The peculiar feature of this record is the great variety of the musical styles represented: instrumental and vocal music, very-well known concertos and other less famous ones of different soloists. A release that finds its strength in the specific expressive nature of Vivaldi’s genius that gave cohesiveness to pieces conceived years apart and for different occasions. The brilliant Italian soprano Raffaella Milanesi shares the stage with the soloists of Accademia Ottoboni, an ensemble that performs early music using original period instruments or copies. The ensemble originates from Rome and consists of musicians of the most recent generation active in the international scene.

This fascinating collection of rare and distinctive piano works, from the 18th century to the present, is inspired by stories of how women composers created music while meeting the expectations of family and society. Hiroko Ishimoto brings together a remarkably varied programme including works by Ana Bon who was ‘chamber music virtuosa’ at the Prussian court of King Frederick the Great, the bold harmonies of Vítĕzslava Kaprálová (a student of Martinů), as well as pieces by Amy Beach based on the calls of the hermit thrush, and so much more.

Grand Funk Railroad continued to move further into the pop/rock mainstream with this hit album. They are aided considerably in this aim by the ultra-slick production of Jimmy Ienner, a producer best known for his work with the Raspberries: songs like "Runnin'" and "Memories" boast rich yet punchy horn and string arrangements that beef up the group's sound without softening its energetic edge. The album's combination of high-gloss production and the band's energy resulted in some impressive hits: "Some Kind of Wonderful" is an exuberant, organ-drenched soul song that highlight's the group's strong harmonies while "Bad Time" mixes a delicate, string-laden melody with a pulsing beat from the rhythm section to create a one-of-a-kind power ballad.

Wieder einmal lässt Thomas Clamor seine Sächsische Bläserphilharmonie ein musikalisches Feuerwerk abbrennen: Auf ihrer neuen CD entführen die Musiker uns nach Russland und alle, die noch keine Fans dieses Klangkörpers sind, tun gut daran mitzureisen! Höhepunkte gibt es dabei mehr als genug wie z.B. das Märchenreich von Strawinskys Feuervogel oder Tschaikowskys schwungvolles Capriccio Italien.

Those people aware of one of Quebec's seminal group Contraction (which came from Frank Dervieux's heritage), should be aware of bassist Laferrière's important role in the group. While not the only person carrying the group, he was actually a bit surprising that he would be the only ex-Contraction member to release solo albums (there is a second one dating from the 80's), but this solo album is much worthy of the proghead's ear.
Graced with a star-studded guest (from Harmonium to Orchestre Sympathique and from Pollen to Conventum), the album develops a JR/F that is not that far from what Contraction was doing. This feeling is reinforced with ex-Contraction vocalist Monique Fauteux laying out her vocals generously throughout the album…

Rafał Blechacz has been deeply associated with the music of Fryderyk Chopin across his whole career. His devotion to the music of his great compatriot began long before 2005 when he won the Warsaw Chopin Competition. Blechacz complements the two large works with Chopin’s haunting F sharp minor Nocturne and his exquisite Barcarolle.

LaVette! hits all the marks. Together with Jay-Vee Records, Bettye has the freedom to explore new territory. Produced by Steve Jordan, LaVette! features 11 songs written by Georgia-born musician Randall Bramblett, who has been releasing solo albums since 1975. “Randall is the best writer that I have heard in the last 30 years,” says Bettye. “He writes songs that are little soliloquies, they’re like little stories about a moment, or a thing.” Bettye is backed by Jordan on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, Larry Campbell on guitar, Leon Pendarvis on keyboards, and Chris Bruce on guitar. Guest artists include: John Mayer, Jon Batiste, Anthony Hamilton, Steve Winwood, Ray Parker Jr., Rev. Charles Hodges, James Carter and Pedrito Martinez, to name a few. Even if you didn’t know the sharp twists and turns of Bettye LaVette’s story, or for that matter, her wide-ranging influences—you can hear the traces of all of it in her voice.

Bella White’s new album "Among Other Things" sees her music evolving as she embraces a fuller band sound while continuing to write the kind of deeply personal, intimate lyrics that made Just Like Leaving such a captivating debut. Produced by Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty, Margo Price, Billy Strings) at his Topanga Canyon Studios and featuring an array of first-rate musicians including Wilson on drums, Big Thief’s Buck Meek on guitar, and string arranger and keyboard player Drew Erikson (Lana Del Rey).

At the dawn of the '90s, Judas Priest were in sad shape: out of touch, seemingly creatively bankrupt, coming off the two worst albums of their career, and left for dead by many observers. Trying to right the ship, Priest jettisoned longtime producer Tom Allom and his tinny '80s sound, as well as the serviceable groove drumming of Dave Holland, and brought in veteran metal producer Chris Tsangarides and onetime Racer X skinsman Scott Travis. Most importantly, though, Priest stopped trying to be a stadium act in the midst of hair metal's heyday. All those changes come into sharp focus as soon as the title cut of Painkiller starts - Travis' thunderous (and crisp-sounding) percussive maelstrom lights an immediate fire under the bandmembers' asses…

This is a recording of a concert at Barrell's Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed, 15th August 2003. Michael Chapman playing acoustic in a atmospheric location in a club in front of a wall of blue note jazz posters. The gig features many of Michael Chapmans best loved songs including 'Shuffleboat River Farewell', 'One Time Thing' and 'Kodak Ghosts'. Michael Chapman is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Chapman originally began playing guitar with jazz bands, mainly in his home town of Leeds in The West Riding of Yorkshire. He became well known in the folk clubs of the late 1960s, as well as on the 'progressive' music scene, and has recorded over 40 albums to date. In 2016 Chapman celebrated 50 years as a professional musician. He still plays professionally and regularly tours in the UK, Europe and US.

Generally regarded as Peter Gabriel's finest record, his third eponymous album finds him coming into his own, crafting an album that's artier, stronger, more song-oriented than before. Consider its ominous opener, the controlled menace of "Intruder." He's never found such a scary sound, yet it's a sexy scare, one that is undeniably alluring, and he keeps this going throughout the record. For an album so popular, it's remarkably bleak, chilly, and dark – even radio favorites like "I Don't Remember" and "Games Without Frontiers" are hardly cheerful, spiked with paranoia and suspicion, insulated in introspection.

The most blatantly, and brilliantly, portentous of Marc Bolan's albums since the transitional blurring of boundaries that was Beard of Stars, almost seven years prior, Futuristic Dragon opens on a wave of unrelenting feedback, guitars and bombast, setting an apocalyptic mood for the record which persists long after that brief (two minutes) overture is over. Indeed, even the quintessential bop of the succeeding "Jupiter Liar" is irrevocably flavored by what came before, dirty guitars churning beneath a classic Bolan melody, and the lyrics a spiteful masterpiece. While the oddly Barry White-influenced "Ride My Wheels" continues flirting with the neo-funk basics of 1975's Bolan's Zip Gun, the widescreen sonic majesty of Futuristic Dragon was, if anything, even more gratuitously ambitious than its predecessor.