Nguyen

Germaine Tailleferre (1892–1983) came of age in the explosively creative days of 1920s Paris. Well-known as the only female member of Les Six, the group of composers which included Darius Milhaud, Louis Durey, Georges Auric, Francis Poulenc, and Arthur Honegger, her circle of friends also included Charlie Chaplin, Picasso, Modigliani, Diaghilev, Ravel, Stravinsky, and Monteux. This recording features works originally for solo piano, as well as transcriptions and excerpts from ballets and film scores. The music spans 60 years and represents some of Tailleferre’s best and most significant work, some of it rarely played or recorded.

Joachim Raff (1822–1882) was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the foremost symphonists of his age, but in his extensive oeuvre of 329 compositions over half of them are for the piano. This selection of 21 works offers a cross section of the best of this large catalogue for the instrument, chosen by acclaimed Raff interpreter Tra Nguyen to showcase the varied aspects of his art. Raff’s melodic generosity, his piquant harmonic sensibility and ravishing textures are all on display in these pieces which span the whole of his career, from the exuberant Douze Romances to the majestic Grande Sonate.

Much more than a usual "Best Of" album, on these double CD-sets the musicians themselves picked out 24 pieces, which they feel represent the most important, significant and personal selections from their repertoire. Remastered and given the best possible post-production. An excellent introduction for established fans as well as newcomers, who have yet to discover the musicians and their art.
Nguyên Lê opens his Signature Edition with a kind of prelude: the previously unreleased track "Magic Constant" introduces the listener to his incomparable musical kingdom, full of very different landscapes. There are pure classic adaptations (for instance on the traditional "Lo Rossinyol") as well as abstract clusters of contemporary music; many pieces are defined by Vietnamese music traditions…

Guitarist Nguyên Lê pays tribute to Jimi Hendrix by performing ten of the late rock innovator's songs on this 2002 CD. Lê plays in the tradition of Hendrix without directly copying him, being creative and stretching himself. There's plenty to be familiar with for Hendrix fans, but ultimately far more surprises.

It was a recommendation of ACT guitarist Nguyên Lê that first brought the French baritone saxophonist Céline Bonacina to the attention of label boss Siggi Loch.
Céline Bonacina studied in Belfort, Besançon and Paris. She won numerous prizes for her saxophone playing and gained her first jazz experience in Parisian big bands. She worked with artists such as the Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and the saxophonist Andy Sheppard. Céline Bonacina’s debut album, Vue d’en Haut, was widely acclaimed by the French jazz press and its success lead to appearences at French jazz festivals. One of the most well known of these, Jazz á Vienne, voted her, in 2009, the winner of its Jazz Competition - the prize a festival performance in 2010 and production of her new album Way of Life…

Even in the adventurous territory of jazz, this French-Vietnamese musician stands out as a unique explorer of sounds. His new CD will surprise even those who believe themselves to be, by now, familiar with the diversity of his musical output. The first unusual fact: Most of the tracks were recorded in Lê’s living room (pardon me, his salon), and also completed à la maison using his computer. The second unusual fact: This domestic method of producing music need not conjure up the cosy, well worn realm of familial comfort, in fact Nguyên Lê leads the listener into a space that is full to the brim with warped sounds and acoustical metamorphoses.

Nguyên Lê’s "Overseas" – the great guitarist brings jazz, traditional Vietnamese music and hip-hop to the music for “Cirque-Nouveau”.

It's a bold concept; take Pink Floyd's iconic Dark Side of the Moon (Harvest, 1973) and reinterpret it in a big band jazz setting. With upwards of forty million copies sold, every note, every nuance of Floyd's eighth album is so firmly entrenched in the minds of the band's legion devotees that to tamper with the work in any way is to leave oneself open to facile criticism. French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê, however, is nothing if not adventurous. Lê has already demonstrated on Purple: Celebrating Jimi Hendrix (ACT Music, 2007) and Songs of Freedom (ACT Music, 2012)—his tribute to classic pop and rock songs of the 1960s and 1970s—that he can breathe new life into old material without being overly reverential.

Guitarist Nguyen Le has become the Parisian equivalent of Bill Frisell: a "changes player" who is not averse to kicking on nasty effects pedals or playing simply and folksy when the tune merits. But on this cooperative outing with drummer Peter Erskine and bassist Michel Benita, Le throws his own signature into the mix with the various odd bends and nontempered slurs he pulls off on the guitar, alluding to his Vietnamese heritage on pieces like "Sao Sen," "Zigzag" and "Free at Last" with a very personal touch on the fretboard.