The Bohemian born composer Antonio Rosetti was one of the most famous musicians and composers of his day. His elegant melodic writing, inventiveness and compositional refinement were frequently the reason to compare his works to those of Mozart and Haydn. These world premiere recordings by the ensemble Compagnia di Punto reveal the last hidden treasures within his multi-facetted and fascinating symphonic and concert repertoire.
Oud virtuoso and composer Anouar Brahem returns to ECM with an inspired trio. In the company of pianist François Couturier and accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier, he emerges more as guiding wind than guiding light, forging a quietly original program that feels at once unprecedented and timeless. Brahem’s writing is especially intuitive on this outing, teetering from stream-of-consciousness currents to insightful themes in the steady arc of a summer fan.
Constantly creative, Marc Almond releases his brand new album Chaos and a Dancing Star. The album was made in collaboration with producer, songwriter and pianist Chris Braide, who also worked on The Velvet Trail. An Ivor Novello winner and a Grammy nominee, Braide’s many high profile credits include work with artists such as Sia, Lana Del Rey and Halsey. The duo started writing for the album three years ago, their initial plan for a prog rock album evolving into something leaning more towards strident pop melodies. The title informs many of the album’s themes, and impermanence is also a recurring topic. It emerges in various forms: mortality in Black Sunrise and Dust, as well as saying farewell and leaving a legacy in Cherry Tree and When The Stars Are Gone. The jaunty Slow Burn Love provides light amongst the darkness, with its hope of finding an ever-lasting love rather than one that’s “over before you blink your eyes” - a counterpoint to Marc’s common premise that love inevitably proves to be a disappointment.
Robert Glasper is a jazz pianist with a knack for mellow, harmonically complex compositions that also reveal a subtle hip-hop influence. Since debuting as a leader during the mid-2000s, the Houston native has been crucial to the enduring relevance of Blue Note Records, blurring genre distinctions and regularly topping Billboard's Jazz Albums chart with highly collaborative recordings such as the Grammy-winning Black Radio (2011) and Black Radio 2 (2013), as well as ArtScience (2016), all credited to the Robert Glasper Experiment. In addition to guiding projects such as the soundtrack for Miles Ahead (another Grammy winner) and R+R=Now's Collagically Speaking, Glasper has contributed to dozens of other albums, most notably Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly. The mixtape Fuck Yo Feelings (2019) best exemplifies Glasper's obstinate resistance to expectations and devotion to spontaneous interplay.
No one knows quite when tango was established in Finland, but the style has a long history there – still little known to outsiders – and combines rhythmic interest and yearning melody with a distinctively Nordic melancholy. In this ingeniously curated programme, two Finnish tangos from the 1950s and a tango-based work by Finnish classical composer Aulis Sallinen are woven into a bold tapestry of music from the Eastern Baltic seaboard. Longing, sadness, and a heightened sense of nature infuse all of these works, which also reveal intriguing stylistic connections: the rocking accompaniment of Sibelius’ 'Einsames Lied' seems to prefigure the ‘Baltic minimalism’ of Vasks, Pärt and Zita Bružaité, while Olli Mustonen’s 'Toccata' alternates rhythmic verve with a rich vein of reflective memory. These original compositions are complemented by Robert McFall’s own sensitive arrangements, for a core McFall’s lineup of five strings and piano, and the programme culminates in a truly unique version of Sibelius’s famous 'Finlandia' Hymn.
The master tapes reveal more great New Breed R&B dance exclusives – plus rare records and elusive CD offerings from the past.
Though Finnish composer Uuno Klami is nowadays best known for his large-scale orchestral works, those for smaller ensembles are an important category in his output, and these less flamboyant works would sometimes reveal new aspects of their composer. The Uuno Klami Ensemble was formed in 2016 for the performance and recording of chamber music by Uuno Klami. Its leader is pianist Esa Ylonen and its members vary according to need, but they all have years of experience of playing together and especially the music of Klami. Ylönen’s interest in Uuno Klami dates right back to his childhood. He is particularly fired by the fine French ambiance of the music by Klami inspired by the sea and Klami’s ability to combine Finnish features with European. Ylönen is Chairman of the Uuno Klami Society.