After their 2005 self-titled debut, Asobi Seksu earned a lot of critical praise and a lot of My Bloody Valentine comparisons for its unabashedly shoegaze vision. Of Asobi Seksu's take on the genre, one music writer assessed, "'It's shoegaze.' But it's difficult to emphasize precisely how modern and revived this shoegaze is." In May of 2006, they released the follow-up, Citrus, showcasing, as CMJ noted, a tighter, more melody-driven "balance [of] turbulent shoegazer fuzz with sparkling pop confection," yielding a "more lush organic," and, I would add, more original result. Their latest recording

features 8 tracks from Citrus, 2 from their debut album, and one excellent cover.

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Founded by pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Kenny Clarke, The Modern Jazz Quartet began as the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra in 1946. By 1951, the quartet had set their own course and recorded as the Milt Jackson Quartet. In 1952, with the substitution of Percy Heath for Ray Brown on bass, the group became established as The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). The group combined forms and instrumentation common to classical music with jazz improvisation, paving a way for a new genre known as "third stream." They would go on to perform at prestigious concert halls often joined by an orchestra as well as many famous soloists.

Amie Street is very excited to bring you

. This live concert recording features the quartet in it's third reincarnation (Connie Kay eventually replaced Kenny Clarke on drums). We can assure you that they can swing with the best of them -- even with their tuxedos on!

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Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers were one of the most prominent ensembles in hard bop. Led by drummer Art Blakey, the group's members included (at one time or another) Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Bobby Timmons, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, Joanne Brackeen, Billy Harper, Valery Ponomarev, Bill Pierce, Branford Marsalis, James Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, and Chuck Mangione, and Amie Street's own Wynton Marsalis to name a few.

features live recordings from 2 separate occasions with different horn players performing on each recording. Despite the lineup changes, Blakey's fierce drumming fuels the fire for these classic performances.

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"They call Lenny Bruce a sick comic, and sick he is. Sick of all the pretentious phoniness of a generation that makes his vicious humor meaningful. He is a rebel, but not without a cause, for there are shirts that need un-stuffing, egos that need deflating. Sometimes you feel guilty laughing at some of Lenny's mordant jabs, but that disappears a second later when your inner voice tells you, with pleased surprise, 'But that's true'."[Herb Caen, 1959]

Lenny Bruce was notorious for using obscenities during performances. Although comedians today curse freely (even excessively), in the 1960's, Bruce's language led to several controversial arrests. Aside from the negative stigma associated with Bruce, he had many influential supporters including Woody Allen, Allen Ginsburg, and Bob Dylan, who wrote a tribute song in his defense.

is one of Bruce's most recognized and controversial works and features the comedian's signature delivery.

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Have you ever stopped to think about the nameless inventors responsible for the items you use every day? Who first conceived the coffee maker? The lithium ion battery in your cell phone? Anti-lock brakes? HIT STIX!? Somewhere, someone collected a paycheck for dreaming up these items that you use every day and take for granted. That guy (or girl) might have walked by you on the street yesterday and seen you using the thing (s)he invented, completely anonymous in your eyes despite having contributed positively to your life.

Even in the world of music, in which artists are hoisted upon shoulders and given sweet gift bags at awards shows, a song can eclipse the artist responsible. Sadly, although you'd be hard-pressed to find someone in the United States who has never heard She Blinded Me With Science (

), Thomas Dolby isn't exactly a household name. It probably won't surprise you that Mr. Dolby's least favorite Thomas Dolby song is the aforementioned ubiquitous hit. Dolby's live collection showcases a number highlights from his sample/synth driven catalog that might never have achieved "classic" pop status, but are nonetheless worthy of your RECs.

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It would be a sin to say that jazz and blues are different genres. Both genres have been continuously influenced by one another. Jazz wouldn't exist without it's roots in the blues. If it weren't for the influence of jazz on the blues, the art form never would have evolved to it's current state. Recognizing this inherent co-dependence,

, showcases this relationship between the two genres -- bringing together recordings from both jazz and blues legends. This album features recordings of some of Brubeck and King's most influential tunes. A must have for anyone who loves blues and jazz!

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Sarah McLachlan is one of the most accomplished performers in popular music today. In addition to winning multiple GRAMMY awards and recording multi-platinum selling albums, she also started the Lilith Fair tour and performed at the historic Live8 concert in 2006. Amie Street is pleased to bring you

featuring live versions of some of McLachlan's biggest hits.

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Wynton Marsalis is known by many as a controversial figure for his neo-classical beliefs in regard to jazz. While many disagree with his beliefs, no one can argue that Marsalis is one of the most talented musicians today. His accomplishments range from playing with Art Blakey and Herbie Hancock to winning the Pulitzer Prize and being hired to direct the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Marsalis has also paved the way for jazz education by starting an annual High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival that reaches over 2000 bands in 50 states and Canada, a Band Director's Academy, and a hugely popular concert series for kids called "Jazz For Young People."

(recorded when he was only 19) features Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams on four tunes (Miles Davis's former rhythm section) as well as "Young Lions" Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, James Fambrough, Clarence Seay, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Listen to this album and you'll know exactly why Marsalis has been at the forefront of jazz for nearly thirty years.

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Beginning in the 1950's, saxophonist Stan Getz (nicknamed "the sound") made his mark on jazz with his beautiful tone. Perhaps best known for his collaborations with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Getz also played with a ton of jazz giants from Benny Goodman to Gary Burton to Chick Corea. Amie Street is bringin' you

featuring five swingin' live tracks from 1980 including great jazz standards Autumn Leaves () and Billie's Bounce ().

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"Her comic timing, honed after decades of public performance, is impeccable." [New York Times]

"...angrier and funnier than ever. She may be a blowtorch to the extreme Christian right, but for many she's a breath of fresh air. That she's standing in front of a mike, speaking her mind to packed houses, is in itself a ray of hope in dark times." [LA Times]

Need we say more about Margaret Cho? Yes, we must! In addition to being hilarious, Cho has been honored as the recipient of the First Amendment Award from the ACLU of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW). She has also been honored by GLAAD, American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and PFLAG for "making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for all, regardless of race, sexual orientation or gender identity." Wow!

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