George Benson and Al Jarreau's new collaboration looks to be one of the most highly anticipated CDs of the year.

George Benson and Al Jarreau have recruited an all-star cast for their highly anticipated duets album titled Givin' It Up. The 13-song CD is a mix of cover songs and originals. Trumpeter Chris Botti and vocalist Patti Austin are featured on a song written by Jarreau called “Let it Rain,” while Paul McCartney joins Benson and Jarreau on a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me.”

Elsewhere, there are two new versions of Benson and Jarreau’s most famous songs. Jarreau wrote new lyrics for Benson’s “Breezin’,” while guitarist Benson returns the favor by performing an instrumental version of Jarreau’s “Morning.” The superstar pair also cover Seals & Crofts’ "Summer Breeze,” Paul Young's "Every Time You Go Away," John Legend's "Ordinary People," Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” and Miles Davis' "Four" and "’Long Come Tutu."

Original tunes include “All I Am,” “Givin’ It Up For Love” and “Don’t Start No Schtuff.” Among the many musicians and co-writers on the CD are Marion Meadows, Rex Rideout, Freddie Ravel, Herbie Hancock, Jill Scott, Patrice Rushen, Marcus Miller, Larry Williams, Abe Laboriel, Vinnie Colaiuta and Stanley Clarke among others.

Givin' It Up, a collaboration between Concord Records and Monster Music, will be released Oct. as a two-CD SuperDisc package, featuring a variety of high resolution audio mixes..

Givin’ It Up Track Listing

1. Breezin’ (Bobby Womack/Al Jarreau) - (5:40)
2. Morning (Al Jarreau/David Foster/Jay Graydon) - (5:02)
3. ‘Long Came Tutu (Marcus Miller/Al Jarreau) - (6:37)
4. God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday/Arthur Herzog Jr.) - (3:40)
5. Summer Breeze (Darrell Crofts/Jimmy Seals) - (5:01)
6. All I Am (Rex Rideout/Phillip Taj Jackson) - (3:23)
7. Ordinary People (John Legend/will.i.am) - (5:18)
8. Let It Rain (Al Jarreau/Barry Eastmond) - (4:54)
9. Givin’ It Up for Love (Al Jarreau/Freddie Ravel) - (3:57)
10. Every Time You Go Away (Darryl Hall) - (4:30)
11. Four (Miles Davis/Jon Hendricks) - (5:15)
12. Don’t Start No Schtuff (Al Jarreau/Joe Turano) - (4:44)
13. Bring It on Home to Me (Sam Cooke) - (4:25)

Regarding Melodicrock.com, Rhino revisits two of Chicago's best with remastered and expanded versions of the group's back-to-back hit records, Chicago 16 and Chicago 17.

Robert Lamm, James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, Bill Champlin, Walter Parazaider, Peter Cetera, and Danny Seraphine convened in Los Angeles to record its Warner Bros. debut, Chicago 16. To produce the album, the group selected David Foster, whose innate sensitivity to the Chicago sound and his mastery of then-current pop trends made him an ideal choice at this critical juncture. A song like the album-opening single "What You're Missing" is a feel-good melding of rock, pop and soul. The midtempo finger-popper, "Waiting For You To Decide," introduced fans to the magic of the band. The album cracked Billboard's Top 10 thanks in part to a pair of hit singles "Love Me Tomorrow," an epic rock ballad, while the second, "Hard To Say I'm Sorry," peaked at #1 and was an unforgettable part of the Daryl Hannah film Summer Lovers. For Rhino's reissue of Chicago 16, an unreleased bonus track has been added -- the demo version of Champlin's Daddy's Favorite Fool.
Chicago 16 set the stage for the group, to dig in for what would become the biggest album of all-new material in the group's storied career

Chicago 17. Released in May 1984, the album reached #4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and earned two Grammys, one for Best Engineered Recording and a second for Best Instrumental Arrangement (for "Hard Habit To Break"). The album went on to be certified seven-times platinum. The first single -- the stark sonic rocker "Stay The Night", opens the album with crisp drums, hard-crunchin' guitar, and impeccably mixed vocals and synths.
The Top 20 track launched a string of smash hits, including "Along Comes A Woman." But it was two dynamic and diametrically opposed styles of ballad -- both of which peaked at #3 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart -- that sent Chicago 17 through the roof. First was the impeccably modulated "Hard Habit To Break." Second was the soaring "You're The Inspiration," one of those instant classics that became not only a major hit, but also a popular wedding song.
Rhino's reissue of Chicago 17, a bonus track from the era has been included: the Robert Lamm-penned Where We Begin.

Twenty-two years since the release of Chicago 17, the band is still going strong, packing houses from coast to coast in exciting double bills with cross-pollinated peers such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Huey Lewis. In 2006, they also reached the 30-album milestone with Chicago XXX.

When Debbie Deane was 6 years old, her favorite record was Carole King's Tapestry. She grew up listening to Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan while playing Bach,Chopin and Debussy on the piano.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she found herself driven to explore the fertile ground of music and lyrics. Her older brother introduced her to folk, funk, and fusion. She listened to all the great divas in the folk, pop and jazz worlds. Music was the ultimate refuge. At age 12, she handed in lyrics rather than a poem for her first poetry assignment.

Debbie went on to study English Literature at Harvard University and Jazz Studies at the Berklee College of Music. Her life changed when she took her first songwriting class.
Now here we are introducing her first self-titled CD. Piano-based original Pop / Soul / Jazz / Folk.
She has been endorsed by the talent of many great musicians who have joined her on the record and who perform with her live. The great bassist Jeff Andrews produced 6 tracks on the record. Those songs feature the rhythm section of Jeff Andrews-bass, Brian Blade-drums and Debbie Deane-piano. Joshua Redman plays beautifully on 2 tracks. Wayne Krantz graces the record with acoustic guitar. Phil Markowitz plays some Hammond B-3 and some great keyboard parts. The other half features Debbie with the team of Richard Hammond on bass and Rodney Holmes on drums. Debbie Deane accompanies herself solo on 2 songs.

Her debut CD, a cross between Anita Baker and Steely Dan.

Emerson Drive, is a country music band which started out in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada in 1995. They received the 2002 Billboard Music Award for New Country Artist Of The Year. Their albums include Emerson Drive and What If?. A new CD, "Countrified," will be released in fall 2006. Members of Emerson Drive are Brad Mates (lead vocals), David Pichette (fiddle), Danick Dupelle (lead guitar), Mike Melancon (drums), Patrick Bourque (bass) and Dale Wallace (keyboards). Mates is the only member of the band that now hails from Alberta, while the other members hail from British Columbia (Wallace) & Quebec (Bourque, Dupelle, Melancon, & Pichette).

Group of the Year for two consecutive years, from the Canadian Country Music Association;

As well as a number one music video on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown with “Fall Into Me”
They were dropped from Nashville record label Dreamworks only to be signed with Midas Records, Nashville. They originally recorded the songs "You're Like Coming Home" and "I'll Die Trying". The songs were recorded by Lonestar after Emerson Drive was dropped from Dreamworks. They just recently released their brand new single "A Good Man".

Finally after almost 30 years valentine is back!
This new jersey based group included founder and lead singer Frank Stallone. stallone started Valentine in 1968 in philadelphia. the group at one time included john oates (hall & oates). this lineup on this cd includes Frank Stallone, Bob Tangrea, and Jody Giambelluca.
Later bill ring and Peter Glassboro were added. this line up survived from 1973 till 1978. they became one of the more popular groups in the south jersey area for years.
they were signed to rca records in 1975 and were produced by Tony Camillo ( of midnight train to georgia fame). Included is their first release (take you back) from the film rocky.
stallone say's when rocky came out it all but ruined us, everyone thought we just started playing guitars when the film was released.
Stallone say's this is a fine album, but it never really captured us. we were much more gritty live, and we didn't have horns. this cd is a remastered version of the original album from the artwork down to the songlist. sit back and enjoy a gem from the 70's.

"High & Mighty," the highly anticipated follow up to 2004's "Deja Voodoo," is quite simply the best record that Gov't Mule has ever made.

It was recorded in Austin at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios in early 2006, with additional recording at Hoboken's Water Music. "High & Mighty" contains 11 new & original Warren Haynes songs and will be released on ATO Records on August 22nd, 2006.

Tracklist:
01. Mr. High & Mighty
02. Brand New Angel
03. So Weak, So Strong
04. Streamline Woman
05. Child Of The Earth
06. Like Flies
07. Unring The Bell
08. Nothing Again
09. Million Miles From Yesterday
10. Brighter Days
11. Endless Parade
12. Bonus track: 3 String George

One of the most compelling singer/songwriters of the year, Anna Nalick's debut album, Wreck of the Day is a melodic swirl of striking textures. With a voice that exuberates a sense of soft, sweet passion and reflection beyond her years, Anna's songs are personal, heartfelt and intimately developed through lyrical expression brought to life by melody. Wreck of the Day features the hit single, "Breath (2 am)" that has already managed to top the charts, as well as the title track, "Wreck of the Day", which truly captures the essence of heartache, longing, and moving on. Anna Nalick is surely the singer/songwriter to watch.

At the end of the month, Venice will release a new album in Japan, titled "A Band Called Venice." This is the band's debut release in this country, so even though it is a greatest hits set, it won't be promoted that way.

Here's the track listing:
1. Think Again
2. Sweet Aloha
3. Precious Stone
4. For a Dancer (with Jackson Browne)
5. Right Where We Left Off
6. Most of Us
7. The Road to Where You Are
8. Unbreakable Heart
9. Guinnevere (with David Crosby)
10. I'll Keep My Fingers Crossed
11. Welcome to the Rest of Your Life
12. The Family Tree
13. Starting Here Again
14. The Man You Think I Am
15. If I Were You
16. One Quiet Day

This double America CD was originally scheduled to be released October 17, 2006. But, in order to give it the backing that it deserves, Sony decided to delay the release until January 2007.

Gerry and Dewey have teamed up with indie rock's most sought-after producers, Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, "That Thing You Do!") and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), to record an album of brand new songs, written by the band as well as by some of today's most influential new writers and artists including Schlesinger, Iha, Ira Elliot of Nada Surf and others.

"James and I are honored to be working with Gerry and Dewey. They write timeless songs and they are phenomenal singers and musicians, and we are having a blast in the studio. Plus we get to bug them for George Martin stories in between takes!" says co-producer Adam Schlesinger.

Disc 1 includes all new songs and disc 2 is a recording of America's classic hits, recorded live at XM Radio as part of XM's "Then... Again... Live!" series. The live CD replicates their entire History Greatest Hits album which has sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

Bonnie Raitt and Friends, was recorded live at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ on September 30, 2005, ands feature never-before-seen performance and interview footage, including four duets not included in the VH1 Classic broadcast of the concert. With two hours of concert and interview footage, the concert which was filmed in Hi-Definition and is presented in 5.1 audio, features Raitt performing 17 songs with her longtime band - George Marinelli (guitar), James “Hutch” Hutchinson (bass), Ricky Fataar (drums) and Jon Cleary (keyboards). Included are such classic Raitt hits as “Something To Talk About,” “Love Letter” (with Mo’), “You” (with Krauss) and a knock-out encore of “Love Sneakin’ Up On You” with Raitt, Jones, Harper, Krauss and Mo’ as well as highlights from her latest studio album, Souls Alike, including “I Will Not Be Broken,” “God Was In The Water”, “I Don’t Want Anything To Change” (with Jones) and “Unnecessarily Mercenary” (a duet with keyboardist Cleary, who wrote the song). The accompanying CD features 11 tracks, including the radio single “Two Lights In The Nighttime” (featuring Ben Harper).