KOMITAS QUARTET Established in 1924 at the Moscow State Tchaykovsky Conservatory by four talented Armenian students, Komitas State Quartet celebrates its 80th Anniversary in 2004. The oldest quartet of Viennese school among existing in the world has recently applied to Guinness World Records for official recognition of that fact and the request has been approved as unique. All musicians of the quartet play Guarnerius instruments, Andrea and Pietro, of 17 and 18 centuries and their skill is so brilliant that it has always created overwhelming response in all countries of the world they toured, over 70 in total. True ambassadors of Armenian culture, Komitas State Quartet produce a unique sound distinct, vivid and original.
Charlie Haden loves film as much as music, combining both loves on the critically acclaimed Haunted Heart. Haden led his tremendous group Quartet West through 12 numbers, several, like Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," and Alan Broadbent's "Lady In The Lake," Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz's "Haunted Heart," and even the short introduction, with film ties and/or links. Haden transferred vocals on some numbers from Jeri Southern, Billie Holiday and Jo Stafford into the mix without disrupting or disturbing the group framework. Quartet West has emerged as a premier small combo, and Haden nicely paid tribute to the past without being held hostage to it.
Three years after Gerry Mulligan initially sat in with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the baritone saxophonist arrived at a point where he could perform alongside Brubeck's alto saxophonist, Paul Desmond, for this much anticipated session. When legal issues, wranglings with producer Norman Granz, and the question of which record label would subsidize and release this album were resolved, the two saxophonists went ahead to produce a delightful program of standards and originals where their more playful sides could fully blossom…
Audiences around Britain and beyond became devoted followers of the Elias String Quartet s Beethoven Project, in which the complete quartets were performed over the course of two seasons. This disc offers the chance to hear the fruits of the ensemble s collective experience and deep thinking on the works. We are proud to release the second volume of this collection on the Wigmore Hall Live label which presents three masterpieces: String Quartet in F Op. 18 No. 1, String Quartet in A minor Op. 132 and String Quintet in C Op. 29. For the latter the Elias String Quartet is joined by Malin Broman who is in huge demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. In this rousing concert, recorded live in concert at Wigmore Hall, the ensemble explores these works with sustained intensity and meticulous attention to detail.
In November 1961, tenor sax titan Stan Getz was leading one of his best yet shortest-lived lineups, with pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist John Neves, and drummer Roy Haynes. The previously unreleased Getz at the Gate showcases this group at peak power on the bandstand. In sound quality, it far exceeds Live at Birdland 1961, which captures nearly the same band (with Jimmy Garrison on bass) on many of the same tunes, earlier in the same month.