a heartbroken line with a twist of humor. His 2007 release, The High Above and the Down Below was a critics darling named one of the Top 5 releases of the year by USA Today and marked a musical renaissance for Cliff. He follows it up with 500 Miles: The Blue Rock Sessions , an album of sonic superiority and exemplary musicianship that makes it a cornerstone of his catalog. Tucked away in the Texas Hill Country, Cliff recorded the twelve tracks in the legendary Blue Rock Studio with some of the cream of Austin's music scene. Capturing the open space and creative spirit that flourishes at Blue Rock, each track swaggers with a sexiness that hovers like the Texas heat. Cliff's soulful grit and vocal prowess deliver each line wit...  (less)

addition to some obvious choices (the four Booker T. & the MG's tracks, the Mar-Keys' "Last Night"), it also offers some left-field picks, such as the varied approaches to Latin music offered by Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, and El Chicano. The stock of virtuoso performances here is all but endless: the bass-and-drums breakdown on Cliff Nobles and Co.'s "The Horse," the glinting guitar solo on the Bar-Kays' "Soul Finger," Hugh Masekela's questing trumpet on "Grazing in the Grass." --Rickey Wright  (less)

the first time in the United States. Cliff's original material is showcased on the top 20 UK title track, "Healing Love" and the #1 "Saviour's Day." "The Millennium Prayer," which also hit #1, deftly weaves heartfelt lyrics around a musical telling of "The Lord's Prayer." He also interprets some American classics, like the evergreen "Butterfly Kisses," which hit #1 for its writer Bob Carlisle across several secular and mainstream radio formats. Cliff eloquently covers Bette Midler's "From a Distance" and gives a stirring performance on the "Rainbow/Wonderful World" medley. He even recalls his roots when he delivers his brand of rock n' roll on Larry Norman's ground-breaker "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Mu...  (less)

Originally Released in July 1970 and it Spoke Volumes About the Kind of Performer Sir Cliff Had Become: An All-round Entertainer who Indulged in Everything from American R&b, Northern Soul, Broadway Showtunes, Folk Rock and Pop.  (less)

jazz and new music, Agitation Free soon relegated to the not so flattering category of Krautrock made musical forays into areas that few of their fellow German musicians had ever penetrated. At a time when most in Germany were still orienting themselves as closely as possible to Anglo-American musical formats, Agitation Free found a completely new and very original form of musical expression. Looking back, it s evident that the Agitation Free was one of the most important bands of the experimental circle known as the Berlin School , and a career springboard for a whole slew of musicians. At the same time, this policy of changing personnel also meant risking that the band couldn t keep itself together over the long run. Agitation Free consciously took...  (less)

Roll Juvenile', 'Where You Are' and more. EMI.  (less)

It was chaotic. The high brow press hated it but the young people took it to their hearts. Six-Five Special was born! Almost a year later, Oh Boy! Was launched on ITV by the same producer who created Six-Five Special, Jack Good. Unlike its predecessor it was an all out blast of streamlined Rock akin to a rocket launch! This fantastic CD has a whopping 39 tracks that cover both the Six-Five Special and Oh Boy! albums in their entirety! Featuring big names Don Lang, Jim Dale and an artist who went on to be one of the UK biggest Rock stars, Cliff Richard. Jasmine.  (less)