With Joe Lynn Turner on board, Rainbow tried one crossover record and one no-frills hard rock record – which meant that Bent out of Shape, their third album with Turner, provided a fine opportunity to get a little arty. Not that the band has turned into Genesis or even returned to the mystical pretensions of its early work; they have merely broadened their horizons. Ironically, that means that they've retreated, at least partially, to the radio-ready sound of Difficult to Cure, but this time, they aren't just trying for a crossover hit.

Big John Patton's Soul Connection originally appeared on drummer Alvin Queen's Nilva label in 1983 - just before the organist's "rediscovery" by John Zorn in the 1990s. It is the lost gem in his catalog and showcases him in one of the most provocative quintets in his career; it feels quite directly like an extension of Patton's late Blue Note period on titles like Memphis to New York Spirit and Accent on the Blues. Patton is accompanied here by the great soul-jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks; tenor saxman Grant Reed; trombonist, composer, and arranger Grachan Moncur III; and Queen - who produced the set - on drums. Musically, the material reflects the diverse range and demeanor of this band. Reed is the least well-known member, but his jazz and funk associations run deep…

German band Rousseau issued three albums during the Eighties ("Flower In Asphalt", "Retreat" and "Square The Circle"), that have all been issued or reissued by Musea. We could define those masterpieces as in the same vein as early Camel, Caravan and other sophisticated English bands. This line-up performs a very romantic and elaborated music that is fond of nostalgic ambiences. The band is mainly instrumental and their style is mainly based on layers and fluid keyboards parts as well as splendid flute solos and airy guitar.

There's no doubting Gioachino Rossini's sincerity in his Stabat Mater – he himself was so moved by the piece that he couldn't bear to attend the work's dress rehearsal or any of its first performances – but still, his setting of the Latin text is, strictly speaking, only a sacred work. With its heightened drama, its passionate lyricism and its histrionic virtuosity, it is actually an emotional work, a work in which the composer takes the Latin text as an opportunity to demonstrate its feelings on the subjects of grief and death.

Brown took a fresh approach for this 1982 date, retaining the trio format but substituting flute for drums and using Monty Alexander instead of regular pianist Gene Harris. The results were intriguing; Most provided colors and sounds that haven't been on a Brown date since, while Alexander added some Caribbean flavor and a bit more adventurous sound.

Cuts Like a Knife is the third studio album by the Canadian rock artist Bryan Adams. Released on 18 January 1983 through A&M Records, the album became a huge commercial success in Canada and the United States whereas outside North America, the album did poorly. After the release of Reckless the album would chart on the British album chart and would later be certified Silver by the BPI. It was recorded at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, Canada. The album was a commercial success and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

The second CD taken from the same Tokyo date that resulted in the Concord disc In Concert finds tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton in predictably fine form, swinging on eight standards and playing melodic variations in a swing vein. With pianist John Bunch, guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Chuck Riggs taking concise solos and offering tasteful support, Hamilton is well showcased on such tunes as "All the Things You Are," "Taps Miller," "All Too Soon" and "Jumpin' the Blues."