"It is never right to play Ragtime fast." Scott Joplin's famous instruction, printed at the top of most of his publications, has been overlooked by many pianists who take quick, Tin Pan Alley tempos for such favorites as Maple Leaf Rag and The Easy Winners. Listening to William Appling's four-CD set of the complete rags, waltzes, and marches, one should be convinced that the correct speed for most of Joplin's piano music seems to be a moderate walking, if not ambling, pace, and Joplin's subtle harmonies and intricate syncopations are easier to appreciate when the timing is leisurely. Appling came to Joplin by way of rediscovering a student's abandoned copy of the Collected Works edition, and playing through the rags in 2001 gave him the impetus to record not only this impressive collection, but also to work on other Joplin projects, such as a full-scale production of the opera Treemonisha.

“Rebolu is a party!” exclaims the intrepid group. “We are a confluence of sound and energy reflecting the intensity of our urban life and the need to create music for the world based on our folklore and heritage." Leaders in the New Colombian Music movement of New York City, their adopted home, Rebolu’s vibrant, salsa-inspired music has its roots in the diverse Afrocentric rhythms of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. On their Smithsonian Folkways debut Mi Herencia (My Heritage), composer Ronald Polo, tambor alegre master Morris Cañate, percussionist Erica “Kika” Parra, lead singer Johanna Castañeda, and their top-drawer bandmembers bring a battery of percussion, commanding gaita flute melodies, and make-you-move vocal stylings into the spotlight as they exuberantly reinvigorate generations-old traditions.

The Little Village Foundation run by keyboardist Jim Pugh assembled this band through Indian blues harmonica player & singer Aki Kumar, who brought drummer June Core and guitarist Rome Yamilov, deciding to make the release a "crazy guitar album" by adding Henry Kaiser; along with vocalist Lisa Leuschnet they hit the mark in an exuberantly diverse set of blues performing the music of J.B. Lenoir.

Big Break Records is proud to present Delegation’s The Promise Of Love. Featuring the alternative tracks chosen for the US release and all the non-album single sides from that period, as well as comprehensive liner notes from Christian John Wikane incorporating new interviews with Bailey and Gold, this is essential listening for all Soul, Disco and Pop fans.

Longyin - The Dragon Chants, an enchanting collaboration between eminent multi-instrumentalists Cheng Yu and Dennis Kwong Thye Lee, releases this September 24th 2021 on ARC Music.

After decades of recording for RCA Victor, Atkins switched labels; this 1985 effort is a summit meeting of sorts with young guitar hotshots like Larry Carlton, George Benson, Mark Knopfler, Steve Lukather, and Earl Klugh, plus session A-teamers like Boots Randolph, Larrie Londin, David Hungate, Mark O'Connor and others. Atkins' tone is, as usual, faultless, and his playing superb. If the "meetings" don't always come off, it's usually due to the overzealousness of the other guitar players (Lukather's over-the-top style screams '80s big hair, for instance), not Chet, whose playing always exercises the utmost in restraint in every situation. All in all, a good modern-day Chet Atkins album, but not the place to start a collection.

This disc presents a the music of a group of French musicians who throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries painted each other’s portraits, or their self-portraits, generally with considerable wit. We know that they were familiar with each other, and many of them are described in works bearing their names, or in tributes such as tombeaux. Thus Rameau, in his Pièces de clavecin en concerts, made fun of himself, and then offered his personal vision of Marin Marais and Forqueray.

Today almost entirely forgotten, Reutter has been the most successful composer of opera in Vienna during the 1730s, and the single and most influential composer of church music in Vienna for three decades, enjoying the estimation of both Charles VI and Maria Theresia. The son of a court organist and music director at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Reutter studied with Antonio Caldara and, having returned from a period of study in Italy, was nominated imperial court composer in Vienna in 1730. He became first director of music at St. Stephen’s im 1738, second Hofkapellmeister in 1747 and first Hofkapellmeister in 1769. His influential position in the musical life of Vienna led to conflicts with Durazzo and Gluck which escalated in 1761. Reutter is one of the few composers who composed for the Pantaleon (salterio).

The historical-performance movement has extended its reach into much of the 19th century, but this is the world-premiere recording of Robert Schumann's trios on historical instruments. Actually only the piano dates from Schumann's lifetime, but it's especially the violin and cello that differ markedly from their contemporary counterparts with their gut strings. The result is a pair of Schumann chamber music performances of a quieter cast than the common run, yet also moody and full of strong affect and characterization.

Before they got into the business of cloning themselves, Therion made quite an interesting appearance on the extensive 90's metal scene. With Theli, Therion reached the end of their progression from a Celtic Frost replica into a highly influential blend of Celtic Frost's pioneering theatrical tendencies with an equal amount of Metallica thrash metal and Sisters of Mercy gothic rock.
Therion will probably not charm you much if you expect great musicianship, both the riffing and the song writing is fairly straightforward. But it is applied to maximum effect: they don't repeat too much here, change tempo and melodies frequently enough and had plenty of ideas to keep your attention to the proceedings. Both the inspiration and the passion for what they were doing ran high in those days…

Rob Gordon was a co-founder of the UK's Warp Records, onetime whizz-kid employee of Sheffield's Fon Studios and creator of Forgemasters'mighty underground “Track With No Name.” Recorded during his mid-90s freefall from an acrimonious split with Warp, Ozoona is one of the only surviving longform examples of Gordon's mercurial art, and therefore represents something of a coup for Fax. “She Ship” is an elegant, urbane update on ‘bleep'techno, while “Flat Pack”'s Moog input suggests this track is Namlook's main contribution to the CD. The 17-minute “Blackbird Suite” is a loose, swinging take on ‘intelligent'drum 'n'bass that sounds like a band of cybernetic jazz virtuosi. But “The Hunt” raises the bar entirely: a manic, monotonous grey slew of compressed Hardcore breaks that's rarely been outrun, even by the likes of Autechre in their more jackhammering moments.

To celebrate the 20th Concord Jazz Festival, an all-star quintet of veterans was gathered together to play swinging jazz. With trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, Red Holloway on tenor, pianist Gene Harris, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jeff Hamilton comprising the group, it is not a surprise that this session is quite successful. Standards and ballads (along with a Ray Brown blues) make up the program and the results are satisfying.

Fifth album by London-based country/pub rock band features 11 tracks, drawing heavily on the US west coast sound at the time. Initially recording began in 1973, but the sessions were never completed, the album never released, & the band split up. Eventually , in the winter of 2002, the original band members, with a new drummer, finally completed their fifth album. Includes original illustrated artwork along with a booklet containing new liner notes by band member Malcolm Morey.