Khalil el Anany

South Africa’s lost jazz history contains many an overlooked classic. But even within that hidden tradition, there are few albums that suffered such an unlucky fate as Spring, the monumental 1968 debut album by pianist Ibrahim Khalil Shihab, formerly Chris Schilder.

Cyril Auvity heads the cast in a new recording of Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux enfers in a production being released by Glossa. Auvity is the lovelorn Orpheus who ventures, with his lyre, into the Underworld to plead with Pluto (Etienne Bazola) for the return of his Eurydice (Céline Scheen), struck down in her prime by a snakebite, being encouraged in his efforts by Proserpine, the wife of the ruler of Hades (Floriane Hasler).

Abou-Khalil's album "Songs For Sad Women" radiates with charming, elegiac beauty. Consisting of four players - on oud (Arab lute), on duduk (Armenian shawm), on serpent (a mysterious brass instrument from the Middle Ages) and drums -, the band's rather singular instrumental mixture makes for an extraordinary sound experience. This is so emotional music, heart-gripping, relaxed and haunting. The album's guest star is Gevorg Dabaghyan, one of the most famous players of the duduk, Armenia's traditional oboe and national symbol.

Like Abou-Khalil’s other recordings, this CD is testament to the heights that can be reached, both artistically and humanely, when people from different cultures and backgrounds unite in creative curiosity and mutual respect. Without any of the musicians compromising their cultural heritage Abou-Khalil produces a music that is new yet strangely familiar, progressive yet equally traditional. With its opposites so homogeneous and natural, this music is fresh and sparklingly vivid as if it had always naturally existed in exactly this way.

Spanish colonies in Central and South America emerged as wellsprings of cultural activity throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The meeting of indigenous populations with Latin American cathedrals and courtly life resulted in styles bearing the imprint of folk music, even in sacred compositions. The sophisticated musical culture of Guatemala City Cathedral is represented in an archive of hundreds of works, several of which are recorded here. The guitars, harp, voices and percussion of acclaimed ensemble El Mundo bring to life the vibrant and at times hypnotic dance rhythms of Spain, Africa and the New World, creating a sound unique to this region, and one that still flourishes to this day.

Spiritmuse Records proudly presents ‘Kahil El’Zabar’s America the Beautiful’, a tour de force musical testament that speaks directly to the heart, mind and spirit. Kahil El’Zabar composed, arranged and conducted ‘America the Beautiful’ to speak musically about the turbulent issues in America (and the world) today, as well as his hopes and love for a better tomorrow.