A musical portrait of a master guitar-maker of the 19th century.
Great instruments have always been associated with great musicians, and this is true in the guitar world too, at least from the early 19th century onwards. Early in his career, Antonio de Torres (1817-1892), like other luthiers before him, found a performer ideally suited to his instruments – the young Andalusian guitarist Julián Arcas. The technical innovations in construction and timbre pioneered by Torres enabled Arcas to give full expression to his artistry in works such as the florid Fantasía sobre El paño o sea Punto de La Habana with which Luigi Attademo opens this new studio album.

Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony present their second digital only release with Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s passionate and emotionally triggering Symphony No. 6, Pathétique. Available in studio master-quality for download and streaming, experience Tchaikovsky’s final symphony like never before in this captivating master craft which the composer himself called “the best thing I ever composed or ever shall compose.”

On her second, highly anticipated 429 Records recording Angelique Kidjo Sings with the Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg, the visionary songwriter and vocalist teams with the ensemble s renowned conductor and composer Gast Waltzing to create an historic work that beautifully blends the classical music traditions of Europe and the powerful rhythmic excitement of the sounds of her native land. Backed by the sweeping grandeur of the 110 musician ensemble, the singer - drawing fresh, emotional power from her trademark guttural voice - re-imagines nine classic pieces from her 24 year discography and two new tunes ( Otishe, Mamae ) from the sessions of her 2014 Grammy-Winning (Best World Music Album) masterwork Eve.

Nellie McKay is a wonderful, complicated idiosyncrasy: a pop singer who isn’t a fawned over superstar, a multi-instrumentalist in an era when singers can barely play “Chopsticks,” and a historian of popular music who puts the song before her ‘interpretation’ of it. In short, she’s extraordinarily talented and unique. Geoff Emerick, who engineered a number of The Beatles’ albums, has been a key collaborator as her producer from her debut Get Away from Me (2004). She can also sing in any genre: Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Country, Jazz, Great American Songbook. She feels like the granddaughter heir apparent to Dinah Washington and Rosemary Clooney.

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby has completed recording a new album with The Noisemakers titled Rehab Reunion. The highly respected musician pushes the envelope once again performing solely on the dulcimer throughout. Produced by Hornsby Rehab Reunion reflects a refreshing approach to his songwriting further solidifying his reputation for uncompromising artistry. The piano-free ten song recording features the Noisemakers J.T. Thomas (organ), J.V. Collier (bass), Sonny Emory (washboard, cajon, drums), Gibb Droll (electric and acoustic guitar) and Ross Holmes (fiddle, mandolin) and guest stars Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) singing falsetto harmony on the first single Over the Rise and the legendary Mavis Staples singing a rousing gospel with Hornsby on Celestial Railroad

Meat Loaf, the rock legend who along with songwriter/producer Jim Steinman broke sales records with the classic multi-platinum albums Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, announces their reunion on the new album Braver Than We Are featuring 10 new Steinman songs performed as only Meat Loaf can! The project also showcases another reunion with vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito (vocalists from the smash hit Paradise by the Dashboard Light) on the epic song and first single Going All The Way.

With hits like Be My Baby and Baby I Love You, Ronnie Spector ruled the pop charts worldwide as lead singer of the Ronettes. Now the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is set to release "English Heart", Ronnie s personal love letter to 1960s Britain where she toured with The Ronettes in 1964-1966, supported by the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton).

The final recording by legendary jazz fusion pioneers Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouton in the reformed the Eleventh House in their all new album Seven Secrets which will be released on June 2nd. The late guitarist Coryell assembled founding members Randy Brecker (trumpet), long-timer John Lee (bass), the addition of son Julian (guitar) and the late Alphonse Mouzon (drums) to bring the rock and funk back to jazz again with a batch of eleven powerhouse tracks. The album is truly a group effort with Coryell relying on each member to contribute compositions to the new album (much like he did back in the 70 s).

The 10 songs on this album, including 8 written by Buddy Buie in conjunction with other band members, show ARS to have become both tighter in their playing and more polished in their song presentation. The band's pop oriented songwriting and diverse musical stylings-characteristics that would distinguish them from the rest of Southern Rock-are displayed to great effect and show a band coming into their own. The album opens with Doraville, their first regional hit that's a rocking tribute to the town where Studio One was located. Blues In Maude's Flat is an instrumental that shows off the group's musical skills to fine effect. The song Angel (What in the World's Come Over Us) showcases the band's ability to mix tempos and styles in a longer piece with outstanding musicianship.

Massimo Farao' is a wonderful Italian pianist who has played and recorded with Red Holloway, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Tony Scott, Franco Ambrosetti, Nat Adderley, Jeff Tain Watts, Jack DeJohnette and Chris Potter, among others. Farao's passionate style and stoic romanticism are very attractive along with the rich harmonies he creates.