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Dave Hagedorn is an Artist in Residence at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, where he teaches percussion, jazz studies, and world music. Hagedorn has an album, “Solid/Liquid” on the Artegra label in SACD format released in October of 2003…

Hank Jones, who has just turned 90, is still wowing audiences around the world with his elegant swing and "magic touch". The tradition of combining Hank Jones with an unexpected rhythm section continues in this wonderfully recorded hybrid SACD. The latest iteration of Jones' Great Jazz Trio includes veteran bassist George Mraz and explosive Billy Kilson who represents a new generation of jazz drummers. His sharp and powerful drumming is surely one of the highlights of this album.

Henry "Hank" Jones Jr. was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. This album has been released for Japanese market as Hybrid SACD.

During the '90s, both Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer saw their careers take off with a flurry of compelling CDs as individual leaders. For this album, they joined forces to co-lead the New Sound Quartet, recording for the Japanese label Eighty-Eight's.

One of the UKs finest baroque ensembles give their unique take on the Brandenburg Concertos. Regular performances in some of the worlds most prestigious venues have confirmed Florilegiums status as one of Britains most outstanding period instrument ensembles. Since their formation in 1991 they have established a reputation for stylish and exciting interpretations, from intimate chamber works to large-scale orchestral and choral repertoire. Florilegium regularly collaborate with some of the world's finest musicians including Dame Emma Kirkby, Robin Blaze and Elin Manahan Thomas. Florilegium have many champions in the UK press, so reviews expected in Times, Guardian, Telegraph, BBC CD Review, Gramophone, IRR and BBC Music.

One of the most beautiful Eddie Henderson albums we've heard in years – a richly modal session with lots of classic influences, recorded beautifully, and with a feel that will make it a real standout! The set list includes some killer jazz standards – like Wayne Shorter's "Prince Of Darkness" and "Footprints", Miles Davis' "So What" and "All Blues", and Monk's "Well You Needn't" and "Round Midnight" – not to mention great versions of "Green Dolphin Street", and "Old Folks". And even though the tunes are classics, they're played with the fresh modernism of the mid 60s Miles Davis quintet – a style that's got angular edges, but also some deeply soulful moments – played with elegance by a group that includes Bob Berg on tenor, Dave Kikoshi on piano, Ed Howard on bass, and Billy Hart and Victor Lewis on drums.

Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields present these highly acclaimed world premiere recordings of orchestral works by Gordon Getty. Although most of Getty’s output is vocal music, he has also written for orchestra, chamber ensembles and solo piano and this programme showcases six orchestral pieces, including the overture from his first opera, "Plump Jack".

With a disc entitled Stabat Mater and featuring Pergolesi among the composers, it would be natural to expect his setting of this heartfelt meditation on the grief of the Virgin Mary to be included in the programme. Well, it isn’t – and it is! Only a few years after Pergolesi in 1736 had composed his Stabat Mater, JS Bach made an adaptation of it using a contemporary German version of the biblical Psalm 51. To suit the requirements of the new text Bach made certain alterations to Pergolesi’s vocal parts, but retained the scheme of solo arias and duets between a soprano and an alto voice. He also added a new, independent viola part to the score and rewrote the basso continuo, giving the work a new harmonic vitality.

Ikuyo Nakamichi, who made her debut in Japan and Europe in 1987, is one of the most outstanding and sought-after pianists in Japan. With a broad repertory ranging from Classical to Romantic, Nakamichi has performed as a soloist with Japan's leading orchestras as well as many European and American orchestras. Nakamichi has an exclusive recording contract with Sony Music Japan International and has released many CDs, including an album which set a record as the top-selling classical music recording to date. Particularly with her recordings of the six piano concertos with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen under the baton of Paavo Järvi, she has firmly established her reputation as “Beethoven performer Ikuyo Nakamichi”.

This is an intriguing programme. The title refers to the Austrian call to dance Alles Walzer, a nod to the standard waltz repertoire, whilst the second part, einmal anders (once in a different way) reflects the more radical approaches to waltz rhythm employed by Ligeti and Bartók. One might add Ravel to this category too, though perhaps his choreographic poem La Valse, played here in the composer's own transcription, stands more on the border between these two camps. I have heard the work described as a requiem for a waltz rather than a celebration; ghosts of the rhythm flit back and forth, seldom lingering, and these shifting sands rhythm and harmony place it some distance from the waltzes of Schubert and Strauss.