A simple title, but a classic album – arguably one of Kenny Rankin's biggest hits of the 70s, but every bit as great as his lesser-known work! Don Costa arranged the set, but the sound is still wonderfully intimate – with a focus on Kenny's vocals and acoustic guitar, steeped in folksy roots, but carried off with plenty of warmer, chromatic tones that have a great dose of jazz in the mix. The core group's a quartet, with electric piano and organ from Wendy Haas – and titles include the megahit "On And On", plus "House Of Gold", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Through The Eye Of The Eagle", "Make Believe", "I Love You", and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". LP, Vinyl record album

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Kenny Rankin at the height of his powers – working in an amazing blend of styles that includes bits of folk, jazz, and bossa – all wrapped together with a really warm feel overall! The album's got a somewhat full feel – but like Kenny's best work on his debut, there's a really personal quality that shines through beautifully – a sense of intimacy even amidst some of the larger backings, one that really keeps a focus on Rankin's voice and guitar. Jimmy Haskell did the arrangements – and his talents here are worthy of note as much as Kenny's – and guests on the session include Deniece Williams and Jim Gilstrap on backing vocals, plus King Errison on percussion. Titles include Rankin's classics "Haven't We Met" and "Name Of Love", a wonderful remake of "Berimbau", and the titles "Blackbird", "People Get Ready", "Catfish", and "Penny Lane" LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful beautiful early work by Kenny Rankin – a unique blend of styles that has him working at a level that he barely matched again! The album picks off where Kenny's sublime Moon Dusters album left off – taking the folk rock style of the 60s, and filtering it through the hipper singer/songwriter mode of the early 70s – made all the much prettier with arrangements by the great Artie Schroeck, a wonderful person to handle dark songs such as those in the set! Rankin contributes some fantastic originals to the set, alongside some well-chosen tracks from the late 60s – like Bert Jansch's "Needle Of Death", McCartney & Lennon's "Dear Prudence", Carol King's "Up On The Roof", Gordon Lightfoot's "Mountains & Marian", and Donovan's "Skip Along Sam". Other tracks include "House Of Gold", "Four Days Gone", "Family Theme", and "Soft Guitar". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal classic from Michael Franks – one of those records that's almost a whole genre unto itself, and which set a whole new tone for the male voice in American music! The style here is light and jazzy – almost an evolution of modes first begun by Kenny Rankin, and served up here with a similarly compressed production style that really brings out the jazz in the instrumentation. Players include Michael Brecker, Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, and David Sanborn – all sounding great with a bit of added strings from Nick DeCaro. But the real star of the set is clearly Franks – whose light vocals and creative lyrics sound wonderful next to the electric piano on the set. Titles include "Eggplant", "Monkey See Monkey Do", "Jive", "Mr Blue", "Popsicle Toes", "St Elmos Fire", "I Don't Know Why I'm So Happy I'm Sad", and "Sometimes I Just Forget To Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa nova from Scandinavia – a set that features guitar and English vocals from Johan Christher Shutz – all in a sunny groove that would be right at home in Rio! There's a breezy style to the set that reminds us of work like this from the late 70s – kind of a take on Brazilian jazz that inflects the music with plenty of its own touches, especially in the songwriting! Schutz has a clever way with a tune that's never cloying, but which really brings a sense of spirit into the lyrics – his own voice, instead of a standard rehash of older bossa modes – in ways that really keep things appealing throughout, and which remind us of American singers like Kenny Rankin or Michael Franks at their subtle, early best. Titles include "Think Of Me", "I'm Here", "Reach The Top", "So Happy", "This Is Forever", "Don't Turn The Page", and "Tousled Kitten Samba". Japanese version features 2 bonus tracks – "Light", and "Passion (sunrise reprise)". CD