The Invitations

The later 19th century brought an increasing consciousness of national identity to various ethnic groups in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Antonín Dvořák, born in a Bohemian village where his father was an innkeeper and butcher, followed Smetana as the leading exponent of Czech musical nationalism, firmly within the Classical traditions of Central Europe. His early musical training was followed by employment for some years as a viola player, for a time under Smetana, and then, with the positive encouragement of Brahms, by a life primarily devoted to composition. Dvořák won recognition abroad and rather more grudging acceptance in Vienna. Between 1892 and 1895 he spent some time in the United States of America as director of the new National Conservatory, a period that brought compositions which combine American and Bohemian influence. At home again he was much honoured, resisting invitations from Brahms to move to Vienna in favour of a simple life in his own country. He died in 1904, shortly after the first performances of his last opera, Armida.

The 18th century was the great time of the castrati, they celebrated the greatest triumphs in opera. But gradually the tenor voice also gained more and more weight, until it finally dominated the great roles in bel canto. One of those who strongly influenced this development was Annibale Fabbri, known as "Balino", whose voice would today be described as a "pure lyric tenor". Because of the beauty of his voice and his incomparable stage presence, he achieved great fame and received invitations to all the great stages of Europe. This album presents those roles that famous composers of the time such as Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Sarro, Handel or Caldara wrote for Fabbri, and at the same time follows the stations of Fabbri's performances throughout Europe, from Rome, Naples and Venice to London and Vienna. Tenor Marco Angioloni and the ensemble Il Groviglio succeed in making an impressive plea for a long-neglected voice of baroque opera in the first third of the 18th century.

We normally think of the blues as homegrown from the American South, but no culture knows the feelings like the Irish, which makes veteran blues rocker McCullough an interesting study in the way the genre transcends cultures. He's shared stages with Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall, and Small Faces, and returned to Memphis in 2000 to compete in the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge; he came in third, but this powerhouse of a recording sounds like the makings of first place. Kind of skimpy at seven tracks and only 31 minutes, the recording still captures various exciting facets of his chosen genre. The brooding opening number, "Louisiana Woman," inexplicably finds his voice distant and distorted, but perhaps the mystery is intentional; his raspy voice combines with simple but powerful chord changes that keep getting faster. "Walkin' Back to You" is a fiery boogie-woogie-driven blues jam, with McCullough singing urgently as his blistering lines sizzle underneath. "Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool" is laid-back cool in the Eric Clapton tradition, while "Mistreatin' Me" is a pointed emotional jam fueled by the heavy organ harmonies of Mike Lattrell. A lot of what passes for blues these days comes in shimmering production packages, but this hits a cut above by being real, rougher, and raw.

Janine Jansen's 1997 debut with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw signaled the rise of a major violin talent. Jansen remained little known outside of the Netherlands until her 2002 London debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy. Thereafter, invitations to appear with the leading European and American orchestras poured in, and in 2003, she was awarded the Dutch Music Prize, the highest artistic award given in the Netherlands. With a formidable technique and immaculate tone, fashioning her interpretations with both imagination and maturity, Jensen is regarded as one of her generation's foremost violinists.

Francis Goya (Francis Weyer) born of musician parents in the city of Liege (Belgium). He receives his first guitar at the age of 13 and takes guitar lessons over a one year period to become a true auto dictate. At the age of 16, he forms his first rock band with his brother and a few friends, "The Jivaros". In 1970, Francis is taken on by a professional soul band, "The J.J.Band", With whom he tours Europe and Africa. Their second album is produced by Brian Bennet (The Shadows) for CBS International in London. Thanks to all this he becomes a studio guitarist, accompanying various artists on the international scene, Demis Roussos, Three Degrees, Barry White, Vicky Leandros.

Born in 1971 and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio, Sugar Brown was born as Ken Chester Kawashima to a Japanese father and Korean mother who both immigrated to the United States in the mid-1960s. Now a permanent resident of Toronto, Canada, Sugar Brown is a modern blues musician, singer and songwriter. His brand of dark, sweet, and inconsolable blues has caught the attention of the Canadian music scene, winning the 2013 Toronto Blues Society Talent Search and quickly receiving invitations to play at the Kitchener Blues Festival and the prestigious Mariposa Folk Festival in 2014.