This Week's New Releases and Reiussues

Earlier this year, Queen went on the road for the first time in nearly 20 years. Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company) joined Brian May and Roger Taylor for 32 European arena dates. Queen + Paul Rodgers Live: Return of The Champions, a two-CD set of performances from that tour, is scheduled for release September 19.

On the same day (September 20) that Steve Winwood kicks off a month-long tour, The Last Great Traffic Jam, the first-ever live DVD (with bonus CD) of Traffic's 1994 reunion tour will be released. In addition to performances (including one with guest guitarist Jerry Garcia) the DVD includes behind the scenes footage and interviews.

The genius of the late Ray Charles lives on with the previously unreleased duets on Ray Charles - Genius and Friends, scheduled for release on September 20. These tracks were recorded in 1998, six years before Genius Loves Company, which was released last year. Among the "friends" featured on the newest CD are Chris Isaak, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. A huge 7-CD box set of remastered Atlantic Records tracks recorded between 1952 and 1959, Ray Charles-The Complete Atlantic Recordings is also being released on September 20.

Funk rockers, Earth Wind & Fire appear with some Illumination on September 20. Sanctuary Records calls this “a collection of classic EW&F sounds coupled with stellar duets with artists that have been influenced by EW&F, such as Raphael Saadiq, Sleepy Brown, Brian McKnight, and Floetry.”