There probably was greater demand for a Fabolous and Jadakiss collaborative album in 2002, but far less likelihood of it actually happening. At their commercial peak, the two were inverses of each other: Jadakiss, the grimy hardhead whose overt pop concessions never gave him a bigger single than the one with the 9/11 trutherism; Fabolous, flippant and frivolous, sounding effortless over the flossiest beats of the “MTV Cribs” era.

Almanac caused quite a bit of noise last year with the (not so) surprisingly good ‘Tsar’, freeing guitar master and genius composer Viktor Smolski from the shackles of his former band, Rage. Now with a mild notoriety and consolidating the vocal lineup from its first album as the bass and drum duties are renewed -, the band tries to take it up a notch with ‘Kingslayer’, second album in a span of less than two years.

Mychael Danna - The Man Who Invented Christmas Soundtrack - This album is the soundtrack, written by Mychael Danna, for the upcoming family movie, "The Man Who Invented Christmas." The journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer) and other classic characters from "A Christmas Carol." The film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) conjured up a timeless tale. Time for release the day before Thanksgiving, this is sure to become a holiday favorite.

Bells In Toyland is a 1967 Jazz Album by John Klein released RCA Victor Records. I think there's more Christmas joy on here than you'll find on a lot of full-fledged Christmas albums. Anyhow, this one isn't even a Christmas album, but it's by an artist who made some great Christmas music. This is John Klein With Orchestra And Chorus Arranged And Conducted By Leo Addeo-Bells In Toyland-John Klein At The Sun Life Centenary Carillon.

John Gary was a singer with a three-octave range and amazing breath control, and was admired by many of his contemporaries, but didn’t really reach the level of fame attained by a lot of lesser singers. Although he had a fairly long career, appearing in various venues and selling a lot of records, he just never quite managed to attain star status.

'The arrival of an orchestra like Les Siècles on the harmonia mundi label is entirely logical: ever since it was founded by François-Xavier Roth in 2003, its musicians (mostly belonging to the new generation) have succeeded in placing several centuries of musical creation in perspective by playing the works they tackle on precisely the instruments used at the time of their premiere – without the slightest concession.

We are delighted to announce that organist and harpsichordist Benjamin Alard is now recording for harmonia mundi. Following several acclaimed recordings for Alpha, Benjamin Alard will now devote himself to the complete works for organ and harpsichord of Johann Sebastian Bach. A massive undertaking, involving around 30 hours of music, which will be structured into chapters that mark the significant moments in the life of the Cantor of Leipzig: “This is indeed the first time Johann Sebastian Bach’s complete works for solo harpsichord will be performed by the same musician.

After his acclaimed explorations of such Handel operas as Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo, René Jacobs now tackles the first great operatic success of the ‘caro Sassone’ (Venice, 1710), the climax of his Italian period. This version reconstructs the work in its original conception, the only one to combine explosive topicality with extreme dramatic cogency. As a result, this tale of amorous intrigues against a background of Roman history, the ‘prequel’ to Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, emerges more fascinating than ever.

After the success of his recordings of Symphonies nos. 1, 3 and 4, released on the Phi label in 2016, Philippe Herreweghe offers us the next instalment of Schubert’s orchestral output with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic: the Symphony no.2 D. 125 and Symphony no.5 D. 485 – both in B flat major. Like those on the previous disc, these works from his youth – written when the Viennese composer was not yet twenty years old – mark the promising beginnings of an already highly accomplished composer.

With his powerfully expressive and deeply felt playing Sebastian Bohren has established an enviable reputation for himself as one of the most promising and talented violinists of his generation. Among the venues where he has performed to date are the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Munich Residenz, the Zurich Tonhalle and the Lucerne Culture and Conference Centre.

A masterpiece born of the collaboration of composer Lully and his librettist Quinault, the “tragédie en musique” called Alceste caused a scandal when it was created in 1674. The tragic register was reserved for the theater, while the music was content with the comic vein. But thanks to the combined talents of Lully and Quinault, the stage of the Royal Academy of Music saw the development of the new tragic and lyrical genre.

Two common themes run through this recording. Two interwoven themes. The one is French, the other Jewish: both are fused to bring about a new reality, the shimmering, variegated, new chapter of a century whose music we believed we had heard under all its forms.

Nigh on 60 years after his death, the Swiss composer, born in 1880 of Jewish origin, naturalized American in 1924, remains relatively little known by the general public and music lovers alike. Yet his music, full of lyricism, drama, virtuosity, poetry, has all it takes to please. His language combines tonality, bitonality, atonality, elements inherited from the Jewish musical tradition as well as allusions to movie style American music.

Archie Shepp has long established a reputation as a fiery avant-garde jazz stylist, though he is remarkably restrained in this collection of ballads recorded in 2001. The rhapsodic songs help restrain him somewhat, along with the presence of the terrific rhythm section, consisting of pianist Harold Mabern, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Billy Drummond.

Heralded by Springsteen himself as one of his finest and most meaningful shows, Jazz Fest 2006 beautifully captures Bruce and the Seeger Sessions Band opening their tour with a cathartic performance just months after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Playing the album’s folk and protest songs (plus a few rearranged originals) with rollicking reverence, Bruce and the band deliver an inspired set that emotionally resonates with the audience, the venue and the moment.