KANSAS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

‘Dust in the Wind’ Endures, Approaches 35th Anniversary, Commemorative Gift Book to be Released

One of classic rock’s most instantly recognizable and enduring songs, ‘Dust in the Wind,’ will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2012. As part of the celebration for this one-of-a-kind tune (penned by Kerry Livgren and first recorded by the band KANSAS), a 35th anniversary limited edition gift book is being released.

This beautifully designed 6” x 6” hardcover gift book is four-color throughout, 32-pages, and includes song lyrics, personal stories from fans, and a foreword by Kerry Livgren. Kerry Livgren will sign books ordered by October 20, 2011. Books cost $20, plus shipping and handling, and are available for purchase exclusively at www.kansasband.com.

A portion of the proceeds from each book will benefit Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. “Autism Speaks is thrilled to have been selected by KANSAS to receive proceeds from this exciting project about this iconic song,” said Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. “The 35th Anniversary Dust in the Wind book will bring our message of awareness, treatment, and hope to a musical community of KANSAS fans through out the world.”

With their aforementioned self-titled first album released in 1974, KANSAS went on to become one of the decade’s most popular rock acts – issuing classic rock albums such as 1976’s ‘Leftoverture’ and 1977’s ‘Point of Know Return,’ along with the hit singles “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust In the Wind,” and “Point of Know Return.” The band, which is comprised of singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams, drummer Phil Ehart, bassist Billy Greer, and violinist David Ragsdale – continues to tour in front of large and enthusiastic audiences and to this day remain a fixture on classic rock radio.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:

www.kansasband.com

www.facebook.com/kansasband

www.facebook.com/dustinthewindbook

www.autismspeaks.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LEGACY RECORDINGS ANNOUNCES NEXT ROUND OF THE COMPLETE ALBUMS COLLECTIONS

NEWLY CREATED BOXED SETS OF ORIGINAL ALBUMS BY GROVER WASHINGTON Jr., KANSAS, WAYNE SHORTER, AND JOHN DENVER TO BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT POPMARKET.COM BEGINNING JULY 26

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Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announces the next round of artists to be showcased in The Complete Albums Collections, a new product line for serious listeners offering new releases throughout the year available exclusively through PopMarket.com.

Newly designed box sets containing the original album catalogs of Grover Washington Jr., Kansas, Wayne Shorter, and John Denver have been created especially for The Complete Albums Collections line.

Each of the sets offers music fans and collectors the chance to own complete official discographies of classic albums on CD (with many out of print and rare titles finally available). Individual discs come sleeved in 5×5 mini-jacket reproductions of the original album cover art alongside a stand-alone booklet with discographic information and photos, all housed in a beautifully packaged clamshell box.

Upcoming releases from The Complete Albums Collections will feature Sony Music Entertainment’s most notable artists and their pivotal recordings.

The Complete Albums Collections will showcase a diverse selection of iconic artists each month, offering completists a rare opportunity to own complete classic discographies on CD (with bonus tracks and rarities).

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Grover Washington Jr. – The Complete Columbia Albums Collection (9 CDs)

Albums included:

House Full of Love (Music from The Cosby Show) (1986)

Strawberry Moon (1987)

Then and Now (1988)

Time Out of Mind (1989)

Next Exit (1992)

All My Tomorrows (1994)

Soulful Strut (1996)

Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (1997)

Aria (2000)

Whether playing R&B-infused jazz pop or straight-ahead swing, master saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. always played from the heart. A thoroughly schooled musician who later learned to play genuine funky jazz with such masters as Johnny “Hammond” Smith and Charles Earland, Washington perfected a saxophone style that blended melodic elegance with soulful grit. His work on alto, tenor and soprano was an entrancing model of authentic communication; when he played, you listened.

His work for Columbia made a strong case for his musical diversity. His heady mix of R&B, jazz and pop pulses through Strawberry Moon, Time Out of Mind, Next Exit and Soulful Strut, popular recordings where Grover shared his aesthetic spaces with pop, jazz and blues icons Nancy Wilson, Ramsey Lewis and B.B. King, singers Lalah Hathaway and Levi Stubbs, and A-list players including Marcus Miller and Joey DeFrancesco.

Washington’s instrumental prowess is razor-sharp and fully focused on Then and Now and All My Tomorrows, straight-up jazz albums on which his no-nonsense playing was set off by top-flight support musicians including bassist Ron Carter, pianists Herbie Hancock, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, and singer Freddy Cole. Further and often surprising new dimensions of Grover Washington’s sublime and much-missed musicianship can be heard on his Christmas album, Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection, and Aria, a selection of immortal classical works exquisitely adapted for saxophone.

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Kansas – The Classic Albums Collection 1974-1983 (11 CDs)

Albums included:

Kansas (1974)

Song For America (1975)

Masque (1975)

Leftoverture (1976)

Point of Know Return (1977)

Two for the Show (2 CDs) (1978)

Monolith (1979)

Audio-Visions (1980)

Vinyl Confessions (1982)

Drastic Measures (1983)

The definitive box set documenting the classic recordings of Kansas, the trail-blazing American progressive rock band, the collection contains remastered CD editions of the band’s ten albums released on the Kirshner and CBS Records labels between 1974 and 1983, with live and rare bonus tracks from the period. The Two for the Show live collection has been expanded to include bonus performances not included on the album’s original vinyl release.

With a sound as expansive as the band’s home state, Kansas scored big in the 1970s by applying an all-American heartland sensibility to the influence of such British progressive-rock bands as Yes, Genesis and King Crimson. Merging complex, classically-influenced arrangements with a boogie rock punch, Kansas built a distinctive, commanding sound that propelled the band to platinum-selling arena-filling stardom. Such timeless tunes as “Dust in the Wind,” “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Point of Know Return” became radio staples and classic rock anthems emblematic of an era.

By the time Kansas released its eponymous debut album in 1974, the band had already developed a powerful live act and built a solid regional following. Their subsequent releases Song for America and Masque expanded the group’s audience, but it was 1976′s multi-platinum Leftoverture that propelled Kansas into the commercial big leagues. Point of Know Return continued the band’s ascent, and the 1978 live album Two for the Show captured Kansas at the peak of its performing powers. Monolith and Audio-Visions showed Kansas continuing to refine its sound, while 1982′s Vinyl Confessions produced one of the band’s biggest singles, “Play the Game Tonight.” 1983′s Drastic Measures introduced Kansas to the MTV generation via the video/radio hit “Fight Fire with Fire.”

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Wayne Shorter – The Complete Columbia Albums Collection (6 CDs)

Albums included:

Native Dance with Milton Nascimento (1974)

Atlantis (1985)

Phantom Navigator (1986)

Joy Ryder (1988)

Weather Report Recordings of Wayne Shorter Compositions 1 – new bonus disc

Weather Report Recordings of Wayne Shorter Compositions 2 – new bonus disc

Enigmatic and often inscrutable, Wayne Shorter reveals himself in his music. A brilliant tenor and soprano saxophonist, an outstanding composer, and a bandleader of rare distinction, Shorter began his journey in Newark, New Jersey, where he first began drawing attention to his musical prowess as a teenager. His five year stint, starting in 1959, with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers alerted the jazz world to Shorter’s compelling saxophone playing and his beguiling compositions. Joining Miles Davis in 1964, Shorter solidified what came to be called “The Second Great Quintet,” alongside the trumpeter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams. Shorter’s tunes – “Footprints,” “E.S.P.”, and “Nefertiti” among them – and his alluringly elliptical playing were decisive elements in the critical success of the Davis band. Shorter’s own concurrently released albums as a leader have proved to be just as inspiring to subsequent generations of players as his work with Davis.

With Davis’s initial fusion foray, In a Silent Way, Shorter turned to the soprano saxophone, instantly cementing a new and highly influential voice on the instrument. After participating on the epochal Bitches Brew, Shorter joined forces with Joe Zawinul, forming Weather Report. Increasing commercial success, particularly after the innovative bassist Jaco Pastorius joined, marked the fusion super group’s notable fifteen-year run. Shorter’s own Native Dancer (1974), effectively introduced North American audiences to singer and composer Milton Nascimento.

With the dissolution of Weather Report in 1985, Shorter, the musician, was on his own for the first time. His albums — Atlantis, Phantom Navigator and Joy Ryder — found him delving deeper into extended composition while continuing to investigate electric fusion. The Complete Columbia Albums Collection includes two bonus discs encompassing Shorter’s compositions performed with Weather Report, making this the most complete collection ever assembled of Wayne Shorter’s Columbia Records recordings.

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John Denver – The Complete Studio Albums Collection (8 CDs)

Albums included:

Rhymes and Reasons (1969)

Take Me To Tomorrow (1970)

Whose Garden Was This (1970)

Poems, Prayers and Promises (1971)

Aerie (1971)

Rocky Mountain High (1972)

Farewell Andromeda (1973)

John Denver’s Greatest Hits (1973)

Back Home Again (1974)

An Evening with John Denver (1975) — 2 CDs

Windsong (1975)

Rocky Mountain Christmas (1975)

Spirit (1976)

John Denver’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1977)

I Want to Live (1977)

John Denver (1979)

Autograph (1980)

Some Days are Diamonds (1981)

Seasons of the Heart (1982)

It’s About Time (1983)

John Denver’s Greatest Hits Vol. 3 (1985)

Dreamland Express (1985)

One World (1986)

John Denver Sings (Private Press Album)

The most complete package ever assembled of John Denver’s official studio albums, this boxed set contains 24 original RCA albums released between 1969 and 1986 plus the highly collectible exceedingly rare John Denver Sings, the artist’s privately pressed long-playing album from 1966. Many of the albums in this collection have never been available on CD or any digital medium.

Each copy of John Denver – The Complete Studio Albums Collection includes four postcards featuring photographs taken by John Denver during his travels around the world as well as near his home in Aspen, Colorado.

A seemingly unlikely candidate for pop stardom, John Denver achieved fame with a message of optimism and homespun comforts and verities at a point in history when the U.S.A. had been racked by political scandals, economic uncertainty and the after-effects of the Vietnam War. His boyish looks and wholesome persona went against the grain of a society obsessed with hipness.

Denver provided an alternative vision — and millions responded to it. A veteran of the folk movement (including a stint with the Chad Mitchell Trio), he emerged as a positive voice who could reach across the generational divide with his music.

Included in this definitive set of John Denver’s recordings are his many gold and platinum-selling LPs including Poems, Prayers and Promises (with the hits “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders”), Rocky Mountain High and Windsong (with such enduring compositions as “Annie’s Song” and “I’m Sorry”) as well as later forays into country and pop, all of which contain hidden gems worthy of deeper investigation.

A highlight of this set is a true rarity, the 1966 LP John Denver Sings, a privately pressed, limited-run album released only to John’s friends and family. The recording captures Denver’s youthful idealism and guileless spirit — qualities that remained a part of his music until his tragic death in a 1997 plane crash.

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Upcoming artists in The Complete Albums Collections product line will include the Original Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin, Woody Shaw, Johnny Cash, Phil Spector, Simon & Garfunkel, Weather Report, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Sly & the Family Stone, Alan Parsons Project, Nina Simone, Wynton Marsalis, Dexter Gordon, Electric Light Orchestra, Earth Wind & Fire, and Patti Smith.

PopMarket.com, the online daily deals site exclusively for music fans recently launched by Sony Music Entertainment, offers the hottest daily deals on premium music and rare collectible albums, boxed sets and memorabilia. Free PopMarket.com membership gives music fans unprecedented access to the hottest deals on the coolest music on the planet.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

KANSAS CONTINUE TOURING IN SUPPORT OF THEIR LIVE SYMPHONIC DVD,

‘THERE’S KNOW PLACE LIKE HOME’

All these years later, Kansas still rule the classic rock radio airwaves, and continue to put on simply spellbinding shows of the highest caliber. And what better way to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the release of Kansas’ self-titled 1974 debut than with a live DVD, ‘There’s Know Place Like Home,’ which was released on October 13th, 2009. A hi-def for Blu-ray release (mixed in 5.1 surround sound), the show was filmed in their home state (at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall), and was certainly not your average affair. For this show, the group – which includes singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams, violinist David Ragsdale, bassist Billy Greer, and drummer Phil Ehart – was united with former members Kerry Livgren (guitar/keyboards) and Steve Morse (guitar), as well as the 50-piece Washburn University Orchestra.

When asked how it was to play alongside an orchestra, Ehart responds, “It’s always an adventure. Adding another 50 people to your ‘band’ can always prove eventful. Our biggest memories are usually of certain symphonies that look down their noses at our music. What’s funny about this is that those symphonies are usually the ones that have the most trouble playing our scores!” And when the topic of playing with Livgren and Morse comes up, Williams gets downright philosophical. “Very comfortable…like loose fitting underwear.” Comprised of a solid track listing that includes fine renditions of Kansas classics (“Dust in the Wind,” “Carry On Wayward Son,” etc.) and fan favorites (“Hold On,” “On the Other Side,” etc.), ‘There’s Know Place Like Home’ will surely go down as one of the group’s best-ever live performances.

As far as Kansas’ popularity, it continues to flourish, as their classic ballad, “Dust in the Wind” recently obtained gold status as a digital download, while their classic rocker, “Carry On Wayward Son,” is featured on the games ‘Guitar Hero II’ and ‘Rock Band II.’ “They still get a lot of attention, still get a lot of airplay,” says Williams about the enduring popularity of Kansas’ songs. “They have retained a relevance through the years, that only a small percent of recordings do.” With the release of ‘There’s Know Place Like Home’ and the supporting tour, Kansas will prove this theory as fact once again.

CONFIRMED TRACK LISTING FOR ‘THERE’S KNOW PLACE LIKE HOME,’DVD:

Track listings, please note timings are estimates:

1. Howling At The Moon (3:33)

2. Belexes (6:14)

3. Point Of Know Return (3:20)

4. Song For America (9:32)

5. On The Other Side (6:49)

6. Musicatto (3:20)

7. Ghosts/Rainmaker (4:27)

8. Nobody’s Home (4:55)

9. Hold On (5:02)

10. Cheyenne Anthem (7:26)