Monteverdi’s Ninth Book of Madrigals, published posthumously, and the 1632 Scherzi musicali (‘Musical Jokes’) are thematically linked by the recurring theme of war for the sake of love. Prefaced with a Sinfonia by Biagio Marini and featuring one of Monteverdi’s towering masterpieces, Zefiro torna, the Ninth Book comprises the few remaining late madrigals, a number of canzonette, as well as works with the same titles and verses from the earlier Eighth Book, here performed in completely different musical settings. Recorded complete, and in historically informed fashion, this is the final volume in this series.

While the music offered in this recording spans only thirty-two years, it best exemplifies the development of French musical style and taste in the eighteenth century. By the middle of the century the unification of both the Italian and French styles of music composition termed by Franois Couperin as les gots-runis had been realised. This disc of chamber music modestly charts the journey through this change from Montclair and Morel through Leclair and Naudot to Rameau.

The Huelgas Ensemble was founded by director Paul Van Nevel in 1971. It has specialized in choral music, frequently with instrumental support, from the thirteenth century on to the early Baroque. Their recordings of the High Renaissance have been especially prized. They have also been pioneers in the performance of the difficult Ars Subtilior repertory of the late medieval era.

Not often bands can evolve and present two stunning albums in a relatively short time frame, but this is exactly what DGM have done, offering a new album which is a substantial departure compared to the acclaimed "Life" which was released in late 2023.
"Endless" is a conceptual album that chronicles one man's imaginative journey to understand the choices that shaped his life. Through vivid storytelling, the album explores the eternal question - how might life be different if I had taken another path?
Musically the "Endless" offers a different side from the band which exposes a lot of different influences ranging from 70’s Progressive Rock (from Kansas, to Yes and Jethro Tull) even with a dash of Italian Progressive Rock (think Banco or PFM)…

Preservation Act 1 (1973). Preservation is Ray Davies' most ambitious project - a musical that used the quaint, small-town nostalgia of Village Green as a template to draw the entirety of society and how it works. Or, at least that's what the concept seems to be, since the storyline was so convoluted, it necessitated three separate LPs, spread over two albums, and it still didn't really make sense because the first album, Preservation, Act 1, acted more like an introduction to the characters, and all the story was condensed into the second album. Davies intended all of Preservation to stand as one double-album set, but he scrapped the first sessions for the album, which led to record company pressure to deliver an album before the end of 1973 - hence, the appearance of Preservation, Act 1 in mid-November…

Jimmy Dawkins is a true original. A one of a kind artist whose distinctive guitar style is instantly recognizable. His chilling killer tone, his deep, complex, innovative solos and his intense playing approach have made him revered amongst his peers and won fans around the world.
1975 session that captured the essence of Jimmy's club performances, contains 4 never before released tracks.

A 10 CD box set with all the albums of the legendary Dutch Prog Rock Formation Earth and Fire. The nine albums packed in a monumental box, some albums of which no longer available for years, specifically for this release packed into replicas of the original sleeves. Besides there is an extra bonus CD with non-album singles, special single releases, b-sides and more. The accompanying booklet includes rare photos and clippings from the private archive of singer Jerney Kaagman.

Laila Biali is an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist whose recording Wintersongs offers an immersive journey into the delicate beauty and serene power of winter all through the lens of her jazz and classical roots. With two exceptions, all tracks were composed by Biali in a cabin surrounded by snow-capped mountains in the heart of Canada's Rocky Mountains. Many of Biali's usual collaborators participated in this production, including drummer Ben Wittman, renowned flutist and soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett, accomplished trumpeter Kevin Turcotte and organ wizard Sam Yahel along with Detroit-born singer Wade O. Brown }}, among others.
The winter theme is not just a seasonal nod but a broader metaphor for stillness, reflection, and the beauty of quiet moments, which begins with the opening track "Drifting Down Ice"…

This is a worthwhile electronic/synthpop/darkwave debut album from a two-member German band.
Wolfsheim is one of Germany's inveterate synth pop groups, a band that has outlived numerous rock & roll trends by remaining committed to their original sound. The group was formed in 1987 by siblings Markus Reinhardt and Olli Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi (vocals). However, Ricciardi departed from Wolfsheim shortly after they recorded their first demo; he was replaced by Peter Heppner, a singer who was already familiar with the brothers since they were all raised in the same area of Wilhelmsburg, Germany. Olli eventually left the band as well, turning Wolfsheim into a duo. Heppner started writing new tracks, and Wolfsheim distributed two more cassettes to record labels…

Bossa nova is not unfamiliar to Diana Krall, but 2009's Quiet Nights is her first record devoted to the gently swaying rhythm. Teaming up again with arranger Claus Ogerman, who last worked with Krall on 2001's The Look of Love and who also frequently collaborated with bossa nova godfather Antonio Carlos Jobim, Krall winds up with a mellow, lazy album that recalls the relaxed late-night sophistication of Jobim's duet album with Frank Sinatra, which Ogerman also happened to arrange and conduct. It's not just the sound, it's the songs: how '60s standards like Bacharach/David's "Walk on By" sit next to three Jobim tunes, a song by Marcos Valle ("So Nice"), and a few American Songbook standards placed at the beginning, the better to ease listeners into purer bossa nova at the end.