Aaron Strumann

'Appalachian Spring' and 'El Salón Mexicó' are archetypical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast landscapes, cowboys and pioneer spirit. Yet, in the 20th century perhaps only Stravinsky was as adept in as many styles as Aaron Copland [1900-1990]. His Piano Concerto, first performed by Serge Koussevitsky, is a good example of Copland the modernist but he also wrote chamber music, ballets, operas and film scores, as well as teaching, writing and latterly conducting. The winter of 1950 saw Copland take a break from writing his superlative 'Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson' and, inspired by a Pears and Britten recital in late 1949, he took five of his favourite American songs and arranged them for voice with piano. Pears and Britten liked them so much that they gave the premiere together at the Aldburgh Festival in 1950.

Aaron Sachs was an American jazz saxophone and clarinet player. He released a few LPs in the '50s and worked with a number of well-known jazz artists such as Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, Earl Hines, Red Norvo, Anita O'Day and Dizzy Gillespie.
Aaron Sachs: "I wanted to bring to this album a new kind of spirit, a combination of moods, a contrast of arrangements. The first two recording dates were comprised of eight men. Two trumpets, one trombone, two saxophones and three rhythm, drum, bass and piano. The third recording date had five men, using guitar, clarinet, piano, bass and drums. The last date included all of my original compositions with the exception of "Nancy", which Frank Sinatra takes credit for…

Aaron Copland may well be the best-known, the most loved, and the all-around greatest of twentieth century American composers, but his music from the '20s and '30s is still relatively unknown, still relatively unloved, and of still questionable greatness. Was Copland the Modernist too far out to connect to a big audience so he re-created himself as Copland the Populist to become the best-known, most loved, and greatest American composer? But was his Piano Concerto from 1926 really too jazzy and vulgar, his Symphonic Ode from 1928 really too cerebral and severe, his Piano Variations from 1930 really too harsh and austere, and his Short Symphony from 1934 really too rhythmic and complex or was it lack of familiarity made them seem so? From this 1996 recording by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, one would have to vote for the latter because Copland the Modernist is every bit as great a composer as Copland the Populist.

The three Copland classics on this disc–Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring and Rodeo–are all ballet scores, and from the very first bars of Billy, with its evocative depiction of the wide-open prairies, you are firmly in the territory of music that tells a story. But you don't need to follow all the ins and outs of each story to enjoy music which paints as vivid a picture of rural America as you could hope for. If the sprightly "Hoe Down" from Rodeo brings a splash of colour to concert programmes, the remarkable thing about so much of the music in these three pieces is how quietly sensitive it is. And while Michael Tilson Thomas does not hold back in wringing every last ounce of splashy razzmatazz, he is equally the master of introspective music which clearly demonstrates that you don't need to be loud to be a populist. The recordings were made in the San Francisco Symphony's home, Davies Symphony Hall. You couldn't hope for more authentic performances than this–more than 76 minutes of dyed-in-the-wool Americana.

Originally a member of electronica duo clickits, John McCaffrey moved from Accrington in the north west of England to Melbourne, Australia and started a solo project as Part Timer. Concentrating on a mixture of delicate folk flavours and electronic augmentation, Part Timer has released albums on moteer, flau and lost tribe sound. Collaborations with multi-instrumentalist Aaron Martin have been released on mobeer and under the spire. McCaffrey has also released music under the names Scissors and Sellotape (on cotton goods) and Upward Arrows (on under the spire)…

18 Albums into her career, Aaron has written, recorded and produced music achieving gold and multi-platinum sales. Recognised as one of Canada’s top rock vocalists she’s also made forays into jazz, blues, and even opera, receiving numerous awards and accolades and most recently, a 2023 induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Taking a nostalgic journey, Tattoo Me pays homage to musical trailblazers who helped shape her own artistic path. As a reflection of her eclectic taste, yet in keeping with a profound respect for the greats, these 11 tracks are a unique tapestry of influences tending to transcend era and genre…

For the second ECM album by Aaron Parks – following the solo release Aborescence, which JazzTimes praised as “expansive, impressionistic… like a vision quest” – the prize-winning pianist has convened a trio featuring bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart. The rhythm pair, which also teams in Hart’s hit quartet for ECM, blends fluidity and strength – what Parks calls “an oceanic” quality, producing waves of energy for the pianist to alternately ride and dive into. Find the Way has the aura of a piano-trio recording in the classic mold, from melody-rich opener “Adrift” to the closing title track, a cover of a romantic tune Parks grew to love on an LP by Rosemary Clooney and Nelson Riddle. Parks also drew inspiration for this album from the likes of Alice Coltrane and Shirley Horn (for whom Hart played); space and subtlety are a priority.

Bodyrock is the fifth studio album by singer Lee Aaron, released on 13 September 1989 through Attic Records (Europe and North America) and Alfa Records (Japan). The album is Aaron's most successful and highest-charting release to date, reaching No. 32 on the Canadian albums chart and No. 36 on the German albums chart Both of its singles also charted: "Whatcha Do to My Body" reached No. 25 on the Canadian singles chart and "Hands On" reached No. 38…