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.
Rudulf Serkin, in the company of Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra shine a wonderful light on Brahm's First Piano Concerto. Serkin brings the same radiance he delivers to Beethoven's "Emperor". Self-effacing, Serkin noted, "We are nothing next to the immense pieces we play… nothing, we are mere dwarfs". A challenging piece by any measure, Serkin's performance is well balanced with that of the orchestra, which play in harmony to produce elegant sound on this well-recorded Sony edition. The Handel Variations are a delightful change of pace as a makeweight.
robably the best Ken Hensley´s solo album since his debut in the 70´s. It is a concept work in which he tells us his story with his band Uriah Heep. The result is a very strong, hard rocking album with some prog overtones, just like UH used to be…
Gary Numan experienced renewed interest during the late '90s due to a popular remake of "Cars" by electro metallists Fear Factory. As a result, Numan reappeared back from the dead - releasing new albums, launching tours, and winning over new fans. The time was right to issue a brand new Numan compilation (despite the fact that countless career overviews had surfaced throughout the years), as the 29-track double disc Exposure: The Best of Gary Numan 1977-2002 appeared in shops in 2002. Despite what its title would like you to believe, there are quite a few holes here - the majority of the tracks come from Numan's early work. Most Numan fans would agree that his finest work came from this era (circa the late '70s/early '80s)…
It is good to welcome this set of the extravagantly brooding orchestral music of the Dutch composer Alphons Diepenbrock.