March, 1973… A quartet known for its psychedelic inclinations delivered a fortress of an album: The Dark Side of The Moon was a musical UFO featuring the most advanced technology of the period, a stratospheric record which mirrored society and our errant human ways. Pink Floyd was about to write an essential chapter in rock history and enjoy planetary fame; even today, their album is still one of the greatest sellers of all time.
Among the most exciting classical musicians of our time, Alison Balsom was first inspired by Dizzy Gillespie to become a virtuosic trumpet soloist. 'I've spent my whole life trying to show how versatile the trumpet can be,' she says. 'It's only limited by your imagination.' In this selection from her award-winning albums, she plays gems from the Baroque repertoire on both natural and valved instruments.
An excellent set of 50s west coast chamber jazz – featuring a quintet that includes Harry Babasin on cello, Terry Gibbs on vibes, Demsey Wright on guitar, Ben Tucker on bass, and Bill Douglass on drums. The pairing of cello and vibes in the frontline is really great – and with additional support from guitar, the instruments really swing nicely on the set. The album's the sort that you might miss, because the Premier label was sort of a budget operation – but it's a really nice little side that grooves with a keen late 50s approach that's very much in the manner of similar albums on Dawn or Bethlehem – but arguably better, as it's recorded with an open feel, and some really great sound.
Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer-songwriter and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in 1987. She was invited to join the band with which she still performs, Alison Krauss and Union Station (AKUS), and later released her first album with them as a group in 1989.