These strong, stylish, intelligently mapped-out, and excellently engineered interpretations of Brahms' complete solo-piano variation sets find pianist Garrick Ohlsson on peak technical and musical form. The impetuous fervor and tempo extremes that characterized his 1977 EMI release of the Handel and Paganini variation sets have given way to steadier, better integrated tempos and an altogether stronger linear awareness that yields greater textural diversity and color without sacrificing power and mass. What is more, ear-catching rubatos, voicings, and articulations are borne out of what's in the score.

On the occasion of the Bruckner bicentenary, the Vienna Philharmonic recorded its first ever complete Bruckner cycle under the baton of Christian Thielemann. In addition to the well-known canon of nine symphonies, the two earliest Bruckner symphonies in F minor and D minor, which are a world premiere on DVD and Blu-ray, were also recorded for the first time in the orchestra's history. This uniquely complete edition from the Musikverein and Salzburg Festival, featuring 11 symphonies, also includes extensive conversations with Christian Thielemann about each symphony and insights into his rehearsal work.

This release collects two of Toots & the Maytals' finest releases of the mid-'70s: Funky Kingston, generally viewed as their finest album, and its follow-up, In the Dark. This is some of the finest music of the rocksteady era, and with improved sound over the individual album releases, a great place to start for Toots & the Maytals or the rocksteady movement in general.

Jazzaggression is happy to present another album by this unique instrumental/avant-jazz ensemble from Leeds, UK. After their first album was picked up by renowned radio DJ Gilles Peterson, the band’s success was secured, and the group spent the first half of 2024 working on their second album, ENOS. Known for their dynamic compositions, exciting improvisations, and intricate melodies, the group continues to push the boundaries of small-ensemble jazz. The captivating melodic structures that defined their debut remain front and center, now enriched by the maturity and artistic depth of a band confidently hitting its stride.

Second album by the Cologne drummer and composer in his quartet line-up with Tony Lakatos (tenor saxophone), Billy Test (piano) and Doug Weiss (bass) as a CD in a beautifully designed three-part digipack on JazzJazz. After »Choose Loose« (2022), »Mocambo Affair« is the second album that Dominik Raab has recorded together with Tony Lakatos, Billy Test and Doug Weiss. Like the quartet's debut, it consists exclusively of Raab's own compositions, with the nine new pieces sounding even more gripping and passionate. With dreamlike certainty, Lakatos, Test, Weiss and Raab complement each other to form a virtuoso team that lets Raab's visions shine. »Mocambo Affair« is a work of one piece and offers pure listening pleasure.

Mamãe Eu Quero is a famous Carnival marchinha from 1937, composed by Vicente Paiva and Jararaca. The original recording was made by Jararaca himself in 1937, on the Odeon label, and to this day it is one of the most famous Brazilian songs of all time. According to ECAD, the office responsible for collecting and distributing royalties, it is the third most played recording in Carmen Miranda's voice in the last five years (from July 2010 to March 2015), in segments such as radio, live music, party houses, entertainment centres and environmental sound systems.

Miracle is a part of a CD-and-book multimedia collection, with Dion's music providing the soundtrack to Geddes's pictorial book celebrating the joy of babies. The songs were produced by David Foster. Among tracks on the album are cover versions of John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy", Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World", Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", Johannes Brahms's "Brahms' Lullaby", Nancy Wilson's "If I Could", Henri Salvador's "Le loup, la biche et le chevalier (une chanson douce)", and Carol Welsman's "Baby Close Your Eyes". All other tracks are original songs.

This posthumous CD is novel because it features Joe Pass exclusively on acoustic guitar, and it is obvious that he enjoyed every minute of these sessions. "The Shadow of Your Smile" is no longer easy listening fodder, as Pass turns it into a miniature master class in swing. "Star Eyes" is accented by the soft squeaks of Pass' fingers gently weaving their intricate magic. Most of the works of Joe Pass tended to be improvised blues, so the title track is an exception – a simple yet elegant ballad written for his wife. "Blues for Angel" highlights his matchless mastery of slow blues. The boppish blues "Satellite Village" is a perfect closer. The good news is that there are several more unreleased sessions by Joe Pass that will follow this superb collection.

John Edward Illsley is an English musician, best known as bass guitarist of the rock band Dire Straits. With it, he has received multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards, and a Heritage Award. As one of the founding band members, with guitarist brothers Mark and David Knopfler, and drummer Pick Withers, Illsley played a role in the development of Dire Straits' sound. By the time the group disbanded in 1995 changes in personnel meant that Illsley and lead singer Mark Knopfler were the only two original band members remaining. Illsley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Dire Straits in 2018. Illsley has produced two albums of his own, with Mark Knopfler as a guest musician, and has helped with Mark's personal projects and charities.

Quartet (1996) is an album by the Pat Metheny Group. The album features Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, and Paul Wertico on drums. Most of the tracks were loosely written or improvised, using several unusual instruments. The Group itself never played these songs live, though Metheny played "When We Were Free" with his trio and recorded a live version on the album Day Trip. "As I Am" was played during trio concerts with Michael Brecker. Metheny remarked in a podcast retrospective that the improvisational late-middle portions of, Quartet contain some of the darkest music the Group has ever recorded. He also stated that "When We Were Free" is a personal standout for him, especially Mays's piano solo.

The original line on Gary Clark, Jr. was that the young Texas guitarist was supposed to be the future of the blues, having been mentored by Jimmie Vaughan and Eric Clapton, but as his star rises, Clark has made it increasingly clear that his creative ambitions run a lot deeper than being the next hotshot guitar slinger. On his major-label debut, 2012's Blak and Blu, Clark demonstrated he isn't interested in following the path of blues traditionalists, and while there's plenty of great guitar work on 2015's The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, this is by no means a conventional blues album.

Digitally remastered edition of this 1983 solo album from 1/2 of The Everly Brothers. The album features the UK Top 10 hit `She Means Nothing To Me' with Cliff Richard sharing lead vocals. Includes musical assistance from Pete Wingfield, Billy Bremner, Terry Williams, Christine McVie and Mark Knopfler. Songs written by acclaimed writers such as Ian Gomm and Gallagher & Lyle.

The most traditional pop band of all the Welsh bands to emerge in the post-Brit-pop days of the mid-'90s, Catatonia reworked the sound of jangling late-'80s alternative rock with a punchy, amateurish indie rock attack. Comprised of vocalist Cerys Matthews, guitarist/vocalist Mark Roberts, guitarist Owen, bassist Paul Jones, and drummer Aled Richards, Catatonia formed in Cardiff, Wales in the early '90s. Matthews and Roberts used to busk together in Cardiff before officially forming the band.

Discovery is the second studio album by the French house duo Daft Punk, released in March 2001. It marks a shift in the sound from Chicago house, which they were previously known for, to disco, post-disco and synthpop-inspired house. The album provided itself as a soundtrack to the anime film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, which was a collaboration between the creators of the album, Leiji Matsumoto, and Toei Animation. According to an interview with Remix Magazine Online, Thomas Bangalter stated: This album has a lot to do with our childhood and the memories of the state we were in at that stage of our lives. It's about our personal relationship to that time. It's less of a tribute to the music from 1975 to 1985 as an era, and more about focusing on the time when we were zero to ten years old. When you're a child you don't judge or analyze music. You just like it because you like it. You're not concerned with whether it's cool or not. Sometimes you might relate to just one thing in a song, such as the guitar sound. This album takes a playful, fun, and colorful look at music. It's about the idea of looking at something with an open mind and not asking too many questions. It's about the true, simple, and honest relationship you have with music when you're open to your own feelings.

Just 26 years old, Nicola Benedetti has been making chart-topping recordings for 10 years. This album celebrates the best of those recordings, and her other successes – from winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 2004, to her 2012 best-selling album ‘The Silver Violin’, the highest charting classical instrumental album in the UK of the last two decades. A collection of great violin music – from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending to the Tchaikovsky and Bruch violin concertos and Arvo Part’s Spiegel Im Spiegel. Featuring brand new recordings – Brahms’ invigorating Hungarian Dance no. 5, Monti’s ever-popular Czardas, and Chopin’s emotional Nocturne in C# minor. The album includes Nicola performing with leading orchestras and conductors, as well as some of her favorite chamber players. This album showcases the incredible range of Nicola’s playing and demonstrates her wide appeal. In January 2013 Nicola was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to music and charity.