Lowell Fulson," Trouble,Trouble-The Definitive Early Years Collection" (Fantastic Voyage FVTD 176)-Oklahoma born Fulson may never have enjoyed the status of a household name but blues afficiandos won't need me to remind them that this distinctive singer and guitarist has assembled a highly impressive body of work over the years,and this fine 3 CD set provides a comprehensive overview of his first two decades as a recording artist. Compiler Neil Slaven opens proceedings with some of the tracks that Fulson laid down for posterity after leaving the US Navy in 1945,and the entertainment level rarely flags from then on as Lowell launches into classic creations such as "Blue Shadows," "Everyday I Have the Blues" and his 1954 show-stopper,"Reconsider Baby." The Len Price 3,"Nobody Knows" (JLM0001)-The Len Price 3 obviously spent their formative years steeped in the mod musical culture of the mid sixties,and "Nobody Knows" finds them channelling the spirit of outfits such as The Who and The Kinks to create a rollicking celebration of all that's best in energised pop. This effervescent Kent trio are frequently hailed as "the best band you've never heard of," but this must surely be a temporary state of affairs, as tracks such as "Nobody Knows," "My Grandad Jim" and their epic finale "The London Institute" are surely much too impressive to be consigned to relative obscurity.

Leonidas Kavakos," Brahms: Violin Concerto, Bartok:Rhapsodies" (Decca 478 5342)- Athens born violinist Leonidas Kavakos makes his concerto debut on Decca with this masterly rendition of Johannes Brahms' monumental creation,aided and abetted by the massed ranks of Lepizig's Gewandhaus Orchestra and their conductor Riccardo Chailly. The Greek virtuoso also investigates Bartok's two highly evocative "Rhapsodies" in tandem with piano accompanist Peter Nagy before the duo tackle the great Joseph Joachim's arrangements of four of Brahms' hugely popular "Hungarian Dances." Ducks Deluxe,"Rockin' at the Moon" (Mystic MYS CD 214)- The pub-rock movement which sprang up in London during the early seventies provided a refreshingly direct antidote to the cerebral excesses of prog rock,and Ducks DeLuxe were one of the prime exponents of this short-lived genre. Charismatic frontman Sean Tyla reassembled the band in 2012 to celebrate their 40th anniversary, recording this muscular CD at Putney's Half Moon to remind listeners of just how potent his old outfit could be in a live context. Newly recruited guitarist Brinsley Schwarz slotted snugly into their line-up as Tyla and company injected archive gems such as "Coast To Coast," "Fireball" and the Flamin' Groovies' "Teenage Head" with all their old power and panache.

Gabor Farkas,"Liszt:Sonata in B minor,Verdi paraphrases"(Warner Classics)-Classical pianist Farkas obviously feels a natural affinity for the music of his compatriot Franz Liszt,and this absorbing 2008 recital presents a varied selection of keyboard works from the pen of the great Hungarian composer. Liszt was a great exponent of "the art of the transcription," and this CD places his arrangements of melodies from Verdi's "Il Trovatore" and "Simon Boccanegra" alongside the intricate "Hungarian Rhapsody No.12" and his dramatic and often wildly expressive "Sonata in B Minor."