Silent Knight: Alexander

He is a versatile composer both in traditional and computer-assisted composition. His pieces can take listener from the old-school orchestral sound to exotic electronic scores and the combination of both. He finished his studies at Royal Conservatory of Madrid (Spain) As a composer, he has worked in award-winning short films such as “Peck Pocketed” (Student Academy Award winner), “The colors of evil” (Student Academy Award nominee), Nitro Warriors Afterburner (Best Low-budget short film ….), as well as documentary films, video-games, commercials and musicals.

Three CD set. Ministry of Sound's hugely successful Soul Jams series returns with the irresistibly funky '80s Soul Jams Vol. II. Expect three discs of soul-pumping, dance-floor groovers and legendary disco anthems from Aretha Franklin, Kool & The Gang, Luther Vandross, Alexander O'Neil, The Jacksons, Marvin Gaye, Billy Ocean, Womack & Womack and many, many more. So, get down on it and feel the groove with 60 tracks of pure '80s Soul Jams fire.

Presenting the Complete Philips Recordings of John Williams on 21 CDs, with the original jackets, celebrating the maestro's 90th birthday on February 8. This box set includes the original artwork and spined wallets, a 32-page booklet with new liner notes by Dr. Emilio Audissino (author of The Film Music Of John Williams and Film Music In Concert: The Pioneering Role Of The Boston Pops Orchestra). All packaged in a 2-piece lift-off lid box with V-shaped thumb-cuts on either side of the lid.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a gospel singer, songwriter and guitarist who was unique in her genre as the pioneer of performing gospel using an electric guitar, to the extent that many of her records and performances have been seen as early examples of rock 'n' roll, and she acquired the nicknames "the original soul sister" and "the Godmother of rock 'n' roll". Rock 'n' roll artists like Elvis Presley and Little Richard, and blues guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jeff beck cite her as an influence. This 78-track 3-CD collection comprises a significant proportion of the A & B sides of her releases on the Decca label during this era, and includes releases with Lucky Millinder's Orchestra, duets with fellow gospel singer Marie Knight, and tracks where she is accompanied by The Sam Price Trio. Her work strayed into the mainstream R&B market, and this collection includes her US R&B hits "Strange Things Happening Every Day", "Precious Memories", "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air" and "Silent Night". She was an artist who broke the mould of how gospel could be performed and this collection from a key era of her career is a substantial and entertaining showcase for her unique approach.

Across 4CDs comes a collection of over 100 of the cosiest Christmas numbers, perfect to relax to around the roaring fire. CDs 1-3 feature the tones of some of the world's most loved singers including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and Andy Williams to get you in the festive mood alongside a host of recognisable Christmas classics such as 'Jingle Bell Rock', 'Santa Baby', 'Winter Wonderland' and many, many more. Disc 4 is a bonus disc of 20 sensational Christmas carols performed by The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge and includes 'Silent Night', 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' and 'Away In A Manger'. All this makes this undoubtedly 'The Cosiest Christmas Album In The World… Ever!'

Although Mstislav Rostropovich died 10 years ago, on April 27th 2007, he remains a powerful presence on the world’s cultural scene through his legacy as the greatest cellist of his time, as a brave advocate of human rights, and as a man of proverbial generosity and charisma, often known simply by his nickname, Slava. He would have celebrated his 90th birthday in 2017.

The popularity of dance music and of clubbing in the 1980s exploded. With its roots in 60s R&B and 70s soul and disco, the new grooves were an eclectic mix of styles: house, jazz-funk, pop, hi-NRG, electro and rare soul classics being re-discovered for the 80s clubber, all of which are represented here. Includes legendary acts continuing to find dance floor success - Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Barry White and Aretha Franklin who all enjoyed huge hits in the 80s.

The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule is the single most comprehensive overview yet of a truly unique UK musical culture which has now lasted over 45 years and has spread across the world. The music follows the evolvement of Northern Soul, from it's early beginnings at Manchester's Twisted Wheel club in 1968, through to The Golden Torch, Blackpool Mecca, Wigan Casino and Cleethorpes Pier in the 1970s, Stafford Top Of The World and The 100 Club in the 1980s and the huge dearth of Soul weekenders and the 100 Club again from the 1990's to the present day. Featuring a mind-numbing 222 tracks, all licensed from legitimate sources. The most comprehensive Northern Soul track-listing ever. The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time-Capsule truly does what it says on the tin. This is the most exhaustive history of the Northern Soul scene ever released.

It was a musical cocktail born in a marketing meeting: Two parts easy listening, one part jazz, a healthy dollop of conga drums, a sprinkling of bird calls, and a pinch of textless choir. Serve garnished with an alluring woman on the album jacket for best results. Liberty Records co-founder Si Waronker called it Exotica; the soundtrack for a mythical air conditioned Eden, packaged for mid-century, tiki torch-wielding armchair safariers. In the five years after Exotica—Martin Denny’s 1957 landmark Liberty debut—arrived, hundreds of other ethnographic forgeries washed up in record racks all over the U.S., bearing titles like Sophisticated Savage, Sacred Idol, Chant of the Jungle, Polynesian Paradise, Exotic Paradise, Taboo, Primitiva, Forbidden Island, Afrodesia, Hypnotique, Percussion Exotique, and a barrel’s worth of other portmanteaus. “All of those ica and itiva endings I came up with because I thought I was being cute,” Waronker said. “And I don’t know why, but nobody got wise.”