Performances of the Bach keyboard partitas are not uncommon but interpretations by insightful and erudite performers are always worthy of attention. Musicologist and harpsichordist, Dr. David Ponsford, made these recordings in 2000. He performs on an instrument by Andrew Garlick after Jean-Claude Gujon.

Bob James is a prolific, best-selling, Grammy-winning composer, arranger, producer, and pianist. Along with Grover Washington, Jr., he is known as one of the fathers of smooth and contemporary jazz. His music seamlessly melds genres from bop to pop, from classical to R&B via relatively simple, accessible, and elegant melodies with rich harmonies and multiple sonic textures, often anchored by lithe, funky grooves. In addition to gold- and platinum-selling albums on his own and in various collaborations, he issued four numerically titled albums for CTI in the mid-'70s that successfully melded jazz, pop, and classical styles with sharp arrangements, accessible melodies, and funky grooves. Those four albums are all considered shining examples of early jazz-funk and have been abundantly sampled by hip-hop DJs and producers…

Liszt's three volumes of Annees de pelerinage are rarely recorded complete, largely because many pianists remain baffled by the dark-hued prophecy and romanticism of the third and final book. So it is particularly gratifying to welcome Lazar Berman's superb 1977 DG recordings back into the catalogue, particularly when so finely remastered on CD. Berman is hardly celebrated as the most subtle or refined of pianists, but at his greatest he combines grandeur and sensibility to a rare degree and his response to Book Three, in particular, is of the highest musical quality and poetic insight.

Truffaz's quartet has been awhile, evolving considerably. It's morphed from an all-acoustic mainstream group in 1997 to a more aggressively rock-informed unit in recent years, influenced by but way less dense and angular than Miles's late-60'/early-70's electric works. These days Patrick Muller is often found feeding his Rhodes through a distortion box, with more powerful rhythms coming from bassist Marcello Giuliani and drummer Marc Erbetta. This early work keeps Erik Truffaz new approach into today's modern jazz.

Several years after the original art rock supergroup Colosseum disbanded, drummer Jon Hiseman formed Colosseum II, a more jazz fusion-oriented outfit featuring guitarist Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy) and keyboardist Don Airey. Their eclectic debut, Strange New Flesh, shows some impressive chops from all involved, with an emphasis on Moore's soulful guitar leads. Vocalist Mike Starr, while not an immensely engaging singer, does a nice job keeping up with Hiseman and bass player Neil Murray. Highlights include the technically showy but blissfully irreverent ode to Pink Floyd, "Dark Side of the Moog," a nice version of Joni Mitchell's "Down to You," and the funky "Gemini and Leo."

Harmonie Universalle is formed by musicians from Western Europe and the Americas. Its director, German-born Florian Deuter, brings his wealth of experience to the group to bind the array of cultures and temperaments that manifest the voice of the ensemble. Alongside are Monica Waisman, Argentine violist; David Glidden, Canadian violist and violinist; and, forming the continuo, French harpsichordist Philippe Grisvard and Hungarian cellist, Dmitri Dichtiar.

Norwegian pop trio A-ha has had their catalog revamped and repackaged a number of times since their inception in the 1980s, but 2016's Time and Again: The Ultimate A-ha brings their canon of hits up to date with the inclusion of material from each of their ten studio albums. The first disc of this set is generally concerned with their hits, beginning, appropriately, with the sunny synths of "Take on Me" and winding chronologically through the years to the sweeping orchestral ballad "Under the Makeup" from their 2015 LP Cast in Steel. The expected tracks like "Touchy!," "The Living Daylights," and their lush cover of the Everly Brothers' "Crying in the Rain" are all included alongside later-era cuts like 2000's "Summer Moved On," which was a number one hit in their home country. The second disc in the set is dedicated entirely to alternate mixes and remixes of their hits, some of which hold some historical value like Jellybean's previously unreleased 1986 remix of "Cry Wolf" and Justin Strauss' rare dub mix of "You Are the One."

In 1968 the composer Antonio Bartoccetti founded the group Jacula, with a view to transform into music a series of theological-philosophical and esoteric observations.
From the inner search to the magic worlds. Classic versus progressive contaminations. First ecological document, church organ, harpsichord, bass, mini-moog, violins, flutes, celebrating voices.

Today, the inimitable jazz vocalist, activist, and nominal godfather of the LA jazz scene, Dwight Trible, returns with the announcement of his new album “Ancient Future”. Out 17th March via London jazz aficionados and analog specialists Gearbox Records , the new record follows his critically acclaimed album “Mothership”, which was released in 2019 and saw him collaborate with the likes of Kamasi Washington, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and more.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, 'The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream.' Today, the dream of Ukrainians is one of victory, complete and final! We are approaching it on the cultural front as well, defending our own cultural borders, assets, and values, while also introducing the unique musical history of Ukraine to the world.

This new release from DUX presents 20th century works for violin duo by Polish composers, performed here by Polish violinists Marta Gidaszewska and Robert Laguniak. Among the composers whose works we can hear on the album, Grazyna Bacewicz occupies a prominent place. Both her Suite for Two Violins (1943) and Easy Duets on Folk Themes for Two Violins (1945), meant for didactic purposes, charm with Bacewicz's typical precision and clarity of structure and interesting melodies. The Sonatina for Two Violins by Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz also refers to Neoclassicism, although the harmony of the piece is more complex, and its expressive values differ from the subdued emotions typical of that era. The next composition, Michal Spisak's Suite for Two Violins, also deviates from the Neoclassical model; despite its declarative title, it is a mysterious work with the narrative element in the dominant role. The last piece presented, Sonata for Two Violins, is a work by Mieczyslaw Weinberg, a Polish composer of Jewish origin whose music is currently being discovered after years of neglect.

The original idea for this fifth clarinet competition was that it would be part of the “Van Eyck project 2020 – 2021”. Everyone knows why this has been delayed by a year. For this competition, three composers were asked to write a new work inspired by the characteristic painting by Jan Van Eyck, “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”. The composers Alain Crepin (Lam Gods Impressions), Johan Duijck (L’Homme désarmé) and Dirk Brossé (The Secret of the Mystic Lamb) have succeeded in this in a very special way. The International Clarinet Competition Ghent has now been organized for the fifth time. It has now grown into a special and highly appreciated competition that, due to its great and quickly built up success, has attracted registrations from more than 200 candidates from 5 continents. Of these, 65 clarinetists were selected to participate. On this album you can listen to the three finalists and enjoy their exceptional playing. Accompanied by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, the Zemlinsky Quartet, Johan Duijck (piano) and soprano Franches Dhont, they will take you into the atmosphere of the competition!