If you are a fan of phenomenal guitarist Russell Malone, you must have been craving for his recording output. After getting his "break" from recording and touring with Diana Krall, Malone is now leading his own group and just began to issue a steady stream of albums from MaxJazz. But, in 1995, before he joined Krall's band, he had recorded this wonderful gem of an album for the Japanese label Venus Records. Supported by a trio of good musicians, he displays all his talents and soulful playing in this well-recorded release. You'll also love it if you are a fan of straight-ahead, bop- and blues-oriented jazz guitar.

Eric Bibb’s new album is both a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and a homage to the original “blues people,” the Afro-American creators of a style celebrated today as part of the common heritage of mankind. “Blues People” is an album voluntarily bare, haunted by the spirit of the blues. Many good friends managed to join the recording sessions and brought their own contributions. They include The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Taj Mahal, J.J. Milteau, Popa Chubby, Ruthie Foster, Harrison Kennedy, Leyla McCalla, André De Lange and Guy Davis.

While that first album had little commercial success, the band's relentless touring behind it led to a buzz that led Eric Clapton to enlist Duane Allman to take part on his 1970 Derek and the Dominos album which produced "Layla." Produced by Tom Dowd, marking his first album with the band, Idlewild South was recorded in a variety of cities, including New York, Miami and Macon, GA, the band's adopted home, because of their hectic performance schedule. Most of the songs, including two of their most iconic – Gregg Allman and Kim Payne's "Midnight Rider" and Dickey Betts' "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" – were road-tested before they were ever recorded.

Aerosmith surprised everyone when their 1987 album, Permanent Vacation, was a success, coming as it did after several releases that had done nothing but verify the belief that the band had peaked a decade earlier. 'Pump' (1989) followed its radio-friendly predecessor and proved the Boston quintet's comeback was no fluke. Hits like 'Love in an Elevator' and 'Janie's Got a Gun' were ubiquitous on MTV and radio at the time, while the album in its entirety had enough substance to warrant repeated listens. 'What it Takes' closes the album and finds the band showing off their deft power-ballad abilities, while carefully straddling the line of cheese without ever succumbing to it. Aerosmith would sustain their commercial success with the subsequent Get a Grip, but it would not contain the same balance of artistic and populist intent that puts PUMP amongst their best records.

„Nanna“ has been long awaited by Xavier Rudd fans, but even more so by the man himself – who put it out to the Universe that it was time to record his dream project and ancestors from around the world answered his call, delivering a collective of amazing musicians by way of his brand new band – The United Nations. 
Mixed by living legend Errol Brown at Tuff Gong Studios, Nanna finds Rudd on his feet, playing guitar centre stage, as he fronts Xavier Rudd And The United Nations - a one-people musical force.

In early 2016, Xavier Rudd embarked on a 28-date sold out tour of Europe as his single 'Follow The Sun' was topping charts around the region. Playing a set list that read like a career retrospective over a solid two-hour show, Xavier thrilled audiences from the UK to Italy, Germany to Spain and everywhere in between with the energy and spirit he brought to the stage.

The works by Smetana, Dvořák and Suk featured on this album are characteristic examples of how the Czech late-19th century national style was reflected in the area of chamber music.

This is a Première – for Antje Weithaas. Her first orchestral recording with two of the “big” solo concertos. And obviously also the realization of one of her top dreams and wishes; the combination of her two favourite concertos. At the time of the recording (2012) Steven Sloane was still Music Director of the Stavanger Sympfoniorkester.

Debut album “Evolution” which shattered preconceptions about crossover music being boring, as well as solo performances by the group members. Forestella gets their name from “a star(stella) that shines above a forest” and comprises of musical actor Bae Doo-hoon, tenor Jo Min-kyu, bass Go Woo-rim and ordinary salaryman Kang Kyung-ho. The four were the top finalists for the audition show “Phantom Singer 2” and went on to form the crossover quartet.

At this time in my life, I'm finally able to express myself through jazz as I have always wanted by becoming fully immersed in the music and lyrics. I love performing American Jazz Standards and surrounding myself with world class musicians. There is no other feeling as fulfilling as performing jazz. This album captures the energy and spirit of her intense and creative afro/Cuban/jazz synthesis.

'Die Mährischen Volkslieder von 1922, Zdenkas Variationen und die zahlreiche Miniaturen, die Cathy Krier auf ihrem Janácek-Doppel-Album präsentiert, hört man so gut wie nie. Doch nicht nur wegen dieser durchaus interessanten Stücke ist die Einspielung der jungen Luxemburgerin bemerkenswert. Auch den bekannten Zyklen Auf verwachsenem Pfade und Im Nebel und der Sonate 1.X.1905 gewinnt sie neue Blickwinkel ab. So ergibt sich eine beeindruckende Gesamtschau des mährischen Meisters, bei der nur wenige, aus Kriers Sicht allenfalls musikhistorisch interessante Jugendwerke fehlen.

'Die Mährischen Volkslieder von 1922, Zdenkas Variationen und die zahlreiche Miniaturen, die Cathy Krier auf ihrem Janácek-Doppel-Album präsentiert, hört man so gut wie nie. Doch nicht nur wegen dieser durchaus interessanten Stücke ist die Einspielung der jungen Luxemburgerin bemerkenswert. Auch den bekannten Zyklen Auf verwachsenem Pfade und Im Nebel und der Sonate 1.X.1905 gewinnt sie neue Blickwinkel ab. So ergibt sich eine beeindruckende Gesamtschau des mährischen Meisters, bei der nur wenige, aus Kriers Sicht allenfalls musikhistorisch interessante Jugendwerke fehlen.

Matthias Schorn, 31 year old Principal clarinettist of the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Austrian Minetti Quartett did not only record a special and popular coupling of Mozart’s and Brahms’ often played clarinet quintets, but there is also a third piece, „Invention“ by the Austrian composer Balduin Sulzer (*1932), which is also dedicated to the artists – a World Premiere.

Don McLean's second album, American Pie, which was his first to gain recognition after the negligible initial sales of 1970's Tapestry, is necessarily dominated by its title track, a lengthy, allegorical history of rock & roll, because it became an unlikely hit, topping the singles chart and putting the LP at number one as well. 'American Pie' has remained as much a cultural touchstone as a song, sung by everyone from Garth Brooks to Madonna, its title borrowed for a pair of smutty teen comedies, while the record itself has earned a registered three-million plays on U.S. radio stations.

Vienna 1785: „Wolfgang Amadeus would compose in his workroom and music seemed to flow from his pen. Soon he would write the opera Le Nozze di Figaro in these same quarters. He had just put the finishing touches on a new piano concerto: festive C Major, luxurious scoring including trumpets and timpani (K467). It was premièred on 12 March 1785 during one of the so-called “academy” concerts.