuli: Réponse Incongrue À L’Inéluctable

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On May 23, 2009, “Eclats Production” label released “Réponse Incongrue À L’Inéluctable”, the fourth Lazuli album.

Personnel:

  • Dominique Leonetti – vocals, guitars
  • Gédéric Byar – guitar
  • Claude Leonetti – Léode
  • Sylvain Bayol – Chapman stick, warr guitar
  • Yohan Siméon – percussion, métalophone, guitar
  • Frédéric Juan – marimba, vibes, percussion
  • Jean Pascal Boffo – guitar, programming

Track listing:

  1. Abime
  2. On Nous Ment Comme On Respire
  3. La Vie Par La Face Nord
  4. Aimants
  5. Toujours Un Gars Sur Un Pont
  6. Prologue
  7. La Belle Noirceur
  8. Epilogue
  9. L’Essentiel

Avishai Cohen: Continuo

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On Ma y 23, 2006, “Sunnyside Records” label released “Continuo”, the seventh Avishai Cohen , album.It was recorded in December 2005, and was produced by Ray Jefford.

Personnel:

  • Avishai Cohen – bass, acoustic and electric bass, handclapping, arrangements
  • Sam Barsh – piano, keyboards, handcl apping
  • Mark Guiliana – percussion, drums, handclapping
  • Amos Hoffman – oud, handclapping
  • Daniel Kedem – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Avishai Cohen.

  1. Nu Nu
  2. Elli
  3. One for Mark
  4. Ani Maamin – cover of a poem written by Shaul Tchernichovsky and composed by Tuvia Shlonsky
  5. Sanuel
  6. Emotional Storm
  7. Calm
  8. Arava
  9. Smash
  10. Continuo

Ritual: Think Like A Mountain

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On May 23, 2003, “Tempus Fugit” label released “Think Like a Mountain”, the third Ritual album. It was recorded in 2002, at “Rommarö Studio” in Västerljung, Sweden, and was produced by Hans Fredriksson, Patrik Lundström, Johan Nordgren, Fredrik Lindqvist and Jon Gamble.

Personnel:

  • Patrik Lundström – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, mixing
  • Jon Gamble – piano, organ, mellotron, synth
  • Fredrik Lindqvist – bass guitar, bouzouki, dulcimer, whistle, recorder, photography
  • Johan Nordgren – drums, percussion, mallets, nyckelharpa, photography
  • The Ritual String Orchestra
  • Lovisa Hallstedt – electric violin
  • Pontus Aav – recording
  • Hans Fredriksson – mixing, mastering, photography
  • Kai Sandström – additional mastering
  • Jon Gamble – artwork, layout
  • Fredrik Lindqvist – artwork, layout

Track listing:

Lyrics by Fredrik Lindqvist and Patrik Lundström, music by Patrik Lundström, Johan Nordgren, Fredrik Lindqvist and Jon Gamble.

  1. What Are You Waiting For
  2. Humble Decision
  3. Explosive Paste
  4. Once The Tree Would Bloom
  5. Mother You’ve Been Gone for Much Too Long
  6. Think Like a Mountain
  7. Infinite Justice
  8. On
  9. Shamanarama
  10. Off

Ebi Soda: Ugh

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On May 22, 2020, “Sola Terra Records” label released “Ugh”, the debut Ebi Soda album.

Personnel:

  • Conor Knight – guitar
  • Hari-Lee Evans – keyboards 
  • Louis Jenkins – keyboards
  • Vvilhelm – trombone, synth
  • Hari-Lee Evans – bass
  • Sam Schlich-Davies – drums

Track listing:

  1. Ecchi
  2. Mas the Orc
  3. Zip Your Boots Up Lad
  4. Run for President
  5. Spooki
  6. Keisha billip
  7. Playstation
  8. Summer One
  9. Something to Do in the Future
  10. Meow meow