Acoustic From October 2014

"Live Cream Volume II" is a compilation disc comprised of various live performances by the English rock band Cream between the dates of March 9th and October 4th, 1968. The six track recording includes "Sunshine of Your Love", "Steppin' Out" and "White Room".

GRAMOPHONE AWARD 2015 WINNER (RECITAL CATEGORY). A welcome return of Carolyn Sampson and Ex Cathedra to Hyperion, performing the rich, fulsome music of the French Baroque. Their recording of love songs from Rameau’s operas (Hyperion CDA67447) was hugely acclaimed for Sampson’s stylish, fluid, seductive performances, and ten years later her artistry is even more dazzling. This album is of particular interest as rather than concentrating on one composer it showcases the works written for the premiere soprano of the day, Marie Fel. Voltaire called her his ‘adorable nightingale’. For d’Aquin, she was an enchanted being. Marie Fel was the soprano who held an entire generation spellbound at the Paris Opéra and at Louis XV’s court during one of the most glorious periods of French music. With a voice described as ‘pure, charming, silvery’ (La Borde), ‘touching and sublime’ (Grimm) and ‘always lovely, always seductive’ (d’Aquin), she inspired some of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s finest music and introduced a whole new level of virtuosity and expression into the French singing tradition. Her long, triumphant career is traced through this fascinating recording.

In the era ruled by the electric guitar, British-born, LA-based Peter White reigns supreme as one the world's greatest masters of the nylon-string acoustic guitar. From the time he burst on the scene with rock legend Al Stewart in the seventies and singer Basia in the eighties to his session work with Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub, Lee Ritenour, Kirk Whalum and Boney James, White's fabulous fingers continue to showcase the timeless tones and timbres that come from wood, skin and an expansive musical imagination.

"Flying in a Blue Dream" is Joe Satriani's third studio album and was originally released in October 1989. It was one of Satriani's most popular albums, peaking at #23 on the US Billboard 200 chart and staying on the chart for 39 weeks. The album was certified Gold in January 1990 and was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1991 Grammy Awards, Satriani's third nomination. Four singles from the album charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart: "Big Bad Moon" (#31); "One Big Rush" (#36); "Back to Shalla-Bal" (#17); and "I Believe" (#17). Remastered by John Cuniberti, analog mixes are 15ips Dolby SR, transferred and mastered to digital at 96/24.

In their third collaboration for Unseen Rain Records, acoustic virtuosos Jack DeSalvo and Tom Cabrera make their most ambitious musical statement yet, including creations with multiple layers of strings and percussion, their signature duos, and a solo piece each.

"John Wesley Harding" is Bob Dylan's eighth studio album and was originally released on December 27, 1967 on Columbia Records. It marked Dylan's return to acoustic roots music after having made three albums of electric rock. The album was incredibly well-received by listeners and critics alike, and the song "All Along the Watchtower" became one of Dylan's most popular numbers after it was covered by Jimi Hendrix the following year.