Byrd Golden

The second release in Stile Antico’s ‘Golden Renaissance’ trilogy on the Decca Classics label commemorates 400 years since the death of the superb English composer William Byrd. Our programme focuses on the music of his final years, written for the clandestine Catholic services of his Essex patron, including his timeless Mass for Four Voices and his exuberant Propers for the Feast of the Assumption. We also perform several of his “sacred songs” in both English and Latin, and his mighty Tribue Domine, a homage to the music of an older generation of composers.

American pianist and composer Kit Armstrong steps back in time to revive the spirit of Elizabethan England. For his first album on Deutsche Grammophon, Kit Armstrong presents works by two composers who elevated instrumental music to new heights of refinement in the Golden Age of Elizabeth I and her successor James I.

This project is an inspired idea. Guitarist Charlie Byrd, who will always be best-known for his bossa nova recordings, also always loved Django Reinhardt's music. He heads du Hot Club de Concord, a group similar to the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, except that instead of being comprised of three guitars, one violin, and a bass, this ensemble has two guitars (with Frank Vignola playing rhythm behind Byrd), violinist Johnny Frigo, bassist Michael Moore, and Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica. The blend between harmonica and violin is particularly effective, and the repertoire ranges from swing tunes (including Byrd's "Swing '59") to some light Brazilian music, ballads, and standards. Byrd, Frigo, and Meurkens take plenty of fine solos, making this a highly recommended set.

This fabulous five disc set is replete with some of those old Stokowski warhorses all recorded in absolutely mind boggling Phase 4 sound, overblown perhaps but astounding for its time. Decca's remastering is absolutely magnificent and the discs are jam packed with almost six hours of music. This is another fine memorial to a great conductor who remained astonishingly vital until the very end of his life.

High energy blowing session with Hank Mobley joined by two of the greatest trumpet players of the golden era, namely Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan.

A musician of nearly legendary prowess, Jan Akkerman for a time eclipsed Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck among reader polls in England as the top guitarist in the world. Akkerman was born in Amsterdam, Holland, and showed his musical inclinations early, taking up the guitar while still in grade school. His taste and interests were extraordinarily wide-ranging, from pop/rock to classical, with room for blues, Latin, and other influences.