Osprey Command 8 Henry V

Much Latin American music occupies a unique space between popular and "classical," rarely going to either extreme. On this recital of Latin American works mostly arranged for cello and piano (or guitar), the most formal work is the Sonata for cello and piano in G minor of Manuel Ponce, who also wrote the pop classic Estrellita, which is also included. It is mostly players from the region who record this music, but Louisianan John-Henry Crawford delivers a fine sense of enthusiasm at meeting the tradition for the first time.

Art is often informed by the life experiences of the artist, and what happens to them can impact their work in any number of ways. In November 2018, the singer and songwriter Joe Henry was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and as he wrestled with the prospect of mortality and the physically and emotionally taxing process of treatment, he practiced his own form of self-care – he wrote songs, a bunch of them, and then set about recording them at the home studio of a friend and collaborator, recording engineer S. Husky Höskulds. The product of these sessions, 2019's The Gospel According to Water, in many respects sounds like an ordinary Joe Henry album, with his rich voice and smartly crafted lyrics front and center, but the feel is decidedly different.

Despite its brevity, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas holds many charms for audience and performers alike, so it's no wonder that there has recently been something of a boomlet in recordings and reissues (certainly, it doesn't hurt that this mini-sized opera fits easily on one disc). This particular traversal is helmed by the rising young French conductor and harpsichordist Emmanuelle Haïm, whose snap and vigor in this repertoire is immensely appealing. Another real pleasure is getting to know the stylish Concert d'Astrée, whose poise and elegance is a welcome addition to the roster of Baroque ensembles.

Wonderfull album of eccentric, minimal contemporary pop ambience from this classically trained French duo. Docteur Labus was the fourth album they made together in 1988 for the modern dance theater piece by Jean-Claude Galotta. Absolutely great music, sometimes high energy, sometimes quite lyrical.

Henry Tree is a trio that features Leroy Markish on guitar and lead vocals, Carmen Castaldi on drums and Charles McLauughlin on bass. One of the best Mainstream psychedelic LP's of the second generation from 1969. The tunes are all pretty long. For a trio these guys sported a surprisingly full sound, helped in no small measure by Markish's impressive voice.

Rarely have I read a sleeve-note that pleads so vehemently in support of the music it introduces as does the one for this collection of works by Henry Lawes. ''I wish this record well,'' writes Anthony rooley, ''for Harry's [Henry's] sake, so that our un-sung genius of song may occupy his rightful place in the halls of Fame, and the late 20th century adopt the same conclusions as his own time''. Certainly you may find it surprising that a composer whose music was praised by such towering contemporaries as Charles I, Milton and Locke should have been neglected so universally by today's champions of early music—surprising, that is, until you hear the music itself.

The present recording was accomplished in 2020 by socially distanced musicians, and director Robert King puts things in perspective, observing in his notes that Henry Purcell lived through the London plague of 1665, during which 15 percent of the city's population perished.

If the name of Henry Charles Litolff is familiar today only through the scherzo of his Concerto symphonique No 4, the absurdity of that ‘one-hit composer’ tag is clearly demonstrated by this release. These are among the finest examples of the piano trio genre still inexplicably absent from the standard repertoire.