Connie Francis recorded so many pop trifles during her long career that it's easy to forget what a hip and effervescent singer she could be when paired with the right material and collaborators. Cocktail Connie: Connie Francis Sings and Swings Lounge Classics rights that wrong, assembling 18 surprisingly fresh and sophisticated tracks recorded for MGM during the mid-'60s. A significant chunk of the compilation originates via 1968's Sings Bacharach and David - arranger Claus Ogerman's interpretations of songs like "Walk on By," "This Girl's in Love with You," and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" augment the melodies' jazz-like intricacies to create subdued, richly textured settings that perfectly complement Francis' uncharacteristic vocal restraint, complete with nuanced orchestration worthy of Burt Bacharach himself…
J.S. Bach's sonatas for solo violin, part of a long tradition of virtuoso works for the instrument, seem unsuited to transcription. But a guitar comes closer than perhaps any other instrument: it embodies a tension – not the same tension as with a solo violin but a tension nonetheless – between melodic material and polyphony. In the hands of Finnish guitarist Timo Korhonen they produce an unusual effect.
On the first album they’ve released together since they were partners in The Jayhawks in 1995, singer/songwriters Mark Olson and Gary Louris reconvene for a recording that's unlikely to disappoint fans of their old band. But while they mine a thoughtful country-folk vein that’s not far removed from Jayhawks territory, Olson and Louris take a somewhat softer, more acoustic-based, balladic approach here than they did in the Jayhawks days, lending Ready for the Flood a warm, honeyed glow.
All these works were published within 18 months of Purcell's death. The 13 suites of choice movements from plays and semi-operas, entitled A Collection of Ayres, compos'd for theTheatre, and upon other occasions, may well have been the editing work of Purcell's brother, Daniel.
Darwin's Radio is a four piece progressive-rock outfit from the south of England. Their music is described as powerful melodic rock, with thoughtful lyrics, dynamics and excellent tempo changes. The band released their debut album "Eyes of the World" in April 2006. This is Neo-Prog with a hard edge and the recipe for the whole album can be found in the album opener Erase… Rewind a rather grandiose song that sails through time changes, and light and dark passages with deft aplomb. The edgy vocals add just the right amount of drama and one instantly believes this album may be a classic. The next album ("Template For A Generation") has only 3 tracks and 44 minutes of music, but it´s pretty strong work, with some great guitar work from Bruke, fine keyboards and a strong rhythm section…
At the end of the 17th century, the violin is on the point of achieving artistic supremacy all over Europe. England remains the last stronghold of the viola, the quintessential aristocratic instrument, carrying the values of nobility and emotion which music is supposed to incarnate and taking at the time French style as a model. It was a musician hailing from Naples who was to introduce London to the delights of the violin and the spice of Italian music, for which the British would become passionate.