Hélène Sio J'veux Tout Savoir

A truly beautiful and unique tracklist with rarities including Víkingur Ólafsson’s new arrangement for piano of a Bach Cantata, rare transcriptions for guitar, for mandolin and even String Quartet; alongside familiar Bach masterpieces, all played by the world’s greatest classical artists, curated and presented Deutsche Grammophon.

Savoir Faire is Najee's sophisticated exploration into the world of sensuality and romance, interspersed with fantastic, spirited grooves that have made Najee a favorite the world over. On Savoir Faire, superstar producers Barry Eastmond (Whitney Houston), Paul Brown (Boney James), and Chris Big Dog Davis (Richard Elliot) create brilliant canvases for Najee to paint his virtuosic masterpieces. Highlights include Najee's passionate remake of Norman Conner's classic “Valentine Love,” the sensuously grooving “Dr. Dolittle,” the Brazillian-tinged “Happiness (A Felicidade),” the funky “Bounce,” and much more.

Certainly fans of countertenor Andreas Scholl and lovers of Handel's Italian cantatas will not be disappointed with this new release. Scholl's voice retains its clear, fluid, golden-toned beauty, and he absolutely owns these little dramas centered around the common themes of the quest for love (or attempts to avoid its "cruel trap"). On hearing the very early cantata Vedendo Amor, you can't help being overcome with the sheer loveliness of the melodic invention (and the correspondingly lovely singing!) in the aria "Camminando lei pian piano…", and it's always a pleasure to be reminded that the Op. 2 No. 1 trio sonata, an effective complement to the vocal works, contains some of Handel's finest music in the chamber instrumental genre.

–David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com