Kylie Minogue 2023 Tension (deluxe) (24bit 44.1khz)

Keith Sweat's first studio album since 2011 arrived as the singer's syndicated radio program, The Sweat Hotel, was approaching its tenth year. It could be deduced that the gig has sharpened Sweat's ears and pen, as Dress to Impress features his best round of songs in well over a decade. Beside a small cast of writing and production associates that includes Wirlie Morris and Derek Allen, Sweat focuses on romance and emotional connection. The album sounds fresh while drawing from numerous eras, just as the Sweat Hotel playlist roams from decade to decade.

Since making his debut as a leader with 2001's At Last, Marcus Strickland has established a reputation as a composer of remarkable depth and breadth. On Nihil Novi, his first Blue Note offering, Strickland showcases a new band – trumpeter Keyon Harrold, keyboardists Mitch Henry and Masayuki Hirano, bassist Kyle Miles, and drummer Charles Haynes. His new tunes offer an even greater array of styles, harmonic textures, and dynamics, and reveal his preoccupation with hip-hop beatmaking. (This isn't a jazz/hip-hop fusion record.) Nihil Novi was expertly and empathetically produced by Meshell Ndegeocello, who also guests on bass. Strickland also brings in some old friends and allies, including Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, Pino Palladino, and Chris Bruce.

Soriana is ‘our Syria’. Our country that we left behind, forced out either by a search or by circumstances. We head out thinking that we carry no baggage, completely unaware of the biggest gift our country has bestowed upon us. That gift is the gift of musical knowledge. It remains with me throughout many journeys, it soothes wounds and inspires creation, provides warmth and a platform of stability, images, aromas, tastes that water the mouth and inspire new creations still. This music is my gift to our Syria – Soriana.

"In the Now" is the second solo album by British singer-songwriter Barry Gibb, released on 7 October 2016 by Columbia Records. Although his second solo album (since 1984's Now Voyager), it is the first of all new material since the Bee Gees' final studio album This Is Where I Came In (2001). Gibb said of the album: "This is a dream come true for me. It's a new chapter in my life. I always hoped one day that The Bee Gees would be with Columbia or indeed Sony so, it's a great joy for me to start again this way with such great people."

Bassist/composer Mark Dresser has long maintained a bi-coastal career. Born in Los Angeles, for many years his base of operations was New York—including ten years as a member of the Anthony Braxton Quartet—but since 2004 he has been on the faculty of the University of California, San Diego. The all-star septet on Sedimental You bridges the East and West Coast scenes, and provides an ensemble capable of a wide range of sounds and textures.

Stevie McCrorie is the acoustic-guitar wielding, firefighting, Scottish singer-songwriter who won the 2015 season of ‘The Voice UK’. If, knowing this, you think you know all you need to about McCrorie’s first major label release, Big World, you are probably right. Big World, as a pop album, is competent and polished, though one would expect nothing less from a winner of ‘The Voice’.

Alma is a collaboration between six-time GRAMMY's-nominated Cuban composer and pianist Omar Sosa and celebrated Italian trumpet and flugelhorn player Paolo Fresu, with guest cello contributions on four tracks by noted Brazilian conductor, arranger, producer and cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. The compositions are all written by Omar Sosa and Paolo Fresu, except for Under African Skies , a version of the popular track from Paul Simon's Graceland. The music on Alma (soul) is generally melodic and medium-paced, except for a fiery version of Omar s composition Angustia. Fresu's flugelhorn work is sweet and warm and the rich and playful musical connection between Fresu and Sosa is evident throughout the recording.

The source of the Lemminkäinen Suite is the Finnish national epic Kalevala, and its four movements – of which ‘The Swan of Tuonela’ is often performed separately - tell of the adventures of the young hero Lamminkäinen. In comparison, The Wood-Nymph only had its first complete performance in 1996. This was given by the performers on this disc, a team which has become synonymous with top-flight idiomatic Sibelius performances.

Recorded Nov 13th & 20th 2016 at the Duderstadt Center @ University of Michigan Deadbird is released March 1, 2017.