Giampaolo Bandini is considered to be one of the best Italian guitarists on the international music circuit. In 2003, he was nominated as the best Italian guitarist of the year by the magazine Guitar’s readers.

After Concerto Ostinato, Ore Diciotto in Punto, Pianosequenza, Visioni, here is a new album by the Italian composer Francesco Di Fiore. Family Album is a solo piano project inspired by a real photo album, actually belonged to his family. 'The process of composing this work has been joyous but also painful. When you dig into your memories, wounds inevitably reopen, and the absence of the people who have been part of your life weighs heavily. The emotional part is constantly under stress. My hope is that all these emotions are perceptible in this very personal composition, that you will absorb them into your own consciousness, and that perhaps you will begin the process of scanning the memories that are uniquely your own.'

The Alexander String Quartet launches its 40th season with this recording of Brahms String Quartets — plus Brahms’ Intermezzo (transcribed for string quartet by Zakarias Grafilo). With these complete Brahms Quartets, the ASQ has compiled a veritable Brahms compendium, including Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet (FCL 2021, with Eli Eban) and Piano Quintets (FCL 2014, with Joyce Yang), both named "MusicWeb International Recordings of the Year", as well as his String Quintets and Sextets (FCL 2012), which were hailed as a “life-enhancing set” by The Arts Desk.

After the hostile reaction to the politically charged Sometime in New York City, John Lennon moved away from explicit protest songs and returned to introspective songwriting with Mind Games. Lennon didn't leave politics behind – he just tempered his opinions with humor on songs like "Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple)," which happened to undercut the intention of the song. It also indicated the confusion that lies at the heart of the album…

The graceful, expressive and witty Duo for Violin and Cello by Hanns Eisler, written when the composer was 26 years old, is a multifaceted work showcasing the composer’s brilliant intellect. Best-known for his long artistic association with playwright Bertolt Brecht, Eisler always took care to make a deep connection with his audience.

Violinist Stéphane Grappelli (1908-1997) was honored in 1998 with this 22-track tribute slapped together by the Giants of Jazz label. Covering a time span from September 30, 1935, to January 21, 1943, this pleasant potpourri of classic continental swing sessions samples his early Hot Club of France recordings and follows the fiddler into temporary wartime exile as he collaborated with young George Shearing and a talented array of British jazz musicians. The collection opens with two delicious duets with Django Reinhardt, then shuffles together recordings made in Paris and London that were released under Grappelli's name. The Hot Four (heard performing W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" in 1935) actually added up to a quintet as the violinist interacted with bassist Louis Vola and three guitarists: Django and Joseph Reinhardt and Pierre Ferret…

Beginning with his expansive concerto for recorders and large orchestra, Territorial Songs (2008-09), Rasmussen sought to expand the instrument's persona and possibilities, freeing it from its historic associations with the music of the Renaissance and Baroque, pushing it into new territories. In this mission, the composer has been exceptionally fortunate to have as muse and musical partner one of the greatest recorder players ever, Michala Petri. The current project represents an overview of works composed from 2009 to 2020. All are scores featuring the recorder: as concerto soloist with a symphony orchestra, (Territorial Songs), a string ensemble (Winter Echoes), an obbligato in a complex choral setting ('I' ), chamber music (Flow), and unaccompanied (Sorrow and Joy Fantasy), each work a milestone in Rasmussen's musical development .

Lineups change, trends come and go, lead singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth has surgery for skin cancer, and, in an unrelated incident, falls flat on-stage in Germany (a minor stroke; full recovery expected), and Overkill still marches on. So when a long-standing, working-class band has – count 'em – 11 studio records, a classic EP, a covers album, and a double-live opus under their studded belt, metal aficionados have to at least give Wrecking Everything – Live a couple of listens and nod their heads in respect to such a wily, stubborn outfit. Longtime fans will no doubt appreciate the fact that none of the songs utilized for 1995's Wrecking Your Neck are repeated here, Overkill having arguably their most prolific period (four rock-solid studio cinderblocks) since then…

Jethro Tull’s 1970 classic Benefit will be celebrated in a brand-new 4CD/2DVD set, featuring remixes by Steven Wilson, an abundance of previously unreleased material, packaged within a deluxe hardback book, containing 100 pages of commentary from numerous contributors alongside hordes of images of the band creating and performing their first million-selling album. Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) will be out on 5th November. Following the successes This Was (1968) and Stand Up (1969), Jethro Tull returned in 1970 with their third studio album in as many years. Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) contains a copious amount of expanded material, building upon the 2013 Steven Wilson remixes. CD3 contains a previously unreleased Steven Wilson remix of Jethro Tull performing at Tanglewood in 1970. Further to that, CD4 contains a newly remastered version of a concert at The Aragon Ballroom in 1970 in mono.

Though Opeth have officially signed with Roadrunner, this double-live disc was released by former label Peaceville. This is welcome, because the band's first live offering, the DVD-only Lamentations: Live at Shepherd's Bush, was not able to focus on the first four recordings due to contractual problems. Apparently, this is worked out here, because all of the band's recordings are represented. That said, The Roundhouse Tapes, recorded at Camden Roundhouse, London, U.K., on November 9, 2006, is a double-disc set that captures this mighty band at their very best. The tour that Opeth undertook in support of Ghost Reveries was 18 months long; it began in June of 2005, and ended December 2006. They played 210 shows during that time. Given that this gig was near the end of the tour, it showcases the band at the zenith of their live powers…

Many call Yes' brand of progressive rock "symphonic rock." The term means that the group produces arrangements in the vein of a symphony using typical rock instrumentation. With Magnification, Yes has taken that a step further, adding a symphony orchestra…

KID A MNESIA collects Radiohead’s fourth and fifth albums, Kid A and Amnesiac (celebrating their 21st anniversaries), alongside the debut of a newly compiled third disc titled Kid Amnesiae. Kid Amnesiae is comprised of unearthed material culled from the Kid A / Amnesiac sessions along with alternate versions and elements of Kid A and Amnesiac album tracks and B-Sides. Features the never-before-heard ‘If You Say the Word’ and a previously unreleased studio recording of ‘Follow Me Around’.

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of internationally acclaimed pianist/composer Yoko Miwa, to release her forthcoming album late this year.

Star tenor Helmut Lotti is back! After great successes with classical, African, Latin American and Russian musical excursions and further albums with Elvis songs and great American standards, he now comes back with a very romantic album: "Italian Songbook" is a collection of Italian hits, which Helmut reinterprets in his very own, romantic way - as always with a big orchestra There are a lot of classic Neapolitan titles, Italian evergreens but also some world hits which we didn't suspect to be originally Italian. Let us surprise you!

Etta James was one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, with an incredible soulful voice and an amazing ability to interpret a song and old-fashioned yet timeless melodies. She sang with unmatched emotional hunger and a pain that can chill the listener. This quintessential release includes Etta James’ first two albums, which also happen to be two of her best: At Last ! (1960), and The Second Time Around (1961), both originally released by the Chess Records’ subsidiary Argo label. These two rhythm & blues-meets-pop-soul style masterpieces have been remastered and packaged together in this very special collector’s edition, which also includes 7 bonus tracks. Contained here is the cream of the crop from Etta’s early years. Without a doubt, this is the material upon which her kingdom was built.