Andrew Harding

Una settimana dopo l’inizio della guerra in Ucraina, una piccola città nel sud del paese, Voznesensk, si trova suo malgrado teatro del conflitto. Qui c’è un ponte, il ponte sull’Acqua Morta, che le truppe russe sono obbligate a superare per dirigersi verso Odessa. Occupare la cittadina, piccola e abitata prevalentemente da contadini e pensionati, sembra un gioco da ragazzi per l’esercito del Cremlino. Eppure, contro tutti i pronostici, il paese si ribella, mettendo in piedi una resistenza che darà un segnale di speranza e sarà d’esempio per tutte le altre città ucraine. La milizia territoriale, costituita da trenta volontari, scava trincee improvvisate, mentre tutti gli altri fabbricano molotov con stracci e bottiglie. Arriva una pattuglia dell’esercito ucraino, due volontari vengono presi prigionieri dai russi, cade un elicottero, per un errore il ponte viene fatto saltare in anticipo sul previsto..

The relationship between Alex Harding and Lucian Ban has been long and fruitful. Their combination of elements of improvisational music have helped the pair develop a unique musical language that transcends the expectations of the jazz genre. Their new recording, Blutopia, highlights their attuned rapport while allowing their music to unfold with their own singular ensemble, propelled by the tuba stylings of the great Bob Stewart.

Curtis Harding says that soul music, and his music, speak for themselves. It's selfevident on the Atlanta artist's debut, "Soul Power". The driving sound of his electrified Stratocaster, the foot-stomping backbeat and the lyrics swimming in reverb – with something this flourishing, it's almost reductive to just dig around the roots.

In these three song cycles, Britten draws inspiration from the high points of European poetry (Shakespeare, Blake, Shelley, Keats, but also Rimbaud) to push the boundaries of the genre.

Avec ces trois cycles de mélodies, Britten puise son inspiration dans des sommets de la poésie européenne (Shakespeare, Blake, Shelley, Keats, mais aussi Rimbaud) pour mieux repousser les limites du genre. Démultipliant les rapports voix-instruments, il passe des cordes seules (Les Illuminations) à un ensemble de cordes avec vents, harpe et timbales obligés (Nocturne), sans oublier le fascinant dialogue avec le cor dans la Sérénade. Tout un univers révélé ici par des interprètes aux moyens superlatifs !

Even though musicians may come from divergent places, it is amazing to find that many have the same proclivities when it comes to musical tendencies and taste. The relationship between Detroit born baritone saxophonist and bass clarinetist Alex Harding and Romanian pianist Lucian Ban is one example, in this case two musician from such different places, coalesce around the power of the blues. Their new recording, Dark Blue, is a testament to their musical and brotherly bond.

Swedish singer Miah Persson throws her hat into the lyric soprano ring with Sempre Libera, a selection of arias to showcase her talents, recorded live in concert. She has a sweet voice, though not saccharine, and an assured technique. Like Tebaldi, her trill is not her strength (though, unlike that soprano, at least she includes them). However the voice never opens up at the top, where it remains quite polite, and her coloratura, though fluent, is not scintillating.