Wooden Tomasz Stańko Quintet

Now regarded as one of the most iconic figures in jazz history, back in the late 1950s John Coltrane was a regular ""gun for hire"" participating in many sessions by studio-assembled bands led by a wide array of leaders. None were more unusual than the two albums he recorded with Ray Draper, a truly unique exponent of modern jazz tuba. Although still in his teens, the prodigal brassman was already a member of drummer Max Roach's group and had begun to emerge as an equally promising composer, highlighted by the number of themes from his pen featured on these two sets. Recorded during Coltrane's celebrated ""sheets of sound"" period, Draper's brace of albums are noteworthy for their inclusion of three compositions written by the other twin-peak of modern jazz saxophone, Sonny Rollins, two of which Coltrane did not record elsewhere.

Doug Sahm once sang, "You just can't live in Texas if you don't have a lot of soul," and, as a proud son of the Lone Star state, he seemed bent on proving that every time he stepped in front of a microphone. Whether he was playing roots rock, garage punk, blues, country, norteño, or (as was often the case) something that mixed up several of the above-mentioned ingredients, Doug Sahm always sounded like Doug Sahm – a little wild, a little loose, but always good company, and a guy with a whole lot of soul who knew a lot of musicians upon whom the same praise could be bestowed. Pulling together a single disc compilation that would make sense of the length and breadth of the artist's recording career (which spanned five decades) would be just about impossible (the licensing hassles involved with the many labels involved would probably scotch such a project anyway), but this disc, which boasts 22 songs recorded over the course of eight years, is a pretty good starter for anyone wanting to get to know Sahm's music.

AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Albums series with a finely re-mastered 2CD release from John Coltrane with The Red Garland Trio & Quintet.

Now regarded as one of the most iconic figures in jazz history, back in the late 1950s John Coltrane was a regular ""gun for hire"" participating in many sessions by studio-assembled bands led by a wide array of leaders. None were more unusual than the two albums he recorded with Ray Draper, a truly unique exponent of modern jazz tuba. Although still in his teens, the prodigal brassman was already a member of drummer Max Roach's group and had begun to emerge as an equally promising composer, highlighted by the number of themes from his pen featured on these two sets. Recorded during Coltrane's celebrated ""sheets of sound"" period, Draper's brace of albums are noteworthy for their inclusion of three compositions written by the other twin-peak of modern jazz saxophone, Sonny Rollins, two of which Coltrane did not record elsewhere.

The case for performing Mozart's horn music authentically on its original natural (valveless) horn is a bit tougher than for music in other genres; it's hard to imagine that Mozart or his audiences wouldn't have preferred the smooth scale of the modern horn to the reedy, clarinet-like tone that emerges on chromatic notes even on a fine recording like this one. Yet the four concertos, two of them incomplete or incompletely transmitted, and the Horn Quintet in E flat major, K. 407, have been recorded often enough on natural horns.

Art’Ventus Quintet, founded in 2020, is an eclectic woodwind quintet formed by five of the most notable Portuguese musicians who found in this wind quintet a form of chamber music, transforming the artistic possibilities of this formation into a peculiar experience. This quintet seeks to bring the best of chamber music to this formation, covering erudite, traditional, popular and contemporary repertoire. Each musician, through different instruments, contributes to the construction of their own sound, seeking to provide the sharing of various personal and artistic experiences. Art’Ventus Quintet represents respect for the score, bringing their own interpretation and instilling all the passion they feel for each piece. For this quintet, the concert means bringing sound and aesthetic details to the stage, contributing directly and authentically to a unique experience for its audience.

Established in 1999, the Gomalan Brass Quintet is an eclectic and highly dynamic brass group made up of five excellent musicians: Marco Pierobon (trumpet), Francesco Gibellini (trumpet), Nilo Caracristi (horn), Gianluca Scipioni (trombone), Stefano Ammannati (tuba). Thanks to the compelling synergy between executive skill and theatrical involvement, a distinctive feature of the quintet, the Gomalan Brass navigates with ease within a vast repertoire, which ranges from Renaissance to melodrama and contemporary music, without disdaining forays into the repertoire of light music. The proposed and continuously renewed shows, the recognized musical quality, and the histrionic verve of the components have been conquering audiences.

Established in 1999, the Gomalan Brass Quintet is an eclectic and highly dynamic brass group made up of five excellent musicians: Marco Pierobon (trumpet), Francesco Gibellini (trumpet), Nilo Caracristi (horn), Gianluca Scipioni (trombone), Stefano Ammannati (tuba). Thanks to the compelling synergy between executive skill and theatrical involvement, a distinctive feature of the quintet, the Gomalan Brass navigates with ease within a vast repertoire, which ranges from Renaissance to melodrama and contemporary music, without disdaining forays into the repertoire of light music. The proposed and continuously renewed shows, the recognized musical quality, and the histrionic verve of the components have been conquering audiences.