Audiophile Vinyl

Shelly Manne & His Men
At The Black Hawk
Craft Recordings/Contemporary Cr00601 (180G Vinyl)

'Who's the greatest jazz drummer?' always boils down to Messrs Blakey, Rich, Roach, Krupa, et al, but I have a soft spot for Manne, not least for his classy work during the sessions which delivered this first of four LPs. Sonically, it oozes valve-era early stereo - the presence of Victor Feldman on piano will trigger memories for fans of 1970s/1980s audiophile vinyl - this sublime album captured when Manne's quintet performed for three days in 1959 at the Black Hawk club in San Francisco. Radical it is not, so casual jazz fans will find the extended be-bop version of 'Summertime' accessible rather than daunting - you can easily lose yourself in it. Here's hoping Craft has plans for Vols. 2-4. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

The Amboy Dukes
The Amboy Dukes
Sundazed/Mainstream Lp5761 (Green Vinyl)

I struggled with this, having heard the original stereo mix with traditional image placement, as this remastering is near-mono. Sundazed's Jay Millar says '"Near mono" would be correct: we found tapes of both albums and this is an alternate stereo mix. Comparing the two we favoured this as the other was jarring'. Which doesn't alter the power of this lost treasure of hard rock, ignored of late probably because of Ted Nugent's unpopular-among-rockers politics. It's an incendiary slice of 1967 heavy metal, opening with a fiery 'Baby Please Don't Go' to rival Ten Years After's adaptation at Woodstock, launching Nugent as an axe hero with whom to reckon. KK

Sound Quality: 80%

Dire Straits
On Every Street
Mobile Fidelity Mfsl 2-510 (Two 45Rpm Lps)

Their final studio LP, dating from 1991, On Every Street is hardly a bad swan song by any measure, but it had to follow Brothers In Arms - arguably their finest release. This album certainly didn't disappoint musically, sonically or commercially for the millions of devoted fans, but it's 'more of the same' if you're not a slavish disciple. Now that grumble is out of the way, the guitar playing is utterly magnificent, Knopfler treating the listener to a number of styles, including blues, hard rock, folk and rockabilly. This 2x45rpm vinyl edition is probably the best way you will ever hear it unless MoFi decides to deliver the Dire Straits catalogue as One-Steps. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

L. A. Edwards
Out Of The Heart Of Darkness
Bitchin' Music Group (N/A Cat. No.)

As if courting obscurity with a liner-note-less, numberless release (despite availability on Amazon), L. A. Edwards is a Left Coast act of much merit. The outfit, featuring three Edwards brothers, has built up a following here and in Europe opening for Lucinda Williams, exemplifying America-esque guitar rock which clearly exposes their Laurel Canyon origins. While that describes an anachronism, championing a genre which enjoyed its peak 40 years ago, this is nonetheless a tonic if you need a break from Mesdames Swift, Beyoncé, ad nauseam. Irrespective of its homemade, Whole Earth Catalog vibe and bleak downer lyrics schtick, it also sounds mighty fine. KK

Sound Quality: 85%