James Beckwith Se10

James became interested in music while attending high school at Milford Prep in Connecticut. Bob Dylan was a strong early influence. He later attended university in the United States but returned to Canada when all his friends were drafted.

Elmore James presents his 1971 album All Them Blues, a 20-track collection of originals and standards. Audio Fidelity presents this legacy recording in stunning modern clarity with its remastering and digital transfer process.

As the title suggests, this is the definitive edition of Etta James' Tell Mama long-player. For this single-disc release the original album is augmented with five previously unissued tracks – documented during James' four Muscle Shoals sessions circa '67-'68. The question of why a rural Alabama town became a conduit for some of the most memorable and instantly identifiable grooves may still be up for debate. The evidence exists in droves and Tell Mama could certainly be considered exhibit A. These sessions feature the same impact that would redirect several first ladies of soul. Notable among them are Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis, Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) and to somewhat lesser acclaim, Jackie DeShannon's Jackie. Tell Mama showcases some of the unique and admittedly darker qualities of what might best be described as R&B noir. "I'd Rather Go Blind," "Steal Away," "I'm Gonna Take What He's Got" all exemplify the essence of the blues – making the best of a bad situation. The flipside of the sombre subject matter is the satisfying conviction in the music – which is where the remastering becomes particularly noticeable. No longer does the brass section sound alternately muffled or harsh as it has on previous releases. Likewise, the churning Hammond B-3 organ swells with rich textures. Perhaps the most sonically evident improvements are the subtle ones, such as the supple fretwork on "Sweet Dreams," "I'd Rather Go Blind," and the jazzy percussive shuffle of "The Same Rope."

In the early 1970s Barclay James Harvest pioneered the fusion of rock and classical music, touring with their own symphony orchestra. On the 23rd September 2023, a stunning and unique concert took place which saw the first performance by any incarnation of Barclay James Harvest with a symphony orchestra to take place in UK since 1973. Joining JLBJH for this memorable concert was The Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra, arranged and conducted by Benjamin Ellin.

The sophomore album from Early James, Strange Time To Be Alive is the sound of an artist sublimely out of step with the world. With all the charmed eccentricity of a true poet, the Alabama-bred singer/songwriter takes in the endless absurdity he sees around him, then alchemizes his unease into a glorious patchwork of musical idioms: forsaken blues and contemplative folk songs, brooding murder ballads and lovestruck piano tunes.

SOMM Recordings announces the third and final volume of the enthusiastically received One Hundred Years of British Song, with tenor James Gilchrist and pianist Nathan Williamson. Focusing on songs written since 1950, Volume 3 celebrates what Williamson’s booklet note describes as “astonishment at the depth of expressivity of the poetry and music”.

Original Motion Picture Score from the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Music composed by James Newton Howard. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2016 fantasy action film directed by David Yates and written by J. K. Rowling (in her screenwriting debut), based on Rowling’s book of the same name. Aspin-off and a prequel of the Harry Potter film series, the film will be the first installment of a trilogy, and stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Ron Perlman and Jon Voight.

Live at the Acropolis captures the band's unforgettable live performance at the historic Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an open-air amphitheater beneath the Acropolis in Athens. Recorded on the 10th of July, 2023, this album transports listeners to that magical night, where James along with along with a 22 piece orchestra conducted by Joe Duddell and an 8 piece choir, delivered a powerful set against the backdrop of ancient history.

Baritone Benjamin Appl pays tribute to his mentor, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, whose centenary we celebrate in 2025.