Juan Diego Flórez stars in the only available blu-ray version of Zelmira, filmed at the celebrated Rossini Festival in the composer s home town of Pesaro. The final opera Rossini wrote for Naples is a dramatic and musical tour de force and a magnificent showcase for the bel canto superstar of our time. Recorded in high definition at the 2009 Festival, Giorgio Barberio Corsettis production places the classical tale, set during the Trojan Wars, in modern times and modern dress. Joining Juan Diego Flórez are a major international cast, described as near miraculous by Opera Today and led by American mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich in the virtuosic title role. The evening remained another distinguished triumph for Juan Diego Flórez as Prince Ilo, whose arrival in his homeland, to rescue Zelmira, was marked by a dazzling tenorial display which evoked a nearly twenty-minute ovation (Opera Today) .

Canvas is pianist Robert Glasper's second recording, and his first on Blue Note. He's joined by bassist Vincente Archer and drummer Damion Reid for the main portion of Canvas, while tenor Mark Turner and vocalist Bilal make two appearances each. Perhaps the first thing a listener might note of Glasper's style on the original, "Rise and Shine," is its rich, melodic flavor. While this lyricism alone would draw the listener in, it's Glasper's ability to develop new ideas as the piece progresses, adding complexity to his lyricism, that really recommends his approach. In the case of the title cut, Glasper and company keep the composition intriguing for nearly ten minutes. It's also nice on Canvas that both Archer and Reid match Glasper's adventurousness, providing an intricate net that both supports his solos and drives them onward.

Sébastien de Brossard, an enthusiastic collector of music, pedagogue and author of the first dictionary of music, was also a very talented composer. This champion of Italian music and great connoisseur of the music of Carissimi probably took the Roman master as the model for his two oratorios. Leandro, a dramatic work in Italian, is a miniature masterpiece and one of the earliest cantatas by a French composer.

Five CD set containing a quintet of albums from the '60s Pop/Rock legends led by John Sebastian. Includes the albums Do You Believe in Magic, Daydream, Hums of The Lovin' Spoonful, Everything Playing and Revelation: Revolution '69.

The cliché about singer/songwriters is that they sing confessionals direct from their heart, but John Lennon exploded the myth behind that cliché, as well as many others, on his first official solo record, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Inspired by his primal scream therapy with Dr. Arthur Janov, Lennon created a harrowing set of unflinchingly personal songs, laying out all of his fears and angers for everyone to hear. It was a revolutionary record – never before had a record been so explicitly introspective, and very few records made absolutely no concession to the audience's expectations, daring the listeners to meet all the artist's demands…

In 2005 Igor Levit and Xiaohan Wang performed, together with the Kolner Kammerorchester under Helmut Müller-Brühl, as outstanding talents of the semi-final of the “International Beethoven Competition for Piano Bonn”. The competition had been initiated in the same year by the then President of the Federal Republic of Germany Horst Kohler. The young pianists, today successful all over the world, performed on that occasion Beethoven's piano concertos nos. 1 and 2. On this recording, Igor Levit performs the First Concerto, and Xiaohan Wang the Second.

Giuseppe Greco' stunning first album contains the whole set of Preludes and Impromptus of Frédérich #Chopin. This recording is part of the Aevea Piano Prize - APP project.

Following the celebrated releases of Gunning’s Symphonies Nos. 2, 10 & 12 in 2019 and his concertos for Violin and Cello with the piece ‘Birdflight’ in 2020, Signum presents the recording of Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7 as well as his piece ‘Night Voyage’, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Famously tagged as "fascist" in a Rolling Stone review printed at the time of its 1978 release, Jazz does indeed showcase a band that does thrive upon its power, thrilling upon the hold that it has on its audience. That confidence, that self-intoxication, was hinted at on News of the World but it takes full flower here, and that assurance acts as a cohesive device, turning this into one of Queen's sleekest albums…

Monumental isn’t even a word strong enough to describe the new EPICA offering »Omega«, the first collection of all-new material in five long years. On their eighth full-length, the Dutch symphonic metal titans go all cinemascope, in a stunt both effortlessly and cunningly unleashing their biggest, grandest, flashiest opus yet. In the middle of a world in turmoil, of a cataclysmic change in society, EPICA somehow managed to create their most spectacular album yet. An album that is seamlessly bringing together metal and orchestra, choir and oriental instruments to a perfect storm constantly emitting goose bumps. A record with a specifically written suites for orchestra and choir, featuring a wide range of ethnic instruments recorded around the world by some of the best native musicians out there.

Chris Thomas King - The Legend of Tommy Johnson (2001) {21st Century Blues VE15156}
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© 2001 21st Century Blues Records | VE15156
Blues / Country Blues / Modern Acoustic Blues

After his screen debut as bluesman Tommy Johnson in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Chris Thomas King released this ambitious concept album, which essentially tracks the history of country blues through to its electric blossoming in Chicago. Beginning a cappella and then working through covers of Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat Blues" and Blind Willie Johnson's "Trouble Will Soon Be Over" mixed in with like-minded originals, King then plugs in and finishes with several Chicago-style electric numbers with a full band before closing out with his trademark post-Chicago approach. It's probably a bit more intriguing in concept than in actual execution, but the result is a pleasant and intelligent album.

Buddy Rich - Mercy, Mercy (1968) {Pacific Jazz ‎CDP854331 rel 1997}
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© 1968, 1997 Pacific Jazz / Capitol | CDP 7243 8 54331 2 2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Mainstream Jazz / Bop / Drums

This CD reissue brings back the finest all-round recording by Buddy Rich's big band. The original version of "Channel 1 Suite" is a classic and contains tenor saxophonist Don Menza's most memorable solo, plus a couple of brilliant improvisations from the explosive drummer/leader. Another highlight is an inventive Phil Wilson arrangement of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," and even "Alfie" (a melodic feature for altoist Art Pepper) and "Ode to Billie Joe" come across well.

Tony Fruscella & Brew Moore - The 1954 Unissued Atlantic Session (1954) {Atlantic–Fresh Sound FSR-CD 660 rel 2011}
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© 1954-55, 2001 Atlantic / Verve / Fresh Sound Records | FSR-CD 66
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet / Saxophone

Never before released in any format! These recordings are among the rarest treasures in jazz, unseen and unheard since Atlantic produced them in 1954, and their release can be considered an event for all the jazz community. This was a relaxed and easy session, essentially valuable for the musicians involved, trumpeter Tony Fruscella (1927-1969), and tenor Brew Moore (1924-1973), most particularly for the former, who died at 42.

John Zorn & Masada - Dalet (1994) {DIW Records Japan DIW-923 rel 1997} (Volume 4of10)
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© 1994, 1997 DIW Records Japan | DIW-923
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Klezmer / Post Bop / World Fusion / Ethnic Jazz

This is the fourth in the series of John Zorn's 10 Masada quartet albums (plus, as far as I know, one live recording released by Jazz DCOR and few more released on Zorn's own label, Tzadik). The four musicians of Masada quartet (John Zorn - alto sax, Dave Douglas - trumpet, Joey Baron - drums, Greg Cohen - bass) are all masters of their instruments. They have recorded the ten albums in only a few studio sessions, all of which feature very, very passionate and inspired playing. All of the albums are beautifully played, with exquisite sense for measure and taste, the musicians bringing their instruments to the edge of possible (and beyond, as it often seems, it's awesome!) but their virtuosity never being self-serving. Many compositions sound like folk themes, there are a lot of emotions, a lot of melancholy or sense of longing, but also some 'smoking', joyous faster tracks.