The Premiere Collection Volume II

The final MCA Master Series sampler, released in 1990, was the label’s last gasp.  This is evident by the contents of the previous sampler disc, which had no new material.  Unlike Volume 1, this disc has a new artist, but is mostly a retrospective.

Acoustic Alchemy gets a repeat of their breakout hit from Spring Sampler ‘87 and a release of Casino from Natural Elements.

Jerry Douglas gets a repeat of his song from Fall Sampler ‘87.  Booker T Jones gets an extra song from his one album.  Strength in Numbers gets a couple of songs represented from their album.  Jon Goin gets a second promotion of his single album.

Edgar Meyer gets a song repeated from Sampler ‘86.  His last album with MCA Master Series, Work in Progress, would never be featured on a sampler.  It’s hard to tell if the album title is meant to be ironic with the label winding down during production.

Albert Lee gets a single song from his time with MCA Master Series, after not having been promoted on a sampler since Fall Sampler ‘87.

Matt Rollings enters the label, which is exciting and sad news at the same time.  Rollings gets to open the sampler with an impressive Latin jazz piano song, but would not put out any more albums on this label.  No worries, though, because Rollings has played session piano for plenty of artists including the even-later-to-the-game Walter Hyatt.

The artwork is similar to The Premiere Collection Volume 1, which is to say, disappointing.  No color bar and a poor collage of nine album covers.

The only albums not be be featured on any sampler CD are:

  • Walter Hyatt – King Tears
  • Edgar Meyer – Work in Progress
  • Billy Joe Walker Jr. – Painting Music (although a song is featured in The Ultimate Sound sampler)
  • John Jarvis – Pure Contours