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BLUES
& GOSPEL
Various
Artists Collections - Post War Urban Blues, Miscellaneous - 2
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectables 5127 |
Collectables Blues Collection Vol. 1 |
● CD $11.98 |
| See below
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectables 5128 |
Collectables Blues Collection Vol. 2 |
● CD $11.98 |
| See below
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectables 5129 |
Collectables Blues Collection Vol. 3 |
● CD $11.98 |
As with many blues compilations this series is a welcome
addition to our inventory, but is not without its flaws. On the positive
side, each disc carries a generous 16 song selection with 3 or 4 rare
nuggets by artists who are, as far as I know, making their first CD
appearance here. Artists like Thelma Cooper, George Grant & The
Rockin' Highlanders, Daisy Mae & Her Hepcats, James Crawford, J.B.
Summers and more really up the ante for you collectors. The drawbacks of
Collectables releases have been pointed out time and again in these pages
- minimal packaging, inattention to remastering details resulting in
merely average sound quality, and no liner notes. The strangest thing
about these releases is the inclusion of Chess tracks by Howlin' Wolf,
Muddy Waters and Little Walter, and an abundance of Jimmy Reed hits,
presumably from the VeeJay label. Why don't they reissue more of the
classic material that languishes in their vaults, rather than padding out
the lineup with the most commonly heard standards from other labels? Beats
me. Anyway, get these for a great selection of hits and obscurities from
Lightnin' Hopkins, Elmore James, Sonny Terry, Buster Brown, Screamin' Jay
Hawkins with Tiny Grimes, Champion Jack Dupree and others. (MB)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rounder AN 20/21 |
Deep Blue - The Rounder 25th Anniversary
Blues Antholog |
● CD $10.98 |
2 discs, 30 tracks, 114 min., highly recommended. Another
irresistible volume in the Rounder 25th anniversary celebration, almost 2
hours of solid blues from a stellar group of performers, ranging from
Robert Nighthawk and Clarence Gatemouth Brown on the one hand to Marcia
Ball and Tracy Nelson on the other. Among the many wonderful performances
on disc one are Jealous Hearted Woman by J. B. Hutto, Left Me
with a Broken Heart by Jimmy Rogers, Mean Ol' Frisco by Frank
Hovington, Peace and Happiness by Ted Hawkins, 501 Boogie by
Professor Longhair, and Give Me the Flowers While I'm Livin' by
Champion Jack Dupree. Disc two opens with Nobody Knows the Trouble I've
Seen by the irrepressible Charles Brown, then moves on to Green
Light by Ronnie Earl, Help the Poor by Larry Davis, My Jug
and I by the Persuasions, Full Time Lover by Ann Peebles, Tomorrow
by Jimmy McCracklin with Irma Thomas, and Love Is the Bottom Line
by Lowell Fulson. Tons of musical fun, and at a bargain price to boot.
There are four of these double discs out now, the blues issue review here,
plus the folk, the bluegrass, and the Cajun. Be good to yourself; buy them
all. (DH)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bullseye Blues 9901 |
Direct Hits From Bullseye Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
17 tracks, 64 min., recommended. Bullseye's first
compilation is a very pleasing introduction to the label's bluesy roster
of talent, but it falls short of spectacular. Maybe because it doesn't
always pony up the best cut from the artists' albums. Maybe because the
label houses one too many slightly-above-average blues acts. There's great
stuff here, though. Charles Brown and Bonnie Raitt's duet on Someone To
Love is outstanding, as is the previously unissued duet from Otis Clay
and Clarence Fountain. And Paul Kelly's wonderful The New Rules is
literally worth the cost of the disc. Other reasons to go on listening
include Larry Davis' Help The Poor, Dalton Reed's Read Me My
Rights, and unreleased cuts from Johnny Talbot and Champion Jack
Dupree. (JC)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 684 |
Ernie's Record Mart |
● CD $18.98 |
25 tracks, 62 minutes, essential
John D. "John
R." Richbourg, who opens this CD & is on the cover, is considered
one of the pre-eminent Nashville DJs, along with Bill "Hoss"
Allen (1922-1997), Herman Grizzard (1900-1971) and Gene Nobles
(1913-1989). It wasn't just their voices (and 'hep-cat' talk) that made
them famous, it was the music they played on the air. This CD is an
example of the music. Daniel Cooper, in his excellent notes, outlines John
R.'s involvement with Ernie Young's Excello label and primary outlet,
Ernie's Record Mart. Opening with the often-covered but never equalled
version of I Miss You So (Lillian Offitt,'57), the program also
includes the 1955 #2 R&B hit by Louis Brooks, It's Love Baby
(with 19 year-old vocalist Earl Gaines). Smack dab in the middle of the CD
is an infectious 1956 instrumental The Hot Patoto by Guitar Red (aka
Paul Johnson) which I'll guarantee you you'll want to press the repeat
button, and not just once. Ace has also included the original version of
one the great early black rock 'n roll records - Rudy Green's My
Mumblin' Baby (1955) - which some of us have heard by Barrence
Whitfield. Other highlights - and their are many - include unissued tracks
like the early soul title Have You Ever (by Eddie Williams) and
Ralph Harris' Slim Zilard that someone should cover. With 5
unissued tracks & compiled by John Broven & Dave Sax, this is a
"Run, Don't Walk - Don"T Even Stop For A Red Light!" CD
purchase (EL)
JIMMIE BIRDSONG: Oh How I Tried/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Pleadin' For Love/ LOUIS
BROOKS & HIS ACE00684: It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)/ LATTIMORE
BROWN: Got Plenty Troubles/ It Hurts Me So/ Somebody's Gonna Miss Me/
CHUCK BROWN (KING KARL): Out Of Darkness/ AL GARNER: Gonna Stop My Drinkin'/
You Must Be Crazy/ RUDY GREEN: Cool Lovin' Mama/ My Mumblin' Baby/ GUITAR
RED: The Hot Potato/ ARTHUR GUNTER: Hear My Plea Baby/ We're Gonna Shake/
RALPH HARRIS WITH SKIPPY BROOKS: Slim Lizard/ TED JARRETT: Love, Love,
Love/ JOHN R: John R Theme/ KID KING'S COMBO WITH GOOD ROCKIN' SAM: Now
Listen Baby/ JERRY MCCAIN & HIS UPSTARTS: My Next Door Neighbor/
LILLIAN OFFITT: Miss You So/ THE SOLOTONES: Front Page Blues/ Pork And
Beans/ SUGAR AND SWEET: I'll Be Good/ EDDIE WILLIAMS: Have You Ever/ It's
Love Pretty Baby
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
P-Vine PCD 3061 |
Funky Blues, 1960s-1970s |
● CD $22.98 |
21 tracks recorded for Kent and Modern between 1967 and 1977
featuring Lowell Fulson, Arthur K. Adams, The Newman Family, T.V. Mama
Jean, Jimmy Bee, Tommy Youngblood, Brenda George, Rudy Rae Moore, Smokey
Wilson and Foxfire (with Johnny Adams). Highlights are the solid
performances by Fulson, Adams and Youngblood. There are some good
performances from the others but they are often marred by overdone wah-wah
guitar, fuzz guitar or a combination of the two!.
ARTHUR K. ADAMS: I'm Lonely For You/ Let Your Hair Down/ You Make Me Cry/
JIMMY BEE: Funky Way/ FOXFIRE: Tramp/ LOWELL FULSON: Funky Broadway/ Hobo
Meeting/ I'm A Drifter/ Mellow Together/ The Thing/ BRENDA GEORGE: What
You See Is What You Gonna Get/ RUDY RAY MOORE: The Turning/ THE NEWMAN
FAMILY: Kidney Stew/ Two Ton Mama/ T.V. MAMA JEAN: Women's Liberation/
SMOKEY WILSON: Deuce & Quarter (remix)/ Go Go Train (alternate)/ Night
Time (alternate)/ Tell Me Baby (alternate)/ TOMMY YOUNGBLOOD: Hey Little
Girl/ Who Will You Favor
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Vanguard VCD 25/26 |
Great Blues Men |
● CD $15.98 |
CD issue of VSD 25/26 - Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Big Bill
Broonzy, etc.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 610 |
House Rockin' Blues |
● CD $18.98 |
27 tracks from the vaults of Chess, Checker & Parrot
compiled by John Broven featuring uptempo rockin' blues from John Lee
Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Bo
Diddley, Buddy Guy, J.B. Lenore, Otis Rush and others.
BILLY BOY ARNOLD: Sweet On You Baby/ You Got To Love Me/ BLUE SMITTY: Date
Bait/ JOHN BRIM: Be Careful/ Rattlesnake/ G.L. CROCKETT: Look Out Mabel/
BO DIDDLEY: Little Girl/ She's Fine, She's Mine/ BUDDY GUY: Let Me Love
You Baby/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Let's Go Out Tonight/ HOWLING WOLF: I Have A
Little Girl/ Who Will Be Next/ ELMORE JAMES: Madison Blues/ J.B. LENOIR:
Mama Talk To Your Daughter/ LITTLE LUTHER: Twirl/ LITTLE WALTER: I Got To
Go/ Mellow Down Easy/ WILLIE MABON: Poison Ivy/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: He Knows
The Rules/ ROBERT NIGHTHAWK: Someday/ MORRIS PEJOE: Tired Of Crying Over
You/ JIMMY ROGERS: If It Ain't Me/ OTIS RUSH: I'm Satisfied/ OTIS SPANN:
I'm Leaving You/ MUDDY WATERS: Close To You/ Young Fashioned Ways/ SONNY
BOY WILLIAMSON: The Goat
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Westside 579 |
Johnny Vincent Presents Genuine Mississippi
Blues Plus |
● CD $13.98 |
Reissue of 1981 album "Genuine Mississippi Blues"
expanded to 20 tracks with songs originally issued on 45s, previously
unreleased songs and an alternate take. Recorded by Johnny Vincent in the
late 70s artists featured include Bad Smitty, Sam Myers, John Littlejohn,
Elmore James Jr. and King Edward.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ecko 1017 |
Juke Joint Saturday Night, Vol. 1 |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks of contemporary blues by stars recording for Ecko
with the main topics sung about being sex, sex, partying and sex. Includes
I'm Ready To Party by Ollie Nightingale, Doctor Thrill Good
by Bill Coday, The Fireman by Chuck Roberson (he takes his hose
everywhere), Footprints On The Ceiling by Barbara Carr and others.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
King KBSC 7002 |
King R&B Box Set |
● CD $46.98 |
4 discs, 88 tracks, 4 hrs. +, highly recommended One of the
50's most important and most neglected labels finally gets a digital boxed
set that attempts an overview of its rhythm & blues productions - not
an easy task given the prodigious nature of the company's output. And,
surprise, surprise, it's actually produced by King Records, U.S.A., not an
import label. It's pretty well done too. Volume One opens with I Know
Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well by Bull Moose Jackson, and then
moves on to Bye Bye Baby Blues by the Ravens, Tomorrow Night
by Lonnie Johnson, Good Rockin' Tonight by Wynonie Harris, Long
About Midnight by Roy Brown, Guess Who by Ivory Joe Hunter, and
Sixty Minute Man by the Dominoes. Volume Two includes The Train
Kept A'Rollin' by Tiny Bradshaw, It Ain't the Meat by the
Swallows, My Ding-a-Ling by Dave Bartholomew, Moon Rise by
the Royals, Big Ten Inch Record by Bull Moose Jackson, Nervous
Man Nervous by Big Jay McNeely, Work with Me Annie by the
Midnighters, Hearts of Stone by the Charms, and Rock Love by
Lula Reed. Volume Three features All Around the World and Fever
by Little Willie John, Honky Tonk (Parts 1 and 2) by Bill Doggett, It
Hurts to Be in Love by Annie Laurie, Think and Dedicated to
the One I Love by the Five Royales, The Twist and Finger
Poppin' Time by Hank Ballard, Hide Away by Freddy King, and Papa's
Got a Brand New Bag by James Brown. And Volume Four, billed as a bonus
disc, features only seven rare or previously unissued numbers - including Me
and My Crazy Self by Lonnie Johnson, Wild Stage of Life by Lula
Reed with Sonny Thompson, and Dr. Lover by Hank Ballard - plus
three early 50's speech excerpts by King Records founder Syd Nathan. Don't
get me wrong about this. The speech excerpts are interesting, and I did
enjoy hearing them once. But another 20 tracks of good music would have
made me a lot happier. Oh well. The other amenities here are up to current
reissue standards: Sound quality is solid. And there's a 32 page booklet
with lots of vintage photos and intelligent, knowledgeable notes by Colin
Escott. One can only hope for more now that King's current owners have
seen fit to open their treasure chest. How about a country boxed set, a
gospel boxed set, and a vocal group boxed set for starters? (DH)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blue Moon 4002 |
Let's Have A Party |
● CD $15.98 |
20 tracks from late 40s and early 50s - Percy Mayfield, Ruth
Brown, Joe liggins, Roy Brown, Big Joe Turner, Bobby Bland, Larry Darnell,
Floyd Dixon, Jesse Belvin, Pee Wee Crayton and others.
LAVERNE BAKER: Tweedle Dee/ JESSE BELVIN: Baby Don T Go/ Dry Your Tears/
BOBBY BLAND: No Blow No Show/ ROY BROWN: 600 Man Blues/ I've Got The Last
Laugh Now/ RUTH BROWN: Love Contest/ Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean/
RAY CHARLES: Don T You Know/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: Runnin' Wild/ LARRY DARNELL:
I'll Be Sittin', I'll Be Rockin'/ FLOYD DIXON: Hey Bartender/ Hole In The
Wall/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Down Boy Down/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Broke/ JOE LIGGINS: Do
You Love Me Pretty Baby?/ Daddy On My Mind/ PERCY MAYFIELD: Baby You're
Rich/ AMOS MILBURN: Let's Have A Party/ BIG JOE TURNER: Shake, Rattle And
Roll
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 773 |
Messing With The Blues |
● CD $23.98 |
Great collection of 25 blues sides from Atlantic including
all four sides recorded by the great Johnny Jones plus an alternate take
of Hoy Hoy. It also features Big Joe Turner (the classic TV Mama
with Elmore James), T-Bone Walker, Jack Dupree, Ray Charles, Frank
"Floorshow" Culley & His Band, Lucky davis & His Blues
KIngs, Chuck Norris, John Lee Hooker, Hal Paige & His Band and more.
RAY CHARLES: A Bit Of Soul/ Losing Hand/ Sinner's Prayer/ FRANK
'FLOORSHOW' CULLEY & HIS BAND: After Hour Session/ LARRY DALE: Drinkin'
Wine Spoo-dee-o-dee/ LUCKY DAVIS & HIS BLUES KINGS: Cold Love/ JACK
DUPREE: Bad Blood/ Junker's Blues/ JIMMY EARLE & THE JAZZ KINGS:
Climbin' Up To Heaven Blues Part 1/ JIMMY GRIFFIN & HIS BAND WITH BEAU
FAIRLEY (VO: She's A W-o-m-a-n/ TINY GRIMES & HIS SEXTET: Blue Harlem/
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Guitar Lovin' Man (lovin' Guitar Man)/ Real Real Gone/
LITTLE JOHNNY JONES: Chicago Blues/ Hoy Hoy/ Hoy Hoy (alternate Take)/ Up
The Line (doin' The Best I Can)/ Wait Baby/ CHUCK NORRIS: Let Me Know/
Messin' Up/ HAL PAIGE & HIS BAND: Break Of Day Blues/ JOE TURNER: Tv
Mama/ ODELLE TURNER WITH THE JESSE STONE ORCH: Draggin' Hours/ T-BONE
WALKER: Play On Little Girl/ T-bone Shuffle
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40086 |
Mississippi - River Of Song |
● CD $29.98 |
This two CD set is part of a massive project exploring
American music at the close of the 20th century. In addition to this two
CD set of 36 performances there is a television series of 4 one hour
programs on PBS, a radio series of seven one hour programs, a book by
Boston music journalist Elijah Wald and a web site at www.pbs.org/riverofsong
! The music and series comes from performers recorded along the course of
the Mississippi River from an Ojibwe powwow in northern Minnesota to an
unaccompanied crab fisherman's song recorded on a boat near Delecroix
Island where the Mississippi flows out into the Gulf Of Mexico. Along the
way we hear Minnesota folk blues performer John Koerner, Wisconsin
concertin player Karl Hartwich, Iowa City folk singer Greg Brown, Illinois
bluegrass group The Bob Lewis Family, gospel in St. Louis by Fontella Bass
and her mother Martha, alternative country from Festus Missouri from The
Bottle Rockets, rockabilly from Swifton Arkansas by Sonny Burgess, country
blues from Clarksdale Mississippi by Big Jack Johnson, soul blues from
Greenville Mississippi by Little Milton, zydeco from Opelousas Louisiana
by Geno Delafose, New Orleans R&B from Irma Thomas and a lot more.
Comes with detailed 44 page booklet.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHK 964 |
Mojo Working - The Best Of Ace Blues |
● CD $14.98 |
20 tracks, 59 min., recommended A tasty budget priced
sampler of mostly 50's blues cuts which are otherwise available on single
artist collections put out by this stellar English reissue label.
Individual tracks were chosen by British music expert John Broven, and
they include Dust My Blues by Elmore James, Boogie Chillen
by John Lee Hooker, Happy Pay Day by Little Willie Littlefield, Blues
After Hours by Pee Wee Crayton, Please Love Me by B. B. King, Lonesome
Dog Blues by Lightnin' Hopkins, The Things That I Used to Do by
Guitar Slim, I'm a King Bee by Slim Harpo, I'm a Lover Not a
Fighter by Lazy Lester, Part Time Lover by Little Johnny
Taylor, and Black Nights by Lowell Fulson. Powerful music,
excellent sound quality, and minimal notes. (DH)
DENNIS BINDER: I Miss You So/ PEE WEE CRAYTON: Blues After Hours/ LOWELL
FULSOM: Black Nights/ GUITAR SLIM: The Things That I Used To Do/ ARTHUR
GUNTER: Baby Let's Play House/ SLIM HARPO: I'm A King Bee/ SMOKEY HOGG:
Little School Girl/ JOHN LEE HOOKER: Boogie Chillen/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS:
Lonesome Dog Blues/ HOWLING WOLF: Ridin' In The Moonlight/ ELMORE JAMES:
Dust My Blues/ ALBERT KING: Born Under A Bad Sign/ B.B. KING: Please Love
Me/ Rock Me Baby/ LAZY LESTER: I'm A Lover Not A Fighter/ LIGHTNIN' SLIM:
Hoo Doo Blues/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Happy Pay Day/ LONESOME SUNDOWN:
I'm A Mojo Man/ LITTLE JOHNNY TAYLOR: Part Time Love/ JOHNNY
"GUITAR" WATSON: Three Hours Past Midnight
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stax 4132 |
Montreaux Festival: A. King/ C. Hamilton/
Little Milton |
● CD $11.98 |
Reissue of 1973 festival recording - Chico Hamilton does In
View, Little Milton delivers Let Me Down Easy/ We're Gonna Make It,
and Albert King plays Don't Make No Sense/ Stormy Monday/ For The Love
Of A Woman.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Night Train 7027 |
Music From And Inspired By "Devil In A Blue
Dress" |
● CD $16.98 |
20 tracks, 57 min., recommended Don't be misled by the title
here. This is not the authorized soundtrack for the currently popular
attempt to revisit film noire. It is instead several numbers used in the
film, plus lots of other similar music, offered by the company that now
owns the rights to that music. So we get Ain't Nobody's Business by
Jimmy Witherspoon, Rain in My Eyes by Joanne Shaw, and Chic Boo
by Lloyd Glen, all of which are featured in Devil in a Blue Dress.
Additional numbers, the majority of the program, include Poor Man Blues
by the Johnny Otis Band, Back Home Blues by Lowell Fulson, Worried
Blues by Floyd Dixon, How Wrong Can a Good Man Be by Percy
Mayfield, I'll Do Anything But Work by Ray Charles, and Changeable
Woman Blues by Charles Brown. A particularly fine program all in all,
with a rather gaudy cover painting which includes a generously endowed
blond in, of all things, a blue dress. (DH)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Lenox 1012 |
My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama |
● CD $16.98 |
After lots of searching we've finally been able to turn up a
few more copies of this compilation featuring hot blues guitar. The disc
is short but sweet, only 13 tracks (one other listed track is not on the
disc!) but they are all excellent examples of late 50s/ early 60s small
combo blues from obscure 45s - Sly Williams, Lafayette Thomas, Mojo
Watson, Earl Hooker, George Smith, Guitar Tommy Moore and Calvin Leavy.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rounder 1144 |
Night Train |
● CD $15.98 |
14 sides recorded between the 40s and the 90s, plus one from
1929, featuring blues, gospel and R&B singers singing about trains -
Louis Jordan, Muddy Waters, The Holmes Brothers, Little Esther & The
Robins, Little Junior Parker & His Blue Flames, Henry Thomas, Sister
Rosetta Tharpe and others.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blind Pig 78001 |
Prime Chops - A Blind Pig Sampler |
● CD $9.98 |
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Blind Pig 8002 |
Prime Chops Vol. 2 - A Blind Pig Sampler |
● CD $9.98 |
70 min. of blues, roots rock, gospel and zydeco from
Roy Rogers, Carey Bell, Otis Clay and others. 19 tracks
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