Fifth Note

Fifth Note is a new signing from the Frontiers label and is another band which is based in the Northeast region of India based in Kohima, the capital state of Nagaland. The group was started in the middle of 2019 evolving from the original foundations of a Christian themed band, though now they draw most of their musical influences from the secular Progressive Metal and classic old school Hard Rock genres of music. While Progressive Music can run the risk of being self-indulgent, Fifth Note manage to offer a sort of primal urge in their music still offering very catchy melodies and a very polished sound.

Jon Jang & The Pan-Asian Arkestra - Tiananmen! (1993) {Soul Note 121223-2}
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© 1993 Soul Note | 121223-2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Experimental Big Band / World Fusion / Piano

After the Tianenmen Square slaughter in China, pianist Jon Jang wrote the five-part "Tianenmen" to depict the hopes and dreams of the demonstrators, along with the sad reality. This CD has the full work, plus "Butterfly Lovers Song." Jang's adventurous music, which looks both back to the ancient past and toward the future, is expertly interpreted by his unusual group, which includes two musicians utilizing traditional Chinese instruments, flutist James Newton, three reeds, a trumpeter, a trombonist, bassist Mark Izu, percussionist Anthony Brown, and Jang's piano. Emotional and haunting music.

Sonny Fortune - From Now On (1996) {Blue Note CDP 7243 8 38098 2 0}
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© 1996 Blue Note / Capitol Records | CDP 7243 8 38098 2 0
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz / Saxophone

This release from altoist Sonny Fortune is a particularly strong session, a mostly high-powered modal modern mainstream date with Fortune playing at his best and contributing five of the eight compositions. Trumpeter Eddie Henderson (who is filling the gap left by the ailing Freddie Hubbard) and tenor-saxophonist Joe Lovano are major assets on three songs (they both appear on "Glue Fingers" and the 17-minute "Thoughts" while playing one song apiece with Fortune in a quintet) but the focus is mostly on the leader and the rhythm section (which consists of pianist John Hicks, bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts). For Sonny Fortune (who has been underrated throughout his career), this is a pretty definitive session.

Sonny Clark's fifth Blue Note recording as a leader is generally regarded as his best, especially considering he composed four of the seven tracks, and they all bear his stamp of originality. What is also evident is that he is shaping the sounds of his quintet rather than dominating the proceedings as he did on previous dates. Tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine play very little harmony on the date, but their in-tune unison lines are singularly distinctive, while bassist Butch Warren and young drummer Billy Higgins keep the rhythmic coals burning with a steady, glowing red heat. Among the classic tunes is the definitive hard bop opener "Somethin' Special," which lives up to its title in a most bright and happy manner, with Clark merrily comping chords. "Melody for C" is similarly cheerful, measured, and vivid in melodic coloration…

Sonny Clark's fifth Blue Note recording as a leader is generally regarded as his best, especially considering he composed four of the seven tracks, and they all bear his stamp of originality. What is also evident is that he is shaping the sounds of his quintet rather than dominating the proceedings as he did on previous dates. Tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine play very little harmony on the date, but their in-tune unison lines are singularly distinctive, while bassist Butch Warren and young drummer Billy Higgins keep the rhythmic coals burning with a steady, glowing red heat. Among the classic tunes is the definitive hard bop opener "Somethin' Special," which lives up to its title in a most bright and happy manner, with Clark merrily comping chords. "Melody for C" is similarly cheerful, measured, and vivid in melodic coloration…

Two symphonies from Beethoven's so-called 'Heroic' period—No 4 completed in 1806 and the supremely defiant No 5 begun in the same year and completed two years later.

This program brings together a wide variety of Alan Hovhaness’ works including numerous world premiere recordings. These range from the earliest of his band compositions, the processional Tapor No. 1, to more recent chamber pieces such as the gentle barcarole of Vision on a Starry Night. The Ruins of Ani returns us to the tragic location also explored in Hovhaness’ Symphony No. 23 ‘Ani’ (available on Naxos 8.559385), while the Three Improvisations on Folk Tunes evoke dances from the Indian subcontinent. Newly discovered works with percussion include the Japanese-influenced overture to Hovhaness’ opera The Burning House alongside October Mountain, now a classic in its genre.

ABBA's fifth album was a marked step forward for the group, having evolved out of Europop music into a world-class rock act over their previous two albums, they now proceeded to absorb and assimilate some of the influences around them, particularly the laid-back California sound of Fleetwood Mac (curiously, like ABBA, then a band with two couples at its center), as well as some of the attributes of progressive rock. That they did this without compromising their essential virtues as a pop ensemble makes this album seem even more extraordinary, though at the time nobody bothered to analyze it - The Album was simply an incredibly popular release, yielding two British number one singles in "The Name of the Game" and "Take a Chance on Me" (which made the Top Five in America, their second-best showing after "Dancing Queen")…

Johannes Ockeghem (c.1430-c.1495) - Masses - Beauty Farm (2017) {fra bernardo Digital Download fb1701743}
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© 2017 fra bernardo | fb 1701743
Classical / Renaissance / Early Music / Sacred / Polyphony / Masses

Beauty Farm founded 2014 by Markus Muntean and Bernhard Trebuch is a vocal group focused to the Franco-Flemish polyphony of the renaissance. The international ensemble is based in the carthusian monastery at Mauerbach (Austria). The singers are members of well known ensembles. Beauty Farm exclusively records for frabernardo. Going back to the roots Beauty Farms reveals the secrets of polyphonic masterpieces …