Adelin Albert

One composer damned to musty obscurity not too long ago was Eugen d'Albert; while regarded as one of history's legendary pianists, his composing activity – which spans an especially interesting period from the 1880s to the early '30s – was seen as a stick-in-the-mud retention of German post-romanticism and therefore an unnecessary pursuit. However, his 1903 operetta Tiefland never left the repertory of the German-speaking stage, and it is the Theater Osnabrück that is co-branding CPO's release Eugen d'Albert: Symphony Op. 4 – Seejungfrauen Op. 15, which features the in-house symphony, the Osnabrücker Symphonieorchester under the baton of general music director Hermann Bäumer. The Osnabrück Symphony is a notably compact band usually numbering around 45 pieces, but it has a big sound nonetheless, captured generously in this fine CPO recording.

This DVD contains two of Albert Lee's most well-known videos: Advanced Country Guitar and Virtuoso Techniques. In Advanced Country Guitar, Albert Lee performs some of his favorite tunes and analyzes his baffling technique in depth. Songs include "Fun Ranch Boogie", "Tiger Rag" and "That's Alright Mama". Albert also discusses his hybrid Travis -picking style, chord voicing, scalar ideas, how to create long seamless lines based off chord shapes, double stopconcepts, and analysis of his classic guitar parts. Virtuoso Techniques focuses on the components which make up Albert's brilliant country style.

Albert Beger's 5's Listening, released in 2004 on the Earsay label and following on from his trio album Hevel Havalim sees Beger in the relative safety and comfort of a quintet. In addition to Beger on tenor and soprano, the double frontline sees him teamed up with Yoni Silver - a long time collaborator of Israeli free jazz legendary pioneer Harold Rubin - on alto and bass clarinet (and organ). The rhythm section comprises guitarist Yiftach Kadan, Bass stalwart Gabriel Meyer and drummer Hagai Fershtman. The latter two are left from the previous trio.

Gilded by strings and horns, keyboards and flutes, and driven by a propulsive disco beat, Albert is about as slick as Albert King ever got, but he manages to turn in a few strong performances on the album. On the whole, the songs aren't particularly distinctive, and the instrumental support is way too anonymous, but hardcore Albert fans may find a couple solos, a couple of phrases worth hearing beneath all the heavy-handed production and thumping beats. Albert King is truly a "King of the Blues," although he doesn't hold that title (B.B. does). Along with B.B. and Freddie King, Albert King is one of the major influences on blues and rock guitar players. Without him, modern guitar music would not sound as it does – his style has influenced both black and white blues players from Otis Rush and Robert Cray to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.