Isserlis's lockdown project is a fascinating collection of interconnected solo cello pieces: Bach, the Russian master-cellist, and Isserlis himself are the links…but the Britten Suite is the meatiest item here: truly a "meditation" on death, as Isserlis calls it, and played with a technical and musical conviction worthy of its creators.

Ron Carter's Uptown Conversation may very well be the most intriguing, challenging, and resonant statement of many he has made over the years as a leader. As a prelude to his funkier electric efforts for CTI and the wonderful dates for Milestone Records, where he emphasized the piccolo bass, these selections showcase Carter with unlikely partners in early creative improvised settings, a hint of R&B, and some of the hard-charging straight-ahead music that he is most well known for. Flute master Hubert Laws takes a prominent role on several tracks, including the title cut with its funky but not outdated style, where he works in tandem with Carter's basslines. On "R.J.," the short hard bop phrasings of Laws and Carter are peppy and brisk, but not clipped…

Amgala Temple is the sound of three musical forces combined. The result is an overwhelming clash of spontaneity and control, improvisation and clairvoyance - all meshed together in a quest to make something radiant.

The post-bop opus Blackstone Legacy is the seminal debut album by trumpeter Woody Shaw. Originally released in 1971 on Contemporary Records, the groundbreaking album was inspired by the sociopolitical ills of the '60s. In their review, Allmusic called the album, "…a landmark recording, and a pivot point in the history of post-modern music".

It’s ten years since Ane Brun marked her first decade as a recording artist with the release of Songs 2003-13, a career-encapsulating double album. Now, with her international reputation flourishing, Songs 2013-23 allows the distinguished, platinum-selling Norwegian singer songwriter to celebrate her second decade in the business – not to mention her multiple Norwegian and Swedish Grammy awards – while also illustrating the ongoing, fascinating evolution of her singular, compelling talent.

In the wake of the recent, superb box set, it's hard to imagine a single disc being definitive of one of Britain's great folk singing groups. At best, you can touch on their different facets and legacy. But Definitive Collection actually does a splendid job. There are the hymns, the traditional songs, and some of the permutations (Lal and Norma, Mike, even the late Peter Bellamy), as well as tracks by Waterson: Carthy and Blue Murder, who carry on the flame of the original Watersons in many ways (especially Blue Murder, which is essentially Waterson:Carthy plus Barry Coope, Jim Boyes and Lester Simpson). The tracks are from their "Topic" albums (which means, because of licensing, nothing from the original, wonderful Bright Phoebus release is here), but all of those that are here are wonderful, and sung with such naturalness that they epitomize what folk singing should be about. There's no sense of premeditation about their performances. This is simply who they are, and their way of expressing themselves. It's not Mighty River of Song, which really is definitive, but as an introduction to the Watersons, and an overview of their massive achievements in folk music, this works excellently.

Genesis' second double live LP set in less than four years was originally a kind of a hybrid work, and has appeared in several different editions. There was confusion from the start because, despite its title, Three Sides Live in its British version, as Charisma GE 2002, had four concert sides. The U.S. version, which determined the title, was made up of ten live cuts recorded on-stage in Germany in 1981, with Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson in the group's lineup, doing the leaner, more pop-oriented repertory that constituted the group's sound by the early '80s, off of the albums Abacab and Duke. The resulting album offered lean, crisp, and generally bracing accounts of the group's then-current sound - a mix of pop/rock highlighted by some prodigious musicianship - and a four-minute glimpse of its progressive rock past in the guise of the "In the Cage Medley," containing "Cinema Show" from Selling England by the Pound…

Eagerly anticipated album by Georgia’s Giya Kancheli (“the most important composer to have emerged from the former Soviet Union since the death of Shostakovich.” – Time Magazine), released in the year of his 70th birthday. This disc features one of Kancheli’s most ardent champions, the great violinist Gidon Kremer., who plays in duo with his old comrade, Russian pianist Oleg Maisenberg on the 26 minute 'Time… and again”, and leads the Kremerata Baltica on “V & V” for violin, taped voice, and string orchestra.

As a tireless champion of new interpretations of the old, the ever-adventurous Gidon Kremer has over the years forged a lasting relationship with, above most others, the music of Franz Schubert. One can only imagine, then, the excitement he must have felt when he learned of composer Victor Kissine’s having finished a string orchestral version of Schubert’s G-major String Quartet (op. posth. 161, D 887).

DG has put together a very smart reissue here. "Concerto grosso 1" and "Quasi una sonata" for violin and chamber orchestra were originally released in 1989. "Concerto grosso 5" has been rescued from its original 1993 release back-to-back with a Glass piece, and is now united with the other Kremer performances of Schnittke.

Awakenings 2006 Vol. 1. John Sherwood who is responsible for the Awakenings series of concerts in Leeds has put together another compilation for us (the first being 'Awakenings 2005') featuring both known (['ramp], The Omega Syndicate, Gert Emmens, Create, Nattefrost…) and lesser known acts. Much of the music is exclusive to this set.
Awakenings 2006 Vol. 2. This is a double album set containing all previously unreleased material (except for probably the Entity track). There is quite a variety of music to be found on this 2 CD set, some real gems included…