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January 26 - February 1
To order an item or view tunes, simply click on its "ItemCode"
ACE
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / ON WITH THE JIVE! 1950'S R&B FROM DOLPHIN'S OF HOLLYWOOD VOL. 1 (1179) |
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The first of several planned volumes that will revisit the catalogue of the late R&B entrepreneur John Dolphin concentrates on rare and unissued material that he produced for the first of his many record labels, Recorded In Hollywood, in the early 1950s. Chock full of familiar Los Angeles names (Pee Wee Crayton, Jesse Belvin, Scatman Crothers, Red Callender etc) and introduced by legendary R&B DJ (and sometime Dolphin employee) 'Huggy Boy', this is as representative a selection of West Coast black music of the pre-rock'n'roll era as you'll find. Includes the tracks: You're A Mean And Evil Woman, Crying And Walking, Easy Money, Cadillac Baby, Rock Bottom, Hang Your Tears Out To Dry and many more.
[Item Code: 61962 CD: $21.00]
 Track 02: Dolphin's Theme (b) |
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN ROCK'N'ROLL - THE FOLLOW-UP HITS (1190) |
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The latest offshoot in Ace's successful "Golden Age Of American Rock'n'Roll" series presents 30 tracks with a common thread - all of them prevented their performers from becoming one hit wonders by following previous hits into the Billboard Hot 100.
[Item Code: 61963 CD: $21.00]
Track 04: Magic Wand (1d) |
ARBORS JAZZ
| AARON WEINSTEIN / BLUE TOO (19355) |
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Phenomenal jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein teams with wildly popular jazz
guitarist John Pizzarelli to display the essence of jazz using hard swinging tunes
mixed with lyrical ballads. A truly fascinating duet recording shows the pure fun
of jazz‹two artists swinging into a mutual groove, surprising and challenging
each other along the way.
[Item Code: 62027 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: I Want To Be Happy |
BEAR FAMILY
| WEBB PIERCE / HIGH GEARED DADDY - GONNA SHAKE THIS SHACK TONIGHT (16790) |
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Webb Pierce was flashy. A Louisiana Hayride star, he replaced Hank Williams on the Grand Ole Opry in 1952. Of his 96 charted singles, 13 were #1's and 39 others were top tens all while living the hard-boozing honky tonk life he sang about. This release features an exclusive compilation of uptempo songs from Pierce's earlier years, featuring Four Star recordings like High Geared Daddy, Heebie Jeebie Blues, and New Panhandle Rag, as well as Pacemaker performances (Roy Acuff's Freight Train Blues, Hayride Boogie, and Have You Ever Had The Feeling). Plus uptempo early Decca recordings including hits In The Jailhouse Now, Love, Love, Love, Honky Tonk Song, Bye Bye Love, Tupelo County Jail and I Ain't Never.
[Item Code: 61966 CD: $24.00]
Track 01: High Geared Daddy |
| HANK THOMPSON / A SIX PACK TO GO - GONNA SHAKE THIS SHACK TONIGHT (16803) |
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33 of Hank's hottest honky tonkers from Capitol, including Rockin' In The Congo! Seven songs from his greatest LP, 'Songs For Rounders!' Sidemen include hot shot country guitar country legends like Merle Travis and Joe Maphis. Hank's hits created the honky-tonk/western swing hybrid George Strait later rode to fame.
[Item Code: 61967 CD: $24.00]
Track 02: John Henry |
CANDID
| DAVID NEWTON / 12TH OF THE 12TH (A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA) (79728) |
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Award-winning pianist David Newton, well known for his appearances with Stacey Kent, has long been an admirer of Frank Sinatra's technical mastery and emotional impact. Here he has chosen to go it alone giving from the pianist's point of view, the essential Sinatra. The thirteen songs cover a twenty six year period in the Sinatra career. The fourteenth track is Newton's own portrait of the saloon singer -Sinatra's preferred description of himself. 'Twelfth of the Twelfth' (the day and month of the singer's birth in 1915) was a one take spontaneous improvisation.
[Item Code: 61813 CD: $16.00]
Track 02: I've Got The World On A String |
| THE GREAT BRITISH JAZZ BAND / A BRITISH JAZZ ODYSSEY (79740) |
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Modern mainstream jazz at its finest! The all-star Great British Jazz Band are in wonderful form in this collection of classics by British composers, from Noel Coward to George Shearing, with many of them being distinguished virtuosi themselves. The Great British Jazz Band features jazz mainstreamers Digby Fairweather (trumpet), Mike Cotton (trumpet), Roy Williams (trombone), Pete Strange (trombone and arrangements), John Barnes (clarinet, tenor and baritone saxophones, vocal), Dave Shepherd (clarinet), Jim Douglas (guitar), Martin Litton (piano), Len Skeat (bass) and Allan Ganley (drums).
[Item Code: 61814 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: Riff Up Them Stairs |
| ALEC DANKWORTH / IF YOU'RE PASSING BY (79773) |
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Bassist Alec Dankworth utilizes a trio format and without a percussionist. Here, the twice voted British Jazz bassist of the year is joined by the evocative saxophone of Julian Arguelles and guitarist Phil Robson. His parents - saxophonist John Dankworth and singer Cleo Laine, are the closest thing to jazz royalty. Given such a pedigree, it's hardly a surprise that Dankworth ended up following some leviathan musical footsteps. One of Dankworth's most influential encounters was with Abdullah Ibrahim, whose composition 'Msunduza,' features on this album. Also included is Dankworth's take on Bobby Troup's 'The Meaning of the Blues' and Brubeck's 'The Duke.'
[Item Code: 61815 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: Msunduza |
CHASE
| DOUG MUNRO / BIG BOSS BOSSA NOVA 2.0 (8078) |
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Guitarist Doug Munro follows up his 2004 ""Big Boss Bossa Nova"" recording with the sequel - ""Big Boss Bossa Nova 2.0."" Doug describes this second edition as ""more of a bare bones session, as compared to the more highly orchestrated first BBBN CD."" The personnel here features Mike Goetz on bass, with Jay Devlin and Jason Anderson splitting the drum chair...musicians that [Doug] plays with day in and day out."" Also present are the intricate rhythmic riffs and intriguing improvisations that are a hallmark of Doug's playing.
[Item Code: 61818 CD: $15.00]
Track 01: Spain |
COLLECTABLES
| EARL HINES / WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (6926) |
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Earl "Fatha" Hines is one of the mainstays of jazz. His recordings with Louis Armstrong are legendary, in particular the duets for piano and cornet. This session was recorded during 1975 in New Orleans. Musicians backing Hines include Wallace Davenport (trumpet), Orange Kellin (clarinet), Tom Ebert (trombone), Emanuel Sayles (guitar/banjo), Lloyd Lambert (bass) and Louis Barbarin (drums). From the archives of Biograph Records.
[Item Code: 61700 CD: $13.00]
Track 01: My Monday Date |
| MEMPHIS MINNIE / EARLY RHYTHM & BLUES 1949 FROM THE RARE REGAL SESSIONS (6937) |
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Memphis Minnie began her recording career in 1929, and by 1949 was one of the most recorded and respected blues guitarists. This recording highlights the recordings that she made for short-lived Regal Records, and features performances by Jimmy Rogers, St. Louis Jimmy, Sunnyland Slim, Little Brother Montgomery and Pee Wee Hughes. From the archives of Biograph Records.
[Item Code: 61701 CD: $13.00]
Track 01: Down Home Girl |
GIANT STEPS RECORDS
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / CALIFORNIA COOL CLUB BLUES (5) |
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Another fascinating collection of half-century old nuggets from the indefatigable doyen of selection compilers, Roy Carr. This one, subtitled "The Ultimate Chill-Out" documents West Coast Blues and R & B. Carr, in a characteristically informative liner note, traces the phenomenon to the rapid expansion of the US defence industry, and points out that one of this compilation's standout tracks, Cecil Gant's charmingly laconic "I Wonder" was responsible for kick-starting the commercial viability of the genre by selling over a million copies in 1945. For the contemporary listener, what immediately impresses is the way in which West Coast blues and R & B artists 'softened' the forms in a remarkably similar manner to that of their jazz equivalents. Even the electric blues of T-Bone Walker, which occupies the 'hard' pole of this selection (Billy Eckstine and Nat King Cole occupying the opposite one), is very much lighter than the urban blues of, say, Elmore James or Magic Sam, and the club friendly music that forms the heart of this collection owes more to the entertainment skills of Louis Jordan and the sophisticated polish of contemporary cabaret jazz than to the viscereal power of the Chicago blues immortalized on the Chess and Denmark labels.
[Item Code: 61997 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: A New Shade of Blues (a) |
HIGHNOTE
| STEVE NELSON / SOUND-EFFECT (7175) |
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Steve Nelson and company are the torch bearers for their music - the spiritual and rhythmic language of the music that has been handed down by their predecessors. Their art is ever-renewable with interchange between four very talented jazz musicians.
[Item Code: 62106 CD: $17.00]
Track 01: One Thin Dime |
JASMINE
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / BROADWAY SONGS, HITS AND SHOWSTOPPERS (18) |
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4-CD set. Most other Broadway collections feature just studio or orchestral recreations of the tunes, but Jasmine's superlative new 4CD set features the original performances by the original stars! With 100 titles from 1927-1957 spanning three decades including seventeen "showstoppers" such as "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning" from This Is The Army and "Nobodies Chasing Me" from Out Of This World. Fitting nicely alongside the big "showstoppers" are some superbly re-mastered novelties. If you are looking to tread the boards and reach the glitzy heights of Broadway then this is the ultimate collection!
[Item Code: 61973 4-CD: $30.00]
Track 01: Got Rhythm (1a) |
| LENNY DEE / IN DEE-MAND (468) |
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2-CD set. Scintillating new set showcasing Dee-Most versatile organist of his day! Featuring no less than four of Lenny Dee's original LPs all wonderfully re-mastered, plus eight singles, seven of which were only released in the USA, all of which have never been released on CD! This new set is not only a must for fans of the Hammond organ, but a must for anyone who is yet to experience the fun and extraordinary talent of one of its most spirited players!
[Item Code: 61974 2-CD: $17.00]
Track 01: Cotton Walk |
| NELSON EDDY / OUT OF THE NIGHT (474) |
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Consisting of 54 tracks, most of which are debuting on CD along with sought after tracks "Great Day" & "Mule Train". Orchestral conductors include Hugo Winterhalter, Paul Weston and Robert Armbruster. Also featuring duets with pop star Jo Stafford and operatic diva Eleanor Steber. Plus with his 1957 EP for RCA Victor recorded with conductor David Rose and being made in conjunction with the Nelson Eddy appreciation society this is a certainty for any Nelson Eddy fan!
[Item Code: 61975 2-CD: $17.00]
Track 01: Serenade |
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / CHIME BELLS - THE BEST OF COUNTRY YODEL VOLUME 3 (3566) |
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Following on nicely from our previous yodel releases this new set matches the variety, diversity and quality of the first two volumes, & includes a yodelling Patti Page! 27 tracks of swing, cowboy songs, country ballads. Opening with Elton Britt's 1947 hit version of "Chime Bells." Includes classic tracks like Patsy Montana's "If I Could Only Learn To Yodel", Rex Allen's long-deleted classic version of "Texas Plains" and Skeeter Bonn's version of "The Yodeling Bird" There are many fine but rare tracks never before on CD, some have not been available since the original 78rpm singles!
[Item Code: 61976 CD: $13.00]
Track 01: Chime Bells (a) |
JAZZED MEDIA
| PHIL WOODS / PLAY HENRY MANCINI (1002) |
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This newly reissued session features the music of Henry Mancini played by a
quintet led by NEA Jazz Master Phil Woods and jazz trumpeter Carl Saunders. Featuring over 75 minutes of music, the CD reprises some of Mancini's greatest
jazz compositions.
[Item Code: 62032 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: The Pink Panther |
NIMBUS
| DUKE ELLINGTON / 24 CLASSIC HITS (2014) |
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Re-release. These recordings cover a major portion of Duke's initial output, beginning with his first signature tune, "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo". Continues with the Cotton Club band featuring Barney Bigard & Johnny Hodges. By 1930 the orchestra had been enlarged to 14 pieces and 1940 saw the arrival of Ellington's first tenor saxophonist, Ben Webster. Another addition was pianist, composer and arranger, Billy Strayhorn, who added a new signature tune, "Take The 'A' Train". These men sparked the Ellington orchestra to new heights of creativing and tracks 11 - 23 represent a sample of their influence. Includes tunes from the Jungle Band, the Famous Orchestra, the Cotton Club Orchestra.
[Item Code: 31608 CD: $11.00]
Track 02: Creole Love Call |
| ARTIE SHAW / SWING LEGENDS (2018) |
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Artie Shaw, most flamboyant and controversial of Swing band leaders - created some of the most exciting and beautiful recordings of the Era. 22 of them are heard here - ranging from uncompromosingly hot jazz to classical "cross-over" concoctions of considerable charm and sophistication - all executed by an outstanding clarinetist with superb technique and heartfelt feeling for the blues. The classic original 78rpm discs have been freshly re-minted in stunningly vibrant compatible stereo/surround sound, to reveal more of their majesty, warmth and orchestral detail.
[Item Code: 32408 CD: $11.00]
Track 01: Nightmare |
| BESSIE SMITH / (6003) |
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The self-styled "Empress of the Blues"(not that anyone would disagree), Bessie Smith was the music's first truly great female performer. On a series of chronological CDs released by the European reissue label Nimbus, nearly the complete oeuvre of this iconoclastic singer is made available, and a treasure trove it is. An enormous influence on nearly every blues and jazz singer to follow, Smith possessed inimitable phrasing that reshaped even familiar songs into startling new forms. Not to be overlooked are the enormously talented backing musicians featured here, including a young Louis Armstrong. This 20-track compilation includes such Smith classics as "Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer," "I Want Ev'ry Bit of It," and the lesser-known but nonetheless remarkable "Nashville Woman's Blues." The sound throughout is remarkable, especially in light of the age and relative unpolished quality of the recordings.
[Item Code: 61017 CD: $11.00]
Track 01: The Yellow Dog Blues |
SEPIA
| ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST / SIMPLY HEAVENLY (1105) |
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The Broadway musical Simply Heavenly is based on "Simple Takes a Wife" and other "Simple" stories by the celebrated black poet Langston Hughes. The story is about Jess Simple, an honest, easy-going man trying to raise enough money to divorce the wife he does not love in order to marry his new love, Joyce; his experiences with the neighbourhood colourful characters and his unsuccessful attempts to escape Zarita, the local man eater who is bent on leading him astray. Simply Heavenly also highlights many aspects of Harlem, its jazz, its humour and the universal problem of paying the rent and buying a shot of gin. Langston Hughes, who also wrote the book and lyrics for this musical, collaborated with musician and bandleader David Martin, who contributed the music, on Simply Heavenly. The show opened in New York in 1957 to moderate success but failed to find an audience in London when it transferred to the West End in 1958 with Bertice Reading in the lead. As a result of the failure the original London production was not recorded. However it was revived in London in 2003 and it was second time lucky for this time the show achieved a healthy run of over 200 performances and won numerous awards. For bonus tracks we have included eight by Bertice Reading; recordings she made in Paris in 1956 and one by "Bloody Mary" Juanita Hall - Love Can Hurt You, a song she co-wrote with Langston Hughes. All 24 tracks are appearing on CD for the first time.
[Item Code: 62023 CD: $15.00]
Track 03: Broken Strings (c) |
| VIVIAN BLAINE / SINGS SONGS FROM THE ZIEGFELD FOLLIES & THE GREAT WHITE WAY (1106) |
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In the mid 1950s Blaine recorded two companion albums -"Songs From the Ziegfeld Follies" and "Songs From the Great White Way". The 24 show tunes ranged from classic novelties like "You'd Be Surprised," and "Hello, Frisco!" to such torchy numbers as "My Man," and "But Not For Me", providing her with ample opportunity to display her versatility. These 24 tracks are now available on this CD with 3 additional bonus tracks for new generations to discover and enjoy.
[Item Code: 62024 CD: $15.00]
Track 02: Row Row Row |
| CONNIE HAINES / NIGHTINGALE FROM SAVANNAH (1107) |
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Lovers of big band music will know Connie Haines as that pert little singer who swung with the orchestras of Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. But her story doesn't stop there for Connie's career continued right on through the ensuing decades via concert performances, recordings and television appearances. Connie waxed over 150 songs in total for nearly all the major record labels of the day and those late 40's and early 50's recordings are hard to come by. While her dance band recordings have been re-released in various incarnations, few of her much sought after solo recordings have seen the light of day on CD so what a distinct pleasure it is to present this Sepia collection. Connie hails from Savannah, Georgia, which might explain the title of this release. Connie made her first solo records just after World War II including a rarely heard side "Shoo-Fly Pie & Apple Pan Dowdy" which starts the programme here followed by standards such as "Stormy Weather", "You Made Me Love You" and "My Man". Also of interest is Connie's own updating of her 1941 hit with Tommy Dorsey, "Will You Still Be Mine?" with wartime lyrics now being replaced by "newer, hipper" (for 1947) references. We have also included several sprightly duets on this 27 track CD. With Bob Crosby comes "Destination Moon" and "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" On "Darktown Strutter's Ball" Connie and crooner Alan Dale sing with a Dixie beat, which became a minor hit for the duo. Equally at home on ballads as she is on up-tempo tunes, this CD affords listeners the opportunity to hear her in a variety of settings varying from tight jazz trio to full orchestra. "Maybe It's Because" illustrates Connie's special handling of a ballad, while "Ol' Man Mose" finds her tackling the Teresa Brewer belter with equal aplomb.
[Item Code: 62025 CD: $15.00]
Track 02: You Made Me Love You |
SUMMIT RECORDS
| TED KOOSHIAN / (495) |
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From The Simpsons theme to Led Zeppelin's 'Black Dog,' this record is chockfull
of an odd assortment of familiar tunes, brilliantly performed. Most recently the pianist for the national tour of the Broadway show Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Ted Kooshian performs regularly around the NY area. Kooshian is a member of the Ed Palermo Big Band and has performed with Aretha Franklin, Blood Sweat & Tears, Chuck Berry, and many others. His bandmates, some of New York's finest jazz musicians, include Jeff Lederer, a member of Matt Wilson's Acoustic Jazz Group.
[Item Code: 62033 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: Top Cat |
TAKE TWO
| VARIOUS ARTISTS / ECHOES OF THE 1920s (509) |
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2-CD set. The recorded popular music of the 1920s is resonant with the sound of gaiety, enthusiasm and a zest for living. Technology was advancing through the radio and the motion picture (soon to find a voice); vaudeville was still the pre-eminent form of entertainment; and jazz was gaining a wider, mainstream audience. The music of the 1920s is a curious mix of the sentimental and the profane. It can be wild and it can be tender.
[Item Code: 62104 2-CD: $25.00]
Track 02: Margie (1b) |
TCB
| CHUCK MANNING / NOTES FROM THE REAL (27502) |
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Anyone who has been involved with the Los Angeles jazz scene over the last
quarter-century doesn't need to ask who Chuck Manning is - if you don't know,
you've been missing out and you're in for a long overdue treat with this release
of his first solo CD. Manning is not new to recording - he has made dozens of appearances on other musicians' recordings and his longtime collaboration with Swiss multi-instrumentalist In addition to a host of recordings, Manning was the reedman and co-leader of the Los Angeles Jazz Quartet and has shared the stage with countless great musicians, among them Bobby Bradford, Darek Oles, Alan Broadbent, Conte Candoli, Alphonse Mouzon, and Tootie Heath.
[Item Code: 62028 CD: $16.00]
Track 03: Ambrosia |
TURTLE RECORDS
| SECOND VISION / IT'S ALL IN THE MIND (16) |
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(SACD) Without question, this record is a new milestone in the 15 year existence of the Dutch fusion band Second Vision. The band members (together since 1992) continue to inspire each other to give their musical utmost in each song, resulting in music filled with all the warmth and energy of the musicians themselves. This record includes guest appearances by two internationally-acclaimed artists, the fantastic vocalist Dianne Reeves and the equally extraordinary vibraphonist Mike Mainieri.
[Item Code: 62020 SA: $32.00]
Track 01: It's All In The Mind |
| BUZZ BROS BAND / CASTLE IN THE AIR (19) |
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(SACD) Castle In The Air is the debut release for the Buzz Bros. Band on Turtle Records. This Jazz quartet plays improvised instrumental music on guitars, electric sitar and bouzouki, Fender Rhodes and other keyboards, bass and drums, the latter played only with brushes. Accessibility, adventure and personal interaction and communication are key elements in this fresh and contemporary jazz music of the Buzz Bros. Band.
[Item Code: 62021 SA: $32.00]
Track 01: Castle In The Air (Short Version) |
WHALING CITY SOUND
| JOE BECK / COINCIDENCE (40) |
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No strangers to the jazz guitar duo, Abercrombie has collaborated with Ralph
Towner, John Scofield, Mick Goodrick, and John Basile while Beck has recorded with John Scofield and Larry Corvell. This diverse program of standards, blues, and originals displays great chance - taking and interplay, and is just what one would expect from these two guitarists.
[Item Code: 62034 CD: $16.00]
Track 01: Beautiful Love |
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