In 1954 Woody Herman recorded one of his most unusual sets, a purely vocal album in which he was accompanied by the Erroll Garner Trio. Herman, who originally sang on half of his band's recordings, was always an expressive ballad singer and he does a fine job on such standards as "My Melancholy Baby," "Let's Fall in Love" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light."

Another wonderful band on the ever-growing excellent AltRock label, Homunculus Res is a Sicilian band centered around songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist Dario D'Alessandro. Other members currently include keyboardists David Di Giovanni and Federico Cardaci, bassist Domenico Salamone, flutist Dario Lo Cicero, and drummer Daniele Di Giovanni. A featured guest on the band's debut is Yugen keyboardist Paolo "Ske" Botta.
The primary inspiration for the band is Picchio Dal Pozzo, the best Canterbury-influenced Italian band from the 1970s. They seem likewise, as did Picchio Dal Pozzo, to derive inspiration from other Canterbury bands, particularly Caravan and Soft Machine…

Clayton-Thomas revisits the music of his youth on Blue Plate Special, his first all-blues effort; in addition to a pallid remake of the Blood, Sweat and Tears hit "Lucretia MacEvil," he also tackles songs by Willie Dixon, Freddie King and Albert Collins.
David Clayton-Thomas fronted Blood, Sweat & Tears during their popular peak, singing the hits "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "And When I Die," "Hi-De-Ho," and his composition "Spinning Wheel." The latter suggested the musical ambitions he harbored and after the group's hot streak cooled in 1972, he set out on a solo career that he quickly put on ice so he could return to the group in 1975…

This recording marks ground zero of the Three Tenors phenomenon and reminds you of all that it was supposed to be. There's only one tenor here–Luciano Pavarotti–and because he's partnered by different voice types–soprano Joan Sutherland and mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne– the possibilities of substantial artistic collaboration are much greater. Though this event was heavily hyped and would've driven audiences wild no matter what, the singers use the concert as an occasion to do things they'd never do on the opera stage, such as the Sutherland-Pavarotti duet from Otello". In their prime, they were one of the great operatic teams, as were Sutherland and Horne. And this concert gives ample evidence why. It's essential for fans of these singers.

It probably isn't surprising to learn that Hoyle's solo debut, cut following the final dissolution of Affinity in 1971, does not deviate too far from that band's jazz-rock modus operandi. However, in seeking to trim the instrumental fat from Affinity's sometimes gruelling work-outs, and concentrate the attention on the songs (and lyrics) themselves, it rises far above its role model, to showcase Hoyle as a far more exciting figure than her footnotes in history would have you believe. Reminiscent in places of the best of Julie Driscoll's late 1960s work - a role model that Hoyle was singularly well-placed to succeed - Pieces of Me likewise borrows from several of Driscoll's own influences. The Nina Simone and Laura Nyro songbooks both contribute to the proceedings, with the latter's "Lonely Woman" standing among the best tracks on the entire album…

MFSB was the legendary multicultural house band for the label Philadelphia International. Debuting as an act in 1973, the band released seminal early-disco tracks like "TSOP," "Love Is the Message," and the ballad "Something For Nothing." Although this effort didn't reach the heights of its predecessor, Love Is the Message, Universal Love has the band exhibiting even more skill as a hitmaking enterprise. As with the earlier hits, seven out of the eight tracks on Universal Love were arranged by Bobby Martin, who always got a classic sound out of any Philly production. The tracks "Sexy" and "T.L.C. (Tender Lovin' Care)" both effortlessly employ intonations of big band that came from the horn charts and Zach Zachery's tenor sax solos. At this point the gloss and rhythm style of the MFSB players, primarily the sound of bassist Ron Baker and drummer Earl Young, helped to initiate disco. Although they were no doubt influential, the songs "MFSB" and the hard-driving "Let's Go Disco" have an inimitable production.

These two concerts, from very early in Maria Callas' career, are of the if-you've-got-it-flaunt-it school of singing. At these points in her performing life there was little Callas couldn't do: almost three octaves were at her command; she was fearless (and reckless) with her resources; and her innate dramatic sense was, if not quite in full-bloom, then at least in mid-blush.

The award-winning Early Opera Company under the direction of founder Christian Curnyn celebrates the 300th anniversary of the premiere of one of Handel’s most sublime creations: Acis and Galatea. This unique interpretation is performed as Handel himself specified in the manuscript: supported by fourteen period instruments, the outstanding cast of singers takes on the solo parts as well as the magnificent choruses. This is Handel writing at his highest levels of intimacy and intensity; the music superbly supports the libretto's evocative portrayal of the story, simultaneously restrained, economical, and deeply moving.

Handel’s Water Music? Beethoven’s 5th? Judas Maccabeus? Familiar strains from these masterworks appear on this delightful new disc by baroque cellists Phoebe Carrai and Tanya Tomkins, but the music itself is by the little-known 19th-century German cellist and composer Friederich August Kummer, who adds his personal stamp to these highly entertaining duets whilst paying homage to the baroque and classical masters. In his day, Kummer was a renowned performer and pedagogue who was principal cellist of the Dresden Opera. Close friends and musical collaborators included Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn. He was the first professor of cello at the Dresden Conservatoire when it opened in 1856.

Baroque cellist Tanya Tomkins makes an indelible impression with her virtuosic recording of J S Bach’s Cello Suites. Tanya Tomkins, one of the foremost cellists of her generation, makes an indelible impression scaling the pinnacle of the cello repertoire, J S Bach’s Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello. Familiar to record collectors through her appearance on Avie’s release of Kummer’s Cello Duets, and as a member of the Benvenue Fortepiano Trio’s Mendelssohn and Schumann recordings, Tanya is equally at home in an intimate house concert setting or anchoring the cello section of the San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.